Document text
50 °F Forecast | Road Cams Thursday, November 25, 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 Menu Guide How To Guide Wellness Connection Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Passport to the Rogue Valley 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 November 20, 2004 Greenway zoning will draw appeal Ashland residents object to environmentally sensitive county land being rezoned for use as a golf course By JONEL ALECCIA Mail Tribune ASHLAND — Critics of a proposed golf course have notified Jackson County officials that they plan to appeal a controversial Bear Creek Greenway zoning designation. The move could delay negotiations between the county and developers of the proposed Billings Ranch Golf Course north of Ashland. Ra Wollenburg and Gerry Lehrburger, both of Ashland, said they submitted an intent to appeal the Jackson County Board of Commissioners’ decision to the state Land Use Board of Appeals by certified mail on Thursday. A spokeswoman for LUBA said Friday she hadn’t recorded the document, but added that an application would be counted as filed on the day it was mailed. Wollenburg said he and Lehrburger are contesting the commissioners’ decision that underlying zoning law, not long-standing intent, will govern use of environmentally sensitive public properties along the Greenway. Advertisement "It is more than just an interpretation, it is a decision as to whether their ordinances governing the Greenway are applicable to a specific parcel of the property," the appeal summary reads. Planning Department staff recently concluded that an intended 1988 Greenway District zone was never applied to county land. Instead, the land remains zoned EFU, or exclusive farm use. That includes about 6 acres of county-owned land that developers say they need to complete the proposed $10 million, 18-hole golf course. Wollenburg, the chief petitioner, contends that Greenway protections should still govern the land. "The operation of law will take precedent over, essentially, a zoning mistake," Wollenburg said Friday. "We have 17 years of past practice here." The appeal is the latest twist in negotiations between the county, the community and golf course developers. But Mike Peru, the developer representing rancher John Billings and his family, downplayed the move. "I don’t care," said Peru, who characterized the intent to appeal as "almost frivolous." Wollenburg, who says he supports the golf course on private land, said he’d like to turn the county land into a botanical garden. Peru said Wollenburg was welcome to try. "I would challenge him to put his money where his mouth is," Peru said. "If he wants a botanical garden, let him make a proposal and get in line." For his part, Peru said he’d met with county planners on Friday for the first time to discuss an amended conditional use permit application required if county officials agree to lease the property. He said it could be three or four weeks before he submits the application and another four or five months before it might be approved. Reach reporter JoNel Aleccia at 776-4465, 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 SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Opportunities