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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Stouts fire burns 15,000 acres and counting ... 'Mitigation banking' ... The El Niño effect ... Stouts fire burns 15,000 acres and counting ... 'Mitigation banking' ... The El Niño effect ... OUR VIEW Our View: Phoenix lion sanctuary was a missed opportunity Comment MailTribune.com Writer Posted Mar. 29, 2015 at 12:01 AM Posted Mar. 29, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Social News Even the king of beasts was no match for Oregon's land-use restrictions. A Southern California couple who had hoped to support their sanctuary for lions retired from the film industry by charging the public to visit the animals wound up taking their wards back to California after a Jackson County hearings officer ruled against them. The Walking with Lions sanctuary near Phoenix is on exclusive farm use land. In general, Oregon's laws are designed to preserve agricultural land by restricting its use, and in general that's a good thing. It has prevented the kind of sprawl that has affected rural farm land in many other states. In practice, however, sometimes the one-size-fits-all approach means too much restriction. Using rural land to house lions doesn't seem to conflict with the intent of the law, but even the best-drafted laws cannot foresee every wrinkle. In this case, Vicki McMillan and her husband, animal trainer Brian McMillan, hoped to help pay for their lions' expensive upkeep by charging the public to view and interact with the animals. State law allows commercial ventures on farm land if they relate to the food and animals raised there. Think tasting rooms and event spaces on vineard land. The McMillans' plans would have been allowed if the lions were cows, sheep, horses or any other species listed as farm animals in the law. But they're not. It's unfortunate that the county could not find a way to make the lion sanctuary fit within the rules. In a local economy increasingly turning to tourism, the sanctuary would have been yet another attraction to entice people to visit Southern Oregon and perhaps to stay longer once they were here. Vicki McMillan says she doesn't blame the county for ruling against the operation. The problem, she correctly points out, is with the state law. Fixing that problem doesn't necessarily mean writing an exemption for a sanctuary for retired movie lions, or every conceivable exotic species that someone might want to house on EFU land. But some flexibility could be added so uses that are generally compatible with rural farms and ranches but need some paying visitors to survive could be accommodated. Failing to provide that modest flexibility only adds to the view that the state's land use system is out of touch, and adds to rural Oregonians' difficulties in creating strong communities. MailTribune.com Writer Posted Mar. 29, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501