News

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Date ArticleType
4/20/2021 Member News

HBA Hosts Quarterly Washington County Land Use Update, Champions Budget Strategy


Last week, HBA and Washington County Land Use and Transportation staff convened to discuss the current status of staff's proposed budget request strategy for current planning and building services. The strategy, which HBA supported in this letter, proposes a combination of expenditure reductions, external funding, targeted fee increases and reserve spending to maintain and stabilize staffing. During the quarterly meeting, HBA members also raised issues with increased permitting timelines, delving into potential solutions that both county staff and the development community can pursue. Related to this, members discussed the county’s House Bill 2306 implementation and ways to supply needed housing faster while achieving necessary community infrastructure.

House Bill 2306 requires jurisdictions to issue residential building permits upon substantial completion of a subdivision’s infrastructure. One tool Washington County relies on for bill compliance is infrastructure bonding, which allows builders to record their plats and proceed to permit review and issuance in a more timely manner. This is one way jurisdictions can encourage home production as soon as the land is ready for construction. HBA applauds this permitting mechanism and continues to work with the county on specific ways to achieve full HB2306 compliance and reduce overall permitting timelines. To learn more about HBA involvement in Washington County, contact Ryan Makinster at ryanm@hbapdx.org.