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57 °F Forecast | Road Cams Friday, June 11, 2004 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 Prime Times Wellness Connection Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Rogue Valley's Finest EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People 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 June 9, 2004 Wetlands are open house focus By MEG LANDERS Mail Tribune Whether you’re a property owner who bought a house because it looks out on nearby cattails or a developer who wants to replace the cattails with apartments, are invited to speak up today about the city’s wetlands. Medford is holding an open house beginning at 6 p.m. to update the wetland planning process for Medford’s "locally significant" wetlands and to gather opinions on what should and shouldn’t be protected. About 300 Medford residents and property owners received notices last week from the planning department inviting them to the event. Medford’s planning staff and consultants Winterbrook Planning of Portland will be on hand to explain the analysis process that’s been under way for about a year. The city is among the affected property owners because some of the planned street connections run through identified wetlands. Advertisement One of those, according to Tim Brooks, landscape architect with Winterbrook Planning, was a street improvement planned near a vernal pool south of Crater Lake Highway near Whittle Avenue. "We figured out how to swing it (the street) down and avoid the wetland altogether," said Brooks. Public Works Director Cory Crebbin said it’s in an engineer’s best interest to preserve existing wetlands, because building a road right through one can create more problems than it solves. "The Public Works Department wants to minimize impacts on all wetlands, whether they’re locally significant or not, because they provide valuable drainage functions that are really difficult to engineer your way around," he said. Wetlands are areas where the frequent and prolonged presence of water drives a unique ecosystem that is home to a wide variety of plants and animals. They act as natural filters for run-off and provide some control of flooding and erosion. In 2000 the state required Medford to update its wetland inventory and assessments for wetlands within the city’s urban growth boundary. Suzanne Myers, Medford’s associate planner, said most of the property owners she’s heard from are people who live near wetlands and want to make sure those areas are protected. Brooks said this is the time for residents to get involved. He said the proposal is still in draft form, and opinions are still being collected. The proposal will eventually come before the Medford City Council. "It’s usually not best to come (only) to the last city council meeting," said Brooks. You can read the draft analysis To see a copy of the draft wetlands analysis, visit the city’s Web site at www.ci.medford.or.us then under city departments, click on "planning," then click on "wetland recommendation" in the left column. A copy can also be viewed or purchased at the Medford Planning Department, Room 240, 200 S. Ivy St., Medford. If You Go WHAT: Wetlands Public Open House to discuss the 27 sites around Medford designated as locally significant wetlands. WHEN: 6-8 p.m. today WHERE: Medford City Hall Council Chambers, Third Floor, 411 W. Eighth St., Medford. CONTACT: Suzanne Myers, associate planner, Medford Planning Department, 774-2387. Reach reporter Meg Landers at 776-4481 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 © 1997-2004 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback ADVERTISERS A D V E R T I S E R S RESOURCES Oregon Road Conditions & Cams SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Since We Asked Food for Thought Wellness Connection Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Opportunities Prime Times