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L/RAIN Temp: 43 °F Wind: SW at 5 mph Monday, April 21, 2003 SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA HomeLife Magazine W3 Magazine Jobs @ Mail Tribune Tempo A & E Oregon CarZone Wellness Connection Real Estate Newspaper in Education Prime Times Outdoor Journal Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find Everything E SOUTHERN OREGON Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar ABOUT US FAQ What's New Advertise Home Delivery Classified Ad Contact Us Media Kit Email Story to a Friend March 25, 2003 Off-road use proposal debated By SANNE SPECHT Mail Tribune JACKSONVILLE — Community members will offer their ideas on the fate of the city’s municipal forest lands in a meeting at 7 p.m. today at Old City Hall. The Motorcycle Riders Association — a local off-highway motorcycle group — made a purchase offer for 1,752 acres of the city’s forest lands in the Jacksonville watershed area six months ago. The council is reviewing the offer. Councilwoman Donna Schatz said the city has many land-use options to consider and would like to hear more. "The city is doing its homework," said Schatz. "We definitely have more options than selling this land to the Motorcycle Riders Association." The motorcycle association currently owns 220 acres at Lilly Prairie and reiterated its desire to purchase the additional acreage in a one-hour presentation before the council March 11. Will Hislebeard, president of the Motorcycle Riders Association, said his group will offer information about its proposal and the organization from noon until meeting time in front of Old City Hall. "We’re going to put our shingle out and answer everyone’s questions," said Hislebeard. Tonight’s meeting also will include discussion of a Bureau of Land Management environmental impact statement for use of off-road vehicles in the John’s Peak area. The BLM has included the John’s Peak area as part of a 25,000-acre off-road vehicle plan that covers an area from Ruch to Gold Hill. As the BLM creates its plan, the off-road issue is becoming an increasingly hot topic between environmental groups, property owners and local governments. City Administrator Paul Wyntergreen said his understanding is that the BLM is in "an early scoping process" and that this was a time to discuss alternative uses. "We’ll be looking at what types of alternatives the BLM should analyze," said Wyntergreen. "We’re not going to necessarily pick one as the alternative. That would come later in the process." Wyntergreen said a copy of the 1995 BLM resource management plan and environmental impact statement will be available at the Jacksonville Library reference center for review. Schatz said tonight’s meeting will not offer a resolution on the off-road association’s purchase offer. She said that would require the city formally designating the land as surplus and holding a series of public hearings on the issue. Instead, Schatz said, she’d like to hear from "the people affected" — nearby property owners, community members and user groups. "How do they see that piece of property being used?" she said. Reach reporter Sanne Specht at 776-4497 or e-mail [email protected] Printer Friendly Version Email Story to a Friend Subscribe Archive: Click to Search Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2003 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback A D V E R T I S E R S