Document text
Water meetings The Ashland City Council will have two meetings at about the water intertie and other alternatives: Study session with Carollo Engineers of Portland, which is helping prepare a master plan for water needs, 7 to 9 p.m. Monday, Dec. 7. Public hearing and council decision, 7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 15. Both meetings are in the council chambers at the Civic Center, 1175 E. Main St., and will be broadcast live on cable-access channels 9 and 30. Ashland divided over water ASHLAND -- Opposition by the Friends of Ashland over its cost and growth-inducing potential adds another twist to the debate about whether Ashland should join the intertie that will bring water from Medford to Phoenix and Talent. After putting off a decision in February, the City Council will have to decide soon whether to commit to the larger pipe and water rights that will secure Ashland's future access to Rogue River water. A statement released by the Friends of Ashland this month said opposition to the intertie is one of the group's top priorities. "It could make it so that this town could double in size because it will have the water capacity," said Brent Thompson, a spokesman for the group and a former City Council member. "Do we want that? "The law says that a city has to accommodate the growth that is thrown its way. I don't see any way of stopping it -- unless the resource is limited." Thompson also said the cost of the intertie goes beyond the city's share of the larger pipe and Rogue River water rights. Ashland would have to extend its line to Talent and pump the water. Founded in 1987, Friends of Ashland is described by supporters as advocates for the city's small-town character -- and by critics as advocates for no-growth policies. Another prominent member of the group said she was dismayed by the tone of the statement. "In my opinion, he made it without the consent of some of the rest of us involved in Friends of Ashland," said Cate Hartzell, whose write-in campaign came close to winning her an open City Council seat Nov. 3. "This is not an easy situation. It's more complicated. There are ways the intertie would solve some of our future needs, but there are other ways that could solve them as well. Hartzell sits on the Water Advisory Group that is helping shape choices for the City Council. She said it's possible that the final choice will embrace parts of several alternatives, including reuse of treated wastewater for irrigation, piping of Talent Irrigation District water that now arrives via canal, and development of groundwater. Ashland has enough water in years of normal rainfall to last it through 2015 or 2020. Its chief source is Reeder Reservoir on Ashland Creek, which produces only half of peak demand in summer. Annual consumption exceeds 1 billion gallons, about 148 gallons per person. At a public forum Nov. 10, Community Development Director John McLaughlin said the city's comprehensive land use plan -- not the availability of services such as water -- will determine its growth. Local governments can impose moratoriums on development but must show how they will resolve problems with public facilities. Talent has had a moratorium for almost two years because of water problems, and Jacksonville had one from 1990 until it expanded its system in 1996. Thompson said the position of Friends of Ashland against the intertie does not lock all its members into a single position. "We have people who say they want responsible growth that pays for itself," he said. "We also have people who say they want none at all. What we decided is that we are going to have differences, but we all want to keep Ashland livable. "Where the intertie is concerned, we want all the issues brought up, hope the decision-makers will take them into account and make a decision that will result in the best livability down the road." Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 1998, Medford, Oregon USA