Environmental concerns postpone subdivision - March 7, 2005

Mail Tribune (Medford, OR — Wayback)

2005-03-13

Document text

33 °F Forecast | Road Cams Sunday, March 13, 2005   Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery      SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries   Life   Opinion   Tempo   AP News   Weather   Classified   Archives   Site Map   SPECIAL SECTIONS   Since We Asked   Outdoor Journal   Menu Guide   How To Guide   Health   Readers' Choice   Real Estate Showcase   Real Estate Guide   Joy Magazine   Homelife Magazine   Wedding Guide   Passport to the Rogue Valley   SHOP OUR VALLEY AutoFinder HomeFinder JobFinder Classified Place an ad  TOP JOBS   EXTRA   NIE   Personals   Movie Times   TV Times   E The People   Volunteer   Moving here?  eSouthernOregon   CUSTOMER SERVICE FAQ's Advertise with us Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend March 7, 2005 Environmental concerns postpone subdivision ASHLAND — Wetlands and a "pretty incredible" 70-inch cottonwood tree have forced a proposed 130-unit subdivision on Clay Street back to the drawing board. Developer Andy Cochrane said he will redesign the project because of concern about environmental issues. "... There are wetlands, and we have to work around that. And that tree ... we’re going to try to work around that, too," he said. Before last month’s planning commission meeting, Cochrane’s Pacific Northwest Building and Design insisted there were no wetlands on the land at 380 Clay St. Since then, however, six-tenths of an acre of wetlands have been identified on the property. "We’re really starting over after six months of work down the drain because our wetlands biologist missed this wetlands," Cochrane said. "We’re very seriously looking at the possibility of saving the trees." Advertisement Because he will still need to meet the same density requirements the city requires for annexations, he will have to scale down his original plans. "The appearance will change," he said. "But it will still be along the same lines. It will be the same concept, but the ratio (of single family, duplex and quadplex structures) will be different." Upper Limb-It Tree Service studied the cottonwood tree for Cochrane and concluded that the mature tree "will continue to thrive barring an act of God." A new design for the site is expected within two to three weeks. Consideration of the proposal has been delayed in the planning and tree commissions, said John McLaughlin, Ashland’s community development director. "If it’s deemed healthy," he said, "we hope to be able to accommodate the tree." McLaughlin said the proposed development has been rescheduled to April’s planning commission meeting. Mail Tribune Home  | Local News  | Sports  | Business  | Obituaries  | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives  |  Site Map  | Community  | Classified   Copyright © 1997-2005 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback Student Loan Consolidation Conference Calls - $50/Month Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker, Trunk, Footlockers home equity loans helzberg Slippers Student Loans afsa teleconferencing Memory Foam Mattress Advertisement s