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.

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.

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. 

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.

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].