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M/CLOUDY Temp: 44 °F Wind: CLM at 0 mph Wednesday, February 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 January 28, 2003 Jacksonville petitioners seek to halt burn program By SANNE SPECHT Mail Tribune JACKSONVILLE — Neighbors near the Beekman Woods have presented a petition to the city asking that an upcoming fuels reduction burn program be stopped. Fears of wildfires and possible poison oak smoke inhalation led approximately 60 petitioners to ask the city to deny the Jacksonville Woodlands Association’s request for a special burn permit within city limits. City Administrator Paul Wyntergreen said the petition was submitted during last week’s council meeting. It wasn’t addressed at the time because it wasn’t on the meeting’s agenda. A public meeting has been called by the JWA to address neighborhood concerns, to be held 7 p.m. Friday at Jacksonville Fire Hall, 180 N. Third St. The City Council has placed the issue on the agenda for its Tuesday meeting. Fire Chief Tracy Shaw says the piles of brush can be chipped or burned. According to the JWA and Shaw, chipping would cost significantly more and might raise environmental concerns for the rare and endangered Gentner Fritillary lily. JWA President Larry Smith said the city is listed by the Oregon Department of Forestry and the U.S. Forest Service as an area of extreme fire danger. Smith said the designation helped secure grant money for the brush clearing. In a letter to the City Council, Bob Schroeter, JWA fuel reduction project coordinator, stated the burn project is two years in the making and is in compliance with the Endangered Species Act. The work is designed to eliminate possible harm to the local endangered plant. Opponents to burning the debris say the city’s ordinance against burning within city limits should be upheld. The Beekman Woods are behind the Beekman House at the corner of Laurelwood and California streets. In a letter presented to the council by Hank Delladio, residents stated their concerns. Claiming they were not notified of the upcoming burn, the letter states: "We are emphatically opposed to burning these brush piles for health and safety reasons." Residents fear smoke from burning poison oak might cause health problems. But Schroeter said the crews creating the burn piles are adept at plant identification and were advised to avoid poison oak. Schroeter also said that recent burns in Ashland included poison oak, with no complaints from residents. Reach reporter Sanne Specht at 776-4497 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 1997-2002 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy webmaster feedback A D V E R T I S E R S