Proposed Supplemental IGA and Map

Washington County Proposed Response to State Action on Urban and Rural Reserves

The Washington County Board of Commissioners will consider adoption of a supplemental Urban and Rural Reserves Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) with Metro on Tuesday, December 14, 6:30 p.m., in the Shirley Huffman Auditorium of the Charles D. Cameron Public Services Building, 155 N. First Avenue, Hillsboro.

The supplement to the IGA is in response to the State of Oregon's Land Conservation and Development Commission's (LCDC) October 29, 2010, decision. That decision directed the County to remove the Urban Reserve designation on lands north of Council Creek, near the City of Cornelius and to provide additional findings for the Urban Reserves north and east of Council Creek, north of the City of Forest Grove. The decision also provided the County and Metro an opportunity to reconsider rural reserves in Washington County to comply with the LCDC decision.

Washington County has used the substantial record of research and analysis, and record of public comment, to develop proposals in the Supplemental IGA that are responsive to the LCDC decision. The County has reviewed options and conferred with numerous, but not all, interested parties in considering its response.

The supplemental IGA proposes to replace the reduced Urban Reserves acreage north of the City of Cornelius (lands suitable for employment) with other lands in an amount not to exceed the reduced Urban Reserve acreage and that are also suitable for employment. The Supplemental IGA also proposes to change a limited amount of acreage from Rural Reserves to Undesignated as discussed during the LCDC deliberations.

The Board will consider adoption of this supplement to the IGA through a Resolution & Order (R&O) at its December 14 meeting. The IGA and R&O are not "land use actions." The R&O also will include a process leading to adoption of Comprehensive Plan amendments by March 31, 2011. IF the Supplemental IGA is adopted by the County and Metro, the Comprehensive Plan amendments will be considered through a land use ordinance process, which will include notice of hearings and public testimony.

Adoption of a new reserves ordinance in Washington County would be accompanied by a similar consideration for adoption by Metro to the Regional Framework Plan. Findings supporting both the County's ordinance and Metro's decision would then be forwarded to LCDC for their review early next summer.

Although not required as part of the adoption of an Intergovernmental Agreement, the Board will allow up to one hour of testimony at the December 14 meeting. The County's, Metro's and LCDC's subsequent processes will have opportunity for additional public testimony prior to a final decision.

The proposed IGA materials, including maps and staff report, are on the Urban and Rural Reserves website at: http://www.co.washington.or.us/LUT/PlanningProjects/reserves/whats-new.cfm

Updates, schedules and background information are also available on the website at:

www.co.washington.or.us/reserves

Media Contact: