For Immediate Release: April 4, 2005
Contact: Kate Kimball (541) 745-5539

Measure 37 Legislation Shuns Voters' Will
and Weakens Land Use Protections

Last November voters passed the Measure 37 ballot title that began with the words "Government Must Pay," yet new legislation to be heard Wednesday does not provide one penny for landowner compensation. Instead, the bill provides exemptions and unravels protections for land well beyond the scope of Measure 37.

The bill was prepared for the Senate Environment and Land Use Committee Chair Charlie Ringo (D-Beaverton). Sen. Ringo has been working to develop a response to the uncertainty and windfalls created by Measure 37.

"Unfortunately, this cure may be worse than the disease," said Bob Stacey, Executive Director of 1000 Friends of Oregon. "By weakening neighborhood, farm and land protections beyond the scope of Measure 37, this proposal puts Oregon's heritage on the chopping block. This proposal is a sweeping rollback of Oregon's pioneering community planning effort and does not include any payments voters were told their 'yes' vote would provide."

1000 Friends of Oregon is proposing amendments that provide for fairness through compensation rather than weakening land use protections.

Without a way to pay landowners, state and local governments are forced to waive land and neighborhood protection standards, which creates a new wave of unfairness. These waivers can lower property values of nearby homeowners and farmers, who have no remedy under Measure 37. A system of development credits, which could be used to fund payments under Measure 37, is already in use in Deschutes County.

The Senate Environment and Land Use Committee has scheduled a hearing on SB 1037 for Wednesday, April 6 at 3:00 pm in Hearing Room B.

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