Tonight, I am getting in a late post. This falls under the Opinion section because I have one, and so do other readers. Apparently, thousands of them. Ordinance 882 will be debated and voted on tomorrow at 10:00 AM by the Washington County Commissioners at the Charles D. Cameron Public Services Building 155 N First Avenue, Suite 350 (3rd floor) Hillsboro, Oregon 97124.
What this Ordinance will do is authorize a major expressway to be extended into the pristine farmlands in Scholls/ Kinton, Oregon, to provide a new route for thousands of new homeowners and the new populations living there in West Tigard to travel to Hillsboro and back. Tile Flat Road will be connected by a 3-lane expressway crossing farmland, wetlands, and wildlife habitat that has remained native for millennia.
The bottom line? People don’t like this. Very few people testified in favor of it. And, of course, the powers that are creating this new industrial machine in Hillsboro want worker bees to have easy access to the hive.
Here are some slides of the proposal which are all conceptual.
Here is the reality of what is at stake here.
Here is my beef: When you have major opposition to a controversial ordinance, you must give the people of our county a chance to gather their resources and show up to be heard. What are our esteemed County Commissioners doing? The opposite. They have decided to move this Ordinance into the busy morning work hours, guaranteeing that very few people will attend. That, my friends, is bull shit. I said it. Complete and total good old American BS.
From the posting on the County Website about this ordinance:
Public hearings on the engrossed ordinance were held on Dec. 5 and Dec. 12, 2023. At the Dec. 12
public hearing, the board closed the public hearing and continued deliberations to Jan. 30, 2024.Community Feedback (Known Support/Opposition):
Community members potentially affected by a future roadway consistent with the proposed plan
amendment have expressed opposition. The City of Tigard has expressed opposition. Other members
of the public have expressed concerns regarding environmental and farmland impacts of urban
expansion and roadways. Testimony includes support for continuing to seek solutions.
You can read all about here. https://washingtoncounty.civicweb.net/document/289001/Consider%20Proposed%20B%e2%80%93Engrossed%20Ordinance%20No.%20882.pdf?handle=D40BC60797984D2AA9F092260D014EB5
Here is what the County Staff Report does not show: beautiful wooded creek corridors that will be destroyed when this Ordinance opens the floodgates. Not only will wildlife and trees and creek corridors be destroyed, but this new road extension will push into vineyards and open new road corridors into the heart of the Scholls Valley where Hoffman Farms, Oregon Heritage Farms, Hamacher Vineyards, and a vast host of farmers and producers live and work. The agrarian lifestyle that is so unique to the Scholls Valley is under threat again. And why? So outsiders can make more money off of $800,000 boxes made of chipboard and plastic? What is it that these people want? Money? Are these leaders so hell-bent for us to become California faster? Or is there personal gain or ignorance in the way? I hope they say NO- they should. And before they say yes, they better give a whole lot of people more time to present their side.
Here is a message from a member of our community that came to me tonight. He has been involved and attending meetings but feels this is being slammed down the people’s throats.
“I am sure some residents of Scholls, OR (a community between Hillsboro and Newberg) have already reached out to you about Ordinance 882. This Ordinance has faced strong opposition from residents, environmentalists, farmers, environmental scientists, and several organizations. Yet it has still not been shot down by the Washington County commissioners. Instead, the vote on the ordinance has been kicked further and further down the road. The vote that we expect them to finally make a stand in is occurring tomorrow at 10 am (Auditorium at Charles Cameron Public Services Building 155 N 1st Ave Hillsboro, OR). The meeting was initially set to be held in the evening, allowing more of our community to show up and speak in opposition to the ordinance. In anticipation of this, the meeting has been moved to 10 m (during the workday). Over a hundred people have spoken, and thousands of signatures have been collected in opposition to the ordinance. You can learn more by visiting the @savescholls on Instagram, on their home page they offer resources to learn more about ORD 882.”
Almost 2,000 Residents have signed a petition to stop this Road expansion- Are they being heard? Tomorrow will tell us that.
https://www.change.org/p/stop-882-tile-flat-road-expansion
From Lilian Stone at SaveScholls –
This ordinance will set precedent on the county’s vision for Scholls and how they treat local family-owned farms outside of the Urban Growth Boundary.
Maria Ponzi, an original wine grower in Washington County has seen that “the County has always been in the unique situation of having thriving family farms and rich agriculture so close to the metropolitan area, with agritourism in Scholls significantly increasing in the past few years. This enterprise is critical to small and mid-size family farms that combine farm activities and tourism for the purpose of recreation, entertainment, and education to urban dwellers. Agritourism contributes nearly $300 million to the state annually.”
Jay Hoffman, a regional leader and owner of Hoffman Farm Store whose farm is integral to the Scholls community shared, “the Scholls Valley is a gem of the Tualatin Valley with its berry farms, apple farms, and wineries. Each year tens of thousands of people come to our area to enjoy the charm and beauty it offers. It’s a gem that needs to be protected”.
Organizers hope the County Commissioners will recognize that the Scholls Valley is indeed a gem and will vote no on Ordinance 882 .
From the Mayor of Tigard, Oregon, to the County Commissioners and Chair Kathyrn Harrington – Tigard is a City that will develop 4,000 new Homes adjacent to this proposed new Road – someone who knows if this would help Traffic flow. Not only a NO to this but basically accusing the County of not listening to his City and not trying to work things out.
The heart of the issue in this area is the bottleneck created at the Tualatin River Bridge on Roy Rogers Road.
Adding the Tile Flat extension will do nothing to alleviate congestion on this facility, and our preliminary
analysis indicates that it will actually worsen that traffic through induced demand. We heard concerns from the
Board about the impact that not building the Tile Flat extension would have on drivers in the Sherwood area,
yet no explanation of how the Tile Flat extension addresses this pinch point in the system.Our Concept Plan for River Terrace 2.0 actually proposed further study of the road, to include a build / no-
build alternatives analysis. Our proposal would have included a study of all of the factors that we believe shouldinform a decision on a facility with this much potential for impact on the community – equity, cost, climate
impacts, and safety, among others. We believed our approach was in keeping with the region’s mobility policies,
Climate Smart Strategies, the Governor’s executive orders on greenhouse gas emissions, and subsequent
Transportation Planning Rule amendments focused on climate and equity.
This special study would have been in line with what is now being proposed in the refinement area. County staff
did not agree with this approach and worked to ensure that a special study was not included in the Community
Plan. As a result of the contention around the further study of the road, Metro declined to provide any funding
for a Tile Flat special study, requiring a line-item deletion of any reference to Tile Flat in our grant agreement
with them.
Given the state of this project, the dearth of budgetary support for improvements of existing facilities, and the
lack of funding to pursue a refinement area study, our ask of the Board is to formally decline to adopt the road
into the county TSP, decline to create a refinement area, and remove Tile Flat Extension from the County’s
work program.
I thank you for your consideration.
Best regards,Heidi Lueb, Mayor
City of Tigard
What Can You Do?
GET INVOLVED – The Hour is late but never too late to turn out! The tactics being used here are WRONG – one could say dirty- but perhaps I am wrong and a NO vote is being made tomorrow. I hope so. I hope I am wrong. But I am willing to bet I am not.
| Tuesday, January 30, 2024, 10:00 AM Washington County Board of Commissioners Charles D. Cameron Public Services Building Auditorium 155 N. First Ave., Suite 300, Hillsboro, OR 97124-3072 |  |
Hybrid Meeting (In-person and Virtual)
To access the meeting by phone – Please dial +1 669 900 6833 or +1 253 215 8782
To unmute to provide public comment press *6.
Webinar ID: 869 5423 7221
I’d like to invite everyone to review the old song, “Big Yellow Taxi” from which I quote…
Don’t it always seem to go
That you don’t know what you’ve got
Till it’s gone.
They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot
Thank you for this effort! THIS IS WHY WE NEED LOCAL JOURNALISM! We went. We spoke. And the county commissioners voted 4-1 to move this poor choice forward. Heartening was commissioner Roger’s who voted NO! Save Scholls is redoubling our efforts. Stay tuned the $100,000,000+ funding fight is still to come.
Have you all considered a legal challenge via an Appeal?
Before a costly legal challenge is considered a ballot challenge could be brought forward. Just that scared off then Hillsboro Mayor, Jerry Willey, and torpedoed the 2 way project on Hillsboro’s Main St.
Yes, this group of Couny Commissioners is engaging in “…..”bullshit”, but they’re NO different than the Hillsboro city councilors, save Kipperlyn, and they are “good people”.
Hi Dirk, sorry to read of your espressing (too much cappuccino??) yourself in incendiary epithets . . rather than what you had otherwise included in the arguments as you wrote them . . . having worked around bovine excrement (!?!) way too much in my time, I can’t decide whether your fulminations do more to insult cows or politicians . . however, unless and until you are persuaded by facts independent of what seems like a dumb way to go about a public hearing, it is just plain wrong to accuse someone, let alone an entire board of folks, of potentially criminal behavior . . have you talked with any of these folks first? Do you know them well enough personally to conclude their motives? I encourage you to consider what your Second Grade teacher would have said had you talked like that to another person on the playground . . We all gotta find a way to disagree without characterizing each other’s motives as immoral, underhanded, or illegal, I mean “we’re all trying to have a society here” (George Costanza), right???? Thanks for what you do, despite your crankiness . . . PROOF we need local journalism . .
Larry,
Forty-plus years of involvement with and entwinement with these processes have shown me that a business day decision on a controversial matter is made on purpose to minimize friction. I know several of them and have supported their campaigns over the decades. I am struggling to see where I made any insinuations or accusations of criminal behavior. That sort of statement is much worse than using the word that is part of the American vocabulary. This road, while perhaps innocuous, is part of the bigger plan that these same folks have- to fill the valley with homes and factories without pause. Many smart communities with better leadership that listen to their people have balanced growth and have not always promoted it or given in to it. This group has not done that and is not doing that. It was an opinion piece, and I rarely, if ever, use words like “Bullshit”. This time I did because that is what this process was—1 person in favor of this road- thousands opposed. BS!!!
Thanks for expressing your thoughts and I am thankful I can offer a venue where people can express themselves and be heard.
Dirk
Like I said, it wasn’t your martialing your arguments that dismayed me; my gut level feelings are very similar to yours, I am just leary of castigating someone’s intentions, rather than their policies, which you have every right to . . . So thanks again for your efforts.
I miss when you complained about vacuum cleaners in public: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CXrevElKZP8
Jason, I am flattered . . it does prove that I can be as intemperate as I am accusing Dirk of . . I have had to accept that neither my visage, nor my acting ability justifies a reality TV appearance, so I am relegated to mindless fuming at engineering that feels personal in it’s ability to frustrate, and defeat me . . You caught me out, and I respect that . . hopefully you had a good laugh at my crankiness . .
Ironically, Bissell makes a darn good unit in it’s more commercial line which I have and really like . . . and my wife won’t be called out to make videos of my irritations at that one . . I think she really enjoyed capturing my hissy fit . . .
And my goats are smaller than your goats . . yours are cuter, but mine break fences less . .
Now now, Larry: The goats’ size and appetite for fencing is the least fascinating aspect of their existence. They also have a vested interest in the hasty land-use decisions made in unincorporated Washington County, as I’m sure you’re aware: https://www.opb.org/article/2023/04/04/hillsboro-oregon-portland-development-urban-growth-boundary-ugb-farmers-land-use/
Jason, Dirk, I’m thinkin there’s more at stake here than lifestyle; when you pull back the emotional tussle of individuals whose very purpose in being incudes having room enough around where they lift their heads in the morning, to hear birds, have coffee, annd go out to scratch fuzzy ears, it’s imposssible to ignore that their Walden Pond, certainly mine, is because, however infortuitously, so many others are relegated to living in little white boxes, stacked 3 or 4 high, cheek by jowl. Like it or not, we’re all stuck on this globe together, and arable room to breathe free is encumbered not just by the fortunate few, but by our sheer numbers. I haven’t a CLUE as to an equitable solution, but I know those goats make my day, and at the same time, there are teeming millions out there who’d settle for a room in the dry. What I do know is if we all keep yelling at each other, we’re not only crowding each other out, we’re doing it in a way to make everybody miserable. While none of this applies to poorly executed engineering, in carpet cleaners, refrigerators, and the like . . I might not yell at them, but rail, rail, rail, I WILL. Maybe political persuation isn’t best left to effete tea parties, I grant unions weren’t created like that, nor was the US itself, but this cage fighting mentality loses its charm pretty quickly.
Please forgive the self indulgent run on sentences, paragraphs, etc.
Sure, you are in favor of local journalism. But your moral judgments about how one should express him/herself is bordering on censorship, isn’t it? The state of the world, our nation and our community , combined with people’s lack of trust in most institutions make our situation dire. Lashing out is a valid reaction. People don’t feel like their opinions count or are even sought. Only the big boys on top get to decide. The world is changing but unfortunately our local and national governments are not adapting to the changes. Like it or not, US foreign policy will be the end of our way of life and government at all levels appear to be captured by Big Money interests.
I appreciate that sentiment. I have been to hundreds of meetings over the years. Testified on countless issues. Watched as hundreds of codes and ordinances have been shoved through with little or no input. And in many cases hundreds have risen up to testify and make very strong cases only to be told NO…and made to feel small for trying. So it’s time for action and tough talk. Nothing wrong with a strong opinion last time I checked.
“Sure, you are in favor of local journalism. But your moral judgments about how one should express him/herself is bordering on censorship,”
Oscar, did Dirk take down a post by this person? Did he alter their words? Did he call the police and have them sent to this person’s house based on something they said? Did he have a government agency attempt to silence this person through official channels?
Within the last month, the City of Portland has sued OPB to block information obtained about taxes paid by local businesses through a Clean Energy Fund public records request. That is censorship: https://www.koin.com/local/city-of-portland-suing-opb-to-block-clean-energy-fund-public-records-request/
Courts have been going back and forth exercising prior restraint over documents disclosed by Nike to the Oregonian about ongoing sexual harassment at the company. That is censorship: https://pressfreedomtracker.us/all-incidents/judge-orders-oregonian-to-destroy-nike-lawsuit-documents/
What Dirk has done here—simply responding to both the county government’s assertions and their supporters’ attack on his tone of voice—is not censorship, but the core of free speech. The First Amendment entitles one to speak freely in a public forum without fear of government reprisals or government restriction or suppression of said speech. In a private forum, it ideally allows opposing parties to speak their positions. It ensures speech, not a monologue.
Meanwhile, for the second time, Dirk’s been critiqued not on the substance of his article, but the tone.
“What is smarm, exactly? Smarm is a kind of performance—an assumption of the forms of seriousness, of virtue, of constructiveness, without the substance. Smarm is concerned with appropriateness and with tone. Smarm disapproves.”
Dirk has presented you with something unpleasant… ungrateful. He’s genuinely angry at a process that steamrolls citizens, and doesn’t just take umbrage with a neighbor who hasn’t consulted him first. But instead of simply wallowing in cynicism and hoping for the worst, he’s used some salty language (which you’ve politely pointed out) and suggested action.
But since Washington County smarm dictates that community action is more of a “Portland thing” and such outbursts will simply anger the overlords, you police his tone rather than meet his concerns. You call him a censor rather than acknowledge the core of his rebuttal.
You tut and shake your head, but contribute nothing.
Archbishop your nihilistic generalizations and your strange conflation of county roads in Scholls with the last half century or more of U.S. foreign policy have been an entertaining smokescreen, but they ignore the levers in place to prevent the scenarios you view as inevitable. Citizens here have referendum items, they have legal recourse (and I’m stunned that Washington County residents haven’t proven more litigiously libertarian in this regard) and they have a vote. That all of this looks like “censorship” to you makes you seem less like someone who’s had a boot on their neck and more like someone whose tongue has acquired a taste for said boots.
Gosh, talk about articulate, . . however if attempt to censor is the charge, it seems I’m the more likely recipient, than Oscar, except for the fact that save for his toon, I actually agree with Dirk . . And Like Jason, I am more afraid of government indiffence than I ever could be because of Dirk’s tone. I was confused as well by conflation of foriegn policy and infrastucture policy, but I am bettin we, all of us are prone to mixing up our feelings with the dangling phrasing of our thoughts . . To which I say: hurrah for all of us, at least making an effort to figure out this lovely little attempt at democracy we got goin here . . I reserve the right to find fault with any one, I just think we need to find a way to be civil with each other . . Peace, love, understanding, and stay away from goats and bad engineering .
Your opposition will get more traction on this issue, if your appeal includes hard numbers and statistics. To get people to engage and participate in this cause, demonstrate that the cost to develop, construct, maintain, and implement this plan will continually cost tax payers more money. The average citizen needs to be made aware that they are paying for somebody elses profit and benefit. Emotional appeal only will take the matter so far. I completely agree there are much better.solutions than repeating post WW2 car/truck centered planning methods. . Attempting to literally pave over our county’s growth problem isnt a very good strategy at all. The Mount Hood Freeway was stopped by pesky citizens who organized around a similar issue. If you’re argument is based on a quality of life question, then get those hard numbers and facts to support your cause.
The Herald’s been charting this path for Washington County for some time. It reminds me of the Hillsboro Chamber of Commerce having the hubris to declare itself the chamber for the entire region.
The message there: What Hillsboro wants, the county will get.
In this instance, we have a mayor of a county municipality stating outright that this is not what Tigard wants and that other options should be considered. The county commissioners ran right over that—and over Scholls citizens’ objections—to approve the project because it’s in Hillsboro’s interests to get people to drive to work sites within its borders rather than take the Max, a bus or some other form of transit that might simply bypass a drive-thru window.
As a resident of what is (for now) unincorporated Washington County, I’d love nothing more than to add my name to the list of those who’d like to see this put to vote as a ballot measure. If Scholls wants help, it has it.
Dirk,
I so appreciated this article. I am a 9 year veteran of the Beaverton School Board. I was often the lone voice of reason as Jerry Boone a writer for the Oregonian referred to me. I did my homework on issues and talked with teachers, students and parents before voting on issues.
I have attended meetings of the Washington County Board and they don’t seem to take into account the opinion of the public. Scholls is a very special area of our county.
I have also attended information county community information meetings and been accused of not wanting progress in Washington County by employees of their “planning dept.”
I stated I understood progress but I have felt for the 45 years I have lived in Washington County that they do the planning after the development is in place. Allowing huge housing developments without first putting in the necessary infrastructure is simply wrong! They have done it eith schools, roads and draining projects to name a few areas of frustration for me.
My husband and I ride bikes in the beautiful Scholls area and are very concerned with the impact this “new road”(which is more like a highway) will have on that activity. It is a unique farming area. We also frequent Heritage Farms. Why are the Washington County Commissioners not listening? In my opinion, it must be financially motivated. It is a sad situation. I would like to be part of the committee that launches a legal challenge of this decision.
Absolutely we do NOT need a new expressway in Sholls and 4000 more dwellings lining it. The proliferation of private automotive transportation and population MUST be stopped. Do the community and the planet a huge favor and trash this damaging plan.
In all my 50+ years of living in Oregon, I’ve never seen such terrible land management as that happening now in Washington County. Of course this is a terrible idea but so was the high school and all the new surrounding high density neighborhoods. Oregon has completely abandoned it’s sense of scruples and is quickly capitulating to corporate and monied interests that promise to sacrifice our children’s future to the altar of Mammon.
What was outcome today?
4-1 Vote to Pass it. Roy Rogers voted NO. Now we see if an appeal is going to happen. I think it will.
An appeal to a board of bureaucrats, of an ordinance passed by bureaucrats, usually is a waste of time. I remind you of the appeal of the property/fire access behind where your office is on Main St. I also remind you of the legal expense that you incured fighting the new ball park. Lawyers are expensive and like the battle against “2 way” of Main St, the FIX was in when it went to court.
I strongly believe that the “court of citizens”, via a ballot referendum, is the best way to defeat this hideous ordinace that WASHCO has rammed down our throats. Jerry Willey certainly remembers when he had to face the prspect of having his hat handed to him by the voters. 2way was gonna be defeated so Willey backed down, kept his shameful political pride intact, and is now back at it again.
Yes, a voter referendum is hard work and has it’s costs, but if properly polled and executed, has it’s rewards.
I speak from experiances in this process.
Thank you, Mr. Knudsen, for making us aware of this. Those of us who disagree with this proposal should all contact the 4 commissioners who voted yes to at least let them know we disapprove and possibly will consider voting for someone else the next time they’re up for election. I could not find email addresses for them, but here is a link to the form that will allow you to contact the commissioner who represents you:
https://forms.co.washington.or.us/form/constituent-inquiry
And a link to look up who that is:
https://washco.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=5f16aa86c69d4495abd34cfc12ec4b52
The general email for the WA Cty Commision is:
bcc@washingtoncountyor.gov
You’ll probably have to copy and paste these links into your browser for them to work.
You are most welcome! The battle continues!
Follow up: here is a link that includes all the commissioners and a “contact me”.
https://washingtoncounty.civicweb.net/portal/members.aspx?id=10#58
How can I help? I’m old but I care!
This post was needed, in my opinion. For decades, particularly in the last ten years, the local governments here have become increasingly unwilling to communicate or respond to the populace’s concerns. As a community activist and journalist, I can tell you that I have been denied information on more than two dozen occasions despite multiple attempts to gain it. I have been denied access to meetings. Meetings have often been moved or not posted on calendars as recommended and required. Not only that but there are no community town halls or listening post-type meetings at which our politicians ask to listen and respond. They clearly do not want to be put in that position. Many committees and commissions are loaded with people who have attended the Cities Civic Academy, which is basically a boot camp on how to think and act once placed. Overarching all of that is what equates to a direct connection between corporate interests and those in power. That is how the game is played; no one gets that more than me. But the false impression that they want and desire to hear from people has become just a fool’s game. They do not care if what they hear gets in the way of their policies and agendas. We have huge issues, and we, as a County, are falling far behind. Not everything can be solved by letting things lie and being silent. I will not be. In fact, I will be turning up the heat and may publish some emails I have been sent and holding town halls and other public events to make the disenfranchised people heard. If not, we will get no movement or change on anything. If anyone needs a talking to about language or behavior, it is not me. Maybe focus more on those seeking public office at the highest level who threaten people and do great harm. Being an outspoken citizen and writer is not easy. It has cost me. I have been punished in ways many of you would not believe or accept. Yet here I am. I will not back down anymore. I am actually just getting started. If some of you don’t like it, bring it on. That and how about you actually get out of your armchairs and try to make a difference on even one issue? One is a start. The good people of this counry need your help.
Have a great Monday, everyone.
Dirk, i think you might want to spend a moment in my armchair, or even the couch, with a cup of coffee, where you might, upon calm reflection, realize that your ardor is less about me, than your history with government, and people, who are, after all, people, with lives, experience, conclusions, etc. not so different, or so much more mean spirited than your intensity leads you to believe . . Go gettem Tiger, but if you bite off their heads, there’s little chance they’ll have ears left to hear you . . Jason, Galen, Mike, myself ALL agree with your ardor, we only differ, if at all, in method. Cage fighting is more like those poor souls I see walking down 1st street, or alongside Winco or the Esplanade, often just out of jail, angry, chins stuck out, looking for all the world like they are carrying the world on their shoulders . . Alone in their frustration, confusion, resentment, etc.. Are they entirely to blame for their demeanor? Of course not, but the rest of us are afraid to get close enough to find out what they really need. Again, I admire your perseverence, and intensity; anyone else trying to resolve difficult policy in any kind of equitable manner deserves the same respect you expect, and deserve too . .
Larry – I do not need your coffee or your couch. Your comments have been to somehow focus on some version of me that you imagined. Harsh words on a factual situation lead you to concentrate on demeaning or attacking me or my state of mind. Go on – it is fine – but from here on out, either add to the discussion, get off your couch, and actually do something, or stay on topic. Times are that we need action and words that move people. You clearly have not worked much with the Council or City Manager or made many public informational requests, or perhaps you would have a better understanding. I am not angry or biting anyone’s head off. What I need is honesty and transparency from City Hall. Little is offered despite many requests. People visit me all day at my office to talk about our City, policy, and their troubles. People have no issue getting close to me- I have many, many friends here in every camp. There is no reason you can not come talk about things. But come on man- comparing me to a cage fighter walking down the street mumbling to the point people can not speak to me? Nonsense. I provide may be the only site where people are allowed to speak their minds with few rules. You have spoken yours about me repeatedly, and I am unmoved. Get in the game, man, and try to help. I have no idea who you are or what you do- but you can write. I have a venue. So jump in man- the water is warm!
Well . . That last sentence or two certainly elevated you out of cage fighting, thanks for that.. You might still do better to sample my wife’s coffee and our living room furniture . . Perhaps the issue here, like with too many other human interactions, digital distance invites misunderstanding and intemperence . . And misunderstang is precicely what you object to in our civic leaders, I think. Please feel free to come out and scritch some fuzzy ears, it does the soul good.
I understand what you are stating about the Wash Co commissioners. They listen to no one.
On another topic, have you reviewed Washington Counties proposed Significant Natural Resource area map?
If you have, you should easily see that they have used Beaverton’s SNRA designation on Cooper mtn, and other areas that have been working on SNRA’s for urban growth annexations and incorporated into their map.
More significant is how much other areas in Washington Co has not had any designations placed on their map. There are obvious creeks and many other wildlife corridors throughout the county but their mapping doesn’t designate any of it.
We own property in the soon to be annexed area on Cooper mtn. They have placed an overlay ion all of our property due to “riparian and wildlife “. What’s amazing is that there is no similar designation on property beyond the boundaries of Grabhorn rd. It appears that all wildlife, wetlands and riparian areas are confined to Cooper mtn.
As you may know, Washington Co is under court orders to develop SNRA’s by the end of this year. What Washington Co has done is rubber stamp areas like Cooper mtn SNRA’s that Beaverton developed, and have placed it on the Counties SNRA map. They have designated a couple of areas elsewhere in the county, but no where near what it actually is.
If you do an online search for Washington CO’s SNRA map, you will find a link to their map.
There are 3 different meetings being held to discuss this with the public. We are definitely attending one of them and I’m going to ask a lot of questions.
Our property borders Grabhorn rd and Beaverton is planning to build a wildlife tunnel under the road for wildlife to cross. Wouldn’t it make sense that Washington Co would designate adjoining property across the road as a wildlife area? All SNRA’s stop at Grabhorn rd.
I find this very interesting.