ARTICLE
On October 1st at 10:45 am, the Washington County Commission will be holding a public hearing on Ordinances No. 901 and No. 902 to determine the fate of the years-long Significant Natural Resources project. See the agenda item packet here. We would like to have HBA members represented at this meeting to show County Commissioners that we support providing certain, targeted exemptions to the SNR’s Upland Wildlife Habitat areas that will protect and encourage the creation of new middle housing in urban areas. If you’re able, we’re asking folks to help out with written, in-person, or virtual testimony. Please email Preston Korst at prestonk@hbapdx.org if you would like to testify. In particular, we’re asking the County to retain an amendment to “Increase lot size-related exemptions from Upland Wildlife Habitat requirements to 2 acres to facilitate infill development and reduce burden on small projects/sites.” We are grateful that the Planning Commission agreed to move forward with this recommendation. However, staff are asking Commission to reject this provision and replace it with a downgraded tree-value point system instead. We are urging the County Commission to keep the 2-acre exemption amendment for engrossment, which will help protect middle housing development in the county’s unincorporated urban areas. Additionally, we are asking Commission to ensure that future map adjustments and modifications that relate to middle housing land divisions are not unduly discouraged (or denied) due to the updated SNR overlay. We believe that mapping adjustments to accommodate legally allowed middle housing projects should not warrant the burden of a Type IV Review, but should instead be approved via Type I staff review. Doing so will help keep the county in compliance with HB 2001 while supporting standard reviews for middle housing applications. More details about the ordinances and the SNR project are below. For the last year, HBA has provided input and engaged with the County’s LUT team to help shape the county’s Significant Natural Resources Project. Stemming from several years of legal scrutiny regarding clear and objective standards, the county has created two ordinances (Ord. No. 901 and No. 902) to come into compliance with state law. This includes updates to its mapping tools for natural resources including replacing outdated maps with newer, though inexact, maps using GIS from Metro. Additionally, there are also proposed changes to the development code related to tree removal permitting, design standards, and added standards for Riparian Habitat and Upland Wildlife Habitat, including adding classes of protection. Having proceeded through the Planning Commission last week, the project has reached a significant milestone. The current ordinances include several important details, including a proposed rule exemption for any properties of less than 2 acres, which was formally recommended by the Planning Commission last week. HBA’s is now working with the County Commission and has written testimony advocating for additional exemptions be granted to projects on smaller/challenging lots, in addition to offering opportunities to allowing off-site mitigation options.