Two years
after voters passed Measure 37, we are getting a clearer picture
of all the damage Measure 37 can do to Oregon. Yesterday1000 Friends
of Oregon Executive Director Bob Stacey called for the legislative
to step in and fix Measure 37 before it's too late. He asked the
legislature to take two immediate steps when they convene next month:
(1) Temporarily
suspend Measure 37 and development resulting from already-approved
land use waivers to give the legislature time to craft a fair bill,
and
(2)
Hold hearings around the state to hear from Oregonians about Measure
37.
Details
at: http://www.friends.org/issues/M37/officials.html
Please
join us in welcoming Dan Eisenbeis, staff planner at 1000 Friends,
as our new lobbyist. This is Dan's third position at 1000 Friends,
a reflection of the range of his skills. We are delighted that he
has agreed to use those skills and his planning knowledge in Salem,
his home town. You can reach Dan (until the legislative session begins)
at 503-497-100 or <dan@friends.org>
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OREGON NEWS
The land
rush is on: Plum Creek files claims on 32,000 acres
Plum
Creek Timber Company late last week filed eye-popping claims in Coos
and Lincoln Counties to convert commercial timber property into housing
developments. Download several recent news articles here: http://www.friends.org/ For a look at Measure 37 from the website New West, with humor:
http://tinyurl.com/yh85m3.
Economists fault valuation in Lane County Wildish Measure 37 claim
The Wildish Co. has submitted a claim to mine and then build a subdivision on a 1400-acre parcel near Mt. Pilgash. At a hearing last week, there were questions about whether the property had actually decreased in value, with one commissioner noting that the current zoning was requested by Wildish. Two OSU economists weighed in with their recommendation that assessing loss in value should not rely on the value of being a monopoly, the only one who can develop without complying with the law. Download article: http://www.friends.org/
Umatilla County citizens call for a stop to Measure 37 madness
It was
not until the day of the hearing that many Pendleton citizens became
aware that Wyland Ranch was proposing to subdivide 1600 acres into
4-acre lots for houses. But the hearing room was crowded that night,
causing the Umatilla county commissioners to defer action on the
claim until February, suggesting that those concerned should talk
to to the Oregon legislature about Measure 37. Download story here:
http://www.friends.org/
Prineville couple want to be paid twice for one Measure 37 claim
Prineville
is making the headlines on Measure 37 twice for the same claim – or
is that the landowners? First, the Prineville landowner, Grover Palin,
made headlines by receiving the first offer of payment, rather than
a waiver, in the state. The city offered to pay Palin $47,000 to
buy out his claim to build a "dream home" on the rimrock
surrounding Prineville. Now Palin has decided he wants to build a "dinner
house" and motel that would be worth near $5 million. That's
also the first time we know of that a claimant has tried to file
two claims on the same property. http://www.ktvz.com/story.cfm?nav=news&storyID=17470
Gravel pit and subdivision proposed in Measure 37 claim south of Stayton
Two members
of the Erpelding family and Erpelding Construction Company of Salem
filed a Measure 37 claim to build a gravel pit and then a subdivision
on over 400 acres south of Stayton. This is the second gravel pit-subdivision
combination claim that Marion County has seen. http://www.statesmanjournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061201/NEWS/612010327/1001Leonard
Linn County approves spending up to $25,000 to defend Measure 37 lawsuits
Linn County approved four Measure 37 claims, but did not give the claimants all they asked for. The claimants are going to court to ask for the rest. The Linn County board voted to authorize the money to defend the county's decisions, which were based on the date the claimant acquired title to the property. http://www.dhonline.com/articles/2006/11/30/news/local/4loc03_m37.txt
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NATIONAL
& WORLD NEWS
Western
Elections: Conservation and Conservatives Join Together
Hunter,
anglers, people who want clean water, people tired of traffic jams
in their new communities combined at the ballot box to create surprising
outcomes in the last election, particularly in the west. This shift
may reflect a larger change in public attitudes. For an analysis
of the outcome, go to: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/01/AR2006120101532.html?referrer=emailarticle
Neighbors influence property values
When you
own a home, it is usually your principal asset and its value matters.
What makes a house worth more or less money? One of the key factors
is the neighborhood. That might sound basic to you, but this article
from Sightline shares a website where you can visualize the impacts
more clearly: http://www.sightline.org/publications/enewsletters/CSNews/freedom A refreshing article from 2001 on the same subject: http://www.law.georgetown.edu/gelpi/takings/rypkema.htm
Connecting Land use and Sustainability
How we
plan our cites has significant environmental and social impacts.
This article argues for a sustainable, integrated renaissance in
our decisions about how and where we will live. http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/story/0,,1962170,00.html
Read recent issues of Oregon Land Use Update
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Credits/Subscription Info
If you know
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Land Use
Update is edited by Kate Kimball and brought to you by 1000 Friends
of Oregon, a statewide organization dedicated to protecting Oregon's quality
of life.
To help support
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