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Home My WebLink AboutCC - Billings Golf Course CITY OF ASHLAND Memo DATE: TO: FROM: RE: November 30,2004 Honorable Mayor and City Council ~ John McLaughlin, Director of Community Development \..1Y Information - Use of Greenway for Golf Course - Billings Property As the Council is aware, Mr. Mike Peru has approached Jackson County regarding the use of a publicly owned parcel of the Bear Creek Greenway for the purposes of golf course development on the Billings property. The Council has requested some background information regalrding the ecology of this specific parcel, as well as the need for this land for golf course purposes by the developer. Karen Smith, Coordinator of the Bear Creek Greenway for Jackson County, provided information from the 1988 Plan that generally describes the area. While no site specific information is included in the plan, in general, this area is described as a natural area with specific characteristics and access making it most appropriate for passive recreation uses. Relevant sections from the 1988 plan are attached. From walking the site, it is an area of varied vegetation, from large trees of multiple species, to a wide variety of lower level vegetation. Access to Bear Creek is possible from the Gneenway trail. There is an area of meadow-like vegetation within the site. Information provided on the walk with Jackson County Planning Commissioners indicated a wide variety of birds and wildlife also inhabit the area. Mike Peru, the developer for the Billings golf course, has indicated that the primary need for the use of the Greenway property is to create a golf course of adequate length to be cenlified as a championship course. While they are only requesting to use approximately six acres of Greenway property, they claim that this allows them to combine this with approximately eight aGres of Billings property located across Bear Creek to create a signature hole. The combination of the Greenway and Billings properties on the north side of Bear Creek allows for the creation of a golf hole that will help meet the championship length desired. Further, Mr. Peru stated that the inclusion of a golf course hole along a stream with Greek crossings is a desirable design feature for the course, and creates a better golfing experience. However, he emphasized that the Greenway property is first and foremost necessary to accommodate a championship length course and allowing them utilize the Billing's property on the north side of Bear Creek. Due to the location of the ponds, the riparian and wetland areas, they claim they are somewhat constrained in the areas to develop and the Greenway property allows them the opportunity to create a course of championship length. DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNIITY DEVELOPMENT Planning Division 20 East Main Street Ashland, Oregon 97520 www.ashland.or.us Tel: 541-488-5305 Fax: 541-488-5311 TTY: 800-735-2900 ~.~II ....11 ........... - .. ___. ___. I . _ _ ._ . .---- Bear Creek Greenway. Plan ASHLAND to CENTRAL POINT Prepared ar Jackson County Parks & Recreation Dept. In A..Ot~iatlon With RVCOG Be~ar Creek Greenway Cc.mmittee Cover by: Laura Wehinger Mor(.~h 1988 ......t ....., ....__ I --.-...----- t ..~. .:.-.r:....:... .... f Bear Creek Greenway Plan TABLE 3-2 GREENWAY USE DESIGNATIONS SUMMARY USE DEGREE TYPES OF . MANAGEMENT TYPICAL CATBGOR.Y OF ACCESS FACILITIES PRIORITIES AQlI:VITIES NATURAL* Wildlife Small number Only those Fish aDd Vie" wildlife. Area* of vi8i~ors. facilities wildlife ResE~arch . Infrequent to protect or habitat. Hab:iLt.at v1.sits. enhance the Native res1~orat1.on. Little or no environment. vegetation. P8Buive maintenance. Mitigation Water tre;it.ent. bank areas. quality,. HaCure Small groups Facilities Unique or Nat'ure * Study of people. to protect special stu1dy. , Areas* Infrequent & environment. resources. Field trips short visit.s. Informational Interpret for different Maintain displays. to public. age groups. na.tural Demonstration Locate near Conservation processes. projects. park nodes. educ.ation. ik-lASSIVE Moderate Trails,bridges. Bikepe.ths. Day use. number of Viewpoints. 'Footpaths. Biking.. people. S1gns,benches. Connections. Hik, ing . Frequent Barriers to Trail-relat.e,d Rid,lng. short visits. motor vehicles. facilities. Nat:ure study Hain~enance Access points Public FiEthing" at intervals. "ith restroo1ls. education. P1(~Dic8 .. ACTIVE Large numbers of people. Int.ensive activities. Maintenance as ongoing function. Motorized vehicles. Trails. Signs. Playfields.. Playgrounds. Parking lots. Swimming. Riding arenas. RestrooDls.. Picnic tables. Exercise court. Master Plans. Handicapped access. Sec.urity. Coordination with cities. .Compatible Circulation and parking. D8Jr use and n1nht use ,,1th 111~hts and 8 e c: u ri t 1- Sp~)rte . Grl)up picnics. COIDDlunity eVI~nts . Calnping. Bear Creek. ita tributaries, and streambanks are treated natural area throughout the length of the greenway. ~ .'~~)':: '. .......... ~) ~~':":"I::c'.~~ I ~:~',~.:~~~ ' 3-9 .J...J..IL~I "'-'-''-'. 1< ',. '. .5;; "N~~ ''*'''''' I~. ~~t ~~, ;-... . ~~ .1" _ ........ .~..... ~.....,,~ I I ---.'-".....~_ -. .-. --- ::~" NATIVE ARBORETUM can be established around the existing stand of Pine and Oak trees next to riparian ~r~a5. ""'r;' -. ....... . . ....-...-. . ' ....... . ,: . .~;;.;. .,~::..:: .. ............. ":-;~'.' ....\ ~~~~"*~..;... ~~~~, '. ':. . 1..;,( . .',f~>, .~~~~~. ~ ,. ,.... ~~.. .~ ~ L:EG:END S II cole: I : Project Boundary Urban Growth ,Boundary \ ~ , Trail Passive Recreation Active' Recreation Natural Area Mitigation Bonk Area ~~/~~i~~V, .~.~, ....__...... I 1.'-'...___ Street ,to Ashland Creek Confluence .~~h~S segmeD~ starts at the Oak Street ~ridge and the Talent '~Irrigation District (TID) Oak Street diversion at stream mile :'22~2. The streambank has been disturbed by existing and past, I~r de.elopments" Both banks of Bear Creek below the Oak Street ~brid~e need tree planting ~o provide additional shading for the ~~8tre8~ for a distance of about one-quarter mile~ Some private "';~ buildings and the City of Ashland' s ge~age treat~eDt plant r should 81so have plBntings to i.pro~e visual screening. For >.these reasons the area is included in the Bear Creek Greenway's :~ "altigation bank" of ar~as needing habitat improvement. ,~:.: . :;..: ~~:. Within this segment there is a settling pond' developed for > _:~: removal of sediment from the waters of Ashland Creek during the .~_.. .. "inter of 1986-87 "hile Reeder Reservoir vas being sluiced" The :~> pond fulfilled its purpose of keeping major sediment -deposition ~. out of Bear Creek. ~he city is studying the possibility of t.he ~~'~ long-term use of the pond to reduce water qu'ality impa.cts on ~::f.,Bear Creek from future sluicing of Reeder Reservoir. ~(, '~I...,: }i~' The settling pond area is just upstream from th~ confluence e.f ~:~ Ashland and Bear Creeks a~ a good bridge site, which is the 1&:,;.. earliest 'pract.ical opportuni ty from the north for 8 direct t1~ai.l ~~ connection from the Bear Creek Green~a~ into Ashland. .t'...... .1 .&,.. Ashland Pond Park Node .~~; .~..' .~:t'..' ~~~-: . ~i~:(I{ , '-, :~:~. . ft.. ':.i~ :I'~ ~~ ~. --:'~. :.~~~~, '. :.w.~. ., ':~i: ~~' ~i~. ~~,'., ~~~" ,t :. The segment just described is comprised primarily of the part of the Ashland Pond Park Node closest to Bear Creek. This park node consists of 4S acres acquired by Jackson County ~ith Bear Creek Greenway funds and reconveyed to the City of Ashland. The area is now the man~gement re8ponsibil~ty of the Ashland Parks ,ColQmission. The City's focus for this area is on preserving and enhancing the existing natural setting. A staging area off Ne~ada Street with restrooms. picnic area and parking area will be developed. An irrigation sJstem to allow a variety of vegetation types to be established is also needed. Ashland Pond vill reaain as it is except to improve the walking trail. The area bet~een Ashland Creek abd Bear Creek is appropriate for additional wetlands habitat development -- this area includes the settling pond that caught sediment from the sluicing of Reeder Reservoir in early 1987. .(. :i.Figure 4-1 shows an additional area 'adjacent to this park node' t that would also have a focus upon preserving and enhancing ~ existing natural environments -- the native arboretum on the ~ right bank downstream from the confluence of Ashland and Bear ~'Creeks. The proposed arboretum would be a nature study area l which could best be reached through the Ashland Pond Park Node. 4-3 .---- -----! ' ~~i~~i~~~1 ~~.,' This segment begins where a new bridge crossing is n,eeded' above the confluence of Ashland and Bear Creeks at approximately stream mile 21.6. This reach of Bear Creek is littl~ disturbed. Especially on' the right bank where there 1s 8 fine stand of native trees. The are~ has 8 beautiful stand of ponderosa pine and ~h1te and black oaks in addition to the common riparian trees (aldert ash, cottonwood, willows) tbat 1s unique along Bear Creek. This area Is very well Buited to be the core of. an arboretum and nature study area feat~r1ng native trees and shrubs. as is proposed on Figure 4-1. Disturbed areas at either end of the existing grove of pine and oak trees can be rehabilitated with plantings of tbe few natiye trees (such 8S incense cedar and madrone) that are not already groving there, so these places are included in ~he mitigation bank. The east end is mostly open land in an,old pasture, while the ~e8t end has an old barn with the barnyard overgrown with po:l,son hemlock. West of tbe old barn the trail would be located betveen the riparian fringe of Bear Creek and Talent Irrigation Districtls Lower Eastside canal. The precise route should be deter.ined based on an engineering feasibility analysis of the costs of placing the trail on the existing road near the canal or a new route closer to the creek. 1 t ! "I f. ~ i; Ashland Cree~ ~o rID Canal Crossin2 on Ea~le Hill Road .... :$ TID Canal to Sou~h Valley ~iew Road Brid~e If the bikepath follows the existing road along the TID canal, then this segment will begin ~here the 1ID canal is bridged by Eagle Mill, Road. As one of the areas where the trail would depart from the stream bank by a considerable distance, this is also a segment that affords a good panorama of the landscape beyond the Bear Creek c.orr.idor'. Safety features will be a major consideration as the trail follows Eagle Kill Road. This location doe~. however, afford a good view of the trees along the'stream and staying near the road minimizes posible incompatibility problems with small farms near the creek in the north Ashland area. The location where Eagle Hill Road makes a 90 degree turn would make a good creek viewpoint. There is a "standing rock" at this location and an opportunity for ~D interpreti.e display on the geology and hydrology of the course of Bear Creek. 4-4 1- iC