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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW AHS breaks ground on new field ... Jackson County elected officials to get pay raises ... Making ancient stories new again ... AHS breaks ground on new field ... Jackson County elected officials to get pay raises ... Making ancient stories new again ... OUR VIEW Our View: Tree wins; housing loses Comment DailyTidings.com Writer Posted Mar. 29, 2016 at 12:01 AM Posted Mar. 29, 2016 at 12:01 AM » Social News In the end, the city gave in to defenders of a single, aging cottonwood tree, reducing the number of affordable housing units it had planned. The winners are those who strenuously objected to removing a tree that was fenced off because limbs had fallen, posing a safety risk. The losers are those who would have benefited from a few more housing units not priced above their ability to pay. The compromise calls for the city to subdivide the 40,000-square-foot parcel at Clay and Villard streets to leave the tree unscathed, sell a 7,000-foot parcel that includes the tree to someone as yet unidentified and the remaining 33,000 square feet to the Housing Authority of Jackson County, which will build 15 to 17 housing units rather than the 20 originally planned. Ashland badly needs more affordable housing if it is not to become more of an enclave for the wealthy than it already is. But apparently a tree of questionable stability is more important. In fact, some residents of the neighborhood have objected to increased traffic they fear will result from greater density. They are remaining anonymous so they won't be "misunderstood," but the meaning is plain enough. Increased density is undesirable, even if it might mean a more economically diverse community. It's not clear who will be interested in buying 7,000 square feet of land with a giant cottonwood tree that can't be removed. We suggest that whoever it is should be sure to purchase good liability insurance. DailyTidings.com Writer Posted Mar. 29, 2016 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... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with DailyTidings.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Alerts Email alerts RSS feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site 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. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2016 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. DailyTidings.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501