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SATURDAY February 28, 2004 - Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card Valley&State Backpage O&E Sports Archives Classifieds Faith&Beliefs Obituaries Revels January 8, 2004 Hearing scheduled on Billings golf course By Vickie Aldous Ashland Daily Tidings Community members will have a public opportunity to voice support or opposition to the proposed Billings Ranch Golf Club. A hearings officer, who will make a decision on whether to approve the project, will listen to input during a public hearing scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Feb. 9 at the Jackson County Courthouse Auditorium. The 170-acre, 18-hole golf course would be built outside Ashland's urban growth boundary on private and Jackson County land under county jurisdiction. Developers must win a conditional use permit to build a golf course on the land, which is zoned for Exclusive Farm Use, and contains a portion of land within the Bear Creek Greenway Area of Special Concern, according to planning documents. Resident John Billings owns the largest parcel of land and has long dreamed of building a golf course on the site. Kim Lewis, Billings' son-in-law, said the public hearing will help answer community members' questions about the golf course. Developers already won approval for a housing subdivision inside Ashland's boundary that borders the field proposed for the golf course. "In general, it's good to have public hearings where people can have a say," Lewis said. "This is going to be a community asset. It's going to be something people's voices should be heard on. We had a public hearing on the housing. All the negatives were resolved into positives. Public hearings are a healthy community outlet for those with concerns that need to be addressed, or that have already been addressed but they don't know." Last month, county planners sent out notices about developers' plans to build the golf course and received 35 comments from residents and another 20 responses from public agencies, according to Raul Woerner, county planner. Residents' comments ran the gamut from those completely in favor of the project to those who are strongly opposed, he said. Supporters said creating a golf course would preserve open space. The land is not profitable as a farm, and a golf course would be far preferable to some agricultural uses such as a feed lot or pig farm. The golf course would help spur tourism and economic growth, according to some supporters. Others said a golf course would be a better use for the land than high density housing. However, some opponents said the land should be used for affordable housing. Ashland already has the Oak Knoll Public Golf Course, which is suitable for the size of the community, others said. Many residents raised concerns about use of pesticides, herbicides and chemical fertilizers, depletion of scarce Rogue Valley water for irrigation and impacts to the Bear Creek riparian area and the Bear Creek Greenway - which runs through a corner of the golf course. The Bear Creek Greenway Committee objected to a proposed ground-level golf cart path crossing of the greenway, and recommended a bridge or culvert crossing. Committee members want screening to protect greenway users from errant golf balls and minimal chemical use. Among other concerns, the Ashland Watershed Council advocated restoration of any disturbed vegetation along Bear Creek, wise water management and the use of native trees in riparian areas and for screening. The City of Ashland sought assurances that a bike path would be built as promised, while Jackson County Vector Control wanted ponds stocked with mosquito-eating fish. The Rogue Valley Council of Governments raised concerns that a proposed 24,731 square foot, two level clubhouse might be too large to fit in well with the rural use of the property. Lewis said developers and members of the Billings family will be on hand at the hearing to share information with interested community members. County staff will prepare a report for the hearings officer that could include recommended conditions if the project is approved, according to Woerner. Staff decided against issuing their own decision on the golf course and sent the issue to the hearings officer instead. Unlike simpler planning decisions, the majority of projects that require conditional use permits undergo a public hearing, he said. The hearings officer likely will issue a decision on the matter 30 to 45 days after the hearing, according to Woerner. Any appeals of that decision would be reviewed by the state Land Use Board of Appeals, he said. Residents can deliver oral comments at the hearing or send written comments to Jackson County Roads, Parks and Planning Services, County Offices Bldg., 10 S. Oakdale Ave., Room 100, Medford, OR 97501-2902. DailyTidings.com Home Page Valley&State | Backpage | O&E | Sports | Archives | Weather | Classifieds Columnists | Faith&Beliefs | Obituaries | Revels | Subscribe | Contact Us Copyright 2004 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers All Rights Reserved Site Search: The new search is here! Click here for more information. .:Advertisements:. RESOURCES - ODOT Road Cams