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CLEAR Temp: 59 °F Wind: NE at 6 mph Monday, May 19, 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 April 14, 2003 Medford to consider wetland ordinance Wetlands act as natural filters for run-off and provide some control of flooding and erosion By MEG LANDERS Mail Tribune Whether to set aside areas for a great blue heron or a great blue house has kept the city mired in studies for four years. The Medford City Council will consider adding a new wetland assessment to the city’s comprehensive plan during a public hearing at Thursday’s council meeting at 7 p.m. The assessment has found that 45 of the 134 inventoried wetlands are "locally significant," meaning there would be building restrictions in and around the area. The city has been working since 1999 to finalize a wetland protection ordinance, then in 2000 learned it had to further modify its wetland ordinance to comply with changes in state requirements. 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. The state required Medford to update its wetland inventory and assessments for wetlands within the city’s urban growth boundaries. The inventory and assessment, which involved the property owners, clarifies which properties would be affected by the proposed regulations, according to Suzanne Myers, associate planner in the city planning department. Randy Jones, co-owner of Mahar Homes, said that in the previous assessment not enough attention was paid to what caused the wetland. "In general, there are wetlands that are significant treasures that need to be preserved and protected, and then there are areas that have a wetland created by a leaky pipe, leaky storm drain," he said. He wasn’t yet completely familiar with the new wetland proposal on Friday, but as a developer who has owned a few pieces of property with wetlands throughout the city, he was familiar with the scientific assessment process that had been going on recently. "This is a much-improved inventory of lands," he said. Myers said this is the first step, and predicts there will more controversy in the next step, in which the city will develop a program to protect the 45 significant wetlands. Wetland preservation does more than grow a couple of cattails. "Every time a wetland in Medford goes away, we create a storm drain problem," said Public Works Director Cory Crebbin. Myers said municipalities are beginning to recognize that it’s more expensive to build over a wetland area and then have to build a system for storm water management than to keep the natural drain system in place. "It’s less costly in the end than if you have to replace it," she said. Reach reporter Meg Landers at 776-4481 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