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Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend February 2, 2006 Commissioners decree Siskiyou land off-limits to cattle By DAMIAN MANN Mail Tribune After initially balking, Jackson County commissioners unanimously approved a controversial proposal Wednesday that prevents cattle from roaming onto a private tract of land near the Siskiyou Summit. "I’m satisfied we have to follow legal advice on this," said Commissioner Jack Walker, who opposed the proposal, saying it could hurt the cattle industry. The commissioners cited the advice of their own attorney and the Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development in making their decision. Marshall and Nancy Ames Cole, who have tangled with Walker on other county issues, had asked commissioners to include more than 640 acres of their property in the existing Siskiyou Summit Livestock District. The Coles want the change to keep the cattle from damaging their property and impeding their reforestation efforts. Advertisement Attorney Mark Haneberg, who represents the Coles, said the couple has spent $138,864 on fencing and forest restoration since 1991, when they purchased the property. After more fully researching their expenses, the Coles presented the much larger estimate of their costs Wednesday. They had earlier estimated about $70,000 in expenses. Citing the annual problems with cattle, Haneberg said after the meeting, "Every year it brings damage to their investment and damage to their dream." The land previously fell under the open range law, which put the burden on the Coles to keep errant cattle out. Including the land in the existing district shifts the burden to cattle ranchers to ensure their herds don’t trespass on private property. Haneberg, who said there are 24 livestock districts in Jackson County, was prepared to take the commissioners to court if they didn’t approve the district. He cited Oregon law as stating the commissioners "shall" approve the request as long as all the affected property owners are in agreement. Cattle owners opposed the Coles’ request, urging the commissioners to delay making a decision until more facts are gathered. The commissioners and staff had already spent about two months researching the issue. Bob Miller, chairman of the Jackson County Stockmen’s Association, accused the Coles of trying to make the land more attractive for potential buyers by including it in the district. The land is for sale. "They’ve got a profit motive to build it up and sell it for more," he said. Miller said he appreciated two of the commissioners’ attempts to block the Coles’ proposal, despite suggestions that they might be defying the law. "I would like to thank commissioners Walker and (C.W.) Smith for taking all the heat on this," he said. He urged commissioners they shouldn’t give into public pressure, or what he thought was the faulty legal advice of their attorney. County Counsel Mike Jewett responded, "Being disagreed with is part of my job description." Lane Shetterly, director of the Department of Land Conservation and Development, sent Walker an e-mail Monday stating Jewett "made the right call." Shetterly said creating a livestock district doesn’t conflict with Oregon’s land-use laws. Nancy Ames Cole, who wasn’t at the meeting, said later that she and her husband are going through a divorce, and plan to sell the land. But she said they hope to sell it to a conservation-minded buyer, and are under an exclusive option to sell it to a conservation organization, though that deal is in limbo. She said they have been asking $1.5 million for the property. Cole said she will continue to live on an adjacent piece of land. Reach reporter Damian Mann at 776-4476, or e-mail Commissioners decree Siskiyou land off-limits to cattle ">[email protected] . Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2006 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback www.bingo.com Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker Custom Build Computers Computer Security Discount Hotel Reservations Casinos Canada dvd-r Generic Viagra Myspace Windermere Van Vleet Deep Muscle Stimulator Sports Equipment Online Casino Reviews Online Bingo Entertainment Guide Online Casino Fundraisers Student Loans Sudoku Online Advertisement s Advertisement