2011-3056-Minutes for Meeting September 26,2011 Recorded 10/21/2011DESCHUTES COUNTY OFFICIAL
NANCY BLANKENSHIP, COUNTY
COMMISSIONERS' JOURNAL
11111111111111111111111 IN I I III
2031-3056
RECORDS ~J 2011-3056
CLERK
10/21/201108;10;49 AM
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Deschutes County Clerk
Certificate Page
Deschutes County Board of Commissioners
1300 NW Wall St., Bend, OR 97701-1960
(541) 388-6570 - Fax (541) 385-3202 - www.deschutes.org
MINUTES OF BUSINESS MEETING
DESCHUTES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2011
Commissioners' Hearing Room - Administration Building - 1300 NW Wall St., Bend
Present were Commissioners Tammy Baney, Alan Unger and Anthony DeBone.
Also present were Erik Kropp, Interim County Administrator; Laurie Craghead,
County Counsel; George Kolb, Road Department; Tom Anderson, Nick Lelack,
Peter Russell, Cynthia Smidt and Peter Gutowsky, Community Development;
media representative Hillary Borrud of The Bulletin; and approximately a dozen
other citizens.
Chair Baney opened the meeting at 10:00 a.m.
1. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
2. CITIZEN INPUT
None was offered.
3. Before the Board was a Public Hearing and Consideration of First Reading
and Second Readings, and Adoption by Emergency, of Ordinance No.
2011-008, Amending Title 23, to Adopt the South County Local Wetland
Inventory into the Comprehensive Plan.
Chair Baney opened the hearing and read the opening statement (a copy of
which is attached for reference).
In regard to potential conflicts of interest, Commissioner DeBone said he thinks
he might have a small portion of wetlands inventory in his back yard, but he
sees no conflict of interest.
Commissioners Baney and Unger said they had none.
Minutes of Board of Commissioners' Business Meeting Monday, September 26, 2011
Page 1 of 19 Pages
There were no challenges from the public.
Peter Gutowsky gave an overview of the item. He said this is the largest project
of its type in Oregon and involves 3,400 acres of mapped wetlands. A
consultant was hired and local residents were involved over a year's time. The
draft report was provided to the public last fall.
The Board has had several work sessions on this issue. He said he can keep the
presentation brief unless there are concerns or questions. Representatives of the
Oregon Department of State Lands are in attendance. The Plan will be updated
and policies will be revised accordingly. This will be utilized as the National
Wetlands Inventory has been when property is to be developed. This process
has been in place for more than twenty years.
The emergency adoption is proposed because the local inventory needs to be a
part of the comprehensive Plan. In that way property owners can be advised if
their property is affected. It is much more precise than the National Wetlands
Inventory.
Laurie Craghead added that the Comprehensive Plan affected is the old one and
not the one adopted but not yet effective. The new language will be rolled into
the new Plan at that time.
Chair Baney said that about 500 properties were taken off the list, which is
significant. She asked that if someone feels their property should not have been
mapped, what is their recourse.
Mr. Gutowsky said that they can coordinate with the Department of State
Lands. As resources are available, DSL staff will visit the property and do a
determination to verify if there are wetlands on the site. If there are not, they
can advise the County and the property owner will be able to avoid having to
get a conditional use permit.
No public testimony was offered.
Commissioner Unger stated that he feels a good job has been done on this
project. Commissioner DeBone added that it is more detailed and accurate, he
and is supportive of the emergency clause.
Minutes of Board of Commissioners' Business Meeting Monday, September 26, 2011
Page 2 of 19 Pages
LINGER: Move first and second readings of Ordinance No. 2011-0081
declaring an emergency.
DEBONE: Second.
VOTE: UNGER: Yes.
DEBONE: Yes.
BANEY: Chair votes yes.
Chair Baney conducted the first and second readings by title only.
UNGER: Move adoption.
DEBONE: Second.
VOTE: UNGER: Yes.
DEBONE: Yes.
BANEY: Chair votes yes.
4. Before the Board was a Public Hearing, and Consideration of First
Reading of Ordinance No. 2011-017, Amending Title 23, to Adopt a
Regional Economic Opportunity Analysis and Regional Large-Lot
Industrial Land Policy for Central Oregon.
Mr. Gutowsky read the opening statement at this time. The Commissioners
declared no conflicts of interest, and there were no challenges from the public.
Mr. Gutowsky presented the case file into the record, and provided an overview
of the item. The issue involves all regional cities, counties, and all kinds of
organizations who have an interest in improving the economic development
environment. The report documented that the individual cities have not been
able to justify the need for large lot industrial sites. The issue has to be
approached from a regional level, and the work done has been a huge
collaborative effort.
Once this is adopted, it will allow interested cities to be able to initiate
processes to help meet the need for large lot industrial sites. The County is
trying to recognize this technical document and help set in motion regional
efforts through the Central Oregon Intergovernmental Council, working with
the cities.
Minutes of Board of Commissioners' Business Meeting Monday, September 26, 2011
Page 3 of 19 Pages
The County has structured the findings to justify the regional need, and
additionally where State law requires additional findings, the approach is to be
phased. Municipalities will do the analyses as required.
If there are concerns about the analysis and the plan, Mr. Gutowsky asked that
the Board require people to voice their exact concerns, in detail.
Commissioner Unger stated that he is Board Chair of COIC, which has worked
with Mr. Gutowsky on these efforts. Mr. Gutowsky said that COIC sent a letter
of support and are interested in this process, and it could be a natural fit for their
group. He is being cautious, as the Plan policies don't specify who will be
doing this.
Laurie Craghead pointed out that this is a legislative issue, not land use.
Chair Baney added that a letter from the Central Oregon Association of
Realtors was received today, supporting this effort. Mr. Gutowsky said that
there is an additional letter from Crook County.
Commissioner Unger said that the cities have to make application to the State to
expand. The State tells the city what to do in regard to a twenty-year supply of
certain types of land. He asked how this applies to a specific use for the zone.
Mr. Gutowsky replied that when a city identifies a twenty year land need, they
initiate a legislative plan amendment. That plan has to have findings
documenting the need. The city would provide a buildable lands inventory. If
the need cannot be met within a UGB, they look outside the UGB. The State
requires that if there are specific site characteristics (i.e. 50+ acres), there has to
be a willing property owner, and the city has to be able to serve it.
This process is different because it specifies through policies the requirement
for a large lot industrial overlay zone. Cities will be required to provide this
and protect the use with the overlay for at least twenty years just for that use.
Commissioner Unger said this is an opportunity for the cities to look at the
challenges of servicing the area. Without this designation, it would be difficult
to justify.
Mr. Gutowsky said there has to be a documented need. The cities do not have
to go through this process.
Minutes of Board of Commissioners' Business Meeting Monday, September 26, 2011
Page 4 of 19 Pages
The DLCD grant sought to establish a regional governance framework to work
with the cities and counties; to collaborate to do a buildable lands inventory and
to cooperate with all the other entities, prospective property owners and others.
This will get everyone closer to the end point of making the area is more
marketable to attract larger industrial users.
Roger Lee of EDCO has inventory information already available, but the area
lacks large lot industrial sites. This will complement what is already available.
The large users can help to bridge infrastructure gaps, and bring associated
business and economic development to the area.
Karen Swirsky of the DLCD said this is an ambitious project, but has come
together well, and the DLCD feels it is a good model. They provided some
funding and support the findings. There needs to be a new way to provide for
economic development at a regional level. This helps to enhance employment
through a cooperative effort. This is new ground for everyone, and there are
substantial policy issues worthy of discussion both locally and at the State level.
The State would like to receive a list of any concerns and issues during this
process.
Chair Baney said this is an exciting effort and can help to get the region
somewhere.
Bill Robie of the Central Oregon Association of Realtors said he has provided
some written testimony. It is important to deliberate carefully, but he wants this
moved up to DLCD as quickly as possible. It is a lengthy process, and this is
just the first step. A huge amount of coordination needs to be done before there
is any land to offer.
John Russell, Asset Manager for the Oregon DSL, said this has been a
collaborative process, the most extensive he has seen in thirty years. It is a
remarkable work. DSL has been involved for a long time, as an interested
stakeholder and landowner here. They own major properties adjacent to
Redmond and some outside of Prineville. He hopes this will help with their
long-range goals. EDCO has been involved from the beginning as well. He
urged the Board to pursue this process. There is a lot of land that can come in
incrementally over time. There has been some opposition, but he feels the
approach and discipline is very broad, and has a lot of diverse support.
Minutes of Board of Commissioners' Business Meeting Monday, September 26, 2011
Page 5 of 19 Pages
Pam Hardie of 1,000 Friends of Oregon stated that the theme seems to be
collaboration. She has nothing but good things to say about the effort put into
this, and they are absolutely on the right track. 1,000 Friends wants to see
something good result. There seems to be a huge amount of belief that the large
lots will help to provide stable jobs in this area, and she hopes this is true. She
believes it is, with so many smart people involved. She is concerned, however,
that there are still some technical flaws and some analytical flaws as well that
may not get anyone to the presumed end.
At this time she provided a handout (a copy is attached for reference), and said
she wanted to be detailed about those concerns. She sees four things being the
most critical. These were then reviewed.
She pointed out what she felt were errors in the community vision regarding
phased adoption and the economy. She is concerned that the vision is not for
stable, well-paying jobs, but for businesses that simply require a lot of land.
She said in the past, tax incentives were given to large businesses in
Eugene/Springfield. She would like to know how that worked out. If taxpayer
dollars are spent to do this, they need to find out how successful this was in
other areas.
She stated that there is a significant data error in the REOA and the final
recommendation regarding how much land is needed short-term and long-term.
She asked if short-term needs are included in the long-term need analysis. This
needs to be clarified.
She questioned the census data regarding businesses. She was surprised to
discover this is the latest available data, which was done during an economic
boom. There are four critical numbers: establishment death, birth, contractions
and expansions. The problem is, the estimated birth and expansions are not in
the previous chart but are derived from what there is now to what is expected.
It is not a net number with the contractions and deaths. This means very
different results. This shows an astounding result, better than anything that has
happened in the Portland metropolitan area in many years. There is no way that
many firms will relocate in that period of time.
Minutes of Board of Commissioners' Business Meeting Monday, September 26, 2011
Page 6 of 19 Pages
There is another key statistic in the chart that is confusing. Thirty firms per
decade is unrealistic, since many employers of that size are losing employees
and cutting back expansion. Small firms have expanded more than the large
firms. Net numbers in the REOA need to be used instead of the gross numbers.
There is time for the consultant to review this, as well as the inventory (page
17), since the OAR requires a specific inventory.
She recommended the document be accepted from the consultant but with the
caveat that it be adopted only after amendments are made.
Also, there was discussion about short-term phasing, but it does not appear this
is allowed by law. The OAR specifically says that under Goal 14, whatever is
identified as the twenty-year need has to be what is brought into the UGB. The
idea of a phased adoption with lots being replaced as they are used up is
probably not a legal proposal.
She said that 1,000 Friends wants to see some large lots brought into the region.
They believe there has been evidence that really supports this but doesn't feel
this document meets that. They would work with the County to develop this.
There are some ideal sites but the process is not yet refined or complete.
Chair Baney said they will review her document and ask for clarification from
staff on some of the concerns.
Brian Meece, the Central Oregon representative on the REOA, said he has been
involved almost a year. He encouraged the Board to move ahead on this and
not drag it out. Central Oregon needs jobs and this won't happen overnight.
They have to consider market dynamics, and there is a low probability that
property already in the UGB will be downzoned to large lot industrial. Most
will have to come into the UGB. Market dynamics will dictate this.
The process could be streamlined if the properties could remain outside of the
UGB, but this had to be compromised. There is no history for this and the
statistics do not exist. There are no sites in Bend that apply at this point. They
can only bring in small employers now, but realize it has to be phased. There
was no time to figure out who the property owners are, and that still needs to be
considered. The companies don't have to be huge but the land needs to be
available. Rather than looking at personal agendas, the best interest of the
communities need to be considered.
Minutes of Board of Commissioners' Business Meeting Monday, September 26, 2011
Page 7 of 19 Pages
Mr. Gutowsky shared a suggestion with the Board. He contacted the DSL and
they discussed some testimony received. It is important for the DSL to be able
to respond to the phased approach and the regional need, and whether
compliance with State law is there. The DCLC should take on that role, as they
have promoted this and done much of the work.
They will coordinate with Business Oregon regarding national trends,
documenting Central Oregon has the ability, and the benefits of large lot
employers. Jerry Johnson, the consultant, should also be in attendance to
respond to some of the information and concerns. The DSL upper management
has indicated they can attend the October 31, 2011 Board meeting. This would
give this process an incredible amount of momentum. The Regional Advisory
Committee will reconvene prior to that point to make sure all is addressed.
Chair Baney stated that there are a lot of moving parts and assumptions. It
would be beneficial to hear this from the top.
Mr. Gutowsky said there is an immediate need for six sites. There could be
more discussion of a replenishment process. This will help to determine if the
policy for the future would remain the same. Also, what if this process is
successful but no user has been attracted. At this time, the process should be
reevaluated at a regional level.
He said there is a coordination role for the County, through policies, to specify
what needs to be done to meet the needs. This requires the involvement of the
DSL.
Chair Baney said that she wants to avoid appeals, so it will be good to clarify all
that can be addressed in advance. She asked about a work session prior to
October 31 to get some concerns to the DSL, and to address as much as
possible ahead of time.
Ms. Craghead stated that a work session is appropriate as long as it is not a
public hearing. The work sessions will be recorded so anyone can hear the
discussion or attend the meeting.
Mr. Gutowsky said that there will be another substantive hearing on October
31. The record could be closed and work could be done towards deliberations,
possibly in November or early December. The Commissioners were supportive
of this process.
Minutes of Board of Commissioners' Business Meeting Monday, September 26, 2011
Page 8 of 19 Pages
The hearing was continued to the Board business meeting of Monday, October
31, 2011 at 10:00 a.m.
A work session will be held on Monday, October 3, at 1:30 p.m.
5. Before the Board were Deliberations and Consideration of First Reading of
Ordinances No. 2011-001 and 2011-002, Modifying the Comprehensive
Plan Map and Zoning Map regarding Areas Eligible for the Destination
Resort Overlay.
Mr. Gutowsky said the written record was continued to Friday, September 23.
Several items were submitted, and the record is closed at this time. If the Board
supports the current approach to reduce the map as detailed, staff can be
directed to update findings and return prior to November 9 to consider the first
reading.
Ms. Craghead said deliberations begin today, and subsequent meetings would
be to consider findings.
Chair Baney said she has a question about a document submitted on Friday.
She asked how relevant the signalization issue is. Mr. Gutowsky said staff can
demonstrate compliance with the transportation planning rule, so this should not
be a problem.
Commissioner Unger feels some of these things will come at the application
level. Ms. Craghead stated that some of the issues are specific to Thornburgh,
and there have been concerns about mapping and the transportation planning
rule. Adequate findings have to be made to show this has been thoroughly
addressed. There does not seem to be an issue with properties being taken off
the map, and that reduces the potential impact of traffic. Others are
grandfathered in. The three specific properties will require findings and more
work.
Chair Baney said that there may be changes at the State level and adjustments
can be made as needed. Ms. Craghead stated that no changes can occur for
another thirty months since this would be adopted under the previous Plan.
Mr. Gutowsky said the justification will be there for these properties.
Minutes of Board of Commissioners' Business Meeting Monday, September 26, 2011
Page 9 of 19 Pages
Commissioner Unger asked about first and second readings and what happens if
there are changes in between. Ms. Craghead said that any changes have to be
read into the record so it cannot be done by title only.
Mr. Gutowsky stated the findings need a little work and an exhibit needs to be
adjusted in the footer regarding dates. He suggested continuing deliberations.
No specific date was determined for continued deliberations.
6. Before the Board was a Public Hearing on a Lot of Record Verification
Appeal (Applicant: Russell).
Chair Baney said this is a de novo hearing, and read the opening statement at
this time.
In regard to ex parte contacts, Commissioners DeBone and Baney declared
none. Commissioner Unger said he knows Mr. Russell but this does not have
any bearing on this issue. No challenges from the audience were given.
Cynthia Smidt gave an overview of the appeal and the history of the property.
An oversized aerial photo was provided for reference.
She said that the Hearings Officer supported staff's decision. This is inherently
a legal issue.
Ms. Craghead said the applicant wants to be able to have two separate lots.
There are two owners and the question is whether they own the one property
together or if they can divide it into two parcels. The owners request that these
lots be considered two separate lots. There is no variance process for this
situation.
Commissioner Unger asked if the subdivision was ever recorded legally. Ms.
Smidt said there appears to be two subdivisions, and a road divides the two.
The one with smaller lots was lawfully created but the other one which was
created years prior was not done legally.
Commissioner Unger asked if the lots are about the same size. Ms. Smidt said
they are.
Minutes of Board of Commissioners' Business Meeting Monday, September 26, 2011
Page 10 of 19 Pages
Chair Baney asked about the relevancy of subdivisions being recorded or not.
Ms. Craghead said the County had no rules at this time but this was necessary at
the State level. However, it pertained to creating more than three lots in a
calendar year. Some of the lots have been recognized as legal lots of record,
but not all.
Commissioner Unger said that if a subdivision was to be recorded, would all
have to do it at the same time or can they do it individually. There are perhaps
fifty lots. Ms. Smidt stated that it depends on when this happened. Some did
record previously but there may not be a way for them to do that now.
Commissioner DeBone asked what steps need to be taken to have a property
recorded as part of a subdivision. Ms. Craghead said that some have come in
and applied to be a legal lot on their own, but that may not be available for this
parcel or others.
Commissioner DeBone stated that it appears about half of the lots are
developed. He asked if the others are therefore buildable. Ms. Smidt said to do
a subdivision in that zone now would require them all to be ten acres, so they
would not qualify. Six tax lots have unknown legal lot of record status, five are
vacant; there are 28 tax lots total with 22 developed with permits. Most have
homes. Seven lots have been approved as legal lots of record up until 1994.
Ms. Craghead said that part of this situation is that some lots were less than five
acres. These two lots were never separated. The Korish Trust document of
2010 shows a similar situation regarding eight parcels that were deeded out
from the parent parcel, but the Hearings Officer felt that it was just one parcel.
The Thomas case does not apply because they were deeded out separately at
one point, but then brought together.
Commissioner Unger said that it was probably assumed that due to the size of
the parcels that they were separate. Ms. Smidt said it was the same property
owner until 2006.
Steve Pfeifer representing John Russell said that the facts may be accurate but
are far simpler. The subdivision was created in the late 1960's and was in
compliance at that time. There was no local process regarding creating the
parcels and the ORS at the time only required the subdivision be filed with the
agency of jurisdiction, which could not have been the County.
Minutes of Board of Commissioners' Business Meeting Monday, September 26, 2011
Page 11 of 19 Pages
The question is how the County should handle this situation, conveying parcels
legally created at the time. The parcels are substandard in size now, but were
not when created. Counties have dealt with this since the 1970's. It is a policy
choice and is handled differently in different places.
A parcel created by deed or a contract of sale is a lot of record, and should
enjoy full development rights unless that parcel was created in a single deed. It
was identified as two parcels. Some are probably not developed because of
how they were conveyed thirty years ago, and the owners feel they will have no
right to develop them. He said the parcel was purchased in 1973 as two lots.
Others did not get two deeds but had no idea that years later they would not be
able to build on their land.
The question is what happens when someone else comes to staff with a similar
situation. As a practical matter, the Board may need to modify Code, but
otherwise this leaves the owner with few options. Other lots are undevelopable
due to this situation, but some have appealed to LUBA and prevailed.
The primary point is that the Code is arbitrary and should not be applied to this
situation, based on LUBA rulings on other properties. The Hearings Officer
waned to minimize the development of substandard parcels, and force
consolidation of such parcels. They are accurately stated, but how this was
created 40+ years ago is relevant. Other parcels are immune from this. No one
could have seen this coming years ago. LUBA provided a definition of
retroactive Ordinances that subject a new disability that results in a loss of
development rights.
The Hearings Officer said this is the way it has been applied in the past, but
there is case law showing otherwise. Also, "acknowledgment" has different
meanings; and statewide planning goals are not impacted.
John Russell said he has owned the lots since 1973 and this process has been
difficult. He had an offer on one of the lots but the purchaser was told that it
was not buildable. The delay caused the sale to fail.
He believes if this goes to LUBA, they will win. A loss to the County there
means a loss of others in similar situations. Simply stated, if the lots were
bought in 1973 with two pieces of paper, it would be different. The document
described them as separate parcels with separate metes and bounds descriptions.
Minutes of Board of Commissioners' Business Meeting Monday, September 26, 2011
Page 12 of 19 Pages
The rest of the lots in the area are allowed. In the interest of fairness to him and
his family, he feels the lots should be considered separate.
Mr. Pfeifer asked if there needs to be a continuance, he would ask for just a few
days to respond to written documents.
Ms. Smidt commented that in 1969 there was State law and some channels to
go through to record subdivisions. It likely went through the surveyor. In 1973
the minimum lot sizes were established, at a five-acre minimum.
Chair Baney said that even if it was unrecorded subdivision, how he would
know this when he bought it in 1973. Ms. Craghead said it was illegal to sell
the parcels at the time he bought them. Chair Baney said that person may no
longer be here or alive, so cannot respond.
Commissioner Unger wanted to learn more about potential options. Ms.
Craghead said the record would need to remain open if this involves new
information.
Mr. Russell said that the unrecorded subdivision issue seems to be going down
the wrong path. All of his neighbors have built on their lots. If his property had
been conveyed with two deeds instead of one, he would not be here today.
Commissioner Unger feels that the intent was that the lots were customary size.
He wonders what this would do with the bigger picture. Ms. Smidt said this
would change how they look at lot of record verifications in the future. Chair
Baney asked if this would be similar to the Wasco County case, policy rather
than being compliant with State regulations. There may be some flexibility to
handle planning objectives. There is no State law regarding lot of record issues,
and it seems to be left up to the local entity.
Ms. Craghead said it may have to do with the protection of farmland, and being
in compliance with the goals of the Comprehensive Plan.
Commissioner DeBone stated that this mostly happened forty years ago. The
neighborhood supports similar lots and uses, and this provides balance to the
vision of forty years ago.
Commissioner Unger said he is ready to move on. Ms. Craghead stated that
they may need to submit certain information into the record at the request of the
applicant.
Minutes of Board of Commissioners' Business Meeting Monday, September 26, 2011
Page 13 of 19 Pages
Mr. Pfeifer said he would appreciate closure today and the Board is free to vote
now.
Commissioner DeBone asked what the background of the area is. Ms.
Craghead said it was EFU and subject to some regulations at the time. Ms.
Smidt stated that the Hearings Officer reversed a similar case some time ago,
but the deeds made the difference. Ms. Craghead said this information does not
need to be a part of the record since it deals with MUA and not EFU.
Ms. Smidt stated that if this is reversed, the effect could be big on how the
County processes lot of record issues. If the decision is held, it will be appealed
to LUBA and the result is unknown.
Chair Baney said that whether it might be appealed is not part of her decision.
The County has an opportunity to set these policy decisions. It has not been
consistent in the past. She feels that a property owner in 1973 may not have
known the potential ramifications of unrecorded subdivisions, buyer beware
and the deed issue, and attorneys were often not involved. Things were
different then. If the paperwork had been done slightly differently, it would not
matter now. The Board has an opportunity to assist in clarifying what was not
clear at the time. These are consistent uses with consistent lot sizes. The
homes are there. She feels this should be reversed, using the language from
LUBA, and adopt a way to handle this policy in the future.
Commissioner Unger said it is the nature of development there that makes him
feel the same. He is curious as to what this means in the future.
Chair Baney stated that others would have to be similar in issues. Staff needs to
look at a text amendment to deal with this type of thing in the future.
The Board consensus was to reverse the Hearings Officer's decision and
support the lot of record request. Discussion occurred as to how this language
could be written in a legal argument.
Chair Baney said staff has done a good job, but the Board can look at it
differently. The Board can set policy for the future through a Code
interpretation. Mr. Pfeifer offered to help staff draft the findings and decision.
Chair Baney closed the hearing. The decision document will be addressed in
the near future.
Minutes of Board of Commissioners' Business Meeting Monday, September 26, 2011
Page 14 of 19 Pages
7. Before the Board was a Public Hearing (continued from August 31) and
Possible Deliberations regarding a Protest of SDC Charges Assessed on a
Property with a Relocated Dwelling (Applicant: Walker).
George Kolb said the applicant could not stay for this item, but has not had a
chance to respond to any information submitted since August 31. Peter Russell
said that Mr. Walker has discussed some issues with staff.
Ms. Craghead suggested that Mr. Walker should be able to provide further
testimony.
This was continued to Monday, October 3 (first item).
8. Before the Board was Consideration of Board Signature of Document No.
2011-612, a Labor Agreement between AFSCME (American Federation of
State, County and Municipal Employees) and Deschutes County.
Erik Kropp provided a brief overview of the agreement. He thanked the
bargaining and management teams for their hard work. The union ratified the
tentative agreement 102 votes versus 5. It is based on the consumer price index
and no COLA the first year.
The Commissioners complimented the groups on the work they did, and feel the
contract is fair. Both sides had to make concessions, but the result appears to be
fair.
UNGER: Move approval of Document No. 2011-612.
DEBONE: Second.
VOTE: UNGER: Yes.
DEBONE: Yes.
BANEY: Chair votes yes.
Before the Board was Consideration of Approval of the Consent Agenda.
The minutes of September 19, 2011 were removed from the Consent Agenda.
DEBONE: Move approval, with this change.
UNGER: Second.
VOTE: UNGER: Yes.
DEBONE: Yes.
Minutes of Board of Commissioners' Business Meeting Monday, September 26, 2011
Page 15 of 19 Pages
BANEY: Chair votes yes.
Consent Agenda Items
9. Signature of Document Nos. 2011-547, 2011-548 and 2011-549, Accepting
Easements for Gas Monitoring Probes of County-owned Property
10. Signature of Order No. 2011-022, Appointing County Residents to Two Pools
from which the County Clerk will Select Member of the Board of Property Tax
Appeals
11. Signature of Document No. 2011-565, an Interim Food Service Agreement
with Aramark Correctional Services
12. Signature of Document No. 2011-592, Designating Erik Kropp, Deputy
County Administrator, as the Grantee's Authorized Signing Official for the
Department of Justice Grant Awards
13. Chair Signature of Document No. 2011-464, an Intergovernmental Agreement
with the Oregon Commission on Children & Families regarding Medicaid
Services
14. Signature of Document No. 2011-490, Subgrant Agreement with High Desert
Education Service District
15. Signature of Resolution No. 2011-108, Transferring Appropriations in the
Video Lottery Fund
16. Signature of Resolution No. 2011-110, Transferring Appropriations in the
Public Health Fund
17. Signature of Resolution No. 2011-111, Transferring Appropriations in the
Behavioral Health Fund (Personnel)
18. Signature of Resolution No. 2011-115, Transferring Appropriations in the
OHP-Chemical Dependency Fund
19. Signature of Resolution No. 2011-116, Transferring Appropriations in the
Sheriff s Office Fund
20. Signature of Resolution No. 2011-117, Transferring Appropriations in the
Behavioral Health Fund (Nurse Practitioner)
21. Signature of Resolution No. 2011-119, Transferring Appropriations in the
General Fund, Non-Department Category
Minutes of Board of Commissioners' Business Meeting Monday, September 26, 2011
Page 16 of 19 Pages
22. Signature of Resolution No. 2011-120, Transferring Appropriations in the
Public Health Fund (Personnel)
23. Signature of Resolution No. 2011-121, Appropriating a New Grant in the
Behavioral Health Fund
24. Signature of Resolution No. 2011-122, Appropriating a New Grant in the
Public Health Fund
25. Signature of Resolution No. 2011-123, Transferring Appropriations in the
General County Projects Fund
26. Signature of Resolution No. 2011-125, Transferring Appropriations in the
Public Health Fund (Nurse Practitioner)
27. Signature of Resolution No. 2011-126, Transferring Appropriations in the
Healthy Start Prenatal Fund
28. Signature of Resolution No. 2011-127, Transferring Appropriations in the
Behavioral Health Fund (Personnel)
29. Signature of Resolution No. 2011-128, Transferring Appropriations in the
Public Health Fund (Personnel)
30. Signature of Letters Reappointing Judith Parker and Norma Brenton to the
Deschutes County Dog Control Board of Supervisors, through June 30, 2013
31. Approval of Minutes:
Board Meeting of September 19, 2011
Work Sessions of September 14 and 19, 2011
CONVENED AS THE GOVERNING BODY OF THE 9-1-1 COUNTY
SERVICE DISTRICT
32. Before the Board was Consideration of Signature of Document No. 2011-
610, Amending an Agreement for Law Enforcement Records Management
Software System.
Capt. Jim Porter of the Bend Police Departement said he is the program
manager for this project. He said there were thought to be a lot of interface
issues between agencies, but they found that some of these were not a problem.
However, some database information had to be moved.
Minutes of Board of Commissioners' Business Meeting Monday, September 26, 2011
Page 17 of 19 Pages
Rob Poirier added that during this process, it was found that they could save
$90,000 in the interface portion, and wish to utilize that savings for database
transfer. All parties are supportive of this amendment.
UNGER: Move approval.
DEBONE: Second.
VOTE: UNGER: Yes.
DEBONE: Yes.
BANEY: Chair votes yes.
33. Before the Board was Consideration of Signature of Resolution No. 2011-
124, Transferring Appropriations in the 911 County Service District Fund.
UNGER: Move approval.
DEBONE: Second.
VOTE: UNGER: Yes.
DEBONE: Yes.
BANEY: Chair votes yes.
34. Before the Board was Consideration of Approval of Weekly Accounts
Payable Vouchers for the 9-1-1 County Service District in the Amount of
$8,163.61.
DEBONE: Move approval, subject to review.
UNGER: Second.
VOTE: UNGER: Yes.
DEBONE: Yes.
BANEY: Chair votes yes.
CONVENED AS THE GOVERNING BODY OF THE EXTENSION AND 4-H
COUNTY SERVICE DISTRICT
35. Before the Board was Consideration of Approval of Weekly Accounts
Payable Vouchers for the Extension/4-11 County Service District in the
Amount of $1,008.97.
DEBONE: Move approval, subject to review.
UNGER: Second.
Minutes of Board of Commissioners' Business Meeting Monday, September 26, 2011
Page 18 of 19 Pages
VOTE: UNGER: Yes.
DEBONE: Yes.
BANEY: Chair votes yes.
RECONVENED AS THE DESCHUTES COUNTY BOARD OF
COMMISSIONERS
36. Before the Board was Consideration of Approval of Weekly Accounts
Payable Vouchers for Deschutes County in the Amount of $486,227.96.
DEBONE: Move approval, subject to review.
UNGER: Second.
VOTE: UNGER: Yes.
DEBONE: Yes.
BANEY: Chair votes yes.
37. ADDITIONS TO THE AGENDA
None were offered.
Being no further discussion, the meeting adjourned at 1:15 p.m.
DATED this (27~~ ' Day of VCS'] V
Deschutes County Board of Commissioners.
ATTEST:
(1~~ 63-b~
Recording Secretary
2011 for the
DP2~~~
Tammy Baney, Chair
Anthony DeBone, Vice Chair
6
Alan Unger, Commissioner
Minutes of Board of Commissioners' Business Meeting Monday, September 26, 2011
Page 19 of 19 Pages
Deschutes County Board of Commissioners
1300 NW Wall St., Bend, OR 97701-1960
(541) 388-6570 - Fax (541) 385-3202 - www.deschutes.org
BUSINESS MEETING AGENDA
DESCHUTES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
10:00 A.M., MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2011
Commissioners' Hearing Room - Administration Building - 1300 NW Wall St., Bend
1. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
2. CITIZEN INPUT
This is the time provided for individuals wishing to address the Board, at the Board's
discretion, regarding issues that are not already on the agenda. Citizens who wish to speak
should sign up prior to the beginning of the meeting on the sign-up cards provided. Please
use the microphone and also state your name and address at the time the Board calls on you
to speak. PLEASE NOTE: Citizen input regarding matters that are or have been the subject
of a public hearing will NOT be included in the record of that hearing.
3. A PUBLIC HEARING and Consideration of First Reading and Second
Readings, and Adoption by Emergency, of Ordinance No. 2011-008, Amending
Title 23, to Adopt the South County Local Wetland Inventory into the
Comprehensive Plan - Peter Gutowsky, Community Development
Suggested Actions: Open public hearing and take testimony.
Move first and second readings by title only of Ordinance No. 2011-008.
Move adoption by emergency of Ordinance No. 2011-008
4. A PUBLIC HEARING and Consideration of First Reading of Ordinance No.
2011-017, Amending Title 23, to Adopt a Regional Economic Opportunity
Analysis and Regional Large-Lot Industrial Land Policy for Central Oregon -
Peter Gutowsky, Community Development
Suggested Actions: Open public hearing and take testimony.
Move first reading by title only of Ordinance No. 2011-017.
(Second reading to be conducted no sooner than two weeks from the first
reading.)
Board of Commissioners' Business Meeting Agenda Monday, September 26, 2011
Page 1 of 7 Pages
5. DELIBERATIONS and Consideration of First Reading of Ordinances No.
2011-001 and 2011-002, Modifying the Comprehensive Plan Map and Zoning
Map regarding Areas Eligible for the Destination Resort Overlay - Peter
Gutowsky, Community Development
Suggestion Actions: After deliberations, move first reading by title only of
Ordinance No. 2011-001; and
Move first reading by title only of Ordinance No. 2011-002.
(Second readings and adoption no sooner than two weeks from today)
6. A PUBLIC HEARING on a Lot of Record Verification Appeal (Applicant:
Russell) - Cynthia Smidt, Community Development
Suggested Actions: Open hearing; deliberate and make a decision to allow or
deny the lot of record.
7. A PUBLIC HEARING (continued from August 31) and Possible Deliberations
regarding a Protest of SDC Charges Assessed on a Property with a Relocated
Dwelling (Applicant: Walker) - George Kolb, Road Department; Peter Russell,
Community Development
Suggested Actions: Continue hearing to a date certain unless applicant is in
attendance.
8. CONSIDERATION of Board Signature of Document No. 2011-612, a Labor
Agreement between AFSCME (American Federation of State, County and
Municipal Employees) and Deschutes County - Erik Kropp, Interim County
Administrator
Suggested Action: Move signature of Document No. 2011-612.
CONSENT AGENDA
9. Signature of Document Nos. 2011-547, 2011-548 and 2011-549, Accepting
Easements for Gas Monitoring Probes of County-owned Property
10. Signature of Order No. 2011-022, Appointing County Residents to Two Pools
from which the County Clerk will Select Member of the Board of Property Tax
Appeals
Board of Commissioners' Business Meeting Agenda Monday, September 26, 2011
Page 2 of 7 Pages
11. Signature of Document No. 2011-565, an Interim Food Service Agreement
with Aramark Correctional Services
12. Signature of Document No. 2011-592, Designating Erik Kropp, Deputy
County Administrator, as the Grantee's Authorized Signing Official for the
Department of Justice Grant Awards
13. Chair Signature of Document No. 2011-464, an Intergovernmental Agreement
with the Oregon Commission on Children & Families regarding Medicaid
Services
14. Signature of Document No. 2011-490 - Subgrant Agreement with High Desert
Education Service District
15. Signature of Resolution No. 2011-108, Transferring Appropriations in the
Video Lottery Fund
16. Signature of Resolution No. 2011-110, Transferring Appropriations in the
Public Health Fund
17. Signature of Resolution No. 2011-111, Transferring Appropriations in the
Behavioral Health Fund (Personnel)
18. Signature of Resolution No. 2011-115, Transferring Appropriations in the
OHP-Chemical Dependency Fund
19. Signature of Resolution No. 2011-116, Transferring Appropriations in the
Sheriff's Office Fund
20. Signature of Resolution No. 2011-117, Transferring Appropriations in the
Behavioral Health Fund (Nurse Practitioner)
21. Signature of Resolution No. 2011-119, Transferring Appropriations in the
General Fund, Non-Department Category
22. Signature of Resolution No. 2011-120, Transferring Appropriations in the
Public Health Fund (Personnel)
23. Signature of Resolution No. 2011-121, Appropriating a New Grant in the
Behavioral Health Fund
24. Signature of Resolution No. 2011-122, Appropriating a New Grant in the
Public Health Fund
25. Signature of Resolution No. 2011-123, Transferring Appropriations in the
General County Projects Fund
Board of Commissioners' Business Meeting Agenda Monday, September 26, 2011
Page 3 of 7 Pages
26. Signature of Resolution No. 2011-125, Transferring Appropriations in the
Public Health Fund (Nurse Practitioner)
27. Signature of Resolution No. 2011-1269 Transferring Appropriations in the
Healthy Start Prenatal Fund
28. Signature of Resolution No. 2011-127, Transferring Appropriations in the
Behavioral Health Fund (Personnel)
29. Signature of Resolution No. 2011-128, Transferring Appropriations in the
Public Health Fund (Personnel)
30. Signature of Letters Reappointing Judith Parker and Norma Brenton to the
Deschutes County Dog Control Board of Supervisors, through June 30, 2013
31. Approval of Minutes:
• Board Meeting of September 19, 2011
• Work Sessions of September 14 and 19, 2011
CONVENE AS THE GOVERNING BODY OF THE 9-1-1 COUNTY
SERVICE DISTRICT
32. CONSIDERATION of Signature of Document No. 2011-610, Amending an
Agreement for Law Enforcement Records Management Software System - Rob
Poirier, 911; Joe Sadony, Information Technology
Suggested Action: Move approval and signature of Document No. 2011-610.
33. Signature of Resolution No. 2011-124, Transferring Appropriations in the 911
County Service District Fund
Suggested Action: Move signature of Resolution No. 2011-124.
34. CONSIDERATION of Approval of Weekly Accounts Payable Vouchers for
the 9-1-1 County Service District
CONVENE AS THE GOVERNING BODY OF THE EXTENSION AND 4-H
COUNTY SERVICE DISTRICT
35. CONSIDERATION of Approval of Weekly Accounts Payable Vouchers for
the Extension/4-H County Service District
Board of Commissioners' Business Meeting Agenda Monday, September 26, 2011
Page 4 of 7 Pages
RECONVENE AS THE DESCHUTES COUNTY BOARD OF
COMMISSIONERS
36. CONSIDERATION of Approval of Weekly Accounts Payable Vouchers for
Deschutes County
37. ADDITIONS TO THE AGENDA
PLEASE NOTE: At any time during this meeting, an executive session could be called to address
issues relating to ORS 192.660(2) (e), real property negotiations; ORS 192.660(2) (h), litigation;
ORS 192.660(2)(d), labor negotiations; or ORS 192.660(2) (b), personnel issues.
Deschutes County meeting locations are wheelchair accessible.
Deschutes County provides reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities.
For deaf, hearing impaired or speech disabled, dial 7-1-1 to access the state transfer relay service for TITY.
Please call (541) 388-6571 regarding alternative formats or for further information.
FUTURE MEETINGS:
(Please note: Meeting dates and times are subject to change. All meetings take place in the Board of
Commissioners' meeting rooms at 1300 NW Wall St., Bend, unless otherwise indicated. Ifyou have questions
regarding a meeting, please call 388-6572)
Monday, September 26
10:00 a.m. Board of Commissioners' Meeting
1:30 p.m. Administrative Work Session - could include executive session(s)
Wednesday, September 28
1:30 p.m. Administrative Work Session - could include executive session(s)
Board of Commissioners' Business Meeting Agenda Monday, September 26, 2011
Page 5 of 7 Pages
Monday, October 3
10:00 a.m. Board of Commissioners' Meeting
1:30 p.m. Administrative Work Session - could include executive session(s)
Wednesday. October 5
10:00 a.m. Board of Commissioners' Meeting
1:30 p.m. Administrative Work Session - could include executive session(s)
Thursday, October 6
8:00 a.m. Joint Meeting with the Sisters City Council, (Sisters City Hall)
Monday, October 10
All Day Association of Oregon Counties' Legislative Committee Meetings (Salem)
Wednesday, October 12
10:00 a.m. Board of Commissioners' Meeting
1:30 p.m. Administrative Work Session - could include executive session(s)
Monday, October 17
10:00 a.m. Board of Commissioners' Meeting
1:30 p.m. Administrative Work Session - could include executive session(s)
Monday, October 24
10:00 a.m. Board of Commissioners' Meeting
1:30 p.m. Administrative Work Session - could include executive session(s)
Wednesday, October 26
10:00 a.m. Board of Commissioners' Meeting
1:30 p.m. Administrative Work Session - could include executive session(s)
Board of Commissioners' Business Meeting Agenda Monday, September 26, 2011
Page 6 of 7 Pages
Monday, October 31
10:00 a.m. Board of Commissioners' Meeting
1:30 p.m. Administrative Work Session - could include executive session(s)
Wednesday. November 2
10:00 a.m. Board of Commissioners' Meeting
1:30 p.m. Administrative Work Session - could include executive session(s)
Deschutes County meeting locations are wheelchair accessible.
Deschutes County provides reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities.
For deaf, hearing impaired or speech disabled, dial 7-1-1 to access the state transfer relay service for TTY.
Please call (541) 388-6571 regarding alternative formats or for further information.
Board of Commissioners' Business Meeting Agenda Monday, September 26, 2011
Page 7 of 7 Pages
~G~J-ces c0`~
o { BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS' MEETING
REQUEST TO SPEAK
Agenda Item of Interest: -Ft---o'A Date: O ku I
Name
Address
Phone #s
E-mail address
❑ In Favor r-] Neutral/Undecided F Opposed
Submitting written documents as part of testimony? F'~[-Yes F~ No
If so, please give a copy to the Recording Secretary for the record.
~~v~J-ces co`Z
o { BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS' MEETING
REQUEST TO SPEAK
Agenda Item of Interest: v Date: 7 2 /
Name
Address
Vk7 V)
Phone #s 4)-5
E-mail address Cc o
Z
In Favor F-] Neutral/Undecided 1:1 Opposed
Submitting written documents as part of testimony? F]Yes U No
If so, please give a copy to the Recording Secretary for the record.
U~vses cO`
a 2< BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS' MEETING
REOUEST TO SPEAK
Agenda Item of Interest: kE~o A Date: L
Name 14
P
Address l~ lit
Phone #sJ ?i
E-mail address ~G nPo~
a In Favor
/ ,-s f6V r4o A Or
NeutraUUndecided
F] Opposed
Submitting written documents as part of testimony? Yes F-1 No
If so, please give a copy to the Recording Secretary for the record.
~GA v-tes e0`2
o BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS' MEETING
REQUEST TO SPEAK
Agenda Item of Interest:
Date.
Name ig~A ~ V_vL j
Address 2,693 NO c
Phone #s -5111
E-mail address 6) ) 0, Coo.'r b (.1 r-\
In Favor 0 Neutral/Undecided ~ Opposed
Submitting written documents as part of testimony? Yes F7No
If so please give a copy to the Recording Secretary for the record.
.I'vTFS ~
4
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS' MEETING
n <
REQUEST TO SPEAK
Agenda Item of Interest: Date:
Name ~Ct Mee CC,
Address ~ -c;- 5~-
Phone #s
❑ Neutral/Undecided
G
❑ Opposed
Submitting written documents as part of testimony? F]Yes If so, please give a copy to the Recording Secretary for the recor gNo
E-mail address
In Favor
REQUEST TO SPEAK
Agenda Item of Interest: 6 4a' t?c 1_l Af/6v'' Date:
t
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS' MEETING
Name .f to ve 6 PjcI ~e
Address / I ~ O 4Z41 Covc Al
K0 rfl
>t9_
Phone #s
E-mail address
Sa e, iTGr Y"~ co'e . c~r~
In Favor F-] Neutral/Undecided
Opposed
Submitting written documents as part of testimony? ❑ Yes No
If so, please give a copy to the Recording Secretary for the record.
~J? E S Qn
J
0 2{ BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS' MEETING
REQUEST TO SPEAK
Agenda Item of Interest: - - Date:
Name
Address 7i~t r P 2
U
Phone #s
E-mail address CIA&
F-1 In Favor Neutral/Undecided Opposed
Submitting written documents as part of testimony? F]Yes ~No
If so, please give a copy to the Recording Secretary for the record.
PRELIMINARY STATEMENT
FOR A LEGISLATIVE PUBLIC HEARINGS BEFORE THE DESCHUTES
COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
South County Local Wetland Inventory / Plan Amendment Public Hearing
September 26, 2011
This is a public hearing on Ordinance 2011-08, Plan Amendment 11-2 (PA 11-2). Initiated by
Deschutes County, the proposal amends Deschutes County Comprehensive Plan DCC
Chapters 23.104, Fish and Wildlife and 23.112, Water Resources, to formally recognize a
South County Local Wetland Inventory (LWI) that has been approved and peer reviewed by
the Oregon Department of State Lands.
The Board will hear oral testimony, receive written testimony, and consider the testimony
submitted at this hearing. The hearing is also being taped. The Board may make a decision
on this matter today, continue the public hearing to a date certain, or leave the written record
open for a specified period of time.
The hearing will be conducted in the following order. The staff will give a report on this issue.
We will then open the hearing to all present and ask people to present testimony at one of
the tables or at the podium. You can also provide the Commission with a copy of written
testimony.
Questions to and from the chair may be entertained at any time at the chair's discretion.
Cross-examination of people testifying will not be allowed. However, if any person wishes to
ask a question of another person during that person's testimony, please direct your question
to the chair after being recognized. The Chair is free to decide whether or not to ask such
questions of the person testifying.
Prior to the commencement of the hearing any party may challenge the qualifications of any
Commissioner for conflict of interest. This challenge must be documented with specific
reasons supported by facts.
Should any Commissioner be challenged, the member may disqualify himself or herself,
withdraw from the hearing or make a statement on the record of their capacity to hear and
decide this issue.
At this time, do any members of the Commission need to set forth any information that may
be perceived as a conflict of interest?
I will accept any challenges from the public now. (Hearing none, I will open the public
hearing). STAFF REPORT
OreWn
Department of Fish and Wildlife
High Desert Region
61374 Parrell Road
Bend, OR 97702
UCEIV D (541) 388-6363
FAX (541) 388-6281
AUG 3 0 ,2011
Deschutes County CDD
Peter Gutowsky, AICP
Principal Planner
Deschutes County Community Development Department
117 NW Lafayette
Bend, OR 97701
August 26, 2011
Dear Peter,
This letter is in response to your request to provide a letter of support for the Local
Wetlands Inventory (LWI) that was recently completed and approved for the southern
portion of Deschutes County. The Department's mission is to "protect and enhance
Oregon's fish and wildlife and their habitats for use and enjoyment by present and future
generations." Our decisions and support regarding this issue are guided by the
Department of Fish and Wildlife Habitat Mitigation Policy (2000), the Oregon Plan for
Salmon and Watersheds (2003), the Native Fish Conservation Strategy (2003), as well
as the Upper Deschutes River Sub-Basin Plan (1996)
(hftp://www.dfw.state.or.us/OARs/0ARs.html).
ODFW supports the South County LWI because of the comprehensive information it
provides regarding accurate, up-to-date wetland delineations that are of importance
when designing monitoring studies and/or making management decisions within the
Deschutes River basin. Not only will ODFW benefit from the LWI, local landowners will
be able to make more informed decisions with regards to fish and wildlife management
on their properties, as well as work more effectively and efficiently with state and local
agencies throughout the permitting and development processes while minimizing impact
to, and potentially enhancing, fish and wildlife habitat.
I have already referred to the LWI several times with regards to individual property
owners who are interested in pursuing streambank restoration and fish habitat projects
on their property. The Deschutes District wildlife biologist and I have also referred to
the LWI while providing comment to a private landowner who applied for a conditional
use permit, from Deschutes County, to construct a boathouse on their property.
In addition to using the LWI to determine permitting needs and wetland designations for
restoration and habitat projects, I see the LWI as a very valuable tool in providing
guidance and opportunities to educate members of the public with whom we interact
when dealing with issues affecting the Deschutes River basin.
The Department appreciates the opportunity to provide input on this issue. If you
need to contact me for any reason, I can be reached at (541) 633-1112 or by email
at nancy.e.doran(a-state.or.us.
Sincerely,
Nancy ran
Mitigation and Enhancement Coordinator
PRELIMINARY STATEMENT
FOR A LEGISLATIVE PUBLIC HEARINGS BEFORE THE DESCHUTES
COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
Regional Economic Opportunity Analysis / Plan Amendment Public Hearing
September 26, 2011
This is a public hearing on Ordinance 2011-017, Plan Amendment 11-3 (PA 11-3). Initiated
by Deschutes County, the proposal amends Deschutes County Comprehensive Plan (DCC)
Chapters 23.48, Urbanization and 23.52, Economy, to formally adopt a Regional Economic
Opportunity Analysis and several economic development policies.
The Board will hear oral testimony, receive written testimony, and consider the testimony
submitted at this hearing. The hearing is also being taped. The Board may make a decision
on this matter today, continue the public hearing to a date certain, or leave the written record
open for a specified period of time.
The hearing will be conducted in the following order. The staff will give a report on this issue.
We will then open the hearing to all present and ask people to present testimony at one of
the tables or at the podium. You can also provide the Commission with a copy of written
testimony.
Questions to and from the chair may be entertained at any time at the chair's discretion.
Cross-examination of people testifying will not be allowed. However, if any person wishes to
ask a question of another person during that person's testimony, please direct your question
to the chair after being recognized. The Chair is free to decide whether or not to ask such
questions of the person testifying.
Prior to the commencement of the hearing any party may challenge the qualifications of any
Commissioner for conflict of interest. This challenge must be documented with specific
reasons supported by facts.
Should any Commissioner be challenged, the member may disqualify himself or herself,
withdraw from the hearing or make a statement on the record of their capacity to hear and
decide this issue.
At this time, do any members of the Commission need to set forth any information that may
be perceived as a conflict of interest?
I will accept any challenges from the public now. (Hearing none, I will open the public
hearing). STAFF REPORT
September 23, 2011
Commissioner Tammy Baney, Chair
Commissioner Tony Debone
Commissioner Alan Unger
Deschutes County Board of Commissioners
1300 NW Wall Street
Bend, OR 97701
Re: COIC comments on proposed Post Acknowledgement Plan Amendment
Commissioners,
0 U N
Everywhere
Central Oregon
Works
On behalf of the COIC Board of Directors I'd like to comment on the proposed amendment to the County's
comprehensive plan to adopt the Regional Economic Opportunity Analysis and associated policies for creating a
regionally coordinated supply of large industrial lots.
The COIC Board is composed of elected officials from each of the three counties and eight cities of Central
Oregon, along with Tribal, business and education representatives. The COIC board has engaged in discussions at
our July and September meetings regarding COIC's potential role as the regional large lot industrial program
governance authority. If we choose to accept this role, we understand this role to include the following:
• Manage the development of a multi-jurisdictional Memorandum of Understanding for the large lot
program.
• Approve six "short term" large lot industrial sites (50+ acres) which will compose the regional portfolio,
along with 17 long-term sites.
• Ensure that this portfolio is consistent with the REOA framework for site location.
• Conduct an annual review of the site inventory, including the long-term sites.
• Support the counties in convening the Regional Advisory Committee.
• Explore regional approaches to infrastructure financing.
Our board discussions have focused on exploring these roles and better understanding the necessary framework
for a regional large lot industrial program. While our board has not yet reached the point in their decision-making
process where we have committed to serving as the regional governance authority, I do want to express our
overall support for the concept of a regional large lot program, our interest in supporting and promoting inter-
jurisdictional planning, and our belief that COIC is the appropriate home for regional-level collaboration and
problem-solving.
We support the County's efforts to amend their comprehensive plan to adopt the REOA, and we look forward to
continuing our partnership to develop this important regional economic development initiative.
Sincerely
/omMoore
Executive Director
Central Oregon Intergovernmental Council
Cc: COIC Board of Directors
2363 SW Glacier Place, Redmond, OR 97756
(541) 548-8163 - Fax: (541) 923-3416
Office Locations: Bend, Klamath Falls, Lakeview, La Pine, Madras, Prineville, Redmond
F
Uregon
N
John A. Kitzhaber, M.D., Governor
I•g9
September 26, 2011
Deschutes County Commissioners:
Thank you for the opportunity to comment.
As the Central Oregon Regional Representative for the Department of Land conservation and
Development, I would like to thank Deschutes County for its ongoing work on the Regional
Economic Opportunity Analysis (REOA). Nick Lelack and Peter Gutowsky have provided
invaluable leadership to make sure that this ambitious project can reach a conclusion that will be
useful to the tri-county area and the state.
As you know, the department funded the Regional Economic Opportunity Analysis that that led
to this proposed plan amendment. We continue to strongly support the results of the project and
Deschutes County's effort to initiate its regional implementation. The purpose of the REOA was
to create a new way to accomplish industrial land planning at a regional level, within existing
laws and rules. The dilemma that Central Oregon and many other regions face is that, while our
existing land use system tends to focus on individual jurisdictions, large industrial sites are
primarily regional assets that depend on other regional assets. In order to promote employment
and maintain land use efficiency, the department recognizes that a cooperative regional planning
system is needed.
This effort to establish a regional approach to land use planning for large lot industrial land is
new ground for everyone involved. There are important and substantial policy questions raised
by both the concept and its application. We believe that these are important questions and
worthy of discussion at both the state and local level. As a continuation of that discussion, we
encourage you to ask those questions - both of your staff and of DLCD. As part of your
deliberations today, we invite you to begin to make a list of the issues that you would like the
state to address. We are committed to having that discussion with you at the highest level.
Again, thank you for your time, energy, and commitment to Central Oregon's future. We look
forward to continuing our partnership with you.
Sincerely,
s
Department of Land Conservation and Development
Central Oregon Regional Office
888 NW Hill Street, Suite 2
Bend, OR 97701-2942
Central Oregon Regional Representative (541) 325-6927
Community Service Specialist (541) 318-8193
Fax(541)318-8361
www.lcd.state.or.us
Karen Swirsky AICP
Central Oregon Regional Representative
,rook County Community Development
PLANNING DEIIARTMENT
300 N.E. 3rd Street - Prineville, Oregon 97754 * Phone (541) 447-8156 • FAX (541) 416-3905
August 24, 2011
Deschutes County Planning Commission
1300 NW Wall Street
Bend, OR 97701
RE: REOA
As a committee participant of the REOA over the past ten plus months, I would like to provide some
thoughts as to the finished product that resulted from the committee's and consultant's exhaustive
work for the regional approach to land scale industrial lands.
I have read the written comments provided by 1000 Friends, Economic Development For Central
Oregon, and comments from Business Oregon. The August 17, 2011 letter from Roger Lee was right on
point. This project in no way was intended to develop a regional economic plan. Its SINGULAR purpose
was to develop a marketing strategy for a regional inventory of large scale industrial sites - something
that is generally missing in the region.
The problem has been in the forefront of issues for economic development, and became even higher on
the radar screen when Facebook located in Prineville. Questions were raised of "Why there and not
Bend or Redmond"? Several factors were involved including we had a 120+acre parcel they could
purchase that was in an Enterprise Zone and was a Certified "shovel ready" site. Crook County and City
of Prineville participated in this project to show the support among the region and that we as a region
are one big unit and are influenced by each other.
The State of Oregon through Department of Land Conservation and Development, Business Oregon, and
the Oregon Senate must have thought there was a problem in business recruitment for the region,
otherwise, why did they fund, support by committee involvement, and the introduction of a Senate Bill
to solve this issue.
1000 Friends would have you believe that large companies on large lots do not provide jobs, I won't re-
iterate what EDCO wrote in their August 17 letter, but that is not correct. Facebook, besides adding
another building, is now considering establishing their own assembly line of servers in Prineville which
will add an additional 35-50 jobs. What other benefits resulted beside the generous amounts of dollars
provided to many local nonprofit agencies as well as the school district? Well, the entire community has
benefited with high speed redundant fiber optics, necessary for business these days. It has spurred on
the power companies and Bonneville Power to step up their transmission capability that the entire
region will benefit from. There have been three to four other, prospects that have at least shown in
interest in relocating here. All of them are interested in 80 to 150 acre parcels. I don't think these
same companies have made an inquiry into the Bend area.
Each of the jurisdictions in central Oregon have their own plan and program to assist small startups
along with business retention. This was NEVER the intent of the grant award that Deschutes County
received. Contrary to 1000 Friends assertion that Goal 9 works and this document doesn't reflect
compliance with the Goal, the idea of regional marketing for large lot industrial lands was never
contemplated within the Goal. I thought this process was to enable us to think "outside the bow, and
be creative, and not living with a 30 year old process that hasn't changed or been updated.
i would encourage the Commission to recommend adoption to the Deschutes Board of County
Commissioners. The EXPERTS in Oregon, through Business Oregon recommends it, and the Department
of Land Conservation recommends approval. Crook County also recommends it.
Should this be appealed to the Land Use Board of Appeals, I would think that Crook and Jefferson
Counties would support you, as well as the cities in the region. We need to be creative in problem
solving. Remember, this is only ONE element of a strategy for economic development. As the county
with the highest unemployment in the State of Oregon, and with many empty buildings, we cannot
afford to live in the past and hope the system works.
This project has opened up the dialogue to work together for a regional purpose, notwithstanding our
own individual plans and our own individual needs and differences. This will not change our own plans,
but will supplement them.
William P. Zelenka
Crook County Plann g Director
534 SW Third Avenue, Suite 300 - Portland, OR 97204 - (503) 497-1000 - fax (503) 223-0073 - www.friends.org
1.000 Southern Oregon Office - PO Box 2442 - Grants Pass, OR 97528 - (541) 474-1 155 - fax (541) 474-9389
friends ~ Willamette Valley Office - 220 East 11 m Avenue, Suite 5 - Eugene, OR 97401 - (541) 520-3763 - fax (503) 575-2416
of Ore„tart Central Oregon Office - 115 NW Oregon Ave #21 - Bend, OR 97701 - (541) 719-8221 - fax (866) 394-3089
~i
Sept 26, 2011
Deschutes County Board of Commissioners
1300 NW Wall Street
Bend, OR 97701
Re: Central Oregon Regional Economic Opportunity Analysis
Dear Commissioners,
I am writing today to provide comments on behalf of 1000 Friends of Oregon on the proposed
adoption of the Regional Economic Opportunity Analysis. 1000 Friends participated in the advisory
council that helped guide the drafting of this document. We fully support the vision behind this
project: regional cooperation in support of better economic development for everybody. We applaud
the Central Oregon region for stepping toward the regional cooperation that has long been a part of
the law, but that has rarely been exercised. Goal 9 provides communities with a framework for
economic success.
Unfortunately, several errors remain in the REOA that must be fixed before it can be considered
accurate and complete. Those errors are detailed in these continents.
We ask that you direct staff to re-engage the study's consultant to resolve these errors, and then
reconvene the RAC to examine the final product before bringing it back to you one for review and,
hopefully, approval.
Our request that these errors be resolved is not merely a request for detailed adherence to law. At
least one of the errors results in a significant over-estimation of the amount of land that will actually
be required for large lot industrial use.
Community Vision
The REOA difficulties begin with the "Community Vision," which states:
"To build a strong and thriving regional economy by establishing and actively
maintaining a competitive portfolio of large lot employment sites
The first part of this statement is a true community vision. However, the second part is no more than
a method of obtaining the first part. It assumes that a competitive portfolio of large lot employment
sites will in fact create a strong and thriving economy. However, as explained below, there is no
evidence in the REOA to support this assumption. Oregon land use law requires substantial evidence.
Celebrating Thirty-five Years of Innovation
According to the Oregon Supreme Court, substantial evidence requires "a basis in reason connecting
the inference to the facts from which it is derived." City of Roseburg v. Roseburg City Firefighters,
292 Or 266, 271 (1981).
Conversations with supporters of the REOA effort indicate there is a prevailing assumption that
businesses that use large lots are generally large and stable, and provide living wage jobs with
benefits. This is in contrast to the prevailing perception that businesses that require small lots provide
low wage jobs and few benefits. First, the REOA provides no evidence that large lot users really
bring in large numbers of jobs. Second no substantial evidence is provided showing that those jobs
are any better than the jobs provided on small lots. If large lot users really do bring that kind of job,
evidence for that should not be difficult to locate, and include in the REOA. One method of obtaining
this information would be to survey a handful of businesses using large lots in the region and around
the state to determine how many jobs on those sites provide a living wage and benefits. This could
then be compared with a cross section of small businesses in the same region and/or industry.
This not just a technical fix, it is a practical one. Serving large lots with infrastructure and/or
providing the incentives that so many large out of town businesses require can cost taxpayers
substantial amounts of money. Closer investigations of the return for the investment other regions
have received from bringing large, out of town businesses in have shown that returns can be low.
Attached is an article from the Eugene Register Guard. It details how large businesses-in-that area
that received significant tax subsidies, in one case as much-as $60,0.00 per job, left townas soon as
the subsidies ended. By contrast, it showed that smaller businesses receiving smaller_tax breaks
closer to $2,000 per job stayed many more years.
We recommend that the region start with the policy objective of growing and attracting stable, livable
wage jobs in businesses that are likely to locate or expand in Central Oregon, rather than starting with
the policy of simply attracting businesses that require large amounts of land. Then, evaluate what the
land, building, infrastructure, location, and other needs of those jobs and businesses are, and whether
and how Central Oregon can meet those. The rest of the REOA can be aimed at those jobs.
Starting with the Final Conclusion
The final conclusion of the REOA is located at page 46. It is summarized in the following chart:
l0~ t~ 1 Central Oregon Office • 115 NW Oregon Ave #21 • Bend, OR 97701
/
friends (541) 719-8221 • fax (866) 394-3089
;>j Chrr<3r
mage 2
FIGURE 29: RECOh9MENDED COMPETITIVE LARGE LOT INDUSTRIAL INVENTORY
SO-100 ACRES
100-200 ACRES
200+ ACRES
TOTAL
r,
1Number of Sites
3
2
1
a
1urisdictions
3
2
7
r
TERM
#uniber of Sites
10
.5
2
17
jurisdictions
5
3
2
The exact number of acres recommended is difficult to discern given that all of these are ranges.
However, if average lots sizes are assumed,' this chart shows a need for 2700 acres.2 The difficulty
with the final conclusion is that it is impossible to tell which of the many arguments were actually
used in reaching it. The text just prior to this chart on page 46 only explains that the final numbers
were arrived at by "working with EDCO and Business Oregon." The Oregon Supreme Court has
explained that substantial evidence requires "a basis in reason connecting the inference to the facts
from which it is derived." City of Roseburg v. Roseburg City Firefighters, 292 Or 266, 271 (1981).
The Court of Appeals recently clarified this standard:
"We recently explained that the requirements that an agency correctly interpret the
law, explain inconsistencies, and have evidentiary support for the decision implies that
LCDC must " `demonstrate in [its] opinion[ ] the-reasoning that leads the agency from
the facts that it has found to the conclusions that it draws from those facts. "
1000 Friends of Oregon v. LCDC, 237 Or.App. 213, 225, 239 P.3d 272 (2010) (Woodburn) (quoting
Drew v. PSRB, 322 Or. 491, 500, 909 P.2d 1211 (1996))
Here, of course, the inference is that 2700 acres of new land need to be made available to
accommodate industries that want to move to the central Oregon region. However, the statement
"working with EDCO and Business Oregon" does not make it clear what reasoning led the consultant
' Average lots sizes would be
50 -100 acre lots are assumed to be 75 acres
100 - 200 acre lots are assumed to be 150 acres.
200+ acre lots are assumed to be 225 acres.
2 This number was arrived at as follows:
Thirteen 75-acre lots = 975 acres
Seven 150-acre lots = 1050 acres
Three 225-acre lots = 675 acres
975+1050+675 =2700
In informal discussions with staff the claim was made that this number is inflated because the long term need is intended
to incorporate the entire short term need. So instead of this chart calling for 13 50-100 acre lots (3 short term + 10 long
term) this chart only calls for 10 total 50-100 acre lots. If this methodology is used this chart only calls for 1900 new
acres. However, if this is the appropriate methodology, that must be clearly explained because it is not obvious from the
text.
1000
Central Oregon Office • 115 NW Oregon Ave #21 • Bend, OR 97701
r1ClCS (541) 719-8221 • fax (866) 394-3089
rrage 3
from the facts and assertions presented in the REOA to the conclusion regarding how many lots are
needed. LUBA has explained that where findings are "conclusory and offer little or no support for the
conclusions drawn, the decision will be remanded on that basis alone, and LUBA need not reach the
substantial evidence challenges." Middleton v. Josephine County, 31 Or LUBA 423, 434 (1996);
DLCD v. Columbia County, 16 Or LUBA 467, 471 (1998).
Based solely on this legal omission we hope that the County will direct staff to re-engage the
consultant to have the reasoning that led to the final conclusion explained.
Preceding the final recommendation chart there are a variety discussions and analyses. Although it is
not clear which of them were directly responsible for the conclusion, several of the most robust
arguments will be addressed here.
Market Choice
Several statements in the REOA imply that the number of sites claimed to be needed is based on
supplying a portfolio of sites for adequate market choice.
For example, the text in the paragraph immediately following the final recommendation chart states
that the numbers are "what has been determined to be a regionally and nationally competitive
portfolio of industrial sites." Additionally, early on the document explains that
The goal of this regional effort IS NOT to generate an acreage calculation of needed
vacant industrial land supply BUT rather is to identify the variety and size range of
vacant industrial sites needed to make the region attractive to site selectors and
competitive in the global marketplace - a qualitative as well as quantitative outcome.
REOA, page 6 (capitalization emphasis in the original). However, Goal 9 specifically requires
economic opportunity analyses to provide just such a forecast. OAR 660-09-0015.3 Market choice
has long been recognized as encompassed in the 20-year long term land supply provided by urban
growth boundaries. The Court of Appeals in 1000 Friends of Oregon v. LCDC, 237 Or.App. 213
(2010) (Woodburn) explained:
"Although LCDC may be correct that, in the abstract, "market choice" can be "a key component of a
successful industrial development strategy" as required by OAR 660-009-0025, "market choice" is an
infinitely pliable and elastic term--and all forms and degrees of market choice are not necessarily
consistent with Goal 9. As an extreme example, it is unlikely that a local government that sought to
target a single industry with a projected 10-acre site need, could, consistently with Goal 9 and its
3 OAR 660-009-0015 Economic Opportunity Analysis: Cities and counties must review and, as necessary, amend their
comprehensive plans to provide economic opportunities analyses containing the information described in sections (1) to
(4) of this rule. This analysis will compare the demand for land for industrial and other employment uses to the
existing supply of such land. (emphasis added)
1000 Central Oregon Office • 115 NW Oregon Ave #21 • Bend, OR 97701
frle11.Cjs (541) 719-8221 • fax (866) 394-3089
Cnego?~
rrnge 4
i
implementing rules, designate hundreds of 10-acre industrial sites and amend its UGB accordingly
simply because it wanted to provide optimally attractive "market choice." Bluntly, "market choice"
without amplification is a label without reasoning. Here, given the variety of the industries that the
city targeted and the diversity and multiplicity of the sites that the city designated, it is incumbent on
LCDC to cogently explain the reasons that the degree of market choice employed by the city in this
case is consistent with the requirements of Goal 9 and OAR 660-009-0025."The Court went on to
explain that compliance with both Goal 9 and Goal 14 is required:
"a local government is not permitted to establish an urban growth boundary containing
more land than the locality 'needs' for future growth."
+ -
I i 1 i
On remand, LCDC clarified why "market choice" is not a proper consideration in establishing a 20-
year land supply inside a UGB: "'Market choice' is a term of art that refers to redundant sites
provided to meet a short -term need for employment land."
The amount of land this REOA claims to need far exceeds the amount available to any other
jurisdiction considered "competitive" by Johnson Reid. This REOA claims a need for 2700 acres for
a population of 220,000. On page 24 the REOA provides a chart on which it lists several jurisdictions
with at least twice central Oregon's population, but that have substantially smaller inventories of
available industrial land.
Competitive
50-100Acre Sites
100+ Acre Sites
50+ Acre Sites
Market
Site Count
Acreage
Site Count
Acreage
Site Count
Acreage
Colorado Springs
20
1,500
5
500
25
2,000
Raleigh
2
126
12
1,470
14
1,596
Austin (Round Rock)
5
380
6
855
11
1,235
Albuquerque
3
225
9
900
12
1,125
Hillsboro
1
78
0
0
1
78
emu, - y ti s , Gv 4VI
The following population numbers were drawn from the US Census in 2010:
Colorado Springs 419,568
Raleigh
406,609
Austin
790,390
Albuquerque
547,585
Hillsboro
91,954
This chart shows that this REOA requests substantially more land than any other region - even those
with minimal urban growth control policies - has identified as necessary.
MOO
friends
Central Oregon Office • 115 NW Oregon Ave #21 • Bend, OR 97701
(541) 719-8221 • fax (866) 394-3089
rrage 5
Further, even if the amount of land claimed in this REOA were in conformance with other
jurisdictions, the fact that other jurisdictions have empty industrial land does not show that such land
either has been, or will be, the deciding factor in bringing stable jobs to those regions. Neither this
chart, nor any other statements we have been able to locate in the REOA, provides substantial
evidence that there is a need for 2700 acres of large lot land.
The Forecasting Requirements of Goal 9
Goal 9 sets communities up for success by requiring them to look at their strengths and weaknesses in
light of national and global trends. In addition to qualitative questions it requires a forecast of the
kinds of businesses and numbers of jobs that will come to the region. OAR 660-009-0015(2) states:
The economic opportunities analysis must identify the number of sites by type
reasonably expected to be needed to accommodate the expected employment growth
based on the site characteristics typical of expected uses.
In other words, the EOA must include a forecast of expected employment growth, and must use that
to determine the number of sites reasonably expected to be required to accommodate that growth.
Safe harbors at OAR 660-024-0040(9) allow jurisdictions to project employment growth based on
either Oregon Employment Department numbers or jurisdictions own 20-year population forecast.
However, there is no requirement that safe harbors are used. OAR 660-024-0040(5) is clear that
"local government must provide a reasonable justification for the job growth estimate but Goal 14
does not require that job growth estimates necessarily be proportional to population growth." In other
words, read together, these provisions allow a jurisdiction to forecast greater employment growth than
would be expected due to normal population increases, but there must be a "reasonable justification."
The possibility that the forecast will be greater than historical population trends does not allow a
jurisdiction to avoid the forecast. It just requires that the forecast be based on actual data.
Unfortunately, this REOA declines to provide such a forecast. On page 35 the REOA asserts:
"More importantly is an inherent disconnect between any trended forecast
methodology and the potential demand for large-lot industrial employers. By nature,
large industrial placements are `game-changers', whereas [sic] a single placement can
change the economic landscape of a community. The employment impacts are not
reliably `forecastable'."
Indeed, the REOA entirely lacks any employment forecast other than the OED forecast provided on
page 35.
Throughout this process 1000 Friends has provided suggestions about how the REOA might be able
to meet the requirements of the Goal 9 forecast. Specifically we have consistently recommended that
1000 Central Oregon Office • 115 NW Oregon Ave #21 • Bend, OR 97701
friends (541) 719-8221 • fax (866) 394-3089
i~ rrvge 6
a way to meet this goal would be to examine other regions that have seen employment growth exceed
population growth. Why did new businesses move to the area? What did those regions do to attract
exceptional growth? What exceptional skills or qualities does central Ore(Zon have in this region that
would create similar results? By looking at the growth patterns that have been successful in other
regions of similar size an economist could reliably predict what kind of growth is likely to happen in
central Oregon given similar recruiting efforts.
Unfortunately, the REOA has declined to provide an employment forecast_ While it is true that
circumstances will change quickly in this fast moving technological era, there is quite a bit that is
known, and that can be predicted. That much, at least, needs to be in the forecast. The fact that some
business model may arise that we are not yet aware of does not excuse the REOA from providing a
prediction based on the business models that we are aware of.
A document may not purport to satisfy the requirements of Goal 9 or call itself an Economic
Opportunity Analysis unless is provides an employment forecast, and a prediction of the amount of
employment land likely to be needed to accommodate those jobs over the 20-year planning period.
Significant errors in the analysis of the data yield inflated results
The REOA analysis of business growth is flawed. The U.S. Census Bureau chart on page 43 shows
the births and deaths of businesses as well as jobs gained and lost in different size businesses.
FIGURE 25: BIRTHS, DEATHS, EXPANSION & CONTRACTION OF FIRNis, 2006-2007
Em b ent Site of Enter rise
TOTAL
14
5-9
10-19
20-9:9
100-499
500+
Initial year establishments
1,067,847
469,155
172,870
109,832
112,019
51,353
152,617
Change in establishments
30,002
14,386
2,955
1,882
4,423
3,175
3,181
Percent chance in establish Went-
2.8°~
3,1
1.7%
11%
3.9%
6.2%.
2.1%
Esta blishment births
156,065
92,869
16,242
9,816
12,7S1
6,771
17,616
Establishmentdeaths
326,063
72,483
13,287
7,934
8,329
3,596
14,435
Establishment expansions
298,061
98,603
52,935
37,671
41,205
17,965
49,681
Establishment contractions
296,885
65.033
64,334
47,564
49,639
20,493
49,772
Percent change in establishment- clue€c births
14.6%
19.8%
9.4%
8.9%
11.4%
13.296
1131
Percent change in establishments due to deaths
ii's%.
1511A
7.7%
7.2%
7.4%
7.0%
9.5%
Initialer, - i U'ment
C
1;ange in em
lo
ment
19,258,562
970,374 1,124,249
1,406,925
3,444,532
2,756,375
2,556,107
,
p
y
31,174 179,815
31,231
2,741
-43,805
-76,264
<:5:6, 540
Percent change in employment
0.2%
18.5%
2.8%
0.2%
-13%
-2,8?,,
-03%
Change in employmentduetobirths
1,176,589
162,490
I01,728
110,507
234,975
173,062
393,827
Change in employment dueto deaths
-1,031,368
-133,995
-82;878
-93,033
-192,320
-13439
-394,746
Change in e-nploymentduetoexpansions
1,918,836
234,651
147,836
154,902
334,050
252,161
795,236
Change m employmentdueto contractions
=2,026,833
-83,331
-135,455
-169,635
-420,514
-317,091
-850,857
Percent change in employ ment due to births
64%
16.7%
9.0%
7.9%
6.8%
6.3
4.6%
Percent ch-3nge in employment due to deaths
-5.6%
-i3.8%
-7.4%
-6.6%
-5.6%
-4.9%
-4.6{6,
Percent change in employment due to expansions & births
17.0'%
40-9%
22.2%
19.9%
16.5%
15.4°/
13.'9
Percentch3npeinemployment duetocontractions&leaths
-22.4°,-5
-19,4`6
-1$.7f
-17.8%
-SE1`%~rt
-14.69£
SOURCE: U5 Census GUreaU, Statistics of US Businesses
1000 Central Oregon Office • 115 NW Oregon Ave #21 • Bend, OR 97701
friends t (541) 719-8221 • fax (866) 394-3089
~ -d
mage 7
The data show that in the western United States many new businesses with 500+ employees were
created and expanded. This data is used in a following chart entitled "Estimated Annual Large Firm
Location Activity."
FIGURE 28: ESTIMATED ANNUAL LARGE FIRM LOCATION ACTIVITY
Central western,
raann US
% of Total
Share of Western US
% of Total
Share of Western L)S
%of Total
Share of Western LIS
IEtirnated Annu J bAi-I iii:
1xpan-,ion Annual R.3te 1/
Annual Births
_ iw - A FtrnAminns
7j370
1,219,028
G
1,61S
0.08x,
0.13`0
0.371'0
100.03%
1
998
OM %
0;08%
0-10%
100.00%
7
2,613
0,09%
0:21%
0.271n
100.00%
32.G91a
1 -
- - Estrriated Annual Activity
1.1 Assumes patterns cons isteat . ~ ith West. ern -,soa*e summar zed in regwe 2.1.
The problem is that instead of using the data for the net growth - births and expansions of new
companies less deaths and contractions - the data only looks at the births and expansions. The table
notes the Western US employer "birth rate" of 11.5%, and an "expansion rate" of 32.6%. It also notes
that currently 7 firms over 500 employees exist in our region. Assuming an 11.5% birth rate, and a
32.6% expansion rate, that would mean we should expect 3 firms over 500 employees to locate or
expand in Central Oregon every year. That means, according to this analysis, we should expect 30
new businesses with 500+ employees to grow into or locate in our region every decade.
The results lack credibility when compared to the entire Portland Metro area, which has seen an
average of less than two new large employers per decade since 1950. See Portland Urban Growth
Report, Appendix 4, p. A4-4, Table 2, "Decade of origin of existing (year 2006) large, private
employers in the Metro UGB." It is hard to imagine how a region with one tenth the population of the
Portland Metro area could expect to see so many more large firms locate in the area.
1 Central Oregon Office • 115 NW Oregon Ave #21 • Bend, OR 97701
lOl
1rrE'r1CJS (541) 719-8221 • fax (866) 394-3089
,rage 8
In fact compared to other regions that have done a similar analysis, this REOA recommends a need
several times what most regions claim they need. See attached chart. The only other region in
Oregon whose large lot need proportionally exceeded its jobs estimate was the Bear Valley region.
That region includes Ashland, Medford, and the many smaller cities in the vicinity. That region
projected an employment gain of 38,313 (almost twice the central Oregon projection) and a large lot
need of 750 acres. All other jurisdictions for which we could find data projected even smaller large
lot needs. The exception was the Portland Metro region, which projected employment growth of
396,317 (18 times the central Oregon employment projection) and a large lot need of 1825 (only
about two-thirds of the claimed central Oregon need).
The extraordinary land need claimed for central Oregon comes from two analytical enrols. The first is
that the REOA assumes that businesses with over 500 employees require large lots. There is no
evidence in the REOA that this is true. Many information technology and bioscience businesses are
able to house many more than 500 employees on smaller lots.
The second is an error in the analysis of the data. Instead of using the net growth rate - births and
expansions minus deaths and contractions - only the gross birth and expansion rates were used. We
assume this was an oversight, as the region will experience business creations and expansions, as well
as business closures and contractions over the next 20 years`
The "death rate" of films in the western US is 9.5% and the.`rcontractionrate'7 is 32.6%. When net
growth rates are considered the following results:
• Expansions and contractions are both 32.6% per year, and therefore cancel. (Actually, you can
see from Figure 25 that contractions slightly exceed expansions.)
• 11.5% Birth rate minus 9.5% Death rate= 2% annual net business creation rate.
• The 2% annual growth rate applied to the 7 starting employers equals only 3 new or &
expanded large businesses over the next 20 years - not 60 as claimed in this chart.
Another critical, yet overlooked, piece of information in the chart is the total change in employment.
Finns with 20+ employees shed 176,613 jobs in the time studied. Over 56,000 of those jobs were lost
from businesses with 500+ employees. In the same period films with less than 20 employees hired
213,787 new employees. So, although there were more large firms in existence at the end of the study
period, they on average provided fewer total jobs than smaller firms.
Based on these two charts, the REOA asserts that Central Oregon should expect to get its "fair
share" of these firms. What is a "fair share" of a shrinking job sector? Based purely on a "fair share"
statistical analysis of this data, Central Oregon should expect to see no new job growth as a result of
large firm activity in the region.
1000 Central Oregon Office • 115 NW Oregon Ave #21 • Bend, OR 97701
! (541) 719-8221 • fax (866) 394-3089
friends
>f 0-. egur
moge 9
Why an accurate estimation of needed acres matters
If cities adopt this proposal as an EOA defining the 20-year industrial land need, then, under
statewide planning Goal 9, they will be required to provide the claimed land need of 23 large sites.
Once a 20-year need has been identified, it must be brought into UGBs, as described in the Goal 9
administrative rule:
OAR 660-009-0025(2) "Total Land Supply. Plans must designate serviceable land
suitable to meet the site needs identified in section (1) of this rule. Except as provided
for in section (5) of this rule, the total acreai?e of land designated must at least equal
the total projected land needs for each industrial or other employment use category
identified in the plan during the 20-year planning period."
OAR 660-024-0050(4): "If the inventory demonstrates that the development capacity
of land inside the UGB is inadequate to accommodate the estimated 20-year needs
determined under OAR 660-024-0040, the local government must amend the plan to
satisfy the need deficiency, either by increasing the development capacity of land
already inside the city or by expanding the UGB, or both, and in accordance with ORS
197.296 where applicable.
(underlines added)
Contrary to some perceptions, including the entire 20-year land need is not "optional." Rather,
adopting a 20-year need binds a local government to undertake planning actions to meet that need,
including serving those lands with infrastructure. That is a tremendous level of public investment.
Inaccurate expectations lead to unnecessary expenses. If the land is not actually needed, it becomes
an unnecessary tax payer cost. Additionally, land owners who rely on this analysis and keep their
land as large parcels for an extended period of time will be disappointed if the actual need is only
three new large lots in the next 20 years rather than the 23 predicted in this REOA.
We understand the region hopes to make actual UGB expansions with willing landowners in certain
areas that are also suitable for large lot industrial use, for example, DSL lands. However, if the region
and cities adopt a much more expansive REOA,4 this may not be possible. Rather, much more land
would have to be added to UGBs, possibly requiring the addition of lands without willing land
owners.
Additionally, since all 23 sites will need to be selected now, with very little information about the
actual future market for large lots, the odds of choosing incorrectly are higher. What if the wrong
sites are chosen? The surplus of unused industrial land may make it difficult for future UGB
4 We do not concede that the region can justify a larger REOA.
10~, Central Oregon Office • 115 NW Oregon Ave #21 • Bend, OR 97701
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expansions in more suitable locations to proceed. Removing wrongly-chosen land from UGBs will
prove difficult.
"Exogenous Need"
The REOA asserts that all the job growth associated with large lots is an "exogenous" need.
According to the Merriam-Webster online dictionary the word exogenous means:
"a : caused by factors (as food or a traumatic factor) or an agent (as a disease-
producing organism) from outside the organism or system <exogenous obesity>
<exogenous psychic depression <exogenous market fluctuations>
"b : introduced from or produced outside the organism or system; specifically : not
synthesized within the organism or system"
In other words, the REOA claims that 100% of the predicted need will come from outside the
forecasted job growth already accounted for by the economic opportunity analyses of the various
cities within the tri county area. If the need is not exogenous need, then the REOA does not provide a
basis on which to add additional land to existing UGBs above and beyond what has already been
justified by existing employment forecasts. It would only provide a basis on which to change the
percentage of land dedicated to large lots in existing UGBs. Therefore, any city that were to adopt
this EOA would be committing to placing more land'into,large lots, but'would not have any
justification on which to increase the amount of land allocated for industrial use purposes.
If the forecast for the number of large lot users who will be arriving in the next 20 years is excessive,
then cities run the risk of placing too much of their inventory in large lots. As the REOA shows, all
the job growth is in businesses with under 20 employees. If too much land is allocated for large lots,
cities run the risk of excessively restricting the supply for the industry sector for which there is real
evidence of growth.
As shown above, the analysis of the industry growth in the western US shows that businesses with
500+ employees have been shedding jobs. Therefore there is no evidence for the REOA's
conclusions regarding the number of new large employers and their need for large lots over the next
20 years in central Oregon.
Target Industries
The proposed REOA assumes that if central Oregon has large lots available it will attract a greater
share of certain "target" industries than any other region. Specifically, the REOA highlights data
centers, renewable energy manufacturing, and warehousing and distribution. Although these
industries are discussed, no substantial evidence exists in the REOA to support the conclusion that we
should expect a greater share than would arrive under normal employment growth patterns. Given that
.
1000 Central Oregon Office, 115 NW Oregon Ave #21 • Bend, OR 97701
friends (541) 719-8221 • fax (866) 394-3089
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the US Census chart in the REOA shows that some large films are shrinking as fast as others are
expanding, the evidence actually shows that suitable vacant land already exists inside the region's
urban growth boundaries, and is already served with water, sewer, electricity and telecom
infrastructure. No evidence is provided as to why new or existing businesses would chose raw land
rather than already available land being vacated by shrinking firms,
OAR 660-009-0015 requires that "
"(1) The economic opportunities analysis must identify the major categories of
industrial or other employment uses that could reasonably be expected to locate or
ex and in the planning area based on information about national state regional
county _or local trends. This review of trends is the principal basis for estimating
future industrial and other employment uses as described in section (4) of this rule.
A use or category of use could reasonably be expected to expand or locate in the
planning area if the area possesses the appropriate locational factors for the use or
category of use.
"(4) Assessment of Community Economic Development Potential. The economic
opportunities analysis must estimate the types and amounts of industrial and other
employment uses likely to occur in the planning area. The estimate must be based
on information generated in response to sections (1) to (3) of this rule and must
consider the planning area's economic advantages and disadvantages. Relevant
economic advantages and disadvantages to be considered may include but are not
limited to:
(a) Location, size and buying power of markets;
(b) Availability of transportation facilities for access and freight mobility;
(c) Public facilities and public services;
(d) Labor market factors;
(e) Access to suppliers and utilities;
(f) Necessary support services;
(g) Limits on development due to federal and state environmental protection laws;
and
(h) Educational and technical training programs."
(Underlining added)
In short, the underlined elements of this OAR require that an EOA must estimate the employment
uses likely to occur. The REOA must include an employment forecast for these targeted industries
within the 20-year planning period.
Central Oregon Office • 115 NW Oregon Ave #21 • Bend, OR 97701
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r
The REOA does not provide information about either larger trends or the scale of employment that
could reasonably be expected from the target industries. It fails to provide any evidence that growth
from these sectors should be expected to be above and beyond the normal trending growth central
Oregon is currently experiencing.
Each of the target industries in the REOA is discussed below.
Data Centers
The REOA makes several claims about how appropriate central Oregon is for data centers. While this
is a good beginning, the analysis does not go far enough. It does not explain how many new jobs
central Oregon could reasonably expect from this sector, or how many new acres that would require.
Further, there are some analytical questions left unanswered that make it unclear that central Oregon
could really expect a large sector of this market.
The REOA claims that energy prices are the most important factor in locating a data center, but then
provides a chart showing large areas in eastern Oregon, Utah, and Wyoming that have similar
climates, but even lower energy prices. Quincy, Washington, the town known for its six new data
centers and highlighted in the appendices of this REOA, has the lowest energy prices in the US.
The REOA also asserts that "because of the significant investments characterized by data centers both
in mission critical infrastructure and physical plant (typical cost per square foot is $1,000), most
companies require large industrial sites for future expansion." REOA page 32. It is not clear why this
conclusion follows from this premise. Why would very expensive infrastructure require large lots?
Second, even if this is true (which we are not conceding) this conclusory statement provides no basis
to draw a conclusion about the actual lot sizes needed.
If central Oregon is going to attract data centers, the evidence in this REOA shows that it will have to
be on a basis other than cheap energy or simple availability of large lots. For example, if the region
has particularly good telecom infrastructure the REOA must explain why it is so much better than
other regions with lower energy prices. What is the realistic capacity before additional infrastructure
needs to be added. Data "pipes" just like sewer pipes can only cant' so much information. Does the
fact that Facebook has recently moved here provide an advantage? Will the region see secondary
suppliers to Facebook move in that will make the region more attractive to other data centers? Is
there a better educated workforce than places with lower energy costs?
Goal 9 does not preclude a community from expecting to attract a reasonable, even a large proportion
of a growing economic sector. However, it does require an analysis of the type of firms the
community is likely to attract, and a forecast of the resources those businesses are likely to require
such as employees, land, utilities, transportation, etc. This REOA's discussion of the data center
](01000 Central Oregon Office • 115 NW Oregon Ave #21 • Bend, OR 97701
rjE rlC~S (541) 719-8221 • fax (866) 394-3089
rnage 13
industry does not provide evidence to forecast what proportion of that market is likely to come to
central Oregon.
Renewable Energy Manufacturing
Again, the REOA's discussion of this emerging industry is a good beginning. It mentions some of
central Oregon's local strengths, such as the OSU program in renewable energy. It also mentions
some weaknesses such as a small educated population. Unfortunately, it fails to provide enough
quantitative information about either local or national trends that would allow a reader to understand
the extent to which this growing industry is likely to expand in central Oregon. Without this critical
information there is no evidence that this sector can be relied upon to provide any jobs in excess of
the normally forecasted trends. There is certainly no evidence that the jobs it is likely to attract will
require large lots.
Regional Warehousing
Like the analysis of the renewable energy industry this discussion provides a good beginning, but fails
to provide sufficient evidence on which to make a prediction of the size of the industry that can be
reasonably expected to move to the region. Further, at least one claim on which this discussion might
rely.appears to be intuitively unsupportable. The REOA claims that'-while Highway 97 is not
perceived to. be of.equal value as Interstate 5 as a north/south link, its function is equivalent and .
sometimes superior for many prospective firms." REOA, Page 25. Curiously, the REOA_also claims
that "Central Oregon's distance from the Interstate system is a major impediment for many
prospective firms." A finding is considered to be supported by substantial evidence when "the record,
viewed as a whole, would permit a reasonable person to make that finding." Dodd v. Hood River
County, 317 Or 172, 179 (1993). Even if there is some supporting evidence, that evidence may not be
substantial when viewed together with the countervailing evidence in the whole record. Canfield v.
Yanlhill County, 142 Or App 12, 17-18 (1996). Warehousing inherently requires excellent access to
efficient transportation facilities because of the regular transfer of goods. Any analysis of the
potential for future expansion of the warehousing and distribution industry in central Oregon requires
a more detailed analysis of this potential impediment.
Again, without a more detailed, or quantitative analysis of how much of this industry central Oregon
can expect, there is no way to predict either how many jobs will likely be created, nor how much land
is likely to be needed.
Scale needs to be considered
The REOA chart on page 40 purporting to show the appropriate lot sizes raises significant questions.
It does not appear to be grounded in actual research, nor scaled to the sizes of industries likely to
move to central Oregon. The chart lists industry types along the top, then shows various needs such
1000 Central Oregon Office • 115 NW Oregon Ave #21 • Bend, OR 97701
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as local workforce population, water, sewer, electricity etc. Most of the industries shown need 50 -
200+ acres.
It is not clear how a food processing plant that requires 50 acres would have the same workforce and
water requirements as a food processing plant that requires 200+ acres. The chart appears internally
inconsistent. At the very least, each industry should be reviewed individually, and each size should
be treated individually. If there is evidence that there is no difference in the workforce or utility
requirements for installations of vastly different sizes, the evidence for that should be presented.
Ideally, the industries that are most likely to be attracted to the central Oregon region should be
examined in the most detail. In fact, it is not clear why other industries should be examined at all.
Additionally, this chart appeared in a different form in an earlier draft. That earlier draft is attached
here on 11x17 paper and is labeled "Figure 20: Industrial Development Profile Matrix, Oregon
Economic and Community Development Department." This chart is from page 25 of the draft REOA
released on November 24, 2010. On this earlier draft all the industries listed required the same
workforce, water, sewer and electricity, but substantially smaller acreages. In fact, on the earlier draft
the only industries that needed more than 25 acres were globally scaled high tech businesses, and
multi-state import-export businesses. However, according to that earlier chart both those businesses
were precluded from Central Oregon. Globally scaled high tech businesses needed a workforce over
300,000, and import-export businesses needed a sea port..
The reason for the changed acreage must be documented. ' The acreage required by call -centers is
particularly confusing. In the`first chart a call center requires 3 acres of land, a 4"water main, 30 kva
of electricity, and a local workforce of 25,000. However, in the second chart a call center that
requires 200+ acres of land has the exact same workforce, water, and electricity requirements. It is
hard to understand how a facility almost 70 times the size would need the exact same utilities
infrastructure. It is even harder to understand how a call center that was going to hire enough workers
to fill a 200+ acre facility would be able to find that many people in a town of only 25,000. There is
not substantial evidence in the document that this chart is accurate or scaled to the population size in
this region.
The connections simply are not made. If there is a good reason for the updating of this chart, it needs
to rely on substantial evidence. In an effort to discern the origins of the first (large) chart we spoke
with Mike Williams, the industrial lands specialist at Business Oregon, the agency to which the chart
is credited . He explained that the chart was originally designed to show the minimum site
requirements for various industries for their site certification program. Unfortunately, according to
him, the chart was not created based on verifiable research, such as looking at the size of existing
businesses. It was created based on the best guess of several people who had been in the economic
development business for some years. It was meant only to provide a "ball park" idea of what kinds
000 Central Oregon Office • 115 NW Oregon Ave #21 • Bend, OR 97701
friends (541) 719-8221 • fax (866) 394-3089
rnage 15
i
of sites Business Oregon should be certifying. He verified that the version in the earlier REOA was
still accurate.
The charts also do not seem to conform to actual data about the large lot users that already exist in the
Metro area. In the large employer/large lot analysis of the Metro Urban Growth Report (attached
here) all the large lot users in Metro UGB are individually listed.
It appears from the Metro tables that a lot size of over 100 acres is extraordinarily rare. The few
examples of industries with exceptional lot sizes are globally scaled electronics manufacturing and
steel and concrete manufacturing. There are only two lots in the entire Metro region larger than 200
acres: the Intel manufacturing facility, and the Nike distribution center. Both are businesses that
have grown substantially from small beginnings in Oregon. It seems unlikely that a business of this
size would move their entire enormous facility all at once to a new location. If evidence exists that
such a move might take place, it should be included in the document. Although an appendix
identifies industries in other states that occupy large lots, there is not a good history with any of those
except the Quincy, Washington site, about how those businesses came to be located there. It simply
is not clear whether the large businesses highlighted grew slowly in place or whether they moved in
from out of town bringing some or all of their employees with them.
In summary, scale needs to be carefully considered. Is it just as realistic that Central Oregon could
attract a call center that requires 200+ acres as a call center that requires three acres? The size of the
data base industry needs to be examined, in light of the cost and availability of electricity locally. The
document needs to show how many data centers the region is likely to attract, and then forecast the
employment likely to come with such centers. Similarly, for the warehouse and renewable energy
manufacturing businesses the document needs to examine national and global markets, and explain
what sector of that business central Oregon has a reasonable chance of capturing. Then it must
express how many jobs can be expected from that sector, and what size facilities are likely to be built
in a region with existing population and levels of education. This information needs to be based on an
analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of Central Oregon in light of the actual needs of the
industries the region hopes to attract.
Again, this document claims that 100% of the need it purports to show is "exogenous" - above and
beyond what would be expected in normal growth scenarios. The fact that there are three industries
highlighted that could reasonably be expected to grow in central Oregon does not make the jobs
forecasted from that growth "exogenous." To show that a need is "exogenous" the REOA would
have to show what amount of growth is likely to occur under normal conditions, and then provide
substantial evidence that normal conditions are not controlling. It would require substantial evidence
that Central Oregon's present advantages are so signif cant and so different that past trends are not an
indicator of predictable future growth. No such evidence currently exists in the REOA
Central Oregon Office • 115 NW Oregon Ave #21 • Bend, OR 97701
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Missing Inventory
Finally, OAR 660-009-0015 requires
Cities and counties must review and, as necessary, amend their comprehensive plans to
provide economic opportunities analyses containing the information described in
sections (1) to (4) of this rule. This analysis will compare the demand for land for
industrial and other employment uses to the existing supply of such land.
(3) Comprehensive plans for all areas within urban growth boundaries must include an
inventory of vacant and developed lands within the planning area designated for
industrial or other employment use.
There is no such inventory in this document. Conversations with staff have revealed that this lack of
inventory is solely because of a lack of time, and that the inventory will be done as soon as funding
becomes available.
We encourage the Board to either rename this document to something that does not purport to satisfy
Goal 9, or postpone any adoption until an inventory is complete. Additionally, there are analytical
deficiencies in the document that should be addressed before it is adopted, which could be .
addressed while the inventory is being.completed,_ We recommend that the Board direct staff to re-
engage the consultant and ask that the errors be corrected. After the errors are corrected, we ask the
Board to direct staff to reconvene the RAC for final approval.
Please include these comments in the record, and let me know of any decision in this matter. Also,
please let me know if there is any way we can be of any further assistance in helping the Commission
understand the issues involved in this matter.
Best Regards,
Fm-Hm-dy'
P Staff Attorney & Central Oregon Advocate
1000 Central Oregon Office • 115 NW Oregon Ave #21 • Bend, OR 97701
Brien s (541) 719-8221 • fax (866) 394-3089
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Appendix 4: Forecast-based large employer/ large lot analysis
d~
A strong regional economy that provides job choices and prosperity is an important part of quality of
life. The economic position of the Portland metropolitan region is partially dependent upon global
factors as the world shifts towards new market realities. However, local and regional choices can shape
this region's place in the global economy. In addition to job capacity, factors that contribute to a strong
regional economy include, an educated workforce, high value added businesses, wage levels, the mix of
jobs, the success of economic development efforts, the transportation system, infrastructure
investments and quality of life.
This appendix is intended to provide more detailed information than found in the urban growth report
about how the relationship between demand for employment capacity and parcel formats and
configurations may change over the next 20 years. The analysis approaches the topic from several
angles to help inform growth management decisions.
This report includes the following contents. Some of the reports contents are strictly informational and
do not impact the demand analysis:
• Inventory of existing large employers (by number of employees)
• Inventory of existing large parcel users (over 25 acres)
• Forecasted large lot demand (years 2010 to 2030)
• Reconciliation of large lot supply and demand
• Policy questions
iven ory cif' sling large employers'
This analysis provides information on both large lot users and the region's large employers. An inventory
of existing large employers (in 2006) suggests that not all large employers use large parcels of land. This
portion of the analysis also draws attention to the region's many Oregon-originated, large employers
that have been in the region for decades. Existing employers play a critical role in supporting the
region's economy, and their needs should not be forgotten amongst efforts to attract the next big
employer.
1 This large employer portion of the analysis uses United States Bureau of Labor Statistics data (ES-202) from 2006.
This data includes only those employees that are covered by unemployment insurance (about 98 percent of all
non-farm employees). This data set is deemed confidential by the federal government, requiring that it be
presented in a generalized format that does not identify individual employers.
2009 - 2030 urban growth report APPENDIX 4 A4-1
Methodology and results (large employers)
Different industries require different human resources. For instance, industrial uses typically require
fewer employees per square foot than retail uses. This report's definition of a large employer recognizes
these differences by varying employment minimums for each building type. To identify large employers,
each North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code' was first assigned to one of six
building types.3 A minimum employee number was applied to each building type, assuming that the
building is on a 20-acre site (to control for parcel size). The large employer definitions are described in
Table 1Table 1.
Table 1: definition of large employers by building type
Number of equivalent
Building type
NAICS codes
jobs on 20 acres
information
excluded from this large
finance
employer analysis because
real estate
office uses would have too
professional services
many employees on a 20-acre
management
site to provide a means of
Office
administration, waste
identifying large employers
Flex
hi tech
600
manufacturing (non high tech)
General industrial
transportation, warehouse, and utilities
400
Warehouse and
200
distribution
wholesale
retail
arts, entertainment, recreation
accommodation and food service
Retail
other services
700
education
health and social services
Institution
government
1,000
Using the definition of large employers found in Table 1 results in a list of 89 large employers inside the
current urban growth boundary (UGB).
z NAICS codes are self-reported by firms and in a few cases do not appear to accurately represent the activities of
the business on these particular sites. For instance one employer's NAICS code is in the wholesale category, placing
them in the warehouse and distribution building type when most of their activities at this site appear to be office
uses.
3 This differs from the general methodology used in the urban growth report, which assigned each NAICS code to
several building types. This difference in methodology does not appear to influence the results of this large
lot/large employer analysis.
2009 - 2030 urban growth report I APPENDIX 4 A4-2
The original list of 89 large employers is described as follows:
Existing large employers by building type
Warehouse,
distribution, 22
Icx, i7 '
Retail, 2
Gencrnl,
Institution, ndu>tria!, 30
18
ii6,ur°e 1 number of large employers inside the Metro UGB in 2006 by building type
• 16 percent of large employers are public sector
• 10 percent of large employers are in the central city
• 6 percent of large employers are in town centers or regional centers
• 9 percent of large employers are in corridors '
• 61 percent of large employers are in Title 4 Employment, Industrial or Regionally Significant
Industrial Areas (in some cases, these areas overlap with centers and corridors)
Nineteen of these 89 large employers are duplicates (same firm with multiple locations), leaving 70
unique large employers inside the UGB. Of these, 14 are public sector employers, leaving56 large,
unique, private-sector employers. Thirty-seven of these private firms (66 percent) originated in the
Portland region. When public sector firms are included, 71 percent of the region's large employers
originated in the Portland region (50 out of 70 employers).
2009 - 2030 urban growth report I APPENDIX 4 A4-3
As shown in Table 2, the 56 large, private employers have emerged in our region over the course of a
4
century and a half. Many of them started as a small business that grew overtime .
This data is for information purposes only and does not impact the 2010 - 2030
large lot demand analysis.
Table 2; c ecade of origin of existin (year 2006) lar e, private L-ml ioyers in the Me tr0 UG
ecade
Number of existing (in 2006)
large, private-sector
employers by decade of
orgin in the Metro region
Number that are Oregon
Originated
1850
1
1
1860
0
0
1870
2
2
1880
0
0
1890
1
1
1900
1
1
1910
4
4
1920
4
2
1930
4
4
1940
9
9
1950
3
2
1960
2
2
1970
8
5
1980
2
1
1990
6
4
2000-2006
3
0
`Additional information about these 56 firms as well as a description of methodology is available as Attachment 1
to this report.
2009 - 2030 urban growth report I APPENDIX 4 A4-4
E"xisting farge parcel users
In addition to identifying existing large employers, this study identifies existing large parcel users in the
region. This provides an idea of what attributes future users may be looking for in large parcels. Large
parcels were defined as 25 acres or larger.
Methodology and results (existing large lot users)
To find existing large parcel users, taxlots larger than 25 acres that are being used for industrial or
commercial purposes were identified. Other large employers (the 89 large employers as defined earlier
in this report) that are located on an assemblage of more than 25 acres were added to this inventory.
This survey finds a total of 60 existing firms inside the Metro UGB that are located on a parcel of land (or
group of parcels) of at least 25 acres. Figure 2 shows the geographical distribution of these large parcels
throughout the region. These large parcel users accounted for 8.1% of total employment in the region in
2006.
r ~
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/.nllri • y
L 71oU.6lley't
Existing Large Lot Users
Building Type
a Flex
® GI
0 Institution
0 None
® Office
Port (leased)
VVD
M V
1
~ burvadaic r`
1 rMlrl Hann Valky 4
t
W-j
'rii•sJ Cn,Y , to a+, _ttv r,•
!9 4 Gu, 'fly
15ervr4od 1 i° _R
_
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Fi3ure 2: cu,-Font large lot users by bui€dins g type
GIS analysis indicates that these large parcels tend to be fairly flat. They may have some areas of slopes
greater than 7% or even 15%, but these steep areas are usually small and scattered. Large parcel users
with multiple buildings, like a hospital facility, are more likely to work around steeper slopes than a user
2009 - 2030 urban growth report I APPENDIX 4 A4-5
building a large warehouse or industrial building. There is evidence that all building types can work
around small environmental limitations when necessary. Many of the parcels in the survey have areas
that are protected by Title 3 or Title 13, usually in the form of a single stream corridor running through
the property or protected areas along the edges of the parcel. Many large lot users have only developed
a portion of their property, evidence of their preference for future expansion opportunities. Some basic
attributes of these large parcels/users, organized by building type, are shown in Table 3. Additional
information about employers on large parcels is included as Attachment 2.
Table : s r Itscy statistics for existing (arise lot users
Avera
e
Average
g
Number of
Total
Proportion of
acreage
Average
em to ees
p y
Building
large
employees in
regional
Per large
number of
per acre
pe
type
employers
building type
employment
employer
taxlots
Institutional
6
19,567
2.4%
54.3
31.5
60.0
GI
21
10,475
1.3%
53.2
3.0
9.4
WD
16
11,028
1.4 %
48.8
2.7
14.1
Flex
14
22,887
2.8%
111.8
3.1
14.6
Office
3
1,635
0.2%
82.2
5.0
6.6
Total
60
65,592
8.1%
- Institutional large lot users
The six institutional employers inventoried here are all hospitals and related facilities. Together, they
employed almost 20,000 people in 2006. There is strong evidence of taxlot assembly at these facilities,
particularly those located in areas of higher density development. The total number of taxlots for each
user ranges from 6 to 60 and total acreage ranges from 31 to 75 acres. For the large lot demand forecast
section of this report, only medical uses are forecasted for the institutional building type. This is because
other institutional large lot needs (e.g. schools) are better handled through the major UGB amendment
process, which specifically addresses public facility needs.
General Industrial (GI) large lot users
There are 21 employers on large lots in the General Industrial category. The total lot sizes for these
employers range from 25 to 164 acres, with an average of about 53 acres. There seems to be less taxlot
assembly in this category. Eight of these employers are located on a single taxlot and the average
number of taxlots for all GI large lot users is 3.0. GI buildings tend to be mostly one story, so coverage
ratios provide a good indication of what the FARs might be on these lots. Coverage ratios were
calculated for a sample of these employers and range anywhere from 0.16 to 0.67, with an average of
0.31. This is fairly consistent with the assumption in the preliminary employment urban growth report
of an average FAR of 0.26 for the GI building type.
2009 - 2030 urban growth report I APPENDIX 4 A4-6
Warehouse and Distribution (WD) large lot users
There are 16 examples of WD employers located on large lots. Taxlot sizes range from 25 to 112 acres
with an outlier (Nike) at 452 acres on an assembly of 17 taxlots. Most of these companies own fewer
than five taxlots. A sample of coverage ratios for these lots provides a range of 0.07 to 0.58 and an
average of 0.29.
Flex large lot users
There are 14 examples of Flex employers located on large lots. Flex buildings tend to be located on the
largest parcels, with an average of 112 acres per employer. However, there is evidence that these
companies are holding land for future business expansion opportunities, as indicated by vacant taxlots
and low coverage ratios where lots have been developed. Coverage ratios for a sample of developed
lots range from 0.07 to 0.23 with an average of 0.13. Eight of these employers are located on a single
taxlot while the rest are located on between two and 11 taxlots.
Office large lot users
Because office uses are well-suited to denser development, office building types are rare on large
parcels. Counter intuitively, in this sampling of large parcel users, the office building type has the lowest
average employee density per acre. There are three Office employers located on lots larger than 25
acres. Their total land area ranges from 44 to 123 acres on 3 to 6 taxlots.
Additional large lot users
There are some other examples of large lot users in the region that do not fit into our building type
analysis. These include industrial users like sand and gravel mining as well as companies that are leasing
large lots from the Port of Portland. The Port of Portland currently leases six large waterfront lots (or
groups of taxlots) for warehouse and distribution use, one large lot for retail use and one for office use.
Correlation between past preferences re ices for angle lots and ature employment
demand
This analysis was conducted to examine the relationships between jobs capacity and the types of firms
that use large parcels. This analysis, as with the general employment analysis found in the UGR, is based
on employment projections for the period 2010 to 2030.Two different growth scenarios, high growth
and low growth were examined.6 These employment projections, by NAICS sector, are shown in Tables
4 and 5.
s Nike's self-reported wholesale NAICS code places them in the warehouse and distribution building type. They
more correctly would be placed in the office building type. Because it is beyond the scope of this analysis to
double-check each building type, Nike has been kept in the WD building type for consistency. This does not affect
projected demand for future large lot office or WD uses.
6 The 2010 to 2030 range forecast is available as a separate document.
2009 - 2030 urban growth report I APPENDIX 4 A4-7
; 4x<'if7 = s 34 yr 2 ni psotecticns by ~ectoi in t cusaa cis of jobs
4 -o NAICS codes Sector 2010 2015 2020 2025 2030
1
7
1
6
1
5
11,21
Ag, Mining
1.9
9
77
1.8
85.0
.
93.6
.
104.0
.
117.1
23
334
Construction
Manufacturing - Hi tech
.
39.2
43.6
46.5
48.9
51.6
33 (except 334)
32
31
Manufacturing - non-hi tech
98.5
105.9
108.9
110.5
111.4
,
,
42
Wholesale
61.4
67.9
74.1
80.0
85.9
45
44
Retail
120.6
132.3
136.3
142.1
149.4
,
49
48
22
Transp, Warehouse & Utilities
40.8
48.3
53.0
56.7
60.7
,
,
51
Information
26.9
31.5
36.6
41.7
47.1
52
Finance
48.1
56.6
62.3
67.6
72.5
53
Real Estate
28.5
31.5
34.7
37.6
40.6
54
Professional Services
60.8
71.8
81.9
90.9
100.3
55
Management
26.8
33.6
39.7
46.0
52.7
56
Admin, Waste
77.0
95.3
108.9
121.2
132.8
61
Education
25.9
29.0
33.2
37.4
41.7
62
Health & Social Services
119.8
143.6
170.6
194.5
219.9
71
Entertain, Rec
Arts
15.2
16.8
19.0
21.0
22.9
72
,
Accomm & Food Service
88.1
98.1
108.1
117.2
126.5
81
Other Services
41.9
51.2
60.2
68.2
76.1
92
Government
161.9
165.5
175.6
185.7
195.4
Total
1,160.9
1,309.3
1,444.8
1,572.6
1,706.1
2009 - 2030 urban growth report I APPENDIX 4 A4-8
i able 5; Low growth employment projections by sector in thousands of jobs
NAICS codes
Sector
2010
2015
2020
11, 21
Ag, Mining
1.5
1.4
1.3
23
Construction
43.9
45.6
44.7
743
334
Manufacturing - Hi tech
24.9
26.3
27.5
31,32,33 (except 334)
Manufacturing - non-hi tech
71.4
72.7
71.9
70.7
69.5
42
Wholesale
55.8
61.8
67.6
72.9
78.3
44,45
Retail
101.3
107.9
108.1
110.4
114.7
22, 48,49
Transp, Warehouse & Utilities
36.2
43.1
47.3
50.4
53.9
51
Information
19.2
20.6
22.9
25.5
28.3
52
Finance
41.4
47.7
52.0
56.5
60.9
53
Real Estate
24.1
26.1
28.7
31.2
33.6
54
Professional Services
48.0
54.5
61.6
68.3
75.8
55
Management
17.6
19.4
21.3
23.6
26.7
56
Admin, Waste
44.9
49.1
51.7
54.4
57.1
61
Education
21.7
24.0
27.1
30.1
32.9
62
Health & Social Services
107.5
126.7
149.8
169.7
190.8
71
Arts, Entertain, Rec
12.2
13.4
15.2
16.8
18.3
72
Accomm & Food Service
82.7
92.1
101.4
109.9
118.5
81
Other Services
30.5
35.6
41.3
46.5
51.7
92
Government
149.0
151.2
160.0
168.9
177.3
Total
933.6
1,019.1
1,101.4
1,178.5
1,260.0
_ Employment was distributed by real estate type using a set-of density assumptions about the
relationship between land area and employment for each building type.
2009 - 2030 urban growth report I APPENDIX 4 A4-9
1
Table 6 shows the sectors (by NAICS codes) that are expected to occupy each of the six building types.
These assumptions are slightly different than the methods used to assign sectors to building types in the
UGR. For simplicity, each sector has been assigned to one building type as opposed to the proportional
assignment used in the UGR. Assumptions about the average square foot per employee (SFE) and
average floor to area ratio (FAR) were made for each building type, also shown in Table 6. These
numbers allow for a calculation of the average number of jobs per acre for each building type These
values are the same as the Outer Ring density assumptions used in the broader UGR analysis, as most
large lot development is expected to take place in Outer Ring subareas. As shown in the UGR's buildable
land inventory, most of the existing large lot supply is located near the outer edges of the current urban
growth area.
Table 6: Building type and density assumptions
Building Type
NI.
Warehouse/Distribution (WD)
General Industrial (GI)
23,31
Tech/Flex (TF)
Office
Retail
Medical
Average
Average
Average Jobs
%CS codes
SFE
FAR
per Acre
22, 42, 48, 49
1,850
0.32
7.5
32, 33 (except 334)
600
0.26
18.9
334
990
0.31
13.6
1, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56
375
0.715
87.1
44, 45, 71 ,72, 81
550
0.44
34.8
62
650
0.66
44.2
The next step is to determine how future job growth will be distributed among firm sizes. For this
analysis, it is assumed that the proportional distribution of jobs by firm size will be the same as that
observed in the 2006 employment data (for the Metro region). This distribution is shown in Table 7.
Table 7: Proportional distribution of employment by firm size for each building type
Firm size b jobs
WD
GI
TF
Office
Retail
Medical
less than 10
12%
15%
1%
17%
18%
13%
10 to 49
26%
30%
5%
26%
41%
24%
50 to 99
14%
17%
4%
14%
16%
13%
100 to 149
9%
9%
4%
7%
8%
6%
150 to 199
5%
6%
4%
5%
5%
4%
200 to 499
15%
14%
25%
14%
10%
9%
500 to 999
5%
5%
17%
9%
1%
5%
000 to 1,999
1
6%
5%
34%
5%
0%
7%
,
000 to 2,999
2
0%
0%
6%
2%
0%
6%
0
,
000 or more
3
7%
0%
0%
0%
0
0 /0
13
0
,
Total
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
1000
0
2009 - 2030 urban growth report APPENDIX 4 A4-10
Finally, employment projections are run through this set of assumptions with the additional assumption
of a 75% capture rate for the Metro UGB'. Tables 8 and 9 show the forecast of the number of new firms
expected from 2010 to 2030 by firm size and building type. Note that in the low growth scenario,
employment projections show a decline in employment in the General Industrial category, so the
number of new firms and area of land forthis building type have been set to zero.
Table "s;h growth IOye.,aast Of new firms by fi,,m size and building type, 2010 to 2030
Firm size by
jobs
WD
GI
TF
Office
Retail
Medical
Total
less than 10
778
1,140
14
4,518
2,976
2,016
11,442
10 to 49
290
393
15
1,149
1,130
603
3,580
50 to 99
63
87
5
249
172
126
702
100 to 149
25
28
3
76
55
34
221
150 to 199
10
14
2
40
24
15
105
200 to 499
14
16
7
55
24
20
136
500 to 999
2
3
2
17
1
5
30
1,000 to 1,999
1
1
2
4
0
4
12
2,000 to 2,999
0
0
0
1
0
2
3
3,000 or more
1
0
0
0
0
3
4
Total
1,184
1,682
50
6,109
4,382
2,828
16,235
Table 9: Low growth forecast of new firms by firm size and building type, 2010 to 2030
Firm size by
jobs
WD
GI
TF
Office
Retail
Medical
Total
less than 10
704
0
4
2,216
2,086
1,680
6
690
10 to 49
263
0
5
563
792
502
,
2,125
50 to 99
57
0
2
122
120
105
406
100 to 149
23
0
1
37
38
28
127
150 to 199
9
0
1
20
17
13
60
200 to 499
13
0
2
27
17
17
76
500 to 999
2
0
1
8
1
5
17
1,000 to 1,999
1
0
1
2
0
3
2,000 to 2,999
0
0
0
1
0
7
3,000 or more
1
0
0
1
2
0
0
2
3
Total
1,073
0
17
2,996
3,071
2,356
9,513
The capture rate used in this UGR is applied to a larger 7-county area than past UGRs, which used a 4-county
capture rate. This change is due to the U.S. Office of Management and Budget's changed definition of the primary
metropolitan statistical area.
2009 - 2030 urban growth report I APPENDIX 4 A4-11
Using the assumptions about jobs per acre from Table 6, the forecast of firms is correlated to parcel size
and building type, shown in Tables 10 and 11.
Table 101Hi -h growth lot correlation by lot size and buildin€, type, 2010 to 20303
Lot size (acres)
WD
GI
TF
Office
Retail
Medical
Total
25 to 50
11
4
4
1
0
4
5
24
15
50 to 100
7
1
2
0
0
0
4
100 plus
3
0
1
0
0
Table 11. Low iro-th lot correlation by lot size and buildin type, 2010 to 20303
Lot size (acres)
WD
GI
TF
Office
Retail
Medical
Total
25 to 50
10
0
1
1
0
3
3
15
10
50 to 100
6
0
1
0
0
4
100 plus
3
0
1
0
0
0
Large lot demand for marine and rail terminal use is not included in this analysis. These types of facilities
may have relatively few employees and little building square footage. Consequently, a job forecast may
be an inadequate means of forecasting land demand for these uses. Furthermore, these uses are
extremely location specific and cannot be accommodated through UGB expansions.
Policy questions
1. Some of the region's existing large lot employers appear to hold vacant land for future local
expansion opportunities. Should it be a regional policy to provide capacity for future business
expansions that may exceed the twenty-year need? What are the risks of not doing so?
2. Given the inherent uncertainty of the range forecast, what are the risks and opportunities of
providing too much or too little large-lot employment capacity?
3. This analysis identifies potential demand for one 25-to-50-acre lot for office uses. Office uses are
well-suited to multi-story buildings. Should it be regional policy to expand the UGB to provide
large lots for office uses? What are the risks of not doing so?
4. Should the cyclical UGR capacity analysis include large lot institutional uses (medical, education,
government) or should they be handled on an as-needed basis?
5. Since they need to be located close to where people live, should we expect that future
institutional uses will occur in smaller building formats that don't require large lot UGB
expansions?
6. Should we assume that potential land assembly can help address large lot demand?
7. What strategies can be put in place to ensure that industrial land is used for job generating
industrial purposes in order to protect public investments made to support industrial uses (such
as transportation investments and planning efforts) and enhance regional competitiveness?
2009 - 2030 urban growth report I APPENDIX 4 A4-12
-aa s s
It is likely that many future large parcel needs will need to be accommodated on vacant land rather than
refill. Refill would appear to be a more likely source of capacity for smaller lot needs. The buildable land
inventory for employment uses was amended by Metro's regional partners to incorporate local
knowledge of available land. Details about the large lot buildable land inventory and a reconciliation of
supply and potential demand are included in the urban growth report.
2009 - 2030 urban growth report I APPENDIX 4 A4-13
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Byline: Sherri Buri McDonald The Register-Guard
Sony's sudden closure in April of its Springfield CD
factory didn't just deal a blow to the plant's 277
workers, who all lost their jobs. It also gave a black
eye to the enterprise-zone tax-break system - the
corporate incentive program that's a centerpiece of
Oregon's economic development strategy.
Since Sony opened in Springfield 1996, it had been
held as a model enterprise-zone company. From 1996
to 2000, Sony was largely exempt from paying
property taxes on its 365,000-square-foot Springfield
factory and equipment.
Elected officials reasoned that the five-year waiver
would pay off in the long run because Sony was
bringing good jobs to the area, and the factory
eventually would come onto the tax rolls and begin
paying its fair share of local government and school
costs.
But after less than three years fully on the rolls, Sony
shut the plant.
The closure stunned many. But perhaps it shouldn't
have.
In Lane County, the performance of big companies
that got big tax breaks has been questionable, a
Register-Guard examination of the program shows.
Many of the largest companies that have gotten the
biggest breaks in the past 12 years have closed
factories or cut back jobs, either while receiving the
tax breaks or soon after the breaks expired, the
newspaper found.
'211 Fef n Div tle ii:?h m __I r~dbb
Title Annotation: Big property-tax waivers yield
patchy returns in Lane County;
Business
Publication: The Register-Guard (Eugene
OR)
Geographic Code: 1USA
Date: Aug 10. 2003
Words: 2481
Previous Article: Analysts and politicians divided
over wavers (Business)
Next Article: Tax-break score-card BUSmessl
Topics: Computer peripherals industry
Consumer electronics industry
Machinery industry
Paper industry
Paoer machines
Clt Qt s Hvrix tax break (BusinesslBu¢itq=t;sz
Coun:ilors asafFacernfam~ tp rn~k~a corarbutio_i
to schools. but it still would save S2.9 million i
Hvnix tax d,. al include° school
23 h (B tsine •s)(Waiver Local offi.. jis - x,) ••ted t
arjprcve the ls?' rie that gives th company a S2.2
malign break'
' i
This pattern appears to conflict with a key argument of
tax-waiver advocates: that the breaks bring big
companies to town that will stick around and
strengthen the long-term jobs base.
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Sony's high-profile closure is prompting some critics to
urge more restrictions on granting the breaks.
Communities should require that companies keep tax-
exempted factories open for a number of years
beyond the waiver period or pay "restitution" if they
shut them, said former Sony shipping worker Ellen
Columbo of Junction City. Under current state rules,
once a company stops claiming the breaks, it can cut
jobs with impunity - as Sony did.
The tax-break system needs to be fixed to produce "a
long-term benefit to the community, not just a short-
term Band-Aid," Columbo said.
Columbo, 60, had worked at the Sony factory since
construction began in 1995. After being laid off at the
closure, Columbo spent four months out of work, and
this month starts a new job as a circulation
coordinator at magazine publisher Advanstar in
Eugene.
"Global pressures"
But others say the tax-waiver program is largely fine
as is, and more restrictions would hurt.
If cities want to recruit out-of-area firms such as
Sony, they must offer waivers on liberal terms to
compete against other communities that also offer
breaks, said Jack Roberts, executive director of the
business-advocacy group Lane Metro Partnership.
"We never said the enterprise zone would repeal the
business cycle and insulate companies from global
pressures," he added. "Just because (companies)
don't stay forever doesn't mean it has failed."
In the wake of Sony's closure, The Register-Guard
reviewed tax waivers granted to companies in the
Eugene, Springfield, Coburg and Oakridge enterprise
zones since 1990 to try to assess the effectiveness of
the program. Experts nationwide differ on how to
gauge whether tax breaks work, or whether it's even
possible to do that.
The newspaper posed a simple question: How many
of the 76 companies that got the waivers are still in
business and employing local residents?
One answer: Many of the largest waiver recipients
have shut down or cut back.
But an overwhelming number of the firms that got
small tax breaks are still here and providing far more
jobs than when they first applied for the waivers. Most
of these companies are locally owned.
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sk Ilecl workers Gen. tai tie 4)fne quiet shutdown
led s 277 eor)l' Unemployed and many mare...
Tax=,'eak Scorecard (F3usinessl
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Big employers have peer ahle t, cut jobs but
t, ,ix (13t sinessVI- =re County cgmnanfes tLe
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Sf r'f businesses tthes ccecs storJ (Bu,siness)'Son?e
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Lane cornmis'sio7ers approve Lyocosal.on enterprise
zone (Governrentl
In addition, the biggest companies got far larger tax
waivers per job created than did the multitude of
• smaller firms.
Consider:
Aside from Sony, two other recipients of hefty breaks -
HMT Technology Corp. and Rosen Products - have
shut.
HMT, which made computer hard disk drives in west
Eugene, was waived from paying $1.7 million in taxes
on building upgrades and equipment from 1997 to
1999. In April 2001, the firm's California-based parent
shut the plant and laid off its 350 workers. HMT in
2001 had to pay $470,000 of the waived taxes after a
review by Lane County officials found the firm had
been cutting jobs and breaking its job-creation
agreement even as it was receiving tax breaks.
Rosen, which made flat-panel display screens for cars
and airplanes, was waived from paying nearly
$300,000 in property taxes from 1996 through 2002.
The firm's Philadelphia-based parent, The Berwind
Group, shut the Eugene plant last year, laying off 225
workers. The county assessor is investigating whether
Rosen must pay back some waivers because it broke
its job-creation agreement.
The big companies that have not closed their local
plants have a clear pattern of failing to create the
number of jobs they initially promised under their tax-
break agreements. Giants Hynix, Weyerhaeuser Co.,
and Symantec Corp. have all slashed their work
forces below levels they initially agreed to, and then
negotiated special new deals with elected officials to
get some or all of the tax waivers anyway.
Six firms received more than $1 million in tax waivers
from 1990 through 2002: Hynix, Monaco Coach Corp.,
Weyerhaeuser, Sony, HMT and Shorewood
Packaging. Of these, Hynix, Monaco, Weyerhaeuser
and Shorewood are still here. These six companies
created a net total of about 1,906 jobs. That's the
difference between their current local head count and
their head count when the six first applied for tax
breaks.
These six companies got the vast majority of the tax
breaks ($61 million, or 95 percent of the total awarded
since 1990.) Hynix alone got waivers worth $50.7
million. For Hynix, the community has waived nearly
$60,000 in taxes for each of the 850 jobs now at the
plant.
Of the remaining 70 mostly small companies, at least
59 still exist and continue to operate locally, while 11
have shut. These 70 firms are responsible for a net
gain of at least 1,648 jobs.
These 70 companies got relatively small tax breaks
because they added modest buildings and equipment
in small increments. In total, they have been waived
from paying only about $3.5 million in taxes, according
to a county estimate. That's a waiver of about $2,100
for each of the 1,648 jobs.
Some local businesspeople and politicians see these
findings as supporting their argument that it makes
more sense to help small, locally-based firms than try
to lure outside companies that have no special bond
with Lane County.
Mel Bankoff, founder of local salsa maker Emerald
Valley Kitchen, likes the breaks for local firms. But, he
added, "I detest it for the large companies going
around trying to get the best deal.
"it goes against the ethos of community-sustainable
business endeavors," he said. "The large companies
don't necessarily have any investment in the
community. In the long-haul, who's going to be there
five or 10 years down the road?"
Emerald Valley Kitchen got about $22,000 in tax
breaks for its new Eugene factory and equipment, and
has 19 local employees
Art Fish, the Oregon Economic and Community
Development Department's enterprise-zone
coordinator, said he's surprised at the woes of so
many large tax-break recipients in Lane County. "That
is weird," he said. "It sort of sounds like just bad luck
for that area." Fish's agency oversees the tax-break
program statewide.
Lane County's pace of large plant closures and
cutbacks isn't typical of the track record in other
Oregon enterprise zones, he added.
The shakiness of the big companies may be due in
part to the volatile sectors they're in, he said. Hynix,
HMT, Rosen, Sony and Symantec are all tech firms.
That sector boomed and crashed in the 1990s.
Firms had high hopes
When those firms built their factories and applied for
tax breaks, they weren't expecting financial trouble,
Fish stressed. "At the time when they set out, they
had really good hopes. Obviously, we've had some
bad economic times globally," he said.
The Oregon Legislature created the tax-break system
in 1985. Cities don't have to offer them, and many
don't. Coburg offered the breaks for less than 12
months in the mid-1990s, then shut the program to
new applicants. Dismayed by Hynix's huge waiver,
Eugene closed its program to new applicants in 1997.
Springfield, by contrast, renewed its program in 2000
for another 10 years.
Local elected officials agonize over offering the
breaks, in part because it is impossible to know for
sure whether they truly spur job creation.
In addition, no one has been able to nail down the
broader impacts on a community of granting tax
waivers to a company that moves into town or
expands.
When a manufacturer moves in, it creates benefits -
and costs.
On the plus side, workers gain paychecks and skills
that can be valuable even if the company later folds.
On the cost side, new employers often spur in-
migration to a community, noted Peter Fisher, a
professor of planning at the University of Iowa, and
co-author of a new book about enterprise zones. In
Eugene and Springfield, that occurred when Hynix and
Sony moved here.
The in-migration forces local governments to gear up
by building roads and sewers, adding parks and police
patrols, and upgrading schools. Many of those are
fixed costs that persist even if the company closes.
Roads and parks still need to be maintained; schools
still need to be repaired and heated, Fisher said.
The question then becomes: Should a community try
to encourage growth by waiving property taxes that
are supposed to help pay for the upgrades needed in
order to handle that growth?
Shifting the tax burden
Were it certain that the new companies would stick
around for many years, it might be easier to favor tax
breaks, critics said.
"I'm not saying that enterprise zones are categorically
bad. Many of them do produce good jobs that last for
a long time," said Paul Holvey, a local labor activist
and union representative for Local 1273 of the United
Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America.
"But I think there needs to be something in writing that
they (companies) be partners in the community once
the tax break is over."
The breaks have become one more way that
government in Oregon and nationwide in the past
decade has lightened the tax burden on businesses
and shoved it onto individuals instead, Holvey added.
But Lane Metro's Roberts sees tax waivers as a way
to try to keep industrial jobs in the United States even
as manufacturers increasingly ship that work to low-
wage employees overseas.
Roberts opposes new restrictions on the waivers. "The
trickier you make this (program), the less effective it's
going to be (as) an inducement to business to locate
here."
And property-tax breaks are a benign way to attract
out-of-area firms, he argued. If a company decides
not to come here, it wouldn't pay property taxes here
anyway, he points out. So if a community offers tax
waivers and succeeds in luring a new firm, the
community isn't reducing its tax receipts, and stands to
gain jobs, he said. That argument has won the day in
hundreds of communities across the nation that now
offer property-tax breaks.
Roberts recalled a few years ago attending a seminar
at which then-Secretary of Labor Robert Reich urged
communities to stop competing against each other on
tax breaks.
After the speech "we all looked at each other and said
'You first,' " Roberts said. "We all know that it's sort of
like an arms race. You can't unilaterally disarm."
Contact business reporter Sherri Buri McDonald at
338-2367 or sburi@guardnet.com. Business editor
Christian Wihtol contributed to this report. He can be
contacted at 338-2381 or cwihtol@guardnet.com.
Hynix
City: Eugene
Business: Making computer chips
Current jobs: 850 workers, up from 800 when the
plant opened in 1998, but down from the 1,000 jobs
Hynix promised in 1995 and in 2001.
Tax waiver: $50.7 million, 1996-2002
HMT Technology Corp.
City: Eugene
Business: Making computer hard-disk drives
Current jobs: Zero. Permanently shut in April 2001,
laying off 350 workers.
Tax waiver: $1.3 million, 1996-2000
Weyerhaeuser Co.
City: Springfield
Business: Paper/wood products manufacturing
Current jobs: 570 workers, down from 1,000 in 1990.
Tax waiver: $3.6 million in 1990, 1994-1997
Shorewood Packaging
City: Springfield
Business: Packaging
Current jobs: 136, about the same as when opened.
Tax waiver: $1 million, 1996-2000
Sony Disc Manufacturing
City: Springfield
Business: Making CDs
Current jobs: Zero. Permanently shut in April 2003,
laying off 277 workers.
Tax waiver: $3 million, 1996-2000
Monaco Coach Corp.
City: Coburg
Business: Making RVs
Current jobs: About 2,000, up from 500 jobs in 1995,
when firm began rapid expansion.
Tax waiver: $1.3 million, 1997-2002
ZONING IN
ABCs of Oregon enterprise-zone program
Created: In 1985 by Legislature to combat economic
slump. Lets cities designate zones and waive property
taxes on certain firms.
Eligible firms: Manufacturers, processors, distributors,
headquarters, call centers, and in some zones
hotels/motels. Retail, construction and financial
businesses typically ineligible. When launched, the
program gave some retailers tax breaks. Safeway in
the early 1990s got three years of tax breaks for its
grocery store on West 11th Avenue in Eugene.
Basic rules: Waives 3-5 years of property taxes on
new buildings/equipment for firms expanding or
locating in zone. Firms already in or near zone must
increase their work force by at least 10 percent to get
breaks. Firms that move to zone from out of area
must bring in at least one job. If firm later drops below
promised job level, zone sponsors can stop the
breaks. But law lets cities negotiate special deals with
large companies to continue giving them breaks even
if they cut jobs.
Zones statewide: 49
ZONES IN LANE COUNTY
West and northwest Eugene: Created in 1987, shut to
new firms in 1997. In 1990-2002, about 56 firms
received breaks.
Oakridge: Created in 1987, renewed for 10 years in
1997. One firm has received breaks.
Springfield: Created in 1990, renewed for 10 years in
2000. Zone encompasses all industrial areas in the
city. In 1990-2002, about 18 firms received breaks.
Coburg: Created in 1994, shut to new firms in 1995.
Two firms have received breaks.
Florence: Created in 2000 for 10 years. No breaks
given yet.
Cottage Grove: Created in 2002 for 10 years. No
breaks finalized yet.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Web: www.econ.state.or.us/enterthezones, Web site
for the Oregon Economic and Community
Development Department, which runs the program
Book: "State Enterprise Zone Programs: Have They
Worked?" by Alan Peters and Peter Fisher, W.E.
Upjohn Institute for Employment Research, 2002.
(www.upjohninstitute.org/publications)
CAPTION(S):
:L
Jack Roberts, executive director of Lane Metro
Partnership. is a proponent of tax breaks that lured
Sony to Springfield. INSIDE Business: Some flourish
without enterprise-zone breaks / A10 Success: Small
businesses prospering with tax breaks / A11
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September 22, 2011
Neil R. Bryant
HAND DELIVERED
Robert S. Lovlien
John A. Berge
DESCHUTES COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
Sharon R. Smith
1300 NW WALL ST., SECOND FLOOR
John D. Sorlie
BEND, OR 97701
Mark G. Reinecke
Melissa P. Lande
Re: Appeal Application of John Russell
Kitri C. Fora
Property at: Map 15-11-19A, Tax Lot 100
Paul J. Taylor
File Nos.: LR-10-8/A-11-1
Kyle D. Wuepper
Jeremy M. Green
Dear Commissioners:
Peter A. Christoff
Melinda Thomas
Enclosed please find three (3) copies of a letter from attorney Steven Pfeiffer,
submitted on behalf of the Applicant.
591 S.W. Mill View Way
Please call me if you have any questions.
Bend, Oregon 97702
Phone: (541) 382-4331
Fax: (541) 389-3386
Very truly yours,
WWW.BLJLAWYERS.COM
ROBERT S. LOVLIEN
RSL/alk
Encl.
( 16060-001-00097093;1)
Steven L. Pfeiffer
r"orae: (503) 727-2261
rax: (503) 346-2261
EMAIL: SPfeiffer@perkinscoie.com
September 15, 2011
VIA EMAIL AND U.S. MAIL
Tammy Baney, Chair
Board of County Commissioners
Deschutes County
1300 NW Wall Street, 2nd Floor
Bend, OR 97701
Re: 17590 Forked Horn Drive, Map 15-11-19A, Tax Lot 100
Appeal of Hearing Officer's Decision, File No. A-11-3 (A-11-1; LR-10-
8)
Dear Chair Baney and Fellow County Commissioners:
We represent John W. Russell, the applicant in the above-referenced request for lot of
record verification, and the appellant in this appeal of the Hearings Officer's decision affirming
denial of lot of record verification for the subject property. Based on established Oregon law,
and for the reasons more fully described below, we believe that the lot at issue is a valid legal lot
of record, and should be verified as such. We respectfully request that the Deschutes County
Board of Commissioners (the "Board") grant this appeal and direct the approval of the subject lot
of record verification request.
Background
It is undisputed that the subject property (Tax Lot 100) was first conveyed in a recorded
Warranty Deed on December 1, 1969, together with another unit of land (Tax Lot 200). The
1969 Warranty Deed specifically describes the property subject to the Deed as "Two parcels of
land" and provides a separate legal description for each parcel. Each legal description is
separated into its own paragraph and has different points of beginning. It is also undisputed that
at the time of the 1969 conveyance, no applicable subdivision or partition ordinance, and no
14572-0001 /LEGAL21729925.1
Board of County Commissioners
September 15, 2011
Page 2
applicable zoning code, existed in Deschutes County. Therefore, Tax Lot 100 and Tax Lot 200
were lawfully created in accordance with the laws in place at the time of creation. In 2006, Tax
Lot 200 was sold and conveyed separately from Tax Lot 100 by Warranty Deed, such that the
two lots are no longer under the same ownership.
In the challenged decision, the Hearings Officer determined that, under the "lot of record"
provision in Deschutes County Code ("DCC") 18.04.030, the inclusion of the legal description
for the subject property with the description of a second parcel separately described in the
original Deed serves as a basis for denying lot of record status. DCC 18.04.030 provides, in
relevant part, as follows:
"'Lot of Record' means:
A. A lot or parcel at least 5,000 square feet in area and at least
50 feet wide, which conformed to all zoning and subdivision or
partition requirements, if any, in effect on the date the lot or parcel
was created, and which was created by any of the following means:
3. By deed or contract, dated and signed by the parties to the
transaction, containing a separate legal description of the lot or
parcel, and recorded in Deschutes County if recording of the
instrument was required on the date of the conveyance. If such
instrument contains more than one legal description, only one lot
of record shall be recognized unless the legal descriptions describe
lots subject to a recorded subdivision or town plat;" (Emphasis
added.)
In sum, despite the lawful creation of Tax Lot 100, the Hearings Officer has denied lot of
record status to the subject lot to prevent its development based solely on the arbitrary difference
in the wording of deeds. The issue before the Board is the legal validity of the Deschutes County
"lot of record" provision.
Analysis
As a practical matter, the effect of the County's "lot of record" provision is to deny
development of lawfully created lots based on the arbitrary distinction of how the deed creating
the lot was worded. Furthermore, under this provision, the prohibition on development applies
regardless of whether the lot is substandard in size or meets all minimum development standards.
It also applies even if the lots required to be consolidated for development purposes are held in
separate ownership, but only if the subject lots were historically created by a single deed. As a
14572-0001 /LEGAL21729925.1
Board of County Commissioners
September 15, 2011
Page 3
matter of public policy, the County should not hinge future development rights on arbitrary and
illegitimate differences in the wording or form of deeds.
The Land Use Board of Appeals ("LUBA") addressed this issue recently in review of a
case with almost identical facts. Thomas v. Wasco County, 58 Or LUBA 452 (2009). In
Thomas, the Wasco County ordinance required that contiguous substandard parcels that were
created by deed before 1974 must be considered one property for development purposes if those
parcels were subsequently transferred by a single deed, except where the properties listed in the
single deed were described with separate metes and bounds descriptions and separate headings.
Id. While LUBA found that encouraging the consolidation of substandard lots for development
purposes may serve a legitimate planning objective, it concluded that there was no legal basis for
using the specific language of deeds to achieve such objective. LUBA specifically found as
follows:
"In sum, the county's apparent objective in encouraging the
consolidation of substandard size lots for development purposes
almost certainly serves a legitimate planning objective. There are
a number of methods that the county can adopt to further that
objective that are not based on deeds or the specific language of
deeds. A relatively straightforward way would be to adopt code
language that simply prohibits development of substandard size
lots or parcels, with whatever exceptions the county deems
appropriate. However, if the county continues to base its approach
for consolidation of substandard size properties on the examination
of deeds, the county must identify some legal basis for the
distinctions it draws, such that future development rights do not
hinge on apparently arbitrary differences in the wording or form of
deeds." Id.
LUBA held that a land use regulation that applies, or does not apply, based on how the deeds that
conveyed those parcels were written is a wholly arbitrary method of determining whether
adjoining substandard parcels must be developed together as one parcel. As discussed in more
detail below, the Deschutes County "lot of record" provision suffers similar flaws as the
ordinance in Thomas.
In the present case, the Hearings Officer's stated planning objectives, on which the "lot of
record" provision is based, are contrary to Oregon law and are not achieved by such provision.
Specifically, in his decision, the Hearings Officer stated as follows:
" I find that the provision of Deschutes County Zoning
Ordinance 18.04.030(A)(3) dealing with multiple parcels being
14 572-0001 /LEGAL21729925.1
Board of County Commissioners
September 15, 2011
Page 4
described on a single deed is not arbitrary and serves legitimate
planning objectives by promoting the practical consolidation of
substandard size lots for development purposes and preventing the
recognition of land tracts that were created outside the applicable
land division and zoning ordinances, where appropriate." Hearings
Officer's decision, dated May 27, 2011, p. 8.
As previously mentioned, although the stated planning objective is to promote consolidation of
substandard size lots for development, the County's "lot of record" provision applies to any and
all lots that were created in a single deed, regardless of if the lots meet all minimum size and
development standards. If the County desired to encourage consolidation of substandard size
lots, it could simply adopt a code provision to prohibit development of substandard size lots,
with any appropriate exceptions. The "lot of record" provision, as enacted, bears no relationship
to this stated planning objective since the objective can be achieved through other means,
regardless of whether lots are created by one or two deeds.
The second planning objective stated by the Hearings Officer, namely to prevent the
recognition of land tracts that were created outside the applicable land division and zoning
ordinances, is contrary to well-established Oregon law. Specifically, ORS 92.010 provides as
follows:
"'Lawfully established unit of land' means:
B. Another unit of land created:
(ii) By deed or land sales contract, if there were no applicable
planning, zoning or subdivision or partition ordinances or
regulations."
ORS 92.010(3)(a)(B)(ii).
In addition, ORS 92.017 states as follows:
"A lot or parcel lawfully created shall remain a discrete lot or
parcel, unless the lot or parcel lines are vacated or the lot or parcel
is further divided, as provided by law."
14572-0001 /LEGAL21729925.1
Board of County Commissioners
September 15, 2011
Page 5
Taken together, these statutory provisions represent binding legislation directed to local
governments regarding the minimum protections and rights of reconveyance to be afforded
lawfully established lots or parcels, regardless of contrary local policy objectives.
In stark contrast to the stated purpose of the County lot of record provision as asserted
by the Planning Division, LUBA, upon consideration of the legislative history of ORS 92.017,
found as follows:
"The text of ORS 92.017, and its legislative history, make it clear
that the functions of ORS 92.017 were (1) to prevent local
governments from refusing to recognize lawful divisions of land
such that lots and parcels could not be sold to third parties, and
(2) to establish that the property lines established by such land
divisions remain inviolate, absent the employment of a specific
process to eliminate such property lines."
"ORS 92.017 requires recognition of such parcels as separate until
some action is taken to erase the lawfully-established property
lines." Kishpaugh v. Clackamas County, 24 Or LUBA 164 (1992)
(emphasis added).
In the Memorandum from Associate Planner, Cynthia Smidt, dated September 8, 2011, staff
concedes that at the time the subject lot was conveyed by Warranty Deed in 1969, Deschutes
County had no subdivision ordinance. Established Oregon law specifically requires recognition
of lots that were created in accordance with the regulations in existence at the time of creation.
Nothing in Deschutes County regulations or State law prohibited the lawful creation of the
subject lot by deed. The issue of the lawful creation of the subject lot is wholly separate and
distinct from the issue of whether or not it must be consolidated with another lot in order to be
developable. In short, the wording of a deed has no bearing on whether lots listed in such deed
should be developed separately or together and has no relevance to whether lots created prior to
the existence of any subdivision or zoning ordinance should be recognized as lawful.
Lastly, DCC 18.04.030 is an impermissible retroactive ordinance. As an initial matter,
although the Hearings Officer found that the issue of retroactivity was not timely raised, it is
important to note that DCC 22.32.027 provides that review on appeal before the Hearings Officer
shall be de novo. Moreover, the Hearings Officer went ahead and substantively addressed the
retroactivity issue. In any event, the hearing before the Board is de novo, and the issue of
retroactivity has hereby been raised. Therefore, this issue is properly before the Board in this
matter.
14572-0001 /LEGAL21729925.1
Board of County Commissioners
September 15, 2011
Page 6
ORS 92.285 and ORS 215.110(6) expressly prohibit retroactive ordinances, and LUBA
has found that the prohibition against adopting retroactive ordinances includes ordinances that
allow retroactive application. Church v. Grant County, 37 Or LUBA 646 (2000). In general, a
retroactive ordinance is one that "attach[es] a new disability in respect to transactions or
considerations already past." Id. In Church, Grant County revoked Petitioner's prior approved
partitions based on the County's ordinance that allowed the County to rescind or revoke prior
land use approvals if they were found to violate the clear and objective standards of the code. Id.
LUBA determined that the Grant County ordinance was a retroactive ordinance within the
meaning of ORS 92.285 because it allowed the County to affect the legal existence of previously
approved partitions and, effectively, took away or impaired vested rights acquired under existing
laws. Id. Similar to the circumstances in Church, Deschutes County's "lot of record" provision
attaches a significant new disability in the form of loss of separate development rights to a deed
that was finalized and recorded 42 years ago. Therefore, the effect of the "lot of record"
provision is to add an implicit limitation on separate development to the terms of the 1969 deed
conveying Tax Lot 100 and Tax Lot 200 together, which constitutes a retroactive ordinance
prohibited by law.
In response to this issue, the Hearings Officer found that the Deschutes County lot of
record provision is not a prohibited retroactive ordinance because it only prospectively restricts
future development. However, the Hearings Officer is mistaken. Under the Hearings Officer's
analysis, the County's lot of record provision applies to historical facts and circumstances
(specifically, the creation of a deed) undertaken before the lot of record provision even existed,
resulting in the restriction or limitation of development rights. Stated differently, the County's
lot of record provision reaches back in time to require that if a property owner conveyed two lots,
albeit lawfully separate and distinct lots, within one deed, such lots can only be developed if they
are consolidated, even though no such requirement existed at the time the deed was created.
There can be no better definition of the retroactive application of a regulation.
In conclusion, based on Oregon law and the analysis set forth above, the County's "lot of
record" provision is not legally valid, and the subject property constitutes a legal lot of record
under the controlling terms of ORS 92.017 and the Thomas and Kishpaugh cases. Therefore, the
Hearings Officer's decision should be reversed with instructions that the subject parcel be
recognized as a lot of record notwithstanding the legally impermissible provision of
DCC 18.04.030.
14572-0001 /LEGAL21729925.1
Board of County Commissioners
September 15, 2011
Page 7
Please place this letter in the official Planning Division file for this matter and before the
Board prior to the hearing scheduled for September 26, 2011. Thank you for your assistance.
Very truly yours,
Steven L. Pfeiffer
SLP:crl
Cc: Robert S. Lovlien (via email)
14572-00011LEGAL21729925.1
Legend
Q Subject Property 15-11-19-AO-00100
Secondary Property 15-11-19-AO-00200
oh.+a~+Mm P.+m M.++CB xur..M, YAY.
A-11-3
(A-11-1 and LR-10-8)
Applicant/ Owner. John Russell
Address: 17590 Forked Horn Dr, Sisters
Taxlot: 15-11-1 SAO-00100
Secondary Property: 15-1149AO-00200
V V
NY pp 9L
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4110