Government Affairs Committee Update

Clackamas County Commissioner Charlotte Lehan updated GAC at its June meeting regarding the status of the Urban and Rural Reserves project. This project is moving quickly toward completion.

The Chamber believes designation of areas in the metro region as urban or rural reserves will set the direction of economic growth for the next 50-years in the south metro region. A senior Chamber member, who is a professional planner, recently indicated to the City Council this project is a daunting task given it seeks to anticipate the future of our community for the next 50-years, a period of time 10-years longer than the City has existed.

The Board of Directors’ Executive Committee sent a letter to Clackamas County Chair Lynn Peterson, with copy to County Commissioners Lehan, Tom Brian (Washington) and Jeff Cogan (Multnomah), Mayor Knapp, and Metro Councilors Harrington and Hosticka. The Committee made several observations and offered suggestions regarding the reserve process, concluding that its assessment of this process will be based on the criterion of how much land is available over the next 50-years for creation of new jobs. The Committee did not state a formal Chamber position. The Chamber may wish to do so when specific areas are proposed as either urban or rural reserves.

The Executive Committee sent this letter on July 1 since a preliminary designation of urban-rural reserve areas is scheduled for the end of July and the Board of Directors and GAC do not meet in July. The law governing this process designates the metro region’s three County Commissions and Metro as the governing bodies authorized to establish urban and rural reserve areas.

The 2009 session of the Oregon Legislative Assembly was very busy. State Representative Matt Winegard (Dist. 26) will recap the session at our meeting, highlighting legislation directly impacting business.

WELCOME TO WILSONVILLE!! Dan Knoll, Wilsonville Public Affairs Coordinator, will show a video at our meeting providing an overview of city services, attractions, and events that make our community a special place to live, work and play. The video will be available to new residents, businesses, realtors, civic organizations and others interested in helping promote the City and services it offers.