Document text
- Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Archives Revels Classifieds Real Estate Menu Guide Wedding Weather Subscribe Contact Us March 24, 2005 Northlight a development based on input By Evan Archerd Ashland As one of the developers involved in the Northlight project, (the former Copeland Lumber Yard) I want to respond to two recent Tidings articles on the subject, and direct the attention of your readers to the many ways this project reflects a consensus of our Ashland community values. A March 2 article described a public meeting in which a resident commented to a reporter that the project was an attempt to "circumvent the Big Box ordinance." This is a dramatic misrepresentation. In fact, the Copeland site and the adjoining Strellman property encompass 1.45 acres - one of the largest re-development opportunities in downtown Ashland. Our project involves four separate buildings. None of them approach the limits imposed or intended by the Big Box ordinance. Nor does our design try to maximize possible construction on the site. In fact, our plan is the result of more than 27 hours of public meetings over a period of two years. It represents the collaborative consensus of all of the stake holders in our community, including the project's neighbors, downtown merchants, public officials and staff, and concerned citizens throughout our community. Another article appeared on March 9, informing your readers that a scheduled presentation before the planning commission had been cancelled. One might infer from the article that the cancellation was due to an attempt by developers to do something improper. Yet nothing could be further from the truth. Due to the scope and design of our project, the planning staff requested a 30-minute overview, to inform the public prior to our official submission before the planning commission on April 12. The presentation was approved by the city attorney and members of the Ashland City Council. When the chair of the planning commission decided just prior to the scheduled meeting that it was "inappropriate," he stated that the applicants had not requested the meeting time, and the cancellation should not in any way reflect on our intentions or the merits of the project. This project deserves your attention. I am pleased to announce that on April 12, Ashland residents will have another opportunity to learn the details of Northlight. Among its many benefits, will be a mix of housing opportunities ranging from affordable to high value. There will be live-work studio spaces to provide professionals with a unique lifestyle opportunity, and new, high quality office space, which is currently in very short supply in our downtown. There will be a new police sub-station, which will increase safety in our downtown. These buildings will be the first LEED certified environmentally progressive buildings in the City of Ashland. LEED certification will ensure that the construction conserves water, utilizes recycled materials, reduces environmental pollution, and improves local air quality. In addition, there will be underground parking for the project, and the opportunity to expand the parking area for additional public parking in the future. There will be a buffer of townhomes between the commercial district on Lithia Way and the residential district on B Street. There will be a large public plaza space for the growers market, for art exhibits and craft fairs, much like Guanajuato Way. And, perhaps most notably, Northlight will be home to the Ashland Integrated Cancer Center, a state of the art facility offering a valuable health resource to our community, and a significant addition to the economic base of the City as well. None of these goals could have been achieved without the efforts of concerned citizens who contributed so much time and expertise to this long and fruitful collaboration. My partners and I are honored to be able to present this opportunity to the City of Ashland. DailyTidings.com Home Page Archives | Revels | Classifieds | Real Estate Guide | Weather | Subscribe | Contact Us Copyright 2005 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers All Rights Reserved Deep Muscle Stimulator Ceramic Piggy Banks FREE Entertainment Guide Women's & Men's Slippers Accelerate Weightloss Products Backpacks Generic Viagra Vegas Travel Guide Search Engine Optimization Sportsbook Absinthe Supply Student Loans Hotel & Airline Reservations African Safari Hammocks Helzberg Diamonds Online Casinos Community Bonus Casino King of Spirits ink cartridges Mortgage Calculator Security Systems Mailing Lists Click Here Advertisement .:Advertisements:. Site Search: RESOURCES - Mail Tribune News - ODOT Road Cams