Recap of 12/6/22 Panel Discussion at Ponzi Vineyards
Hi Folks!
Here is a summary of the Panel Discussion hosted by 1000 Friends of
Oregon and Save Helvetia last week.
Lots of good ideas about the kind of growth and where it should occur!
"Oregon's Tech: Where Could it Land?"
A Community Panel at Ponzi Vineyards
Co-hosted by 1000 Friends of Oregon and Save Helvetia
6 December 2022
Participants
Robert Bailey - Save Helvetia Secretary and Moderator
Rep. Susan McLain - Opening remarks
Lynn Peterson, Metro President and member of the state Task Force
Keith Leavitt, Port of Portland and member of technical group/statewide ad hoc working group
Kirstin Greene, Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD) and
member of the state technical group
Mary Kyle McCurdy, 1000 Friends of Oregon and member of the statewide working group
Local farmland supporters were represented by Faun Hosey, (Save Helvetia
Vice President), Greg Mecklem, Diana Yates, Karl Mecklem and Raechel Ganor
(Eagle Nest Reserve Winery), Miki Barnes, David Barnes (Oregon Aviation Watch),
and Dirk Knudsen (Dirk Knudsen Real Estate).
Observations
-
All of the panel are members of the governor's Task Force formed in
May 2022, to plan for the economic development that will be needed
to qualify for some of the $50 billion in grants offered by the
federal government's "Chips and Science Act of 2022".
-
About 100 people attended, with a scattering of staff from Metro,
DLCD, Port of Portland and 1000 Friends of Oregon.
-
Robert Bailey, representing Save Helvetia, did a great job as moderator!
What is driving the demand for more land at this particular time?
The panel confirmed that two main factors are behind the effort to secure more land:
-
Under Goal 9 of Oregon's land use law established by Senate Bill 100 in
1974, all local governments must have a 20-year supply of areas suitable
for economic growth that can be provided with public services.
These inventories primarily focus on planning for major industrial and
commercial developments, and having a ready supply of land appropriately
zoned and located for those opportunities and local investments.
To be ready for these opportunities, local governments perform Economic
Opportunity Analyses (EOA) based on a 20-year forecast of population and
job growth. The next Urban Growth Boundary review is scheduled for 2024
and cities will be presenting their EOAs during that process.
-
The federal government's "Chips and Science Act of 2022" is a $50 billion
program that is intended to encourage semiconductor manufacturers to
establish operations in the U.S.
Grants will be awarded to those corporations who show the most readiness
in terms of partners/land/infrastructure.
It appears that states and companies (including Oregon) all want a piece
of this pie.
Take-aways from the panel (comments from Faun Hosey, Robert Bailey and Cherry Amabisca)
-
It was a surprise to learn that the Port of Portland is the largest
holder of industrial land in the state.
They buy up properties, re-develop them and sell them.
They asserted that there are no more Tier 1 properties left and more
need to be acquired.
(Tier 1 projects are considered the highest priorities for funding
and implementation in the next five years, and are the projects that
are being developed to a higher level of readiness).
-
The panelists agreed that infill is the first choice and that 500
acres is the largest site they'd be willing to look for.
They also agreed with Mary Kyle McCurdy that large sites have all
been squandered as non-industrial or for smaller, single story industrial.
-
The Metro President suggested looking down the I-5 corridor for
sites for semiconductor manufacturing instead of the Portland Metro
area.
-
1000 Friends brought up the ongoing issue of "conversion".
Hillsboro was given 1,000 acres of industrial land in 2014 as a
result of the "Grand Bargain" and used some of it for entertainment
complexes, such as Top Golf and K1 Speed indoor go-kart racing.
There needs to be a way to "hold" land for its intended purpose.
-
There is land inside the UGB, but it is not "ready".
There needs to be investment in doing whatever it takes, perhaps
improving intersections or other infrastructure.
What the audience said
WATER seemed to be the biggest concern.
Audience members questioned why would we pursue such a water-intensive
industry as semiconductors?
Washington County winery folks were concerned that water-consuming
semiconductor plants would reduce water available to them.
Apparently, in southern Oregon, the wineries and agriculture had to cut
back on operations due to lack of water from the impact of expanding
marijuana grow operations in the context of a drought.
Jim Stewart and Faun Hosey prodded the panel to address the water issue
and they acknowledged a higher-level discussion is just beginning, with
the water-sewerage agencies, the huge industrial users of water, expert
observers of climate change and advisors on better ways of conservation.
-
TRAFFIC,
HOMELESSNESS and
QUALITY of LIFE in the Portland Metro
Region were issues that were more important than chasing the newest
"shiny object" of money, i.e. the "Chips Act".
-
Miki Barnes, Founder of Oregon Aviation Watch, offered the
Hillsboro Airport as a possible
redevelopment candidate site.
-
Greg Macpherson asked about HOUSING SUPPLY.
Lynn Peterson replied that apparently 3,900 units are to come online
soon in Portland.
Costs of converting office towers to housing are very high; maybe
out of reach.
-
Greg Mecklem, Founder of Eagle Nest Reserve Winery, questioned where
the pervasive impact of CLIMATE CHANGE
factored into the planning.
He emphasized that taking farmland with the best Class 1 and 2 soils
in the world (such as that in Helvetia), can never be recovered once
it is converted to industrial use.
-
Dirk Knudsen, Owner of Dirk Knudsen Real Estate, advocated for
CONDITIONING any land for the purpose,
to prevent the misuse by cities, such as Hillsboro, allowing
non-industrial uses on industrial land.
-
Faun Hosey raised the issue that although our land use laws were
written with the purpose of protecting prime farmland, with each UGB
expansion, we are losing more of it.
The Willamette Valley is blessed with the
BEST SOILS
in the world, Class 1 and 2, and where is our 20-year protection
for farmland?
We need to talk, globally, about which land and how much to
reserve forever for future farmers!
THANK YOU to Ponzi Vineyards
THANK YOU to 1000 FRIENDS of OREGON
|
