Croman Mill site needs cleanup, but figures to be major new Ashland neighborhood — eventually

The former site of Croman Mill offers the potential of substantial residential and business development. A map prepared by Townmakers shows an aerial view of the Croman Mill site with Siskiyou Boulevard to the left and Interstate 5 to the right. Benson Way is at lower right, and railroad tracks loop down from mid-center to bottom center.
August 7, 2023

City Council and Planning Commission track progress at former mill site on south end of town

By Craig Breon for Ashland.news

Ashland’s City Council and Planning Commission recently heard updates on two different aspects of the 62-acre Croman Mill site in south Ashland. While development of the site may yet be years away, Croman Mill holds the potential to substantially shift the look and feel of Ashland, creating what the developers, Townmakers LLC, describe as an “urban extension” to the south.

On July 31, the City Council focused on the initial hurdle for development of Croman Mill: clean-up of toxics from the soil. The mill ceased functioning in 1996, but, like most former mill sites, previous activities on the land left behind pockets of contaminants that will need treatment or removal before the land can transition to housing, businesses, and parks.

A map detailing proposed “Climate-Friendly Communities” in Ashland, including the Downtown Core (green) along Main Street and Lithia Way, the railroad property (yellow) along Clear Creek Drive, the “Transit Triangle” (blue) along Highway 99/Ashland Street between Indiana Street and Tolman Creek Road and along Highway 66 between Indiana Street and I-5, and the Croman Mill site (red) along Mistletoe Road. City of Ashland image

Initial soil and water testing at the site, conducted in May, shows three areas of primary concern. Historic wood burning and wood treatment activities left behind dioxins and furans at levels up to 152 parts per trillion (ppt). While parts per trillion may seem vanishingly small, Oregon’s Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) sets residential standards for these pollutants at 4 to 12 ppt. In addition, some surface and groundwater locations show diesel and oil-related hydrocarbons exceeding water quality standards. For now, only shallow sites have been tested. The results dictate that deeper testing is warranted.

The project site is bounded by Mistletoe Road at the left and the railroad tracks at the right.

Ashland’s Community Development Director Brandon Goldman, as well as DEQ representatives Anthony Chavez and Don Hanson, provided the bulk of information for the Council. Hanson noted that you “never know what you’re going to get” when conducting initial soil sampling, but Chavez optimistically stated that “migration (of toxics) should be negligible” on the site, thus focusing remediation efforts. 

For more:
For a highly detailed look at the toxics issues at Croman Mill, go to ashland.or.us/SIB/files/2023%2D07%2D31_Croman_Cleanup_Update_CC.pdf
For a 30-minute presentation on how Croman Mill might develop, see townmakers.net/croman-mill

Nonetheless, when asked about timing, Hanson cast doubt on the likelihood of a “one and done” clean-up, stating that such a simple effort would be a first for former timber mills in Oregon. The low-end timeline for clean-up is two years, but Chavez was encouraging in stating that the property owners are “very motivated” to draft the initial clean-up plan, which will then require public input before approval by DEQ. The City Council has no authority over the clean-up process.

The Planning Commission, on June 27, saw an update on the planning side of Croman Mill. As part of the State’s Climate-Friendly and Equitable Communities effort, Ashland will designate two to three Climate-Friendly Areas (CFAs) by the end of the year, and then create development standards for those areas by the end of 2024. Croman Mill will certainly be included, and the Railroad Property and Transit Triangle likely will be as well.

The Climate-Friendly Areas must include room for 30% of Ashland’s housing needs by 2041 (more than 3,000 units). Further, they must be developed at a minimum of 15 units per acre and must allow buildings up to 50 feet high. The Croman Mill District, established in 2010, called for primarily industrial and office development. Those expectations quickly became outdated as Ashland’s pressing housing needs came to the fore.

An artists conception shows one version of what a completed project on the site of the former Croman Mill might look like. The existing commercial/light industrial buildings off Benson Way are at the mid-upper right.

Ashland’s Planning Manager Derek Severson noted that, theoretically, the Croman Mill District could provide for all additional housing needs by itself.  However, both the city and Townmakers  prefer a mixed-use approach, with housing located close to offices and light industrial uses (e.g., specialty food production or woodworking shops). In a 2022 public presentation, Townmakers noted that as many as 20% of people will work from home in the not-to-distant future, and thus their latest plans include live/work spaces as well.

Some commissioners questioned whether certain CFA standards are realistic and appropriate for Ashland. For example, the city would be prohibited from imposing parking requirements. Development Director Goldman responded, saying some parking would naturally be provided, but the idea of the CFAs would be to deemphasize passenger cars to allow for walking, biking, and transit to flourish.

Before the end of the year, both the Planning Commission and City Council will hold additional public hearings to finalize the initial Climate-Friendly Area proposals. Croman Mill’s inclusion will provide the city and the developer with a large palette to work with.

Email Ashland resident, lawyer and former environmental law instructor Craig Breon at [email protected].

Picture of Bert Etling

Bert Etling

Bert Etling is the executive editor of Ashland.news. Email him at [email protected].

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