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http://www.omniture.com --> Sections Home Page Local News AP News Blogs Archives Business Classifieds Event Calendar Forums Life Opinion Obituaries Multimedia Photo Gallery Readers Photo Gallery Sports Tempo Weather Road Cams Special Coverage 2006 Britt Festivals --> Shop Our Valley AutoFinder HomeFinder JobFinder Search Our Valley Special Sections Distinctly Northwest Readers' Choice Homelife Magazine Joy Magazine Oregon Golf Info Oregon Wine Info Other Publications Local Links Ashland News eSouthernOregon Newspapers In Education Personals Moving Here Movie Listings TV Listings Volunteer Customer Service Advertise With Us Media Kit Place Classified Ad Contact Us FAQ's Home Delivery Site Map --> Email Story to a Friend September 15, 2006 Jacksonville's historic status threatened That warning from the National Park Service is tied to growth and traffic By sanne specht Mail Tribune JACKSONVILLE — Development and increased traffic are posing a threat to Jacksonville's status as a National Historic Landmark, warns the National Park Service. Increased traffic will create "an eminent adverse impact" on the historic buildings and structures that comprise the Jacksonville Landmark Historic District, wrote parks service official Hank Florence in a report to Scott Clay, Jacksonville city planner/historic preservation officer. Florence cited potential truck traffic from the proposed Opp Mine as a major threat. "Without some relief from the consequences of eminent growth and pressures of additional use, the ultimate cumulative effect to the Landmark will undoubtedly be negative and compromise the resource's integrity and ultimate viability," Florence wrote. Opp Mine owners Frank Hardin and Medford attorney Bob Robertson are petitioning Jackson County to "correct" the zoning on their 160-acre property from woodland/forest resource back to its historical mining use. The change would allow them to mine 1.5 million cubic yards of aggregate from a 27-acre section of the property worth an estimated $12 million to $21 million. The owners also want to mine undetermined amounts of gold they believe still exist on the property. Operations could last for 50 years, they say. Jacksonville was granted its historic landmark designation in 1966, said City Administrator Paul Wyntergreen. The designation is vital to the community's economic health and preservation efforts, he said. Advertisement "That status is recognized as prestigious on a national level," said Wyntergreen. "But also by the local citizens as a point of pride." The National Parks Service letter validates the city's position regarding the sensitivity of Jacksonville to outside impacts — such as aggregate hauling, Wyntergreen said. The letter will be submitted to the county as part of the city's opposition to the mining proposal, Wyntergreen said. The deadline for public comment on the Opp Mine is today. Mark Von Holle lives near the mine. He and others testified before Jackson County planning commissioners at an Aug. 10 public hearing. Residents said county approval of the zoning change would condemn Jacksonville and its neighbors to an environmental nightmare. County approval of the Opp Mine could spell the end of Jacksonville's historic status, Van Holle said. "It sounds like there is a strong likelihood that if the county approves this application, it could be the straw that breaks the camel's back," said Von Holle. Opp Mine Attorney Ross Day rebutted residents' testimony about the mine's potential for contamination, and suggested residents float a bond, buy the property themselves and collapse the old mining tunnels to mitigate safety hazards. Truck traffic is ongoing and allowable by law, Day said. In fact, under the property's current zoning, his clients could start cutting down trees tomorrow and running them straight through the heart of Jacksonville, Day testified. Von Holle said he'd prefer logging to mining. "There's a huge difference between a few logging trucks every few years verses 40 to 50 trucks per day, to support operations of 11 hours per day, six days a week, 52 weeks per year for 50 to 75 years," said Von Holle. Robertson previously has stated he would be willing to discuss routing the mine's truck traffic so that it would not follow Highway 238 through the town's historic core. A favorable decision from the county could make the $50 million lawsuit filed against it by the Opp partnership "go away," he said. Robertson also has said if any of the residents' concerns were valid, he and Hardin would withdraw their application. Florence of the National Parks Service did not return repeated calls seeking comment. Clay, Robertson, Day and Hardin also could not be reached. Reach reporter Sanne Specht at 776-4497 or e-mail [email protected] . Would you like to respond to this story? If so Click Here to visit our forums. Advertisement Copyright © 1997-2007 Mail Tribune, Inc. 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