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- Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Archives Revels Classifieds Real Estate Guide Weather Subscribe Contact Us January 19, 2005 Councilors seek input on claims By Vickie Aldous Ashland Daily Tidings The Ashland City Council unanimously voted to seek an agreement with Jackson County Commissioners to allow the city to manage all Measure 37 claims within Ashland's urban growth boundary. The Tuesday night decision came after councilors and city staff expressed concerns that inappropriate development outside the city on land under county jurisdiction could limit the future development of affordable housing, harm the environment, lead to sprawl and cut off potential street, bike path and trail corridors. Plans call for land within the urban growth boundary to gradually be annexed into Ashland, where it then would be subject to city development rules. "I think it's tremendously important to have more control over land in our UGB," said Councilor Kate Jackson. Voter-approved Measure 37 allows property owners to seek financial compensation from governments if land-use regulations adopted after they purchased the property reduce the land's value. Instead of paying claims, governments can choose to waive the regulations. Reached on Tuesday, Jackson County Commissioner C.W. Smith said he couldn't tell yet whether the commission would be willing to enter into an agreement to allow the city to handle Measure 37 claims within the urban growth boundary. But he said the commission has already planned to involve cities on any Measure 37 claims that fall within their urban growth boundaries. "All cities in the county will have a 30-day period to notify us on how they want to be involved," Smith said. To guard against Measure 37 claims filed by property owners who are annexed into Ashland and face new city regulations, the council also voted to require landowners to waive any claims in order to be annexed. Councilor Chris Hearn said he thought the move was fair since landowners benefit from city services, and annexation is at the discretion of the city council. "You don't have the right to be annexed in," he said. No residents came to speak on the issue, but Mayor John Morrison did read a letter from a property owner opposed to requiring landowners to waive any Measure 37 claims on the grounds that it would be "discriminatory." Also Tuesday night, the council paid tribute to the late comedian and Ashland resident Joanie McGowan, with Morrison stating, "We were inspired by her passion and compassion." In other business, the council heard a presentation on plans for a tile mosaic to be built at the top of the staircase connecting the Calle Guanajuato with Granite Street, changed planning public hearing processes to allow project opponents and proponents to take turns testifying and heard an invitation to the community to attend a tsunami relief concert at the Historic Ashland Armory. 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 & Men's Slippers Ceramic Piggy Banks heloc libor rate Calenders 2005 Calender 2005 Accelerate Weightloss Products Memory Foam Mattress afsa studentloans home equity loans teleconferencing W2 Forms fasa student loans Matchmaking & Dating Scripts African Safari Conference Calls - $50/Month Security Systems student loan consolidation wholesale diamonds Currancy Exchange web conferencing Online Casinos Community Click Here Site Search: .:Advertisements:. RESOURCES - Mail Tribune News - ODOT Road Cams