Media release: January 30, 2009
Contact:
Mark L. Cushing
Tonkon Torp LLP
Direct telephone: 503-802-2046
Progress Report on the Urbanization Forum
Issued January 30, 2009, by Mark L. Cushing, Urbanization Forum Facilitator
I want to summarize the work of the Urbanization Forum. This Report includes recommendations
on next steps and draft Resolutions for the participating jurisdictions to consider and support. The
Resolutions address issues of urban unincorporated Washington County within and outside the
existing Urban Growth Boundary. The Steering Committee met three times in January to review,
discuss and edit the Report, Recommendations and Resolutions. This document is being
presented today to the full Urbanization Forum, CPO organizations and public.
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Media Advisory: December 1, 2008
Contact:
Mark L. Cushing
Tonkon Torp LLP
Direct telephone: 503-802-2046
Web site: www.urbanizationforum.com
Urbanization Forum will continue urban service-delivery policy discussion at Dec. 11 meeting in Hillsboro
The discussion on how best to extend urban services to undeveloped areas, known as urban
reserves, in Washington County will continue on Dec. 11.
The meeting, originally scheduled for Nov. 13, was rescheduled for 6:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.,
Thursday, Dec. 11 at the Walters Cultural Arts Center located at 527 E. Main St. in Hillsboro, OR.
Elected and appointed leaders of local governments and special districts, meeting as the
Urbanization Forum, will review a proposed policy affecting the urban reserves – land that could
be brought inside the region’s Urban Growth Boundary (UGB) during the next few decades. The
policy was discussed at the group’s last meeting Oct. 9 and has undergone refinement, says
Mark Cushing of Tonkon Torp LLP, forum facilitator.
Forum members also will discuss models for providing urban services to unincorporated, urban
Washington County inside the UGB, such as:
1. Raleigh Hills/West Slope/Cedar Hills/Garden Home;
2. Bethany/Rock Creek/North Bethany;
3. Cedar Mill;
4. Bull Mountain/area 63 & 64;
5. Metzger;
6. Reedville; and
7. Aloha.
Mark Cushing will summarize the in-depth meetings, which have been held in each area with
public officials and local CPO and homeowner leaders, focusing on governance alternatives and
service delivery needs.
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CALENDAR NOTICE
November 7, 2008
Contact:
Mark L. Cushing
Tonkin Torp LLP
Direct telephone: 503-802-2046
CHANGE: Next Urbanization Forum meeting rescheduled from November 13 to Dec. 11
Please note the date has changed for the next meeting of the Urbanization Forum. The November 13 public meeting will be:
Thursday, Dec. 11
6:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.
Walters Cultural Arts Center
527 E. Main St.
Hillsboro
The agenda will be posted at a later time on the Web site: www.urbanizationforum.com.
Local government and special district leaders created the Urbanization Forum earlier this year to discuss how to deal with population growth, service delivery and governance issues in Washington County. The group is looking at the future of serving the urbanized, unincorporated area of the county, as well as delivering services to areas outside the region’s Urban Growth Boundary that may be developed during the next few decades.
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Media Advisory: October 7, 2008
Agenda set for Thursday’s Urbanization Forum Meeting
The Urbanization Forum for Washington County is developing policies for managing urban services in unincorporated areas inside and outside of the Urban Growth Boundary. An agenda has been created for the next meeting, which is 6:30-9:30 p.m., Thursday, October 9, 2008, Tuality Middle School Commons, 14650 SW 97th Avenue, Tigard, OR.
See Documents section for complete agenda.
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News Release: September 26, 2008
Local government leaders propose urban reserve policy for Washington County’s potential growth areas
Urbanization Forum sets two public meetings
After a summer of work group study, leaders of local governments and special districts are ready to debate a proposed policy on how to handle growth in Washington County’s unincorporated areas outside the Urban Growth Boundary, lands designated as urban reserves.
The draft policy lays out the framework for how local governments may extend urban services to areas designated for growth during the next 20 years by Metro, the regional government that administers Oregon land use laws in the Portland tri-county region.
The Urbanization Forum for Washington County, which developed the policy, has set two public meetings:
6:30-9:30 p.m., Thursday, October 9, 2008
Tuality Middle School Commons
14650 SW 97th Avenue
Tigard, OR
6:30-9:30 p.m., Thursday, November 13, 2008
Glenn and Viola Walters Cultural Arts Center
527 East Main Street
Hillsboro, OR.
The draft policy may be downloaded from the documents section of the Web site: http://urbanizationforum.com/?page_id=6 . County residents also may comment on the proposed policy on the Urbanization Forum’s online community bulletin board.
Meeting participants include elected and appointed officials from the county, cities, special districts and Metro. Forum members will talk about how to deal with a large population surge expected in the county during the next few decades. Public comments will be welcomed, says Mark Cushing, a Portland attorney with experience in public policy development and inter-governmental relations, who will facilitate the discussion.
The draft policy paper proposes that, for areas outside the current Urban Growth Boundary, the nearest city to the urban reserve take the leadership in guiding development: “Washington County, the cities and service districts within Washington County agree to abide by a policy whereby all future additions to the Urban Growth Boundary must be governed and urbanized by a city. The decision as to how urban services will be delivered will be determined by the affected city in consultation with area service providers.”
The October 9 meeting will focus on reaching a consensus with the policy. The October 9 and November 13 meetings also will address the policy questions around governance of existing urban unincorporated Washington County within the Urban Growth Boundary and whether changes to current practices and policies should be recommended.
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News Release: July 2, 2008
Urbanization Forum adds Community Bulletin Board to Web site
The Urbanization Forum of Washington County has rolled out an electronic Community Bulletin Board, making it easier for citizens to post comments or ask questions about proposed policies for current and future urbanization in the county.
Click on the image below to visit the bulletin board or click here .
The bulletin board is the second phase of www.urbanizationforum.com, introduced last month to support a public discussion among elected and appointed leaders in the county.
The forum is focused primarily on two issues, how will new services be provided to developing areas outside Metro’s Urban Growth Boundary (UGB) – known as urban reserves – and how will services be delivered in the future to developed but unincorporated areas? Local government and special district leaders created the Urbanization Forum earlier this year to discuss how to deal with population growth.
“The bulletin board gives the public an opportunity to comment as policies are debated,” says Mark Cushing of Tonkon Torp LLP, an attorney who is facilitating the discussion. “Posted comments will be monitored closely so we may respond to questions and carefully listen to public feedback.”
The Web site offers background documents about these issues and is home for meeting minutes and audio recordings of the public debate.
At the last public meeting on June 19, 2008, the forum discussed options for extending urban services to urban reserves. Members of the Urbanization Forum authorized the formation of a study group to further develop policy recommendations for these areas outside the UGB.
The next public meeting is planned for September at a date and place to be announced. The agenda will include a report of the study committee’s recommendations. A fuller conversation will start on an important second issue, how and who serves unincorporated but developed areas in the county. Urbanization Forum participants include elected and appointed officials from the county, cities, special districts and Metro.
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News Release: June 16, 2008
Local Government leaders resume Washington County urbanization talks
New Urbanization Forum web site launched
Leaders of local governments and special districts serving the citizens of Washington County meet for a second Urbanization Forum public discussion in Hillsboro at 6:30 p.m., June 19, 2008.
Participants include elected and appointed officials from the county, cities, special districts and Metro. Forum members will talk about how to deal with population growth, service delivery and governance issues. The meeting is a follow up to the Urbanization Forum’s first gathering on April 24, 2008.
Public comments will be accepted, says Mark Cushing, a Portland attorney with experience in public policy development and inter-governmental relations, who will facilitate the discussion.
Date: June 19, 2008
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Location: Glenn and Viola Walters Cultural Arts Center, 527 East Main Street, Hillsboro, OR.
For more background, please visit www.urbanizationforum.com , a Web site launched this week.