Document text
May 19 , 2004 - Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Valley&State Backpage O&E Sports Archives Classifieds Faith&Beliefs Obituaries Revels March 15, 2004 Focusing on development In the past few months three buildings projects in Ashland have been proposed and submitted just prior to adoption of ordinances that would specifically prohibit them in the future. A commercial building by Ed and Tanya Bemis, was rejected by the City Council and has been appealed to LUBA. Sid and Karen Deboer's giant house on Vista Street was recently approved by the Planning Commission. The Deboer's also have a mammoth house planned for Granite Street, approved under the building code. This "me-ism" approach to development is a sad example of egotism and mis-placed priority. Much is made of the Council's denial of the Bemis project and there is currently a discussion about whether they should review issues raised by the Vista Street house. Supporters of the projects bemoan the city's "changing the rules" and point out, accurately, that these applications were submitted prior to effective date of the new code. The implication is that they were "legal" at the time of submittal and, perhaps, strictly speaking, they were. But there is the letter of the law and the spirit of it. Each of these applicants, one of whom curiously denies attempting to circumvent new code and the other who boldly admits rushing forward to get around it, clearly violate that spirit. These issues, whatever ultimately happens, boil down to the rights of the community versus the rights of the individual. I'm a big rights guy and certainly we need to be careful about how communities shackle private actions. We are not talking here, however, about free speech or religion. We are talking about character, quality of life, and the necessity of tailoring personal goals that are essential to any community. All individual rights co-exist with the obligation to avoid injury. No right, therefore, is absolute, as it is constrained by the equally valid rights of others. LUBA, and the City Council perhaps, will ultimately determine whether the Bemis' or the DeBoer's have the legal right to inflict their personal will on the community of Ashland. And infliction it is, for there is little doubt that the majority of the city, including the majority of the Council, don't want projects of these sort built in Ashland. I have written before that the right and neighborly thing is for these applications to be withdrawn. The Bemis project could easily be downscaled and re-designed, to create a quality infill in our downtown. The DeBoers can choose to build a smaller home inside the historic district or the larger one they envision anywhere else in town. By pursing legal recourse both these applicants unfortunately, if understandably, put their own will above the best interests of the community to which they belong. George Kramer Ashland 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: .:Advertisements:. RESOURCES - Mail Tribune News - ODOT Road Cams