PSU Forum May 22: Designating Urban & Rural Reserves in the Portland Metro Region

NOTICE OF FORUM ON THE ROLE FOR PLANNING
IN THE FUTURE OF OREGON

MAY 22, 2009—DESIGNATING URBAN & RURAL RESERVES IN THE
PORTLAND METROPOLITAN REGION
ROOM 204, LEARNING CENTER WING OF THE URBAN CENTER BUILDING
10 TO 11:30 AM

Guest Speaker: John Williams, Land Use Planning Manager for Metro.  John will discuss this complex project and the challenges and opportunities involved in long-range regional planning.

Today the Metro region is at a defining moment in which important long term decisions will determine the shape and size of cities, towns and rural landscapes for years to come. Clackamas, Multnomah and Washington counties and Metro are leading an innovative regional process to identify land for future urban development and protect farms, forests and natural areas for the next half century. Urban reserves will be designated by Metro on lands currently outside the urban growth boundary that are suitable for accommodating urban development over the next 40 to 50 years. Rural reserves will be designated by each county on lands outside the current urban growth boundary that are high value working farms and forests or have important natural features like rivers, wetlands, buttes and floodplains. These areas will be protected from urbanization for the next 40 to 50 years.

To learn more, this website link is available: www.oregonmetro.gov/reserves

The forum  is moderated by Arnold Cogan, FAICP, Planner-in-Residence in the Nohad A. Toulan School of Urban Studies and Planning.

This forum will be webcast live and archived for future viewing.  As in past forums, the event will stimulate spirited conversation, focus our expectations on the role of planning in the future and provide students, faculty and others with new insights.

For more information, please contact Arnold Cogan at:  503-225-0192 or at arnold.cogan@coganowens.com.

New Projects for COC

COC is keeping busy!  We have several new projects that we would like to share with you if you haven’t already heard.

• Public Involvement and Writing, Editing & Document Management as part of an Environmental Support Services Roster for the Bonneville Power Administration
• Economic Opportunities Analysis for the Salem-Keizer Region
• Safe Routes to School Workshop for the City of Madras and the Oregon Department of Transportation TGM Program
• Strategic Plan Research for Portland + Oregon Sustainability Institute (P+OSI)
• Grant Writing Support for the Oregon Department of Transportation
• Presentation Skills Training for the Oregon Recreation and Park Association
• Community Coach for Highlands Neighborhood Association
• Public Involvement for City of Corvallis Wastewater Reuse Plan
• Economic Landscape Strategic Advice and Document Production for Clackamas County

PDX Lounge Partner Charrette

COC is excited to be a new PDX Lounge partner! The PDX Lounge is a highly collaborative intersection of local government, businesses and non-profit organizations seeking to help create a profitable new business model for sustainable industries. To kick-start this relationship and help the Portland Bureau of Planning and Sustainability and Portland Development Commission’s goals of establishing a dynamic permanent space and program, COC donated in-kind services to plan and facilitate a partner charrette on January 9, 2009. Kirstin Greene and Ellie Fiore worked closely with City staff and other partners to design this event to be interactive, engaging and productive.  Charrette exercises were designed to generate ideas for the PDX Lounge program and space design. About 30 participants shared their ideas about how PDX Lounge can most effectively support Oregon’s sustainable industries by participating in exercises that included mapping and identifying superhero powers for the future PDX Lounge. These ideas will feed into future Lounge design and development. Photos of this event are available on Flickr.

Portland Economic Stimulus Package

PORTLAND CITY COUNCIL ANNOUNCES $503 MILLION-PLUS “PORTLAND JOB CREATION AND ECONOMIC STIMULUS PACKAGE” TO FAST-TRACK AN ESTIMATED 4,985 PRIVATE SECTOR JOBS

Plan also boosts housing development, business assistance and worker retraining programs

January 13, 2009

PORTLAND, ORE. — Portland City Council at City Hall today announced a crucial local jobs creation and business stimulus package aimed at revving Portland’s economic engine in the midst of a gripping national
recession.

The public infrastructure projects will invest $503 million into the city’s economy and fast-track the creation of an estimated 4,985 jobs.

The “Portland Job Creation and Business Stimulus Package” calls for speeding up selected city government construction projects, boosting housing investments and expanding loan assistance to local small businesses and retraining opportunities to job seekers.

The bulk of the jobs created with this proposal result from fast-tracking, over the next 12 months, city public works and construction projects originally slated for construction over one to three years.  The City plans to use existing capital budget resources and to speed up its public works and construction projects, and will not further increase fees or taxes or incur more-than-anticipated debt to pay for the projects announced today.

Economists predict deepening job losses to peak over the next 12 months.  In addition to creating local jobs at the time Portland needs them most, City leaders believe that the City will save tax dollars by doing more projects now when the construction industry is offering more competitive bids and by avoiding construction related inflation that runs about at out 6% annually.

“We know Portland’s economy is in a better position than most regions, and your City Council is going to do everything we prudently can to keep it that way,” said Mayor Sam Adams.  “This city government has to cut its budget but we will also redouble our efforts to help our people and our businesses during this troubled times.”

“In times like these, public investment is essential,” Commissioner Randy Leonard said. “The good jobs these projects provide will serve the immediate needs of our economy and generations of Portlanders.”

The focus will be in the areas of Public Infrastructure, Housing, Local Businesses and Development, and Workforce Development.

“The best thing about the plan is its across-the-board reach,” Commissioner Nick Fish said. “The community will see benefits from environmental, parks, transportation and water improvement projects.”

The Stimulus Plan will use available and budgeted resources to immediately benefit the city’s families and businesses, while also moving forward with long-term strategies to help our region thrive.

“The momentum generated by this plan will leave the city better able to fully regain its stride when the economic climate improves,” Commissioner Dan Saltzman said.

Under the Stimulus Plan, infrastructure projects already in the funding pipeline in the next several years are being fast-tracked to maximize immediate creation of local, private sector jobs through City contracts.

“As I find out more about my portfolio over the next 100 days,” Commissioner Amanda Fritz said, “I will be asking for more projects to be expedited, consistent with Mayor Adams’ fine direction for economic stimulus.”

Since the General Election, the Portland City Council has moved aggressively to respond to the national recession:

• On  November 15, 2008, the Portland City Council requested $880 million in public works funding from the emerging federal stimulus package.
• On December 27, 2008, mayor-Elected Sam Adams and Multnomah County Chair Ted Wheeler asked the Federal Emergency management Administration to provide local small businesses assistance due to the recent snow and ice weather events.
• On January 7, 2009, the Portland City Council reorganized and streamlined city bureau operations related to business assistance and permitting.
• On Thursday, January 15, 2009, the Portland City Council will announce the “Portland is Better Together” volunteer and chose local public service initiative.

At the direction of the Portland City Council, City government is in the midst of cutting its operating budgets due to a reduction of tax and fee revenues.  Bureaus have been requested to rank services and programs based bureau mission and public demand.  The Mayor Proposed Budget will be released in mid-April 2009.  The resources used to fund the public works and construction projects outlined in the “Portland Job Creation and Business Stimulus Package” are from capital budgets, not impacted by the requested budget reductions.

Link to related documents and the full text of the local economic stimulus package:
http://cts.vresp.com/c/?OfficeofCommissioner/dc97beeb70/8da4d91d6a/3c9434fb9d/c=49278&a=225953

For the outline of steps Council has taken in response to the economic slowdown:
http://cts.vresp.com/c/?OfficeofCommissioner/dc97beeb70/8da4d91d6a/72003e88c7/id=225977

For description of Portland’s Job Creation and Business Stimulus package:
http://cts.vresp.com/c/?OfficeofCommissioner/dc97beeb70/8da4d91d6a/147e16b819/id=225979

For detailed description of the $500 million dollar investment in fast-tracked, private-sector construction projects:
http://cts.vresp.com/c/?OfficeofCommissioner/dc97beeb70/8da4d91d6a/ce07a322f1/id=225974

For list people who participated in the creation of the package:
http://cts.vresp.com/c/?OfficeofCommissioner/dc97beeb70/8da4d91d6a/f12f2192e9/id=225971

Media Mentions:

Fox Oregon 12: “Mayor’s Stimulus Plan to Create New Jobs”
http://cts.vresp.com/c/?OfficeofCommissioner/dc97beeb70/8da4d91d6a/a758d12616

Oregonian: “Portland will spend $500 million to Stimulus Local Economy:
http://cts.vresp.com/c/?OfficeofCommissioner/dc97beeb70/8da4d91d6a/d1bf3e69ba/a=226005&c=27435

Portland Tribune: “City Readies Plan to Boost Sagging Local Economy”
http://cts.vresp.com/c/?OfficeofCommissioner/dc97beeb70/8da4d91d6a/d8032e7f0b/story_id=123170022641530000