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CLEAR Temp: 65 °F Wind: NW at 4 mph Tuesday, August 12, 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 July 27, 2003 Developers of the Billings Ranch site between Interstate 5 and Highway 99 in north Ashland ran across wetlands on the area where houses are being built. Mail Tribune / Bob Pennell Residents warm to wetlands survey By TONY BOOM Mail Tribune ASHLAND — The town’s reputation for environmental concern may have grown when residents allowed surveys of wetlands and riparian areas on their property in numbers that a Portland firm hadn’t seen before. Fishman Environmental Services of Portland has conducted surveys in other Oregon cities, including Hillsboro, Wilsonville, Tualatin, Tigard and Lakeside, said Stacy Benjamin, a wetland ecologist with the firm. She said the positive response in Ashland to requests for access was substantially greater than in other towns. "It’s not that communities go 100 percent the other way," said Benjamin. "There was just a resounding ‘yes’ with most of the responses we got (in Ashland)." City officials contracted with Fishman for the survey. Wetland and riparian-area inventories are required by statewide planning goals. Building on wetland sites requires them to be replaced, which can make developing such land more expensive or even prohibitive. The inventory, which will cost the city about $50,000, shows both the location and significance of the sites. Advertisement Fishman and city planners used existing soil maps, aerial photography and data to generate a list of properties to be examined within the city limits and Ashland’s urban growth boundary. A total of 1,513 letters were sent to property owners seeking permission to conduct surveys. The city received 589 positive responses and 104 denials, said senior planner Bill Molnar. He received a couple phone calls from people who didn’t want anyone on their property. Benjamin and Fishman’s wetland programs manager, Mirth Walker, made more than 200 observations during two visits totaling seven days in June. While many sites were viewed from adjacent roads or paths, the pair visited properties and — in a couple cases — dug test holes. They also followed every mapped stream. Several people who ran into the pair asked if they were doing the wetland survey, said Benjamin. "They would show us what they knew about the hydrology," said Benjamin. "It’s hard to get an idea of what happened when you just visit there once." A visit earlier in the spring might have been more desirable, but vegetation and soils give a good indication of the land’s characteristics, Benjamin said. There aren’t a lot of wetlands due to the topography, said Benjamin, but several unmapped ones were found. Some were above the headwaters of creeks. The largest is on the west side of the city’s wastewater treatment plant and is more than 100 feet wide with a mix of vegetation. An area south of East Main Street, between Walker Elementary School and Clay Street but not yet within city limits, also was studied. "It’s relatively undeveloped below the (railroad) tracks where the water tables are high," said Molnar. "Wetlands that are there for the most part haven’t been compromised through past urban development." The survey was conducted under new rules issued by the Division of State Lands in July 2001 to create a more uniform process. Drafts of the survey will be shared with the public at a meeting in September or October. The findings will then be sent to the division. Final adoption of the inventory will be up to the city council after DSL offers comment. Reach Ashland bureau reporter Tony Boom at 482-4651, 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 © 1997-2003 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback A D V E R T I S E R S SPECIAL SECTIONS Rogue Valley Auto Finder Rogue Valley Job Finder --> Rogue Valley Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Real Estate Showcase Food for Thought Hike of the Week Wellness Connection Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Openings Prime Times