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Guest forum: Keep track of maximum-size house proposal By Joan Steele Ashland After having served two terms on Ashland's Historic Commission, I am well aware of the pressures for change in this town. Like George Kramer, whose reasoned voice speaks at study sessions and whose articulate arguments often grace the pages of the Tidings in appeals to protect our historic core, I often despair that Ashland can retain its distinctive character as bigger and more grandiose residences are proposed almost daily. And why not? Shouldn't those who can afford ostentation and conspicuous consumption be able to do so - given our notions of private property and individual rights? OK - say goodbye to tree-lined streets with human-sized homes (remember when families with four or more children lived in two or maybe three-bedroom homes (not with libraries, screening rooms, wine cellars, ad infinitum?). Tear down 2,400 square-foot homes and build 10,000-plus-square-foot homes so we can prove that bigger is better and we will soon look like every other town in California. Say goodbye to schools (Briscoe may be just the first to depart) as families with children can no longer afford to live in Ashland with rental property vanishing. Although maximum house size is not a panacea for keeping families here, certainly the larger and more expensive residences often preclude younger families with children from settling in the city's core. If you care about how Ashland looks and feels you will monitor the progress of the maximum-size dwelling proposal. I was there at the October 2002 study session with the Planning Commission, City Council, and Historic Commission. After those deliberations I was encouraged that we would actually accomplish something to preserve the heritage of historic Ashland. Now it is June 2003 and it appears that the main accomplishment has been so much foot dragging. Be informed, go to public meetings, speak to City officials, and insist that the City move forward on this issue before it is too late. *** A wonderful birthday gift By Patti Morey Ashland All us ole-timers know - if you cross the street barefooted in the summertime, you want to walk on the white lines. The dark asphalt makes you jump. The white lines stay cool, and you can walk freely. I have often wondered why they dispense costly dental retainers and rental videos in black cases, with the admonishment to "keep them out of the sun." If they simply made the cases white, we could free ourselves from extraneous concerns. Viewing this concept at an esoteric level, T� Zins' "Blank Walls Experience" at Nuwandart Gallery last month was, I think, the coolest exhibit ever in Ashland. To celebrate his 50th birthday, in lieu of featuring his photography, artist/photographer T� Zins offered pure white walls. "Step into this experience fully as the art piece and humbly surrender yourself and let go to the magical flow of whatever you call this essence that is greater than you�" read the exhibit's flyer, "Creating the Collective Heart." The two-week "Blank Walls Experience" exhibit began with an offering to gallery visitors of brushes, picnic plate palettes, buckets of water and oodles of bottles of tempera colors. (There is something very freeing and liberating about looking at pristine white walls, encouraged and enabled to paint). The artist's gift enabled us to give to ourselves, to the artist and to each other as we painted anything we wished to on the walls. I felt in some etheric way we fractaled the artist and each other giving like a multidimensional mandala. It was so cool! The following week, T� Zins said, as he scrubbed all the work from the walls he cried, scrubbing away stuff in himself, as though scrubbing clean his spirit. For the exhibit's second phase he offered the pristine walls again, this time with a rose petaled walkabout meditation. Visitors removed their shoes and quietly proceeded barefooted through a canvas curtain, entering the whiteness in an honorable contemplation and a reverent step. We precious beings each walk our journey through life, finding joy as we connect at the crossroads, walking together, hopefully staying cool the whole way. Bravo to Nuwandart Gallery for featuring such a unique artist, and to T� Zins for his birthday gift reflecting such beautiful light. *** Letters: Talent not the only place that will see growth Last Sunday's Medford Mail Tribune carries an article titled, "Is Talent mirroring Ashland." I frequently hear the comment that Talent is Ashland Lite, and the location Ashland residents or out-of-state newcomers look to flee the high cost of homeownership in Ashland. While citizen involvement in government, demographic differences and similarities are important and warrant a more in-depth examination, the sidebar "City's development on the rise" has more immediate importance. Developers have been licking their chops since the water moratorium was lifted. Two hundred-thirty new houses will lead to at least 700 new residents, increased traffic and pollution (air, water and noise), crowded schools and increased taxes on current residents to support the new residents. Of note, that is only 1 year's growth. In actuality Talent is only an example of a more serious problem."Is the Rogue Valley mirroring San Jose or Sacramento." The Jackson County chapter of Alternatives to Growth Oregon is sponsoring a public meeting to learn more about NOWx2, the county plan to accommodate for a doubling of the population in the valley. Please mark your schedule to attend this important meeting at C.K. Tiffin's in Medford on Monday from 7 to 8.30 p.m. Featured speaker will be John Eads, project director for NOWx2. Find out where all the people are going to live, where the growth has to happen and the impact that will have on our quality of life. Ken Gosling Talent *** Fuego: Thanks to our volunteers Southern Oregon Fuego soccer team would like to heartily acknowledge all the volunteers who gave their time to help make our May 23 exhibition game a great success. A thousand thanks to you all. We really appreciated your help. Thanks also to the 2,000 enthusiastic fans who attended the game and made it memorable. We hope we were worthy of your time. Our next event will take place on Wednesday , same time and same place. See you there! The players, coach and managers at Southern Oregon Fuego F.C. Who benefits from tax cuts? With the tax cuts just passed, those earning over $1 million dollars will bring home an average of $93,000 more. Meanwhile, a mother with two children making $18,000 a year won't be eligible for the $400-per-child tax credit available to richer families. Please let your senators and representatives know what you think of the recent cuts. (Thanks to Ben Cohen of True Majority for supplying the tax cut information.) Ramie Streng Ashland *** LINKS: DAILY TIDINGS: Main | News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Opinion | Columnists | AP News | Subscribe | Archives | Weather | Classifieds | Contact Us | Privacy REVELS: Main | Calendar | Dining | Movies | T.V. OTHER: Road Cams Copyright 2003 Ashland Daily Tidings 541.482.3456. 1661 Siskiyou Blvd., Ashland, OR 97520. Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. - Advertisers -