Document text
41 °F Forecast | Road Cams Thursday, January 27, 2005 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics Tempo AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map SPECIAL SECTIONS Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Menu Guide How To Guide Wellness Connection Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Real Estate Guide Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Passport to the Rogue Valley EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People Volunteer Opportunities Moving to Southern Oregon? MARKETPLACE Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Classifieds Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend December 17, 2004 Group dives into Billings fray The Greenway Stewardship Alliance wants official stewardship over a bit of Bear Creek Greenway property sought by Billings Ranch golf course developers By JONEL ALECCIA Mail Tribune ASHLAND — Hoping to block a golf course developer from acquiring public land, a newly formed environmental coalition will seek guardianship of a disputed piece of Bear Creek Greenway property. Members of the Greenway Stewardship Alliance, which represents four groups and 23 individuals, will ask the Jackson County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday to let them manage about 9 acres of county- owned property near the popular bike path. The group would remove non-native vegetation, plant new trees and shrubs and make sure the property is protected as habitat for local birds and animals, said Pepper Trail, an Ashland wildlife biologist who’s heading the alliance. "Basically, we want an agreement with the commissioners that we have authorization to proceed to ecological stewardship of the land," Trail said. He added that the group wants assurances the property will not be transferred out of county control. Advertisement If approved, the proposal would halt plans by the Billings Golf Course Group to lease about 6 acres of the public property to complete a proposed $10 million, 18-hole championship course. The alliance’s request doesn’t faze Mike Peru, the developer representing Ashland rancher John Billings and his family. "I think it’s a great idea," he said. "It’s good, healthy competition. It makes us step up. It makes them put their money where their mouth is." However, if commissioners approve the proposal, it could jeopardize the entire golf course project and open the door for less welcome private developments, he said. "If the Billingses can’t get their golf course built, what are their options?" he said. "We’ll take a long look at Measure 37 and say, ‘Maybe this isn’t going to be a golf course.’ " Measure 37, recently approved by voters, could ease zoning restrictions for some longtime property owners if they can prove the restrictions devalued their land. The alliance’s plan, set to be presented at a county study session, is aimed at forcing commissioners to decide the best use for the land prized by environmentalists and developers alike, Trail said. "We want to make it clear to the commissioners that there are other ideas for that parcel," he said. The Greenway Stewardship Alliance includes four institutional supporters: the Rogue Valley Audubon Society, the Ashland Watershed Partnership, Headwaters and Sustainable Eco-Economic Development Solutions. Among the 23 founding members is Ashland City Council member Cate Hartzell, who said Thursday she didn’t believe joining the group represents a conflict of interest. "It’s another one of those times when we have to kind of take a leadership role," she said. The alliance formed after commissioners accepted a county Planning Department interpretation that an environmentally restrictive zoning designation never was applied to the county land. That appeared to pave the way for a lease agreement with the golf group. The land remains zoned exclusive farm use, which allows construction of a golf course with a conditional use permit. Two nearby property owners have appealed the November interpretation to the state Land Use Board of Appeals, but Trail said others wanted to act, too. "The property is currently threatened," Trail said. "It’s threatened by being signed away." Trail said he believed commissioners would be receptive. "Chances are very good that it will be granted," said Trail, who added that he had discussed the proposal with Commissioner Dave Gilmour. Gilmour said Thursday that he had not seen the final plan, but that other uses for the property can be considered. He wondered about Peru’s intent and noted that the developer has not submitted a conditional use permit proposal, despite requests from county officials. "We don’t know what’s going on here; he hasn’t turned in a thing," Gilmour said. "If there’s some back-tracking and back-pedaling on the part of Peru, we’ll have to see where we are." The golf course plan is moving forward, said Peru, who added that he had not been urged by anyone to submit the CUP. He said he wanted to make sure his proposal was complete before turning it in, probably within the next 30 days. "I’ve been waiting seven years," he said. "They can wait a month." Reach reporter JoNel Aleccia at 776-4465, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2005 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback ADVERTISERS A D V E R T I S E R S SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Opportunities Student Loan Consolidation Conference Calls - $50/Month Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker, Trunk, Footlockers