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http://www.omniture.com --> Sections Home Page Local News AP News Blogs Archives Business Classifieds Event Calendar Forums Life Opinion Obituaries Multimedia Photo Gallery Readers Photo Gallery Sports Tempo Weather Road Cams Special Coverage 2006 Britt Festivals --> Shop Our Valley AutoFinder HomeFinder JobFinder Search Our Valley Special Sections Distinctly Northwest Readers' Choice Homelife Magazine Joy Magazine Oregon Golf Info Oregon Wine Info Other Publications Local Links Ashland News eSouthernOregon Newspapers In Education Personals Moving Here Movie Listings TV Listings Volunteer Customer Service Advertise With Us Media Kit Place Classified Ad Contact Us FAQ's Home Delivery Site Map --> Email Story to a Friend February 15, 2007 Shady Cove water system takes a giant step The Jackson County Board of Commissioners OKs the city's 100-acre urban growth boundary expansion By BILL MILLER for the Mail Tribune SHADY COVE — The city's first water system took another major step forward Wednesday after Jackson County commissioners approved an ordinance transferring nearly 100 acres of county land into the city's urban growth boundary. The inclusion of six separate parcels on the western edge of the current urban growth boundary will allow Shady Cove Waterworks LLC, a private company, to build a water system in the city, which now gets its water from about 1,000 private wells. Waterworks attorney Debbie Vincent said that future development by the owners of the newly acquired property would help finance expansion of the system. "In order to expand the water lines into the city," she said, "like any business, my client has to have some kind of revenue stream, a way of collecting enough money to be able to go forward with his plans. The proximity of these properties included in the UGB amendment will provide the needed revenue through system development charges and monthly revenue from water bills." Vincent said Ron and Charlotte Boehm, who manage Waterworks, have invested more than $4 million of their own money to finance the project. The Boehms also are leasing their land off Sawyer Road to house the main storage tank and treatment plant. Advertisement "He purchased the water treatment plant and constructed the building," said Vincent. "He built the water storage tank and all the distribution lines that are included in phase one — all the lines that bring the system into the city." The half-million-gallon water storage tank, construction of which was begun in September, is now filled with water and the water lines up to the UGB boundary are pressurized. Vincent said that the entire project, in four phases, is expected to cost between $12 million and $15 million and that revenues from the UGB properties are essential to its completion. "We won't get it all from these UGB properties," she said, "but it's going to be a big help toward getting the water line out to Highway 62." At last month's public hearing, Commissioner Dave Gilmour asked if Waterworks had a formal water purchasing agreement with the Army Corps of Engineers at Lost Creek Lake. "We have a contract for 100 acre-feet of (Rogue River) water, at $1,000 an acre-foot," said Vincent, "and they tell us that there is no issue with providing more water as needed." She also said that because most small cities can't afford to buy water rights, the Corps has changed its process to allow a quasi-municipal water company such as Shady Cove Waterworks the right to buy water directly from the Corps. "The water rights that we have applied for are being done incrementally as we do each phase," she said. "I believe we will eventually need 600 acre-feet for the entire project." "This is something that has been long awaited by the city," said Shady Cove Mayor Ruth Keith. "And this is just the beginning." Former Mayor Richard Bailey said Waterworks will bring fire hydrants into the city, making it a safer place to live. "We began talking with the state in early 2005," he said. "We met with Lane Shetterly, director of the Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development Commission. When he heard of the safety reasons for water, he told us to start the process." "We learned how hard they had been working to get water and the problems they were up against," said John Renz, regional representative for the LCDC. "We decided that we couldn't use our rules to frustrate Shady Cove from getting the water they needed." The LCDC met with representatives from Shady Cove and the Rogue Valley Council of Governments to find a way, within the law, to get water into the largest city in Oregon that doesn't have a water network. Now that the UGB ordinance has been approved, the county will refer it to the LCDC. According to Vincent, after a 21-day appeal period, if no one has filed an appeal, LCDC is expected to affirm the ordinance. Bill Miller is a freelance writer living in Shady Cove. Reach him at [email protected]. Would you like to respond to this story? If so Click Here to visit our forums. Advertisement Copyright © 1997-2007 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback online casinos news Home Security Systems Online Casino Reviews Trunks, Footlocker Fundraisers UK Homeowner Loans Casinos Canada Cord Blood Banking Discount Hotel Reservations Texas Electric Choice Compare Electric rates in Texas Windermere Van Vleet Men's Clothing Debt Help New Hampshire Primary