Don’t Uproot Ashland!
Neighbors on the south end of Ashland were given notice of a permit application for a hog/poultry feeding operation and slaughterhouse proposed for the steep hillside above Weisinger’s Winery. The business name is Uproot Ashland. The hillside has been excavated to the point of becoming an eyesore visible from Tolman Creek, Siskiyou, and even I-5, but also making it susceptible to erosion and run-off. The hog lot and slaughterhouse are located just above the TID canal that flows into Tolman Creek and into the watershed. The proposal is for 20,000 chickens per year and 40-50 hogs at a time. Several of those on notice provided concerns and comments to Jackson County emphatically opposing the issuance of a permit. Because of the location on the upper part of a hillside right on the edge of town, there is grave concern about threats to surface and ground water as well as air quality. These types of operations also produce methane gases which contribute to climate change and have been shown to have adverse effects not only on the environment but also on public health due to the contamination of water and air quality. Neighbors were notified on November 27th that the permit has been tentatively approved by the Jackson County Planning Department which opened a 12-day window to file an appeal. We believe that this type of operation on an unstable hillside above Ashland would be detrimental and ultimately costly to the community, especially in terms of later addressing water contamination and public health issues.
This campaign is to raise money to pay the $250 appeal filing fee and a $3,000 retainer to hire a land use attorney to handle the appeal process. We need to move quickly or the permit will receive final approval!
We are grateful for all the neighbor and community support. Any amount that you can contribute will help to make a difference and preserve the wonderful quality of life that we have come to expect living in Ashland and the Rogue Valley.
Neighbors on the south end of Ashland were given notice of a permit application for a hog/poultry feeding operation and slaughterhouse proposed for the steep hillside above Weisinger’s Winery. The business name is Uproot Ashland. The hillside has been excavated to the point of becoming an eyesore visible from Tolman Creek, Siskiyou, and even I-5, but also making it susceptible to erosion and run-off. The hog lot and slaughterhouse are located just above the TID canal that flows into Tolman Creek and into the watershed. The proposal is for 20,000 chickens per year and 40-50 hogs at a time. Several of those on notice provided concerns and comments to Jackson County emphatically opposing the issuance of a permit. Because of the location on the upper part of a hillside right on the edge of town, there is grave concern about threats to surface and ground water as well as air quality. These types of operations also produce methane gases which contribute to climate change and have been shown to have adverse effects not only on the environment but also on public health due to the contamination of water and air quality. Neighbors were notified on November 27th that the permit has been tentatively approved by the Jackson County Planning Department which opened a 12-day window to file an appeal. We believe that this type of operation on an unstable hillside above Ashland would be detrimental and ultimately costly to the community, especially in terms of later addressing water contamination and public health issues.
This campaign is to raise money to pay the $250 appeal filing fee and a $3,000 retainer to hire a land use attorney to handle the appeal process. We need to move quickly or the permit will receive final approval!
We are grateful for all the neighbor and community support. Any amount that you can contribute will help to make a difference and preserve the wonderful quality of life that we have come to expect living in Ashland and the Rogue Valley.