Group proposes farmland mitigation plan for valley
Group proposes farmland mitigation plan for valley
The group Rogue Advocates is proposing that when high-quality farmland is developed, the loss should be mitigated by permanently protecting other farmland from development.
The proposal comes as Jackson County commissioners prepare to begin hearings in September about where development should occur to accommodate a projected doubling of the Rogue Valley population over the next 50 years.
The farmland mitigation program would be similar to wetland mitigation efforts, in which wetlands are protected when wetlands elsewhere are developed.
Jimmy MacLeod, executive director for the Ashland- and Williams-based Rogue Advocates, said under the proposal, developers who build on high-quality farmland essentially would be required to buy the development rights on other farmland — permanently protecting that land from development.
MacLeod said the farmland mitigation plan would increase the cost of homes built on farmland.
But it would be a way of putting a cost on the destruction of farmland and damage done to the local agricultural industry, he said.
"All these years, no one has had to pay anything for that," MacLeod said.
The Home Builders Association of Jackson County did not return phone calls for comment on how a farmland mitigation program could affect development and home construction.
MacLeod said the Rogue Valley needs a critical mass of acres devoted to agriculture. When farmland and orchards are lost, that creates a ripple effect of agricultural supply stores and other related businesses closing. Eventually, agriculture loses its viability in an area, he said.
Rogue Advocates developed the farmland mitigation proposal in concert with farmers, farm advocates and other residents. The proposal is modeled after programs in counties in California, Colorado and Vermont.
The proposal's supporters came together because of growing concern that a Regional Problem Solving Plan now under development has earmarked 7,000 acres of farmland for future urbanization. Of that, 1,200 acres are high-value farmland, meaning that it typically is irrigated and has the best soils, according to Rogue Advocates.
The county government and most Jackson County cities are taking part in the Regional Problem Solving Plan to guide development for the next 50 years and prepare for population growth. The plan still is being drafted.
Nancy Vaughn, who raises hay, cattle and fruit outside Jacksonville, said the plan focuses too much on cities' projected growth needs.
"We also need to focus on what the needs are for maintaining a strong agricultural economy and the future food needs for our growing cities," Vaughn said. "The Rogue Advocates' farmland mitigation program could be a step in the right direction. It's worth the county taking a look and giving it some consideration."
She said a farmland mitigation program could help preserve the valley's agricultural base and its better farmlands.
On Aug. 16, the Ashland City Council voted to ask Jackson County commissioners to reduce the amount of high-quality farmlands included in the Regional Problem Solving Plan's urban reserves for cities.
The urban reserves, located outside cities' urban growth boundaries, would be the designated areas for cities to grow as they eventually expand past their urban growth boundaries.
Unlike most other cities in the county, Ashland previously decided not to designate urban reserves.
If the amount of high-quality farmland in urban reserves isn't reduced in the valley, the Ashland City Council said it supports the farmland mitigation proposal.
More specifically, the Rogue Advocates' mitigation proposal would require that whenever farmland in an urban reserve is annexed into a city for development, the developer would pay a willing landowner for a farmland conservation easement on farmland outside the reserve. Alternately, the county could administer the mitigation program and developers would pay fees for the county to set up conservation easements.
Among other comments, the Ashland City Council has also asked that the Regional Problem Solving Plan promote dense development, mass transit and a variety of housing types.
Jackson County Commissioners will hold a public hearing on the Regional Problem Solving Plan at noon on Sept. 7 in the Jackson County Offices Auditorium, 10 S. Oakdale Ave., Medford.
Additional public hearings are scheduled tentatively at noon on Sept. 14, Sept. 21, Sept. 28, Oct. 5, Oct. 12, Oct. 19 and Oct. 26.
Staff reporter Vickie Aldous can be reached at 541-479-8199 or vlaldous@yahoo.com.
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