Editor’s note. All input concerning the Save TV Butte issue should be emailed to Taylor Carsley, Senior Planner, Land Management Division at: [email protected]. Do not email the commissioners directly.
Dear Lane County Commissioners;
I am writing to express my strong opposition to the rezoning of TV Butte on the eastern flank of Oakridge to quarry land. As a resident of nearby Westfir, I point out that substantial investments, listed below*, have been made in Oakridge’s future. Will all that governmental investment go to waste to benefit one businessman?
In addition, a quarry, with 14 daily hours of blasting; vibration; destabilization; air, water, soil, and noise pollution;
destruction of salmon-spawning and elk-calving habitat; addition of constant gravel truck travel to two-lane Highway 58; destruction of our tourism-based economy; subsequent devastation to local business; loss of property value; and resulting population flight, all will obliterate our mountain paradise—just when robust investments have been made to help Oakridge recover and thrive.
Please vote in favor of we the citizens of Oakridge and Westfir, whom you represent, not one businessman!
Sincerely,
Cheryl J, Mikkola
47066 Westfir Rd.
Westfir, OR 97492
[email protected]
541.345.6356
*Investments in Oakridge’s future:
- The city of Oakridge has been selected by UO’s Sustainable City Year Program (SCYP) for a two-year
partnership. SCYP helps communities solve the problems of today and lays the groundwork for a sustainable, livable future—all while helping students prepare for the workforce through applied learning. … the partnerships will allow UO students and faculty to study and make recommendations on city-identified projects and issues while leveraging and strengthening city capacity to reach their equity, housing, and transportation goals. – UO news release - “Today’s news makes a fantastic opportunity for Oakridge to make real gains with the climate crisis, as well as equity. And I’m glad the teamwork with our delegation has produced this big win, tapping the creativity at U of O and in Oakridge to develop fresh solutions that achieve a more sustainable future.” – Ron Wyden, U of O news Release
“The entire Oakridge community will benefit from becoming an idea-sharing hub over the coming years, which will provide students with tangible, real-world learning opportunities while also making the rural community more sustainable and resilient to climate chaos threats in the future.” – Sen. Jeff Merkley, U of O News Release - Why a Small Oregon Town Has Become Famous for Mountain Biking
by Emma Logan
Salem Statesman Journal, Aug. 8, 2024
“Oakridge … is known worldwide as a ‘gold-level ride center,’ meaning it is the best of the best, according to the International Mountain Biking Association.” Oakridge is 1 of 6 ‘gold-level’ ride centers in the world [three in the United States]. - City of Oakridge is to receive more than $3 million in state and federal funding to remodel the community
center, the Willamette Activity Center, into a “resiliency hub,” including as a turnkey emergency shelter and an emergency operations center. - $2.7 million from EPA Community Change Fund
- $500,000 in Congressional Community projects. Funding secured by US Representative Val Hoyle, in addition to $1.5 million in funding from the Oregon legislature in 2022.
- The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) granted the Oakridge and Westfir communities $4.9 million for
projects to improve our air quality in 2019 and awarded an additional $2.7 million in 2022. Through this project, Oakridge Air helps decrease health impacts from wood smoke
.
George Custer lives in Oakridge with his wife Sayre. George is a former smokejumper from his hometown of Cave Junction, a former captain in the U.S. Marine Corps. and ran a construction company in Southern California. George assumed the volunteer duties as the Editor of the Highway 58 Herald in 2022. He loves riding his Harley-Davidson motorcycle, building all things wood, and playing drums on the weekends in his office.
