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- Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Archives Revels Classifieds Real Estate Guide Weather Subscribe Contact Us January 6, 2005 County won't hear alternative to golf course By JoNel Aleccia For the Tidings An environmental coalition that seeks guardianship of a disputed piece of Bear Creek Greenway land will not get a spot on the Jackson County commissioners' agenda. Chairman Jack Walker refused this week to allow the Greenway Stewardship Alliance to schedule a proposal for a public meeting of the newly configured board of commissioners. Instead, Walker said he would maintain a previous board agreement to negotiate a lease of public land to the developer of the proposed Billings Ranch Golf Course. "I see no reason to cloud up a direction that has already been started," Walker said Wednesday. "Unless there's a change in the project, then I have no interest in listening to any other preservation idea." That decision comes two weeks after Walker and Commissioner Dave Gilmour told members of the alliance to wait for a new board to decide the future of about nine acres of public land prized by developers and environmentalists alike. Commissioner C.W. Smith was sworn in Monday. Pepper Trail, an Ashland wildlife biologist who heads the group, was dismayed at the commission's reversal. "We would like them to give the matter the attention it deserves," he said. "This throws the status of the Greenway into question." In particular, Trail said, he would like to hear Smith's views on the competing proposals for public land adjacent to the Ashland segment of the Greenway. The land is part of an estimated 900 acres of public land along the 30-mile route, county Greenway coordinator Karen Smith said. Developer Mike Peru, who represents Ashland rancher John Billings, wants to lease about six acres of the county-owned parcel to complete a $10 million, 18-hole championship golf course. Commissioners directed county staff to begin negotiating a possible lease agreement, but they have not formally approved a plan. Members of the Greenway Stewardship Alliance, which include about 25 residents and four local nonprofit agencies, proposed last month to take over management of the land, with plans to preserve it as wildlife habitat. The move was aimed, in part, at blocking a lease agreement with Peru before it was final. C.W. Smith said in an interview that he supports leasing the land for the golf course, but he has made no formal public comments on the issue. Smith did not return calls Wednesday. The Greenway Stewardship Alliance described its proposal briefly at a Dec. 21 study session. Walker said he allowed the presentation at Gilmour's request. "I only was kind enough to allow Dave to bring them in," said Walker, who noted that Gilmour could ask that the issue be placed on an agenda again. Gilmour said he wasn't aware that Walker had decided not to allow the group another hearing. He said future action depends, in part, on whether Peru submits an expected conditional use permit application to the county. Beyond the specifics of the debate, Walker's refusal to add the group to a public agenda is troubling, said Cate Hartzell, an Ashland City Council member who is also a member of the alliance. "When elected officials are not interested in a dialogue, we've reached an unfortunate point in our governance," Hartzell said. Members of the public are welcome to bring up nonagenda items at any meeting of the board of commissioners. The next meeting is at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday. 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 Slippers Women's Slippers men's slippers Ceramic Piggy Banks heloc libor rate Calenders 2005 Calender 2005 Accelerate Weight Loss Programs Memory Foam Mattress college loans alternative student loans Matchmaking & Dating Scripts Adventure Travel Conference Calls - $50/Month Security Systems student loan consolidation trillion cut diamonds Currancy Exchange Click Here Site Search: .:Advertisements:. RESOURCES - Mail Tribune News - ODOT Road Cams