Frequently Asked Questions

Everyone has a right to legally park their vehicle within the City of Ashland. With that said, there are time limitations as outlined in the Ashland Municipal Code (AMC) ashland.municipal.codes/AMC/11.26.

Except as otherwise provided, no person owning or controlling an oversized vehicle shall cause or permit it to be parked within any public right-of-way for longer than 24 consecutive hours.

a. An Oversized vehicle may be legally parked on a public right-of-way in front of or contiguous to the vehicle owner’s dwelling, provided it meets all of the following criteria:

 A. Is not parked for more than 72 hours;

B. Does not constitute a hazard to traffic on public streets;

C. Does not restrict vision of motorists on a public street;

D. Does not obstruct view from any other property;

E. Has a currently valid license or registration;

F. Is operable, including adequate tires; and

G. Is attached to a vehicle if required for movement of the oversized vehicle.

b. To comply with the 72 hour time restriction, an oversized vehicle must be moved more than 100 feet from the parked location at which the 72 hour time period has expired.

11.08.010 Definitions :  ashland.municipal.codes/AMC/11.08.010

“Oversized Vehicle” means any vehicle, whether motorized or nonmotorized, that exceeds 22 feet in length, or 94 inches in width or 92 inches in height. Any extension caused by any accessory, with the exception of side view mirrors, trailer hitches or roof racks, attached to such vehicle shall be considered part of the measured distance. “Oversized vehicle” includes all buses, tractors, semi-trailers, motor coaches, trailers, campers, camper-trailers, house-cars, trailer coaches, trailer houses, motor homes, boats horse trailers, mobile homes, utility trailers, and other equipment or machinery, or other recreational vehicles regardless of width, length or height. The term “oversized vehicle” excludes automobiles, pickup trucks, sport utility vehicles and passenger vans that would not exceed 92 inches in height but for aftermarket suspension system modifications or oversized tires.

If you believe a vehicle is in violation of the AMC, please contact the Ashland Police Department at the non-emergency no. 541.488.5211 to report the parking violation.

We have five trucks equipped with snowplows and trained staff to operate the plows. Snowplowing is done according to pre-established priority routes. For example, routes to the Ashland Hospital and major arterials will take precedence over collector streets and neighborhoods.  

View our Snowplow Route Map (PDF), which shows the priority levels for city streets. 

Please keep in mind that response times vary depending on the severity of the storm. 

Check out our Winter Weather Readiness tips! 

If you have non-emergency Storm Damage or a Power Outage to report, please use our LIVE Citizen Report Tool, SeeClickFix: 

• Storm Damage (non-emergency): Submit a report
• Electric Power Outage: Submit a report
• Many more non-emergency reporting options are available at ashlandoregon.gov/SeeClickFix. 

Reports are automatically routed to the correct department for review and follow-up. 

Please note: SeeClickFix is not monitored outside regular business hours and is intended for non-urgent issues only. For immediate concerns, email or call 541-488-6002 the City Manager's Office. Dial 911 in an emergency.

Yes. During inclement weather, collection routes may be delayed by one or two days. Customers will not be charged for any extra materials accumulated during these delays. Service will resume as soon as conditions are safe for trucks to operate.

Trash and recycling services are provided by Recology Ashland. Learn more at Recology Ashland. 

For information on utility services provided by the City, visit Utility Customer Service | Ashland, OR (ashlandoregon.gov).

Sidewalks and driveways are the responsibility of the adjacent property owner per our municipal code. Part of this is due to the City’s capacity. Our staff will be focused on clearing roads, repairing major infrastructure and responding to emergency calls, so we rely on community members to keep their sidewalks and driveways clear. If you have a neighbor that struggles shoveling snow, please jump in to help. 

Our City e-Newsletter is bimonthly. Sign up TODAY so that you can stay connected with us! 

Free Home Energy Scores are now available to Ashland Electric customers, helping residents understand energy use, lower utility bills, improve comfort and cut emissions.

Learn more

Carter & Co. began the North Mountain Avenue Overlay Project in early 2026, improving pavement, ADA ramps and pedestrian and bicycle safety. The project will continue through June 2026. The area impacted will be from the Hersey Street intersection to I-5. 

Learn more

Ashland Community Hospital will transition to a satellite campus of Rogue Regional Medical Center by spring 2026. The facility will close its inpatient hospital license and operate as an extension of Rogue Regional. 

December 11, 2025: Please see the joint news release (PDF) from Asante and the City of Ashland for an update on the Ashland Community Hospital. 

For more information, please visit asante.org/faq.

In June 2024, the City began using herbicides in select median strips as a safety measure to reduce the amount of time, and thus the safety risk, for staff working in the medians. In the six months leading up to that decision, staff had reported eight incidents with either safety risks or property damage associated with maintaining the medians.

The use of pesticides and herbicides are governed by the City’s Integrated Pest Management Plan (AMC 9.28). That plan allows herbicide use where terrain, safety, or other conditions prompt its use. Park lands are mostly synthetic-pesticide-free with exceptions for addressing safety issues with hornets and wasps, controlling poison oak along trails, at Oak Knoll Golf Course and at North Mountain Park baseball and softball infields for safety issues. Outside of Parks lands, pesticides are only used on select medians by certified operators to reduce the amount of time workers spend working in high-risk areas.

When pesticides or herbicides are applied, the City is required to post 48-hour notice, can only apply pesticides under certain weather conditions (to prevent their spread) and under a certified operator to ensure safety and best practices for pesticide use. 

Starting February 1, 2026, the combined PLUS membership (ground + air) will no longer be offered. Your current membership remains active until it expires. At renewal, PLUS members will renew ground coverage through Ashland Fire & Rescue and air coverage through Mercy Flights. BASIC members will see their annual fee reduced to $55, and BASIC will be the only ground membership option moving forward. For more details, see the informative letter from your Ashland Fire & Rescue Team (PDF). 

You can also contact the Fire Department via email or call 541-488-6009.

The City  is making it easier than ever for property owners to add an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) to their residentially zoned property. The City now offers seven free, pre-approved ADU designs that meet all local building code requirements, saving time and simplifying the permitting process.

By streamlining ADU development, Ashland aims to expand housing options, promote affordability and meet the diverse needs of its residents. ADUs within Ashland’s single-family zones are not permitted for use as travelers’ accommodations, ensuring that these units serve as much-needed housing for full-time residents. These initiatives reflect the City’s ongoing commitment to sustainable, inclusive growth and to maintaining the character of Ashland’s neighborhoods.

To explore the available design options and learn more about building an ADU, visit ashlandoregon.gov/ADU or contact the Community Development Department via Email.

Yes! Effective July 1, 2025, the initial phase of Oregon’s Recycling Modernization Act (RMA) went into effect. This means Recology Ashland will adhere to the new Unified Statewide Collection List (USCL) for curbside recyclables. Some NEW items that can be included in your blue recycling cart include:

•  Nursery pots
•  Plastic pails and buckets
•  Aseptic and poly-coated cartons (e.g., milk cartons and “Tetra Pak” shelf-stable cartons)
•  Egg cartons and other molded pulp packaging
•  Scrap metal (e.g., kitchen pots and pans)

Visit the Oregon DEQ website to learn more about this landmark legislation. 

In October 2025, Ashland launched the Nation's first RecycleOn drop-off center/bin for hard-to-recycle items. Learn more. 

Learn more about Recology Ashland. 

See full question below:

Q:

Ashland claims to have obtained a $73M loan from WIFIA, which fully funds the new water treatment plant. The plant has been estimated to cost between $55M and $75M. However, WIFIA caps funding at 49%. The numbers do not add up. If $73M is 49% of the cost, then the estimated cost is around $150M. I, and other citizens, would appreciate a more complete explanation of funding. That said, I am fully in favor of the new plant but am troubled by inconsistencies in the funding amounts.
 
 A: 

The City of Ashland has qualified for the WIFIA (Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act), which funds up to 80% of the project total, under the eligibility guidelines for small communities serving fewer than 25K people. Small communities can then provide the additional 20% through cash or “in-kind” matching funds. 

The City of Ashland is contributing in-kind funds based on the land value of the parcel where the future plant will be constructed, as well as previously incurred costs related to preliminary and final engineering work conducted during project development. These matching funds were used by the EPA to calculate the maximum borrowing amount through the WIFIA program, resulting in the noted $73 million figure.

From the EPA site:

The WIFIA program can fund a maximum of 49 percent of eligible project costs for large communities and up to a maximum of 80 percent of eligible project costs for small communities (populations less than 25K). Learn more. 

During a power outage, the City's water system relies on gravity to supply water. Treated water from the plant is pumped into reservoir tanks, which hold several million gallons. These reservoirs are elevated higher than most homes in Ashland, creating the necessary pressure to move water through the system. This means that as long as there is water in the reservoirs, the water will continue to flow to homes without the need for electricity. The reservoirs provide enough water to meet demand for several days, even during peak usage times.

Visit our Utility Customer Service page and see the PAY BUTTON in the upper right corner. The new website will not affect your login / password, or payment information on existing accounts.

Released May 22, 2024

Our Finance Department oversees Parking in downtown Ashland. We contract with a company by the name of LAZ Parking to handle the day-to-day operations.  

The City owns and manages a paid parking structure on Hargadine St adjacent to the Oregon Shakespeare Festival campus, where you may park for more than two hours. In addition you may park for free for up to four hours on Winburn Way in Lithia Park, and in the parking lot on the corner of Pioneer St and Lithia Way. Learn more at ashlandoregon.gov/Parking. 

You can make this request via email to our Electric Department. Please allow up to 48 hours for a response.

In Oregon, electric bikes are classified as “electric assisted bicycles,” and are regulated like bicycles, they must have pedals, with a top motorized speed of 20 mph. Since electric bikes are not classified as a “motorized bike,” they can be operated in the manner as a bicycle. Bikes, non-electric or electric, are not allowed in Lithia Park or on designated pedestrian trails. The paths in North Mountain Park, Riverwalk and Railroad Park are all pedestrian and bike-friendly trails. 

In the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest, e-bikes are permitted wherever people can legally ride a motorcycle. E-bikes are NOT allowed on trails in the Ashland Watershed, this includes the 2060 Loop Rd, beyond the yellow gates... There is a yellow gate at the top of Tolman Rd at Four Corners and at the White Rabbit parking area.