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Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend March 30, 2005 Course drops Greenway plot Developer gives up on efforts to acquire a 6-acre chunk of Jackson County land as part of the Billings Ranch Golf Course By JONEL ALECCIA Mail Tribune ASHLAND — If the proposed Billings Ranch Golf Course is eventually built, it won’t include a hotly contested piece of public property along the Bear Creek Greenway. The developer of the long-delayed 18-hole course conceded Tuesday that he’s given up on plans to lease about 6 acres of Jackson County land to complete the $10 million project north of Ashland. "I just don’t see how it’s going to work," said Mike Peru, who represents rancher John Billings. "There’s so much opposition. I don’t want to kill myself." Obstacles ranging from environmental protests to federal funding restrictions proved too great, said Peru, who spent more than a year trying to gain access to the county-owned land. "We’re pursuing other options," said Peru, who emphasized that plans for the golf course would go forward. Advertisement "Right now we are working diligently to make this thing acceptable to the community environmentally and acceptable financially for us." Peru would not discuss specific plans or whether they would alter the size and scope of the course. Residents who opposed plans to lease the public land for private use regarded Peru’s decision as a victory. "It’s wonderful to hear it," said Ra Wollenburg, who lives near the proposed site. "That’s all I wanted. I didn’t want him not to build his golf course. I just didn’t want him to build it on our ... land." Preventing Peru from leasing the county land was one goal of a state Land Use Board of Appeals complaint filed last year by Wollenburg and fellow neighbor Gerry Lehrburger. They argued that Jackson County commissioners in November wrongly interpreted a zoning designation in a way that relaxed standards for Greenway property use. LUBA officials sent the issue back to the county for consideration. It’s included on Wednesday’s commission agenda, but parties on both sides agree the point is moot. For one thing, the county’s newly adopted 2004 Land Use Development Ordinance supersedes the previous regulations, said Steve Rinkle, deputy county counsel. The new ordinance includes a Greenway overlay that applies to private and public land, said county Planning Manager Ali Turiel. "It does provide for environmental protection, but it doesn’t index as strictly as the Greenway zoning district," she said. Peru’s decision to abandon the proposed lease agreement was met with skepticism from Commissioner Dave Gilmour. Peru insisted many times that the 6-acre county parcel was vital to completion of a financially viable "championship" course. "It tells me he had the wherewithal to do the entire project without it," Gilmour said. The future of the golf course is uncertain, Gilmour added. "We still don’t have an application," he said. "Until we do, we can’t do anything." Reach reporter JoNel Aleccia at 776-4465, or e-mail [email protected] 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 Computer Security Discount Hotel Reservations Casinos Canada dvd-r Generic Viagra Myspace Windermere Van Vleet Deep Muscle Stimulator Sports Equipment Online Casino Reviews Online Bingo Entertainment Guide Online Casino Fundraisers Student Loans Sudoku Online Advertisement s Advertisement