Applegater Summer 2017
Williams has a town council?
BY MIKE SMITH
The Williams Town Council and
Citizen’s Advisory Committee (WTC/
CAC) started over 30 years ago when
Josephine County had over a dozen
citizen advisory committees. All the
others stopped functioning due to lack
of volunteer interest or challenges in
communicating with the county. The
Williams CAC is the only active CAC left
in the county. Purely an advisory body,
lacking any formal authority or budget,
it allows Williams residents to participate
in land-use, long-range planning, and
other issues relating to the planning and
development of Williams.
The organization has two primary
functions. One is to hold town meetings
on matters that are timely and important
to the community or that present difficult
problems or discontent. These meetings
give WTC/CAC a chance to support
residents on projects that are beneficial to
the development of Williams, such as bike,
horse, and pedestrian pathways, or events
that encourage a healthy community.
The WTC/CAC’s other primary
function is its advisory role to the Josephine
County Planning Division. The CAC
reviews, researches, and may comment on
development permit applications that it
receives from the county. If an application
appears controversial or could have
significant community impact, the WTC/
CAC can call a town meeting for discussion
and input, which may inform the CAC’s
advisory comments to the county.
Historically, the WTC/CAC has assisted
the community with challenging issues
such as industrial logging, a proposed cell
tower near the elementary school, and the
sale of hard liquor in Williams. In recent
years, the WTC/CAC saw little activity
until the legalization of marijuana. Since
then large recreational marijuana grows
have been submitting applications to the
county for processing plants, inviting
community comment.
Of course, the introduction of any
industrial-scale business into a region that
includes residential areas, such as the “green
gold” (marijuana) industry in Williams,
comes with its challenges. As many
residents know, marijuana production has
many social and environmental impacts,
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Pay attention
Dear Applegater:
I was lucky enough to attend an event in the Applegate Valley where my husband
and I visited with old friends and neighbors. Even though my family moved to Ashland
over 20 years ago, many of our friendships in the Applegate remain intact. The closeness
and caring of living for 20 years in the valley are still very meaningful and grounding
in our lives.
At the gathering, we all spoke about the happenings of the past year and our gratitude
and love of place. We spoke about fears for the next four years, and a number of friends
spoke of their commitment to their watershed and their valley, focusing their attention
on what’s taking place close to home. While it’s very worthwhile and beneficial to take
care of our families, neighbors, and friends, I feel the urgency of issuing a strong warning
not to bury our heads in the sands or close ourselves off in the mountains. It’s important,
now more than ever, to stay awake, stand up, and be heard. I’d like to remind my friends
that Hitler, too, was elected into a democratic government and demagogues have a way
of distorting the truth, separating groups from one another and destroying democracy.
After World War II there was a famous quote from a European priest that I paraphrase
and update here: “First they came for the Muslims and I say nothing, then they came for
the Mexicans, the gays, the blacks and I still say nothing. And then they came for me.”
Although I am not saying it will happen, and I actually have confidence in our people’s
love of country, but anything can happen, especially if good people are in hiding, not
speaking out or standing up. The beauty and strength of living in the United States is
that we have safeguards, we have freedoms, and we need to keep them alive and current.
Yes, care for our communities close to home and still pay attention to what is happening
around you because you are truly not separate from any of it.
Sincerely,
Sheila Canal, Ashland, Oregon (Applegate Valley property owner)
• • •
Climate changes
Editor:
Maybe all folks living in Oregon, the nation, or the world think the same. Certainly,
many of us in the Applegate Valley think this is the best place in the world to live. But
we are also noticing the rising temperatures that the weather service reports—over two
degrees during the last century. We are noticing the trend of reducing snowpack, even
though we’ve had a couple of decent snow years. Water shortages resulting from this
trend are also troubling us. And we are aware that drought is becoming an ever-present
threat while our fire season and fire risk are both increasing.
It’s time for Applegaters to join concerned peoples across the nation and the planet
in addressing the global warming that is causing these climate changes. And we need
to do it before our entire way of life is compromised.
Fortunately, we can do this. The Oregon legislature is considering placing a cap on
the climate pollution that is causing our problems. The proposal will reduce pollution
and generate funds earmarked to provide economic assistance to rural southern Oregon
as we transition to a clean-energy economy with better-paying jobs. Data show us that
reducing climate pollution can help our economy.
Sincerely,
Alan Journet, Jacksonville, Oregon
Co-facilitator, Southern Oregon Climate Action Now
• • •
Community issue
Dear Editor:
A problem with large-scale cannabis production that has not been mentioned is that
it often invites crime. When a large crop of cannabis nears harvest, there is the likelihood
of theft, and the perpetrators (as well as the growers) are often armed. This should be
mentioned in meetings concerning the pros and cons of this new community issue, as
it has been a real problem in other locations.
Thank you,
Pete Gerard, Jacksonville, Oregon
21
especially when we consider the cumulative
effects. Local citizens have clearly expressed
to WTC/CAC their complaints and
concerns, such as traffic, excessive noise,
and light pollution from greenhouses.
At this point, issues concerning noise
and night light are particularly difficult
to resolve when the grow is on property
zoned EFU (exclusive farm use), which
is considered “resource land” zoning that
is possibly protected by an old “Right to
Farm” act. If the grow is on property zoned
RR (rural residential), current county
ordinances apply. The state legislature has
ruled that counties can pass “reasonable
regulations” to mitigate these issues on
“resource lands.” Many counties have
passed such measures. Josephine County
has yet to consider such action.
The WTC/CAC is currently working to
help resolve some of the growing pains we
are experiencing. By holding town meetings
and encouraging citizen involvement in the
planning and development of Williams,
perhaps we can collectively find solutions
to the very real problems we face and
nip them in the bud. As one of the
permaculture principles states, “We are the
problem; we are the solution.”
Mike Smith, WTC/CAC member
applegatevolunteer@gmail.com
■ SUMMERTIME
Continued from page 5
while the elite attend
NY Fashion Week
pretending we can all go on
like this
And I don’t know how to fit
into this poem
the millions of refugees
that have streamed into Europe
running from
insane zealots with arms,
both sides intent
on killing each other ’til
no one’s left standing
***
The I Ching says,
“may you live in interesting times”
the Buddhists call it samsara
the Christians—I gave up on them
a long time ago,
and the only thing that makes sense
is to plant lettuce in October, ’cause
it’s way too warm for fall spinach
sing praise to the velvet-petaled rose
as she opens one last time
bring water to the raspberries
and hope to see the shy green frog
hiding among their canes
Speak truth
Honor beauty
Practice love
All else is folly.
H. Ni Aodagain
hnauthor@gmail.com
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