Revised Enhanced Law Enforcement Area ordinance creating enforcement area along Ashland Street up for potential first reading Tuesday after being sent back to staff for changes
By Morgan Rothborne, Ashland.news
Ashland City Council will review a study of future raises to water rates including inflation and infrastructure related costs and the potential for an expansion of its Enhanced Law Enforcement Area to the south side of Ashland during upcoming meetings.
Public Works Director Scott Fleury will present the current draft of the Water Cost of Service and Rate Analysis update being prepared by contractor HDR Engineering during the Monday evening City Council study session, according to meeting materials.
The cost of service study is the first the city has done since 2016 and would account for the projected debt of the upcoming water treatment plant replacement project, other relevant capital improvement projects already approved by council and the overhead costs of the city’s water fund, according to meeting materials.
The presentation of the study will detail the analysis behind a recommendation for a 15% increase in cost of service over the next biennium and council-requested options to “enhance the progressive structure of the current water rate system,” according to meeting materials.
A chart included in the staff report shows a total of six rate hikes from current rates through July 2028 boosting the bill for a typical monthly residential water rate to $109.29 a month, up from $61.71 a month, an increase of 77%. “Typical” usage is defined as 1,000 cubic feet (7,480 gallons) per month, or 250 gallons per day.
The potential to create an expansion of the present Enhanced Law Enforcement Area downtown in the south side of Ashland will be up for its first reading during the Tuesday business meeting, according to meeting materials.
The new ELEA would cover the area of, “the Ashland Street business corridor between Siskiyou BL and the exit 14 area, to include the light industrial areas on Washington, Jefferson and Independent Way,” according to meeting materials.
In other council business Tuesday, council will hear a presentation on the “Rural Energy Savings Program,” a federal loan program supporting energy efficiency in rural areas.
Council will also be asked to vote on a request to reallocate $55,000 in funds previously awarded to the Sunstone Collaborative for property purchase to instead be used for “architectural services for creating a master plan and developing a Request for Proposals (RFP) to identify a development partner for affordable and middle-income housing” on the site, according to meeting materials.
Council will be asked to approve Mayor Tonya Graham’s recommendation of the appointment of Councilor Bob Kaplan to the committee evaluating applications to Sunstone Housing Collaborative’s “Request for Proposal for a Development Team for the Ashland Attainable Housing Project.”
The 2200 Ashland Street Ad Hoc Committee’s master plan will be up for final adoption Tuesday after being previously considered at an Ashland City Council Study Session, as previously reported by Ashland.news. Graham has proposed an additional ad hoc committee to continue working on the future of the property, also up for consideration Tuesday, according to meeting materials.
The meetings will be held in the council chamber, 1175 E Main St. The study session Monday begins at 5:30 p.m., while the Tuesday business meeting begins at 6 p.m.
Both meetings can be attended in person or watched remotely through Channel 9 or Channels 180 and 181 (Charter Communications) or live streamed via rvtv.sou.edu select RVTV Prime.
Public testimony will be accepted and can be delivered either via Zoom, in person, or as written comment. To sign up for public comment, fill out the public testimony form.
Email Ashland.news reporter Morgan Rothborne at [email protected].
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