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89 °F Forecast | Road Cams Friday, July 2, 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 Prime Times Wellness Connection Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Rogue Valley's Finest 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 July 1, 2004 City looks at what to do about stormwater The question is whether Medford or developers and homeowners should manage storage ponds By MEG LANDERS Mail Tribune The city wants to push stormwater management downhill onto developers and homeowners, but a local developer and head of the local builders association says the proposal is a bad idea. "We are not at all in favor of the private little detention ponds," said Randy Jones, president of the Jackson County Homebuilders Association and a local developer. "We believe it’s public water." The Public Works Department presented a draft ordinance to the planning commission Monday that would make residential, commercial and industrial developments responsible for taking care of stormwater collection points, which already are being built by developers in new subdivisions. Required by federal law, they are designed to collect the rush of runoff from heavy rains and allow the water to filter slowly into the ground instead of flowing directly into local creeks flush with pollutants from streets, building lots and yards. As proposed, homeowners would be responsible for maintaining ponds, low marshy tracts of land or underground pipes to handle excess stormwater runoff. The plan would not be retroactive for existing subdivisions. Public Works Director Cory Crebbin said taking care of what is essentially a part-time pond is basic. Advertisement "The biggest maintenance item is weedeating," he said. He said in Lacey, Wash., where he was a city engineer, the public maintained stormwater detention systems, and it worked out well because they took pride in them and were less apt to use them as garbage dumps. "If they have to take grass clippings out, they don’t put them in," he said. Craig Harper, water resources program manager with the Rogue Valley Council of Governments, supports the idea of such privately maintained collection points. But he said other cities handle their maintenance with varying degrees of success. RVCOG has been holding open house meetings to educate the public on why the new requirements are needed. "It’s worked in some communities and in some communities it’s proven not to work so well," he said. "It depends on how well the homeowners’ associations understand and accept that responsibility to maintain the facilities." While the city just does bare-bones stormwater collection systems, homeowners can add landscaping around the collection points, making them an attractive neighborhood amenity. He said the downside is that maintenance might not get done. But even then, the responsibility would just fall back on the city, he said. The planning commission wants more discussion on the plan. "I’m not sure that the homeowners know enough about stormwater detention," said planning Commissioner Carl Bartlett. "I’m concerned about the legal ramifications. "I am 100 percent for stormwater maintenance, but I want to make sure that (the) plan is appropriate for the city of Medford," said Bartlett. "I just think the homeowners are going to be left in the lurch not knowing what they’re getting into." Jones, the developer who heads the local builders’ association, added that he’s concerned about liability for public water that goes into a private collection system then becomes public water again. The ordinance proposal is the next step after Medford toughened its stormwater management ordinance in December, making the discharge of pollutants ranging from grass clippings to toxic waste a crime punishable by a fine of $1,000 per occurrence and up to one year in jail. The draft ordinance will come before the planning commission and the City Council at future meetings. There will be at least one public hearing on the topic. Draft of ordinance To see a copy of Medford’s draft of the storm water detention ordinance, go to the city’s Web site at www.ci.medford.or.us and under "City Departments" click on "Public Works." Click on "Draft Detention Ordinance" in the left column. For more information, contact the Public Works Department at 774-2100. 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