Cattails, salamanders and blackbirds — as well as the water in Bear Creek — might get a new level of protection, though developers get a say in how much, under a proposed wetland plan.

A Portland consulting business recommended various levels of protection of the city’s 45 designated wetlands during Tuesday’s joint study session with the Medford City Council and Planning Commission.

"The program will allow us to mitigate some of the wetlands (create replacement wetlands elsewhere) that are not as significant and protect those that are significant," said Councilman Jim Key.

The city has been working since 1999 to finalize a wetland protection ordinance, as required by Oregon Administrative Rules.

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From providing unique habitat and natural beauty to handling storm water and purifying groundwater, wetlands serve many purposes.

Greg Winterowd and Tim Brooks of Winterbrook Planning presented a plan that includes the option of removing a wetland from the protection list for situations where the economic impact of not developing that portion of land would be "severe."

Planning Commissioner Bob Tull cautioned against providing no protection for wetlands.

"I would like to think this through just as far as we possibly can so we don’t have a basket full of exemptions," said Tull.

But Councilman Sal Esquivel said he did not support a blanket protection of all remaining wetlands.

"One size does not fit all," he said. "It behooves us to have flexibility."

Tull said he would like assurance that standards will still be met as far as keeping pollutants out of Bear Creek.

Winterowd said exemptions would be made sparingly.

"Our recommendations are going to be leaning toward preserving the wetlands that we already have," he said.

In an interview before the meeting, City Planner Suzanne Myers said there aren’t as many wetlands to protect in Medford as in other areas of the state. She said the area just has fewer wetlands, and local protection has not been in place.

"A great deal of them have probably already been filled," said Myers.

She said property owners with wetlands include the airport, the Rogue Valley Manor, Asante and Lithia Motors, as well as many city parks.

Craig Harper, water resources program manager with the Rogue Valley Council of Governments, said before the meeting that it doesn’t work well to build replacement wetlands elsewhere, which has been a common practice.

He said studies by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service show success rates range from 20 to 60 percent, depending on the type of wetland.

"The rate of success of restoration is abysmal," said Harper, who did not attend the session. "Wetlands are very well-balanced, sensitive environments."

John Renz, regional representative of the Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development, said following the meeting that he liked the way flexibility was worked into the plan.

He said he thought most owners of affected property would create a plan that would work around the wetlands because they’d be able to get through the process more quickly.

It would be different for the larger commercial developments.

"The big box thing, that’s really hard to deal with," he said. "They’re less adaptable. But the local developers are quite adaptable."

The council, which discussed planning public hearings and notifying affected property owners, will visit the topic at a future meeting.

Reach reporter Meg Landers at 776-4481 or e-mail mlanders@mailtribune.com.