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http://www.omniture.com --> Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Advertisement Email Story to a Friend May 9, 2006 School developers won't involve city By Sanne Specht Mail Tribune JACKSONVILLE — City officials are breathing sighs of relief — and raising interested eyebrows — after hopeful developers clarified their proposal for the Cascade Christian High School property. Mel and Brooke Ashland are not looking for a public-private partnership in their negotiations to purchase and develop the 7.57 acres site, said City Administrator Paul Wyntergreen. "They're not asking the city to join in any financial partnership," he said, after a late-morning Monday meeting with the Ashlands. Now that the Ashlands have clarified their intent to stand alone as developers, any potential zoning change requests regarding the property will not place the city in a compromised position, Wyntergreen said. "The city can handle any requests as a governmental agency," said Wyntergreen. "We won't be involved as a partner." The property is owned by Cascade Christian, a private high school that hopes to sell the property and build a new school in Medford. But development is tricky because the land is protected by special restrictive zoning tied to the historical nature of the old school. The city has made unsuccessful efforts to buy the property, in part to protect it from development that it fears would be out of character with the historical community. The Ashlands' plan calls for maintaining the area's open spaces and historical nature while providing a new headquarters for their company, Cutler Investment Group LLC. The Ashlands are longtime Rogue Valley business owners with Mel Ashland heading up Medford-based Ashland Partners & Co., a global audit accounting firm he founded in 1992. A schematic of their plans by IPA Design depicts an education and community arts center in the current gymnasium, an executive retreat and office center in the 1906 "Old Jacksonville School" building, a new amphitheater and affordable housing at the old bus barn. All facets of the development are subject to a successful purchase of the property and are planned as phased projects — subject to further review and discussion, Brooke Ashland said. Wyntergreen said a zone change may not be necessary should the Ashlands acquire the property, develop the old bus barn area into affordable housing and work with a nonprofit agency such as the Jackson County Housing Authority. Cascade wants $5 million for the property. A city offer of $3 million was rejected without a counter offer and the two sides have been at an impasse for months. A May 1 negotiation deadline had expired when the Ashlands announced on May 2 they would be bidders for the property. Cascade recently announced it would challenge the restrictive zoning under Measure 37, which allows governments to override land-use designations that were put in place after the property was purchased by its current owner. In addition to clarifying their proposal to Wyntergreen, the Ashlands spoke before the Booster Club and Community Center Committee on Monday. They will meet with the council at a study session at 7 p.m. Thursday, Wyntergreen added. Advertisement s 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 Discount Hotel Reservations online casinos news Ashley Furniture HomeStore Send Flowers Southern Oregon Loans California Casinos GMAT Prep Windermere Van Vleet Sports Equipment Online Casino Reviews Online Bingo Entertainment Guide Online Casino Fundraisers Sudoku Online Casinos Canada Online Pharmacy