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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters to the Editor, Sept. 26 Comment DailyTidings.com Writer Posted Sep. 26, 2015 at 12:01 AM Posted Sep. 26, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Social News A third option “A tale of two cities” editorial (Sept. 23) gives two options on the Normal Neighborhood Plan and declares that it is time to decide: Either reject the plan and get a large retirement community with transplants or accept the plan and get a city with affordable housing for young families. How about a third option? One that involves the council, the planners, and questioners such as those who attended the public meeting last month to offer many thoughtful, fact-based concerns — environmental (such as inaccurate wetland mapping), financial, traffic, sizing of areas and more. The meeting that followed addressed the question of why there needs to be a plan at all; the council’s careful review clarified that, but many more concerns merit consideration. The council could ask the planners and the questioners to meet and discuss concerns in-depth, and arrive at decisions that could resolve any differences and thus result in the best of plans for Ashland’s future. The “two cities” editorial justifies the entire plan as a way to alleviate the belief of local teens that a return to Ashland after their (implied) out-of-area college, university, career training, etc., to raise their families wouldn’t be a viable option. That’s not something new — in my experience it’s an at least 20-years-ago fact. The reason for the impossibility of their return is not a problem with housing, as such, but a lack of employment opportunities consummate with their advanced education and career goals. “Where would I work?” has been the question. Ashland has been and continues to be limited in well-paying employment possibilities. Building more affordable housing is not the solution to that. Our council will do what it does. Hopefully they heard the well-reasoned reports of the first meeting’s questioners and there will be no need for more “pushing,” as recommended in the editorial, in order for them to act in the best interest of the city. Alice Finley Ashland For the love of trees Living on one of the beautiful mountains that overlook the city of Ashland, I am surrounded by majestic trees that daily remind me of the amazing place in which I live. But when I venture into downtown, I am saddened to see the struggling, sparse and misshapen trees planted along the streets, particularly Main Street. Fortunately, I usually drive by the beautiful grove of trees that shade the parking lot at the corner of Pioneer and Lithia Way. Those trees, along with the gorgeous red maples across the street, soften and enhance the downtown, while the other two corners of the intersection — the Wells Fargo parking lot and the filling station — look like concrete deserts. Imagine my surprise to find that, on Aug. 4, the City Council was presented with a plan to remove 21 large trees from the parking lot and the three red maples across the street. Surely, this couldn’t be. Surely our connection with the Earth could not be this broken. But, yes, it was true. The plan was to remove a total of 24 large trees. The City Council, recognizing the potential loss to the city, asked for a redesign, but the issue has not yet been resolved and the trees are still not safe. With summer temperatures rising each year, we cannot afford the loss of shade and protection, particularly downtown; with smoke and other pollutants clogging our air, we need the life-giving process the trees provide of filtering pollutants and providing oxygen; with the drought we have been experiencing, we need mature trees that can better withstand stressful conditions than newly-planted ones. How could we so blithely destroy such valuable resources that are serving us? I believe it is time for us to move into a new awareness of valuing and respecting our trees. After losing so many trees in winter storms this year, we cannot justify losing so many more, particularly downtown. We need to reconnect with nature even within our cities to bring the Earth back into balance. Kathryn Thalden Ashland DailyTidings.com Writer Posted Sep. 26, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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