RURAL AND SUBURBAN LANDS - Jackson County Oregon

Rural and Suburban Lands Element 21-17APPLEGATEA5FINDING: Throughout the public meetings, Applegate residents expressed concerns over theneed for better protection of the natural environment, and the need for better coordinationbetween the County, State and Federal agencies responsible for protecting various aspects ofthe rural environment.POLICY: FOSTER LOCAL AND STATE SUPPORT FOR STEWARDSHIP OF THENATURAL ENVIRONMENT.IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY: Jackson County shall work to better protect the 100 footriparian corridor along the Applegate River, thereby enhancing water quality, stormwater runoffand clearing activities. In the core area, existing public access to the Applegate River shouldbe maintained.FOOTS CREEK RURAL SERVICE CENTER[Adopted by Ordinance #97-23 on 7-9-97, Effective 9-8-97. File #97-5-OA]The service and residential areas of Foots Creek are located along Old Highway 99,approximately three miles south and east of the City of Rogue River. Early residents of the areawere miners and farmers, and the area was named for a prospector, O.G. Foot. Foots Creekcovers a large drainage area with its left, right and middle forks. According to Linda Genaw,author of Gold Hill and Its Neighbors Along The River (1988), there was a system of well-usedtrails among those forks that connected Foots Creek area residents, as well as other trails tonearby mining sites, including a shortcut to Forest Creek in the Jacksonville area, Galls Creekto the east, Birdseye Creek to the west, and Humbug Creek to the south. In 1882, a post officewas established on the middle fork at the store of Silas Draper. This post office functioned until1912. The lives of Foots Creek families were intertwined with those of Rock Point and Gold Hill.The era of steam-powered and then electric gold dredging kept the mining industry alive onFoots Creek up until World War II. The most recent aggregate activity took place during theconstruction of Interstate Highway 5, when the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT)installed a rock crusher on the left fork which was operated by Jackson County. Residentscontinue to be concerned about the potential for aggregate mining, crushing and batching onFoots Creek as evidenced by organized opposition in 1994 to a proposed aggregate site alongFoots Creek Road. While some farming continues on Foots Creek, most people commute tourban centers for work. In the past twenty years, the Foots Creek area has changed with moreand more vacant parcels being developed with residences.Today, the community consists of residentially developed parcels along the Rogue River andHighway 99; and, south throughout the Foots Creek drainage basin along Left Fork, Middle Forkand Right Fork Foots Creek Road. The community core includes one parcel, located along thesouthwest corner of Old Highway 99 and Foots Creek Road. The land use on this parcelincludes a general store, a deli, a small buy-sell trade operation, raft rentals, auto repair, cabinsfor rent and a residence.Jackson County Comprehensive Plan