Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutRes 039 - Rural Enterprise ZoneDeschutes County Board of Commissioners 1300 NW Wall St., Suite 200, Bend, OR 97701-1960 (541) 388-6570 - Fax (541) 385-3202 - www.deschutes.org, AGENDA REQUEST & STAFF REPORT For Board Business Meeting of March 26, 2008 DATE: March 18, 2008 FROM: Dave Kanner, County Administrator Administration 388-6565 TITLE OF AGENDA ITEM: Consideration and Adoption of Resolution 2008-039, to Co -Sponsor the Deschutes County Rural Enterprise Zone PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS DATE? No. (The required notice and meeting with special districts potentially impacted by the proposed enterprise zone have already occurred within the mandatory timelines.) BACKGROUND AND POLICY IMPLICATIONS: A limited number of enterprise zones are established by Oregon statute. The program allows qualifying manufacturers, technology-based companies, headquarter operations, call centers, distribution facilities and other qualifying companies to receive three- to five-year property tax exemptions on certain real property (excluding land) and equipment. The total area of the proposed zone is approximately 7.6 sq. miles, 6.99 of which lies within La Pine and the balance of which is at the Bend Airport. The program is specifically designed to encourage job -creating industrial development by providing short-term tax breaks to qualifying businesses. EDCO made a presentation to the Board of Commissioners on December 19, 2007, about the possibility of creating a new enterprise zone in two specific rural parts of Deschutes County: the City of La Pine and the Bend Airport. At that time, it was the consensus of the Board to authorize EDCO to prepar an application for a new zone. This resolution for consideration by the Commissioners is the next step in the process for applying for a new enterprise zone. On February 13th, the La Pine City Council unanimously approved a motion for EDCO to proceed with the application. As a co-sponsor of the possible new zone, the City of La Pine will also be considering a very similar resolution at its regularly scheduled council meeting on March 26 at 7:OOpm. FISCAL IMPLICATIONS: None. EDCO has proposed to manage the new zone, if designated, at no additional cost to the County. RECOMMENDATION & ACTION REQUESTED: Adopt Resolution 2008-039. ATTENDANCE: Roger Lee, Executive Director of Economic Development for Central Oregon DISTRIBUTION OF DOCUMENTS: One copy to BoCC office, one copy to Roger Lee, EDCO. REVIEWED LEGAL COUNSEL For Recording Stamp Only BEFORE THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF DESCHUTES COUNTY, OREGON A Resolution to Co -Sponsor the Deschutes County Rural Enterprise Zone * RESOLUTION NO. 2008-039 Whereas, Deschutes County (hereinafter referred to as the County) is co -sponsoring with the City of La Pine, an application for designation of an enterprise zone including the Bend Airport, a portion of unincorporated Deschutes County, and the City of La Pine.; and Whereas, the County is interested in an enterprise zone to encourage new business investment, job creation, higher incomes for local residents, and greater diversity of economic activity; and Whereas, the proposed enterprise zone has a total area of approximately 7.6 square miles, and it meets other statutory limitations on size and configuration (except distance maximums); it is depicted on the map (Exhibit A) and described in Exhibit B; and Whereas, the proposes enterprise zone contains significant land that is reserved for industrial use, as indicated by land use zoning maps with the application, consistent with Deschutes County's Comprehensive Plan acknowledged by the Land Conservation and Development Commission, and such industrial sites are accessible, serviced or serviceable, and otherwise ready for use and further development; and Whereas, the designation of an enterprise zone does not grant or imply permission to develop land within the Zone without complying with prevailing zoning, regulatory and permitting processes or restrictions, except as otherwise in accordance with Comprehensive Plans; and Whereas, the County appreciates the impacts that a designated enterprise zone would have and the property tax exemptions that eligible business firms might receive therein, as governed by Oregon Revised Statutes (ORS) Chapter 283C and other provisions of Oregon Law; and Resolution No. 2008-039 Page 1 of 3 Pages Whereas, all of the other municipal corporations, school districts, special service districts and so forth, other than the sponsoring governments that receive operating revenue through the levying of ad valorem taxes on real and personal property in any area of the proposed enterprise zone were sent notice and invited to a public meeting regarding the proposal, in order for these sponsoring governments to effectively consult with these other local taxing districts. Follow-up arrangements as agreed to with these consultations will be completed with affected districts within six months of the proposed enterprise zone's designation; and Whereas, the City of Bend, owner of the Bend Airport and La Pine Industrial Group (LIGI), manager of industrial and business park lands in La Pine, are supportive of the application and its ability to attract new construction and job creation within industrially -zoned areas within the proposed zone; now, therefore, The County proposes and applies for an Oregon enterprise zone to be named: The Deschutes County Rural Enterprise Zone, and requests that the director of the state Economic & Community Development Department order the designation of this enterprise zone; and The Executive Director of Economic Development for Central Oregon (EDCO), is authorized to submit the enterprise zone application for the County and to make any substantive or technical change to the application materials, as necessary, after adoption of this resolution; and The County will give priority to the use in the proposed enterprise zone, if designated, of any economic development or job training funds received from the federal government, consistent with ORS 285C.065(3)(d); and The County commits, upon designation, to jointly appoint the Executive Director of EDCO as its local enterprise zone manager; and The County jointly commits, within six months of designation, to implement and to confirm for the Oregon Economic & Community Development Department its fulfillment of such duties, as specified in OAR 123-065-0210, including but not limited to preparation of a list or map of local lands and buildings owned by the state or by municipal corporations within the enterprise zone that are not being used or designated for a public purpose an that have appropriate land use zoning, and to efforts for making such real property available for lease or purchase by authorized business firms under ORS 285C.110; therefore, THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF DESCHUTES COUNTY, OREGON, HEREBY RESOLVES as follows: The County requests that the Director of the Oregon Economic & Community Development Department waive both distance maximums of 25 miles overall and 15 miles between separate areas within the proposed enterprise zone pursuant to this application for designation. Resolution No. 2008-039 Page 2 of 3 Page DATED this day of 2008. ATTEST: BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF DESCHUTES COUNTY, OREGON DENNIS R. LUKE, Chair TAMMY MELTON, Commissioner Recording Secretary MICHAEL M. DALY, Commissioner Resolution No. 2008-039 Page 3 of 3 Page;