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10/15/2019 Member News

HBA Members Discuss Permit Timelines and New Laws with Washington County Staff


Earlier this week, HBA members met with the newly minted Director of Washington County's Department of Land Use and Transportation and his executive team to discuss recent staffing changes and the rollout of new development permitting software. The County is currently working its way through an application backlog and is acting diligently to achieve a more streamlined process for reviewing land use and building permit applications. We also reviewed HBA’s recently passed legislation HB2306, which requires the County to issue residential building permits upon substantial completion of construction of public improvements in residential subdivisions, to determine what steps the County must take to comply with the new law. Finally, members discussed concerns with the County’s lack of control over the placement of private infrastructure in the public right-of-way and expressed support for ongoing efforts to revise how the utilities are regulated so that new housing is not unduly burdened by the proliferation of new private infrastructure on County sidewalks. This conversation is part of an ongoing series with senior Washington County staff. To join us at future meetings, please contact Ezra Hammer at ezrah@hbapdx.org.

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