| Oregon Land Use Update
January 18 , 2007
In this issue:
1000 FRIENDS OF OREGON
- Take
Action: Contact your legislator to ask for Measure 37 reform this
session
- Around
the State with Envision Oregon in 2007
- 1000
Friends hires a second organizer, Galen Benshoof
OREGON NEWS
- Editorial:
Measure 37 needs a "temporary timeout"
- First
Measure 37 legislative hearing scheduled for January 23
- Citizen
Lobbyist Trainings around the state
- Housing
Alliance Lobby Day February 6
- Measure
37 claim threatens neighbors' water supply
- Washington
County hearing on Stimson Lumber Measure 37 1,100 acre claim
- Measure 37
hits Hood River County hard
- 400-acre Measure
37 claim near Sublimity
- Clackamas County
asks legislature for help on Measure 37
- Save the Date!
April 3 is Environmental and Land Use Lobby Day in Salem
NATIONAL NEWS
- Tools
you can use: How federal transportation programs can help you locally
- New large
homes going up in cities, not the suburbs
- Streetcars
are coming back to revive downtowns
- New report
on how well easements protect farmland
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1000 FRIENDS OF OREGON
Take Action:
Contact your legislator to ask for Measure 37 reform this session
The legislature
has just convened, and Measure 37 is on their minds because of the
onslaught of claims filed last month. Preliminary estimates are that
at least 6,200 claims have been filed in total, affecting at least
500,000 acres of private land in Oregon. Now is the time to let them
know Oregon needs a temporary suspension in processing of claims
and legislators should hold hearings around the state to hear from
Oregonians. For more information and how to contact your legislators,
go to http://www.friends.org/issues/M37/officials.html
Around the State with Envision Oregon in 2007
Join us
for a new round of statewide Envision Oregon forums where we will
be asking Oregonians more detailed questions about the future they
envision. We're aiming for great graphics that help us see what impacts
choices will have. Get out your calendars, the dates are March 17
(Bandon), May 10 (Newport), June 7 (Salem), June 26 (Gresham), June
27(Hillsboro), June 28 (Portland), July 19 (Medford), August 16 (The
Dalles), September 6 (Albany), September 27 (Bend), October 11 (Eugene),
and October 25 (La Grande). We hope to see you there! To find out
more information as it becomes available, go to http://www.envisionoregon.org/
1000 Friends hires our second Organizer, Galen Benshoof
It is
time to get organized, and 1000 Friends is ready. Galen Benshoof
is the latest addition to 1000 Friends. Galen comes to us from a
stint with the Politicorps Fellowship Program at the Bus Project.
His arrival completes our team of organizers ready to connect with
Oregonians. To contact Galen, call 503-497-1000 or email him at <galen@friends.org>
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OREGON NEWS
Editorial:
Measure 37 needs "temporary timeout"
This
morning, the Oregonian printed an editorial in which the editors
called on the legislature to suspend Measure 37 to protect Oregon.
http://www.oregonlive.com/editorials/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/editorial/116907631411310.xml&coll=7
First Measure 37 legislative hearing scheduled for January 23
The Senate
Special Committee on Land Use Fairness has rescheduled its hearing
due to the inclement weather earlier this week. The hearing is now
scheduled for January 23 at 10:30 am. Witnesses are Sheila Martin
(Portland State University, which manages the only statewide Measure
37 database at http://www.pdx.edu/ims/m37database.html), Lane Shetterly
(Director, Department of Land Conservation and Development), Stephanie
Striffler (Oregon Department of Justice), and Art Schlack (Association
of Oregon Counties) To see the agenda: http://www.leg.state.or.us/07reg/agenda/webagendas.htm If you want to subscribe to email notices of committee schedules,
go here: http://www.leg.state.or.us/agenda/home.htm
Citizen Lobbyist Trainings around the state
If
you are not sure how to talk to your elected officials about issues,
trainings are available to help you get your message across. The
events are hosted by the Oregon Conservation Network. The trainings
are January 25 (Eugene), January 28 (Bend), February 1 (Salem),
February 8 (Beaverton) and February 11 (Milwaukie). For more information
and to register, go to http://www.olcveducationfund.org/trainings
Housing Alliance Lobby Day February 6
Come to Salem on February 6 to talk to your legislators about opportunities for everyone to have adequate housing. For details about how to participate, go to http://www.oregonhousingalliance.org/updates.html
Measure 37 claim threatens homeowners' water supply
Watch
a KATU story on how a proposed Measure 37 subdivision in a groundwater
limited area could run wells dry in Marion County. (There are three
different stories to watch.) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xY5e7LniZ7I
Washington County hearing on Stimson Lumber Measure 37 1,100 acre claim
Near the Iowa Hill area in Washington County, Stimson Lumber has submitted an 1,100 acre claim to build a 57-house subdivision on land reportedly acquired by Stimson in 1986. This is but one of over 870 claims submitted to the county, 356 of which reportedly have been approved as complying with the requirements of Measure 37. Neighbors are concerned about the Stimson proposal's impacts to groundwater availability in the area. The first hearing was held December 5. http://www.forestgrovenewstimes.com/news/story.php?story_id=116906024346035100
Measure 37 hits Hood River hard
There was a flood of Measure 37 claims filed last month, but the Hood River area is one with the highest concentrations of claims. The county has over 10,000 acres of Measure 37 claims that, if approved and developed, could permanently change the area from a fruit capital to subdivision hotspot.
OPB: http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/opb/news.newsmain?action=article&ARTICLE_ID=1023167 Oregonian: http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/1168831538281560.xml&coll=7&thispage=2
400-acre Measure 37 claim near Sublimity
A
family trust, created in 1996, has submitted a set of Measure 37
claims on farmland, near Sublimity on Anderson Road that would
develop into 2 to 5 acre housing lots. The county has approved
two claims with a third one continued until January 31. http://www.eastvalleynews.com/appeal/article.cfm?i=8859
Clackamas County asks Governor for help on Measure 37
Last week,
Clackamas County wrote the Governor to ask for help in handling the
high level of Measure 37 claims in the county. The county has received
over 1,000 claims that, if developed, would impact over 37,000 acres.
http://web4.co.clackamas.or.us/mrm/2426.html To see a map of claims
in the county and for more information, go to http://www.co.clackamas.or.us/dtd/zoning/37/
Save the Date! April 3 is Environmental and Land Use Lobby Day in Salem
After
the weather this week, it might seem like April is a long way away.
But spring will be busy, so now is a good time to save April 3
for Environmental and Land Use Lobby Day in Salem. You can register
now, and details will follow: https://www.thedatabank.com/dpg/232/personalopt1.asp?formid=calolcvef&c=4793902
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NATIONAL NEWS
Tools you
can use: How federal transportation programs can help you locally
The Surface
Transportation Policy Project and partners have issued a new publication
that can help bridge the federal-local divide to create transportation
systems that make sense for Oregonians. A Guide to Transportation
Opportunities in Your Community reviews how federal surface transportation
law can be used to support local and statewide efforts to build more
livable communities and expand travel options. To download a free
copy, go here: http://www.transact.org/
New large homes going up in cities, not the suburbs
Around
Atlanta, the newest trend is for super-sized houses to be built in
older neighborhoods in the city. Neighbors are reacting to this change
in their area. http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/0102/p03s03-ussc.html
Streetcars are coming back to revive downtowns
Oregonians
once again started a trend: the return of the street car. Before
the automobile, street cars were a common way for urbanites to
get around in the city. But the street car has returned. Portland,
Tucson, Birmingham, Miami and Trenton are all counting on this
form of transportation to both revitalize urban neighborhoods and
move people around efficiently. They may not be the final answer
to urban transportation issues, but they are a cost-effective part
of the solution. http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2007-01-08-streetcars_x.htm
New report on how well easements protect farmland
The
American Farmland Trust has released its fourth report looking
at how effective agricultural easement programs are in protecting
farmland. To download a free copy, go to http://www.farmland.org/resources/reports/NationalView.asp#fourthreport
Read recent issues of Oregon Land Use Update
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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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