HomeMy WebLinkAboutREOA Update Memo
MEMORANDUM
DATE: December 20, 2011
TO: Board of County Commissioners
FROM: Nick Lelack, Planning Director
Peter Gutowsky, Principal Planner
MEETING: January 4, 2012
RE: Update on the Regional Economic Opportunity Analysis
The purpose of this work session is to update the Board of County Commissioners
(Board) on the Regional Economic Opportunity Analysis (REOA) and the next series of
implementation tasks. Staff is currently coordinating with and supporting Central Oregon
Intergovernmental Council (COIC) to finalize an Oregon Department of Land
Conservation and Development (DLCD) grant agreement to establish the COIC Board
as the regional Large Lot Industrial Program Governance Authority and begin REOA
implementation.
As background, the REOA was funded by two DLCD grants totaling $75,500.00.
Deschutes County hired a consultant and convened a Regional Advisory Committee
(RAC) to develop a REOA for the tri-county area of Central Oregon. Responding to a
lack of large-lot industrial sites, 50 acres or larger that prevent site selectors from visiting
the region, the Board on November 30, 2011 adopted a Comprehensive Plan
amendment to officially recognize the REOA as a technical study, and a series of
policies that establish the legal basis to encourage cities to address this unmet
employment land need. The community development objective is to establish a short
term supply of 6 large lot industrial sites. Policies also establish a planning framework for
creating a regional entity to oversee the program.
Deschutes County, by exercising its statutory coordination authority, chose to identify
and implement a program to create a large-lot land supply that enables Central Oregon
to compete for industrial recruitment. It represents an unprecedented approach to
Oregon’s land use program as it pertains to addressing an unmet employment land
need.