HomeMy WebLinkAbout2652 Amends Comp Plan-Chap VIII ORDINANCE NO. 2652
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF ASHLAND AMENDING THE ASHLAND
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN - CHAPTER VIII - "PARKS, OPEN SPACE, AND
AESTHETICS"
THE PEOPLE OF THE CITY OF ASHLAND DO ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION i. Chapter ViII of the Ashland Comprehensive Plan shall be replaced in its
entirety by the revised chapter "Parks, Open Space, and Aesthetics" and attached as
"Exhibit A."
The foregoing ordinance was first read on the /_~-'day of 4'~'3-~)-~-&z-r_-- , 1991
and duly PASSED AND ADOPTED this ._-: ~¥-~ay of
1991.
- ,/~:/¥'~c.z;/ j3-~- :
Nan E. Franklin
City Recorder
SIGNED AND APPROVED this ay of
, 1991.
Catherine M. Golden
Mayor
CHAPTER VIII
PARKS, OPEN SPACE,' AND AESTHETICS
INTRODUCTION
Ashland's character is intimately linked to its aesthetic re-
sources, including its vistas, trees, parks and open space lands.
Early settlers appreciated the natural beauty of Ashland's
setting, and local scenic sites evolved as community gathering
places. As the town grew, traditional use of these sites was
gradually formalized. Roper's Grove, a popular 19th century
recreation area in the Ashland Creek Canyon, was absorbed
into Lithia Park when community ownership of tl~at resource
evolved. AS Ashland developed, its formal park lands expanded
as well.
Because cities are inherently crowded places, park planning has
long been a traditional and essential part of urban planning.
Landmarks of American city planning such as William Penn's
1680 Philadelphia town plan, Fredrick Law Olmstead's New
York City's 1856 Central Park plan, and Daniel Burnham's 1909
Chicago plan, all used parks and open spaces as central ele-
ments to alleviate the pressures of urban life. Parks are not a
luxury, but a nessessary ingredient in a sucessful urban enviorn-
ment. One of the reasons Ashland is such a bueatiful and
unique city is because of past efforts at park planning.
Today Ashland park planning faces new challenges. Many
traditional uses of private, vacant lands have been lost in the
past few decades. More will soon be lost without a program to
acquire and preserve significant lands for both traditional parks
and open space. Ashland's urban forest, comprised of both
native and imported species, must also be preserved and en-
hanced.
Successful city planning reflects people's values in the changes
that take place over time. In considering Ashiand's future, 9ur
plans must include both traditional parks and preserved natural
areas, and reflect what most citizen's treasure: a community at
the base of the Siskiyou Mountains, that works with rather than
fights with nature. Preserving this value challenges us to de-
velop a program that will preserve important open space and
park land, while accommodating Ashland's continuing urbani-
zation.
This element of Ashland's Comprehensive Plan presents four
programs: Parks, Open Space, Urban Forestry, and Visuial
Resources, introduces implementation strategy and defines
policies.
PARKS
Ashland has an elected, five-member Parks and Recreation
Commission which controls all lands owned by the City of
Ashland that have been dedicated for park or open space
purposes. This commission is created by city charter and is em-
powered to levy tax funds for park maintenance and improve-
ments from an annual budget. While they can use the levy to
maintain lands, the Parks and Recreation Commission has no
authority to purchase or acquire new land. This must be accom-
plished by the City Council, and the lands then dedicated to the
Parks Commission by mutual agreement.
Ashland now has 176 acres of parkland, another 1.30 acres of
City owned land that is in open space use, sucfi as cemeteries
and the golf course, and an additional 58 acres of land used by
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the community as open space but owned
by other public agencies such as the School
District or Southern Oregon State Col-
lege. Fifty-seven acres of City owned
land are in the city-owned Lithia Springs
property outside the city limits. This
currently is leased to the Ashland Gun
Club and, serving no other public use,
should be discounted in an analysis of
park land. Table VIII-1 shows the total
acreage in land in park and open space
use.
Of the 122 acres of developed park land,
95 acres are in Lithia Park. There are
17.5 acres in developed active parks, 9
acres at Hunter Park, and 8.5 acres at
YMCA park. Two small urban parks
Calle Guanajuato, and Bluebird Park,
total a little more than an acre. Five
neighborhood parks range in size from
one-half acre to two-and-one-half acres,
with a total acreage of seven-and-one
half-acres. There are currently thirteen
acres of undeveloped parkland in two
sites.
TABLE VIII-1
CITY OF ASHLAND
PARK AND OPEN SPACE ACERAGE
CITY OWNED PARKS
DEVELOPED PARKS
B~.~ C~EK P~ ......................................40.71
Cm~ Gu~u^To ........................................1.05
C~¥ Srm~ P~ ........................................3.54
G~N WaY P~,< ......................................1.79
G m.;~oo P~x ..........................................2.32
Humm P~q~ ..............................................9.03
Lm~ Pro< ..............................................95.34
S.~ooo. P~< ..........................................0.50
TRy,; P~ ............................................0.35
YMCA P~ ..............................................8.58
SUBTOTAL ................................................163.21
UNDEVELOPED PARKS
Lrma M..t.s ................................................3.09
S'maw~Rm' LN~ PaRK ..............................10.00
OTHER CITY OWNED OPEN SPACE
O~< K,o~ Gou; Cou~ ............................58.0
Amid C~E~am ......................................5.0
Moum~ View Cmtw~t ..............................8.0
H~r.~ CmE~ ....................................2.0
~ S~,.m ..........................................57.0
TOT~ ................................................130.O6
OTHER OPEN SPACE PUBLICALLY OWNED
Pusuc S c. ooc P I AYGROUNDS
Bmv~-w Sc.oot.... ......................................4.00
B~sco~ Sc.ooc ..........................................1.50
Hm~ Sc,oo~ ..........................................8.50
L, qcom ~aqoo~ ' 4.50
WN~. Sc.oo~ ..........................................6.50
M~DO~ Sc.oot ..........................................18.00
Tor~ ..................................................43.00
Tor~ Pa.r~ ......................................176.30 SOSC Fr:ms ..........................................15.20
Fifteen acres of land at Southern Oregon
State College are used by the community
for active recreation, and another 43 acres
of land in six school sites are used for
neighborhood recreationo-a total of 58 acres.
GRAND TOTAL .......................... 364.56
In addition to fulfilling its primary function, the municipally owned 58
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acre Oak Knoll Golf Course provides a large open space area
for the surrounding neighborhood.
Lithia Park is used partly as a regional park -- a fact not clearly
reflected in acreage comparisons. A 1981 park usage study
concluded that in the summer, one-half of park users were tour-
ists, one-sixth were regional users, that is, from Jackson County
other than Ashland, and one-third were Ashland residents. A
1989 Parks Department survey confirmed that these numbers
remain applicable today.
ASHLAND AND OTHER CITIES
In 1989 Rick Landt of the Citizen's Advisory Planning Commit-
tee (CPAC) conducted a survey of 23 other cities in Oregon to
determine how Ashland ranked in available park land relative
to these other cities. A partial list of the results is (~ontained in
Table VIII-2. Interestingly, Ashland's parkland inventory at
10.5 acres per 1,000 population was below the average of the
cities surveyed, which was 12.3 acres per 1,000. While Ashland
ranked ahead of some suburban cities such as Gresham (1.8
acres per 1,000) and Hillsboro (2.7 acres per 1,000), it ranked
far behind our neighboring cities of Medford (46.3 acres per
1,000) and Klamath Falls (31.3 acres per 1,000). In the latter
cases, the cities have purchased large areas that include a
significant natural feature, such as Medford's Roxy Ann Moun-
tain. Less urbanized areas like southern Oregon, have more
opportunities to find an acquire park land, due to the availabil-
ity of undeveloped land and generally lower land values. This
fact helps explain the large amount of park land found in
Medford, Roseburg and Klamath Falls.
The conclusion that can be drawn is that while Ashland is
slightly below average in all the cities in this survey, the City also
TABLE VIII-2
PARK LAND INVENTORY
ASHLAND AND OTHER SELECTED OREGON CITIES
era' ACERACE # P,~KS AcRes/1,000
ASHL~0 ..................176 ..................12 ....................10.5
Amaro ........................385 ....................22 ....................13.7
AS-TOm ........................69 ....................17 ......................6.9
B~V~RTON ..................512 ....................38 ....................12.2
COmAmS ....................839 ....................30 ....................20.9
EUGENE ....................1715 ....................82 ....................15.7
GR~,S~U~ ....................115 ....................16 ......................1.8
H~u.,$.~m ......................85 ......................9 ......................2.7
Ktauam FALLS ..............533 ....................25 ....................31.3
McMINNVU_LE ................243 ....................13 ....................14.3
MEr~O~O ..................20EK~ ....................28 ....................46.3
PENaLTON ..............; .....58 ....................26 ......................4.0
POm'LANO ..................9416 ..................200 ....................22.4
Ros~u~ ................ 282 ................ 25 ..................16.6
T~,A~o ........................207 ......................9 ......................8.1
WOODBURN ....................82 ....................14 ......................7.0
would have a very long way to go to preserve as much land as our
southern Oregon neighbors. Since cities with significant natu-
ral features and a high degree of community amenities tend to
have more park land than cities which are located in homoge-
nous environments, Ashland should be near the top of the list.
However, we find ourselves below average.
NEW P~mKS SLICE 1980
.'.
During the 1980's Ashland has been active in purc. hasing new
land for parks Three sites, totaling 56 acres,' have been ac-
quired. One, the Bear Creek Greenway park is a natural park
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and is not planned for further development except for the
extension of the Bear Creek Greenway. The other two sites
have not been developed. In addition, the YMCA Park and two
neighborhood parks, Clay Street and Glenwood, have been de-
veloped. In 1984 a public pool was added at Hunter Park. The
development of school-park sites in cooperation with the Ash-
land School Board has increased the amount of effective park
land. The development of fifteen acres of community playing
fields at Southern Oregon State College has greatly enhanced
the city's ability to provide an active recreation site.
TYPES OF PARKS
Park types can beclassified as follows: regional, urban, commu-
nity, neighborhood, pocket, and open space. A regidnal park
serves a county area, emphasizes an outdoor setting, and usually
has facilities for activities such as picnicking, swimming. Emi-
grant Lake Park is a regional park and is heavily used by county
residents.
An urban park emphasizes passive recreation, may have picnic
and zoo areas, and serves a population of 10,000 to 30,000
people. Lithia Park is an urban park, but use by people outside
Ashland lends it a regional character. A community park
emphasizes active recreation~ sport fields and tennis courts,
and should be within three miles of the area it serves. Hunter
Park is a community park.
Neighborhood parks are designed to be within a one-quarter-
mile radius of the area they serve, and are related to the neigh-
borhood's character. Neighborhood parks include school
parks which utilize facilities in off hours. The school parks have
advantages. They may be used during summer months and non-
school hours; they provide fadlities for all age groups,thus
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eliminating duplication of facilities, and they cut operating and
maintenance costs for both the Parks Department and School
District.
Pocket parks and special areas are small areas which satisfy
special needs--a place for relaxation in a dense urban area; a
spot for a specific recreational activity; an outdoor urban space;
or they simply afford visual pleasure. Triangle Park is a pocket
park; the Plaza is a special area.
NEw P~RK ARE~
The survey conducted of cities around the state indicated that
Ashland has 10.5 acres of parkland per 1000 people substan-
tially less than the national Meal of fifieen acres per 1000 popu-
fation. The simple comparison of acreage and population, how-
ever, does not reveal the entire situation. Population demands,
local values, and the unique attributes of the local setting are
more important than per capita targets. Per capita land needs,
therefore, should be used only in assessing the need for city-
wide facilities such as community parks.
Need for new parks
As Ashland grows, it will need to add parkland to accommodate
new population and to increase recreational opportunities to
the existing population. This section deals with the community
parks and neighborhood parks that are to be developed.
These parks are generally known as active parks. ~ ~They differ
from open space parks because they involve a significaneamount
of development. Grading, removal of native vegeta. tio .n, instal-
lation of irrigation and parking, and construction of tennis
courts and restrooms have a significant impact on the environ-
ment and neighborhood. Active parks can be prodigious traffic
generators and can create high parking demands. While nec-
essary for a successful city, they are relatively expensive to
develop and maintain.
Ashland now has two active community parks, Hunter Park and
YMCA Park. Nine acres and 8.5 respectively, in sum they total
17.5 acres. The city and Southern Oregon State College have
developed jointly 15 acres of ball fields that are used both by the
college and the community. Several Ashland School District
properties are occasionally used as community parks, most no-
tably Walker School and Ashland Junior High School.
Ashland has four neighborhood parks, Clay .Street, Garden
Way, Glenwood, and Sherwood Parks, totaling' over seven
acres. Triangle Park, about one-half acre in size and an attrac-
tive open space, functions as a pocket park. In addition, the five
Ashland elementary schools function as neighborhood parks.
The Parks Commission and the Ashland School District have
developed community school-park sites at each of the elemen-
tary schools. The area acquired by the City on East Main and
California Streets will also be developed as a neighborhood
park.
The following criteria have been used in assessing the need for
future active parks:
Community parks:
· There should be 2.5 acres per 1,000 population of city-wide
active community parks.
aEvery neighborhood should have a park within one-quarter
mile of most homes, i.e., within easy walking distance and
accessible to most children.
· The park sites must be relatively fiat, without significant
natural features requir/ng preservation.
· The park sites should be located so that traffic flow and
parking can be accommodated by using arterial, collector, and
through streets whenever possible.
· The parks should be easily accessible by foot and by bicycle.
· In addition to filling the need for community parks, they
should also function as neighborhood parks where they are
located.
· The City should not rely on land it does not own for long term
park needs.
Based on these criteria, the city will need 50 acres of land in
community parks by the year 2005, when the population will
reach 20,000 people. Today, the city has seventeen acres of
land in Hunter Park and YMCA park, and also uses fifteen
acres of land from SOSC, for about 2 acres per 1,000 capita. The
use of SOSC land, however, is based on a lease agreement, and
when the lease expires 1995, SOSC may choose not to renew the
lease.
This plan identifies two areas for potential new community
parks. One, Clay Street Park, is an extensions of the existing
YMCA Park and would add 15 acres to the 8.5 acres existing,
and provide an open space connection between Cia~Street and
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Tolman Creek Road. The second are two parcels of vacant
pasture in the Bear Creek floodplain, adjacent to Mountain
Street. These two parcels would provide an additional 24 acres
of active park with excellent access. This would give the city
slightly more than 2.5 acres per 1,000 when the population
reaches 20,000.
Neighborhood Parks
Consideration of both existing and proposed park areas reveals
that several neighborhoods will be more than one-quarter mile
from any park. All but four areas will be served either by the
new large proposed active parks or by new open space parks.
Four parks are planned to accommodate the remaining neigh-
borhoods that would need park for casual, pedestrian rise. The
new parks are small, from one-half to one acre in size, and
located on currently vacant parcels. The neighborhoodg are the
Oak Knoll area, the Guthrie Street area, the Railroad District,
and the Wimer Street area.
OPEN SPACE
Open space provides buffers between development, preserves
important riparian areas and wildlife habitat, creates scenic
vistas, and contributes to Ashland's character. They may be
owned by the City, by community groups such as home owner's
associations, may be preserved through easements, or may be
held in private ownership.
Ashland has preserved a major open space in Lithia Park.
While some of the park is developed, much of it is an open space
preserve. The park's creation did little to affect buildable land,
as much of it is steep or in floodplain, but it has greatly enhanced
Ashland's environment. Although Ashland's population has
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- almost doubled since 1960 we have had no program to preserve
and develop open spaces. Thus we have experienced the irre-
trievable loss of important open spaces, for example, the many
small creeks which once ran through the city. In many cases the
entire creek has been removed and culverted, leaving not a
trace of the original enviornment. Other city natural areas will
suffer a similar fate unless a comprehensive effort is made to
identify, protect, preserve, and, when appropriate, acquire
important open spaces.
Open space includes parks, natural and undeveloped resource
areas, agriculture and forest lands, and unused vacant lands.
Open space buffers incompatible land uses, helps create effi-
cient land use patterns, provides aesthetic experiences and
diversity in built-up areas, and preserves recreation, agricul-
tural and forest lands.
Open space can be preserved byzoning and subdivision regula-
tions, by purchasing or trading for land or easements, by incen-
tives, or by voluntary contributions. Many of these methods do
not require new City funding, but depend on identification and
development standards. Any successful open space program
must include a program to acquire some key pieces for the
public, so they may be managed to preserve the open space's
character.
Open space programs benefit the preservation of lands that are
either unbuildable or difficult to develop. Floodplains, ravines,
wetlands, and steep slopes are all undesirable for urban devel-
opment, but lend character that make the land des?able for
open space. -.: -
CONFLICTING USES bird watching.
1)Residential and commercial development
2)Road construction
3)Intensive recreational developments
Econoinc, Emqom~:~rr~,u, SOCIAL, AND ENERGY
CONSEQUENCES
1) Economic
a) Alterations to the land to accommodate conflicting uses
could compromise the quality of an open space area and
potentially decrease surrounding property valhes...
b) Street design and construction costs would be higher due to
the physical constraints of these areas, such as steep, densely
wooded topography, ravines and high water tables.
c) A portion of the costs for acquisition and maintenance of
open space lands would be paid for by local taxes.
d) The construction of homes within open space areas would
require higher construction standards to avoid property dam-
age resulting from a hillside slumping, erosion or flooding.
2) Social
a) Allowing conflicting uses may reduce the quality of open
space areas where people gravitate towards to enjoy visual and
auditory solitude: Intrusion into these areas for the purpose of
accommodating residential development and road construc-
tion may jeopardize the potential recreation value for passive
uses such as picnicking, walking, jogging, hiking, bicycling or
b) The total open space proposal indudes almost 730
acres of land. It is important, when deciding to set aside this
amount of land for open space uses, to determine the impact
this would have on the Housing Element.
Most of the open space proposal has been designed to utilize
land that is of marginal or useless for housing. The project will
only have a small effect on Employment land, as the only area
proposed to be used for open space that is zoned for employ-
ment is along the railroad and "A" Street.
The City has compiled an analysis of the housing impact of the
development of the open space plan, contained ina memoran-
dum by the Planning Director dated Feb. 21, 1990.
The total impact on housing would be a loss of land on which 331
housing units could be developed. By far the largest impact is
from the two active parks, which are located on areas that were
designed for affordable housing at relatively high densities.
These two parks would occupy land that could provide 231
housing units.
In the currenturban growth boundary, there was a need for 127
acres of land for high cost housing ($110,000 and up in 1990
dollars). There was a large surplus of this type of land already
in the City limits, as the 1982 plan shows 256 vacant and
available. Therefore~ the loss of the parcels zoned RR-.5 and
Rl-10 are insignificant, as there are already more than suffi-
cient lands in the urban growth boundary to provld~-housing in
large lot, low density zones with correspondingly high prices.
However, the land available for moderate cost housing was in a
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tighter supply. While there was a need for 388 acres of
moderate cost housing, only 342 were available in the City
limits. 160 acres were provided in the urban growth boundary.
Therefore, the loss of the two parcels that would be developed
for active parks would not need to be replaced, as there is a
surplus of over 100 acres even with these two areas removed.
3) Environmental
a) Physical and aesthetic consequences to open space areas
resulting from road construction could be mitigated through
proper design.
b) All conflicting uses could disturb and destroy wildlife habitat
and fragile ecosystems. Sensitive areas may become susceptible
to increases in erosion, which in turn may impact the water
quality of streams and wetlands.
c) Disruption of open space corridors, which act to link the
region's wilderness areas to the city, would result in a decline in
urban wildlife.
4) Energy
a) Urbanization of sensitive open spaces involves infrastruc-
ture improvements which can be complex, costly and energy
intensive.
b) Techniques (i.e. erosion control measures) used to mitigate
the impacts caused by conflicting uses may have higher energy
requirements.
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CRITERIA FOR OPEN SPACE
The preeceding analysis suggests that many of Ashland's natu-
ral areas be retained as open space, or developed into natural
parks. Many desirable land parcels suggest themselves for an
open space program. In order to design a unified system, rather
than a collection of interestingyet unrelated parcels, a selection
philosophy must be developed. Criteria for open space follows:
=Lands that preserve wildlife habitat and fragile ecosystems,
such as wooded areas, ravines, and wetlands.
· ,Lands that preserve unique scenic features, such as wooded
views from urbanized areas.
· Lands that contain potential recreational value for passive
uses such as picnicking, walking, jogging, hiking, bicycling, bird
watching, or simply resting.
=Areas that contain potential for pathway and trail develop-
ment and which connect with other existing trails.
=Areas that can be integrated with existing or proposed commu-
nity parks.
,,Areas that are interspersed with urban growth so that the open
space lands are accessible to the greatest number of urban resi-
dents.
=Areas with productive farm and forest land.
,.Areas that have outstanding visual or auditory solitu~le.
The Parks and Open Space map identifies significant open
space areas in the community. Although some of these lands
will be acquired or set aside for preservation during the plan-
ning period, there are many forms of open space preservation
other than public acquisition. Components of Ashland's Open
Space Program follow:
Conservation areas are lands owned by private citizens who sell
or otherwise release their rights to develop the property. In-
stead, the land is maintained in an undeveloped or underdevel-
oped state. The property owner assures the City that the land
will be left in an unmodified, open state to retain the qualities
that make it desireable for open space. This assurfince usually
takes the form of a conservation easement. The City recognizes
this agreement with a zoning Overlay that prohibits develop-
ment. The land's value is reduced, possibly lowering property
taxes, and qualifing for income tax deductions. While this
method is valuable for some areas, it usually does not allow
public access to the property. The main advantage is that the
City incurs no or minimal direct costs although the value of the
taxing base may be slightly reduced. To fully implement this
plan, the City should be active in acquiring conservation ease-
ments even in areas outside the City limits, such as the Wrights
Creek area.
Neighborhood Owned Open Space
As an alternative to the preservation of private open space, a
community can acquire and dedicate to common use suitable
open space land. The small creek behind properties in the block
of Allison, Holly, Idaho, and Iowa Streets is an excellent
example. This area is not generally useful to the City because
the creek has culverts both above and below. However, with .the
City's cooperation the neighborhood can acquire the creek area
and reserve it for common open space to be managed by a
neighborhood group. These lands would be held as an undev-
ided interest by abutting property owners. Acquisition and de-
velopment could be funded by a local improvement district,
which would assess all benefitting property owners and allow
the issue of tax free bonds, thereby reducing the property's
payment burden.
Dedications during Development
Open space may comprise only a portion of land largely suit-
able for development. Where no plan exists for integration into
a natural park, the area ~:an be integrated into a private devel-
opment as a common open space. The City's ordinances reward
developers with density bonuses for such inclusions. When a
parcel contains land required for the community-owned open
space, city ordinances may require dedication and possibly de-
velopment by the property owner. When this occours, a credit
for the required system development charge may be nessessary,
and if the permitted number of units is reduced, compensation
may be appropriate.
Nr~w NATURAL PAg~
The keystones of the open space plan are the large, contiguous
parcels of land which closely match the open space criteria.
They include the following:
Ordsen Todd Woods - Clay Creek
The land designated for acquisition is the Clay'Creek, extend-
ing from the City limits to the Ordsen Todd woods, a conserva-
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tion area owned by the Southern Oregon Land Conservancy.
This land would provide public access from the City limits to the
Woods, and further preserve the beauty of Clay Creek ravine.
Roca Canyon
This ravine runs from the TID ditch to SOSC campus, where it
disappears into a culvert. The ravine is deep and wooded with
abundant wildlife. The eight acre park at the top of the ravine
would connect with a Conservation Area to the north that
would preserve the ravine in its present state. Downzoning of
this Conservation Area is appropriate to prevent development
from crossing the ravine, which would necessitate numerous
culverts and fills to accommodate auto access to new lots. A
trail would connect through the park and from the p:~rk down
the ravine to Prospect Street, providing neighborhood pedes-
trian connections where none now exist. The pa~k would
provide trail access to Siskiyou Mountain Park to the south.
Siskiyou Mountain Park
The City of Ashiand currently owns 110 acres in the city limits
just south of Lithia Park, and 1,000 acres outside the city limits
surrounded by the Rogue National Forest. The areas in the city
limits were used for granite quarries, and that outside is for the
Water Departments use associated with the water filtration
plant and Reeder Reservior. In addition, the City is in the
process of acquiring 160 acres currently owned by Superior
Lumber Company. The proposal is to tie these parcels together
with additional acquisitions, which would allow for a large,
1,500 acre natural park that would extend from Clay Creek in
the east to' Ashland Creek in the west. Accesses would be
developed from the other parks and trails in the City, and access
provided through the park to the Forest Service land which
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surrounds this area. Also, a trail across Siskiyou Mountain Park
would further interconnect this area. These lands also contain
several old roads that provide excellent hiking, equestrian, and
mountain biking and panoramic vistas of the City. Access would
be available from Ashland Ditch Trail, Lithia Park, Terrace
Street Park, Roca Canyon Park, Paradise Lane, and Todd-
Ordsen Woods.
One advantage of this park is that the City already owns or is
purchasing 1300 of the 1500 acres. An additional 40 acres are
owned by the State Division of Higher Education, and the re-
mainder is privately owned. While the area of land is large, the
costs of acquisition is small.
Terrace Street
The small valley between Terrace Street and Long Way is a
beautiful natural park potentially blending into a neighbor-
hood park on Herbert Street. This land can be integrated with
other city-owned land adjacent to Crowson Reservoir and the
water pumping station, providing access from the neighbor-
hoods to the north to the Ashland Loop Road, Siskiyou Moun-
tain Park, and the National Forest to the south.
Scenic Park
The hilltop above Scenic Drive, a backdrop to the Plaza, is one
of the most important views in Ashland. This is hilltop will
certainly be developed, ruining its scenic quality and wildlife
habitat, unless it is acquired by the City. The Hilltop Park
acquisition would require forty to forty-five acres Of{and and
would extend from the Ditch Road to the top of the ridge and
beyond, and from Strawberry Lane to Grandview Drive. The
Ditch Road would be closed to traffic, and would be used only
for hiking, equestrian use, and biking.
Bear Creek Greenway and Mountain Avenue Natural Park
Major portions of this county-wide facility presently exist. The
Jones-Bryant property is already a city park, and an important
wetland. The plan would continue the greenway along Bear
Creek to Mountain Avenue, acquiring at least a 200 foot wide
corridor on Bear Creek. This corridor includes significant
riparian areas and associated wetlands, to be retained in a
natural state. At Mountain Avenue, the plan would encompass
acquisition of an existing 18 acre parcel that was the site of a
small sawmill in the 1940%. This property would serve as a
trailhead to the Bear Creek Greenway, and the unvegetated
portion of it could be added to the proposed active park to the
south. The Bear Creek Greenway bikeway would be extended
to Mountain Avenue along the corridor.
Renolds Ponds
This small farm on Helman Avenue has beautiful ponds and
associated vegetation, including cottonwoods and willows. The
plan calls for acquision and retention of apprixomately two
acres of this farm for a picnic area, and for retention and en-
hancement of the pond and surrounding wetland for wildlife
habitat.
Normal Street Wetland
The extention of Normal Street from Hunter Park to East Main
Street passes by one of the largest natural wetlands in the City
Limits. As this land would be poorly suited for development
and may contain siginificant wildlife habitat, the plan calls for
acquision and retention of the wetland. The area should be
enhanced as a wetland, with development limited to trails that
would provide f6r bird watching and the study of nature.
GREENBELTS
In addition to land in Ashland, the plan calls for acquiring land
development rights on properties outside the Urban Growth
Boundary currently zoned for exclusive farm use. These
parcels, while currently protected from development, are sub-
ject to changes in state and county land use laws. The City plans
to acquire either the properties in their entirety or to acquire
conservation easements on the three parcels to insure that
future development does not threaten Ashland's compact city
form. Allowable uses could be either to simply continue the
agricultural uses on the property or a recreational use that is
compatible with the greenbelt ideal, such as a golf course.
CONNECTING LINKS AND TRAILS
Open space, park and trail use are greatly enhanced when they
are linked. Linking neighborhoods with convenient, well
placed trails that connect areas that cannot be accessed by
automobile not only promotes neighborhood intaraction, it also
encourages travel on foot and by bike, as many tinfc,~s-it is closer.
to walk on a well designed trail than to go by car. The empha-
sis in this plan is on short, convenient trails that connect neigh-
borhoods, and on three trails that connect larger areas of the
VIII-11
City. These former trails have been in Ashland's Comprehen-
sive Plan since 1982, and are mentioned in plans as early as
1966.
Ashland, like many communities, lacks sufficient linear spaces
(parkways, bikeways etc), but has abundant potentially useful
areas. Ashland's creek corridors can constitute design element
for the community and for individual neighborhood areas. Al-
though some areas are presently unfavorable for parkway and
bikeway development because of existing residential dwellings,
other areas that are relatively undeveloped can serve to form
some links and trails.
Ashland has many areas that are criss-crossed with informal
trails, some of which have been in use for generations~ ' Most of
these trails are not legal easements in any sense, but they still
form an important community recreational facility.-'-The City
and the Parks Commission should work with the private prop-
erty owners to help alleviate whatever inconvenience this tradi-
tional use may cause. In addition, upon development or parti-
tion of the land, the trails should be identified and preserved,
preferably by granting an easement to the public for continued
use. Development should also respect the trails and buffer the
effects of development from it.
A portion of the proposed Bear Creek Greenway is located
within the Ashland city limits in the northern part of town, south
of Nevada Street andwest of Mountain Avenue. The proposed
trail location is within the Ashland Urban Growth Boundary
south of the Ashland Airport. Any proposed developments
located in these areas should consider the proposed greenway
and its completion. Land dedications should be required as
VIII-12
conditions of approval for any proposed developments. The
greenway project is extremely important for Jackson County,
and Ashland should cooperate in its completion.
The following trails are included in the open space program and
are to be developed over the planning period.
Bear Creek Trail
The Bear Creek Trail is part of the county trail system, and
extends from Mountain Avenue to the Ashland city limits on the
western town boundary. The portion of the trail to Nevada
Street is currently planned for construction by Jackson County.
Ashland Ditch Corridor- Granite Street Reservoir to Grandview
This is one of the most beautiful, secluded trail sections in the
system. A new trail would be created from the upper end of
Lithia Park to the Ashland Ditch, and a corridor acquired along
the ditch trail. The corridor should be 100 feet wide to prevent
development from encroaching on the ditch area. Any devel-
opment within this corridor should undergo a special review to
assure that the quality of the trail are not endangered, and that
the residences are adequately screened from the trail, both for
the privacy of the residences, and the tranquilityof the trail user.
TID Corridor -- Ivy Street to Terrace
This unspoiled portion of~ the ditch trail contains both beautiful
views and imposing woods. Recent home constmcti0n near the
ditch has severely degraded the experience of walkin~-t. he ditch
trail. The corridor, twenty-five to one hundred feet in width,
would maintain a buffer along the TID, protecting' vegetation
and habitat. The City already has approximately one half of the
necessary easements to open the trail to pedestrian use. The
trail would generally follow the TID ditch from Terrace street
to the end of the Park Estates subdivision. From this point the
trail would leave the ditch, and slowly climb to meet the termi-
nus of the Ivy Street cul-de-sac. This should be developed so as
to be separate from any new roads, and have screening from any
new homes in that area, as much as possible. The remaining
portions of the Water Line Road and the TID ditch should be
preserved as neighborhood trails that link small areas together.
Neighborhood Trails
Several other short trails are designated on the map. These are
to be required at time of development of the proper. ty by theim-
plementing ordinances. Other sections will have to be obtained
by the consent of the property owner.
As designed, the trail system consists of several segments of
trail, most of it surrounded by urban development, but se-
cluded, wooded, and full of wildlife. Many of these trails cur-
rently exist within the city but is threatened with extinction. The
Open Space Program will preserve these resources for the
future.
URBAN FORESTRY
Ashland's environment and appearance are often noted as im-
portant parts of the general livability of the City, and are
frequently cited as reasons for residents remaining in the area
and for tourists coming to Ashland. Early pioneers planted
trees along the streets and boulevards, that have grown into
majestic specimens. Many of these trees remain today in the
older sections of the City. The maintenance of civic pride and of
visitor's favorable impressions depend especially on the scenic
quality of major access routes and thoroughfares. Also, the
appearance of private property has an effect on one's impres-
sion of Ashland.
A significant portion of this impression is created by trees and
intact plant communities. Areas such as Winburn Way and
Siskiyou Boulevard, have greater scenic value due to the pres-
ence of large trees and a variety of shrubs. Ashland's backdrop
as viewed from the Southeast and Northwest entries, and from
I-5 is forest covered hills and mountains. This setting, Ashland
nestled in among the forested hills creates a strong positive
impression. The existing, intact native plant communities in
riparian areas and on steep slopes reenforces this impression.
The Urban Forest Interface at the southern boundary of ASh-
land presents challenges and opportunities. Its aesthetic value,
wildlife habitat and recreational opportunities have been well-
documented by citizens. This interface also presents problems
for fire prevention and control.
Trees, especially large trees, enhance the quality of life in
Ashland in many ways, providing shade, protection from wind,
erosion control, wildlife habitat, sound barriers, air pollution
removal and play areas for children, among other things. Ash-
land has a long history of honoring and protecting its trees,
including being named a Tree City, USA each year since 1986.
Trees are a fragile resource. The proven benefits of trees can
only be maintained through favorable consideration in the
political process. ~: -
Ashland has a Tree Commission. The Commigsiofi is charged
with the enhancement of the urban forest in Ashland. The
VIII-13
commission works with public funds and on public lands, and
also advise the city staff and planning commission on landscap-
ing of new projects. This role is extremely valuable and has had
a marked improvement on new landscaping quality in develop-
ments.
VISUAL RESOURCES
As previously mentioned, vegetative cover, particularly mature
trees, adds much to the beauty of Ashland and its surroundings,
enhancing the views out of the city and from the gateways, like
I-5, looking into the city. The forested hills and mountains
directly behind the city as seen from the freeway, act as a back-
drop and from for the city.
There are a number of prominent features and dramatic vistas
visible from the city, in addition to vegetation, that add to the
beauty of Ashland's setting. These include, Pompadour Bluff,
Grizzly Peak, Wagner Butte, Mt. Ashland and the Bear Creek
Greenway.
Numerous smaller, but no less important features exist within
the city. The riparian zones along the many creeks that dissect
the city are perhaps the most noticeable examples. Steep
hillsides with mature conifers are other examples.
BOth the privately owned and the City owned granite quarries
on upper Granite Street is an example of the consequences of
not protecting features within the city. Lithia Park and the
Ashland Creek canyon are marred by this development. In the
recent past, the proposed dearcutting of the Superior Lumber
Co. land above the city, and the proposed development of a
gravel pit on upper Nevada Street are the kinds of activities that
VIII-14
if accomplished, would be detrimental to the present beautiful
views from and around Ashland.
The Ashland's viewshed is an irreplaceable asset to the
community and deserves protection. Protection will require
that the veiwshed be defined and mapped. Continued and ex-
panded cooperation with other jurisdictions, including the US
Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, and Jackson
County, will also be necessary to ensure its protection.
IMPLEMENTATION
The plan outlined here is an ambitious one. Accomplishing it
will require community vision and resolve o- and funding for
land acquisition. In contrast to prior comprehensive plans for
Ashland, this element requires specific action by the City and
the Parks Commission for implementation and demands both
a regulatory approach and an acquisition program.
Regulation
Dedication of land during development
Many open space lands constitute only part of a property. They
do not contribute greatly to the development potential of a
parcel, and often encompass only a particular feature of limited
development potential, such as the TID ditch or a ravine. In this
instance, dedication to the public can be required during devel-
opment. This can be accomplished without compens.ation if the
portion of the property dedicated does not substanti~itty affect
the development and if the project will benefit from tl~e open
space project.
Preservation of land privately owned
At times, a parcel identified for open space is not required to be
in public ownership. Simply preserving the land in a natural
state will accomplish the goals of the open space program.
When no access by the public is required, simple preservation
of the land can be accomplished by dedication of easements. If
reasonable use of the land remains with the open space parcel
preserved, it is legal to require that the land not be developed
until acquisition can occur.
Acqu/s/tbn
Many major pieces of land required for this project must be
acquired by the public during the planning period. 'While trails.
and open space corridors, can be acquired by dedications, the
development of major parks and open space areas allows no
private use of the land. Therefore, when most or all of the
useable part of the parcel is to be acquired, or when a physical,
public invasion, such as a trail easement is required and no
development is proposed, the city should acquire the land or the
necessary easement at fair market value.
This program will require a funding source dedicated exclu-
sively to land acquisition needs, as the project will probably take
many years to accomplish. The acquisition portion of the plan
may not be implemented until the funding source has been
secured.
The properties that the City has designated as Parks are to be
acquired by the City throughout the planning period. The effect
of this designation will not affect the property's ability to
develop.
the property is ripe for development (that is, it has all the
necessary city services nearby for development) the City should,
at that point, offer to purchase the land. The offer should be for
the fair market value, without considering any effect that its
designation for park would have. If the offer is accepted, the
property can be converted to park. If the City can not make the
necessary funds available, the property can develop according
to the underlying zoning. However, some of the property can be
set aside as a Conservation Area in this process, as long as the
effect of the reduction in the number of units is no more that
20%.
Obviously, it is in the City's interest to negotiate with the prop-
erty owner and purchase the land before it is ripe for develop-
ment. In any case, land shall be purchased without resorting to
direct condemnation, The only exception to this rule would be
to acquire access to a City owned parcel. The area where this
may be necessary would be to gain dccess to the Siskiyou Moun-
tain Park.
When the property owner wishes to develop the property, and
VIII- 15
GOALS AND POLICIES
GOAL: TO PROVIDE THE PEOPLE OF ASHLAND WITH A
VARIETY, QUANTITY AND QUALITY OF PARKS, PARK
FACILITIES, OPEN SPACES, TRAILS, AND VISUAL
RESOURCES SUFFICIENT FOR THEIR NEEDS
POLICIES:
1)Develop a parkland acquisition and development plan in
accordance with community growth and projected park demand.
Accomplish acquisition according to a plan developed by the
City and the Parks and Recreation Commission.
2)Assist in the development of the Bear Creek Greenway,
including the Ashland Creek portion of the city parksystem.
3) Encourage school-park joint developments.
4)Coordinate parkland acquisition and design with other
agencies involved with park usage. Agencies should include
Jackson County and the public school system.
5) Encourage the development of private common open space
areas in new residential developments to offset the demand for
additional public parks.
6) The City shall adopt an official map that will identify the
planned areas for parks, new natural areas, conservation areas
and trails. Where only a portion of the property is required for
park or open space use, development can occur on the remainder
of the property. When only a small portion of the property is
required for a public purpose, and the new development will
VIII-16
benefit from the public area, dedication may be required.
Otherwise, the City will purchase the property, paying fair
compensation. When development is possible, if the City does
not have the funds available for the intended purchase within
a reasonable amount of time, the City shall release the land
from the Parks designation and allow the development consistent
with other plan policies.
7) Develop the system ofcorridors, linear park routes and trails
outlined in the Park and Open Space map. Encourage
interconnections between parks, open spaces, bicycle paths,
easements, irrigation ditches, scenic roadway routes, railroad
rights-of-way, etc. Require that commonly used trails across
private property be preserved when developed.
8)Establish, where possible, trails along non-urbanized sections
of stream corridors, ensuring that stream ecology and any
residences are protected. Prohibit development that would
prohibit stream corridors from being utilized for trails.
9)Require all new residential, commercial and industrial
developments to be designed and landscaped to a high standard
to complement the proposed site and the surrounding area.
10)Encourage improvement programs for existing areas with
consideration to such items as exterior maintenance, landscaping,
signs, and underground p!acement of utilities.
11)Require high standards of design and landscaping for
development adjacent to major arterials, and enco .ur..age.~. dividers
in'any new access routes into Ashland. ~ ~ _
12)Require, where possible, that the original v~et~/tion be
retained and require the restoration of new vegetation if it is
removed.
13)Require street trees in all new residential, commercial and
industrial developments.
14)Views of Pompadour Bluff, Van Dyke's Cliffs, Mt. Ashland,
Grizzly Peak, and the surrounding ridges are irreplaceable
assets to Ashland, and should be protected through cooperation
with Jackson County.
15) Insure that the Tree Commission has an opportunity to
review and comment on all significant landscaping in the city,
public or private.
16)Develop an urban forest plan for the City including a street
tree and a non-street tree section, a tree resource inventory, a
plan for preservation and renewal of trees of stature and native
species, long range maintenance plan, a plan to promote the
greater use of trees and shrubs on both public and private land,
and plan to educate the public regarding benefits of trees on
public right-of-ways.
17)Take necessary steps to annually be a Tree City, USA.
18)Establish a Plant Arboretum and/or a directory of notable
trees in the City.
19)Increase the portion of the city covered by a tree canopy,
especially parking lots and other paved areas
20)Develop an urban forest interface plan to enhance the
aesthetic and recreational opportunities created by this resource.
The plan will also include wildlife enhancement measures and
a fire control plan.
21) Establish criteria and map the visual resources of Ashland,
from selected points outside the city looking in, and from
strategic points within the city looking out.
22) The City will cooperate and when necessary, negotiate with
the county, USFS and BLM concerning activities within the
viewshed that would impact the visual integrity of the area.
VIII-17
ORD. 2652 11/2/91
Amds. Ashland comp. Plan - Chpt. VIII -
"PARKS, OPE£~ SPACE & A STHETICS".