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Minutes - 05/01/2001 Workshop COUNCIL WORKSHOP MINUTES MAY 1, 2001 TAPE READING Tape 1 0001 DATE. COUNCIL CHAMBERS, CITY HALL, CITY OF WOODBURN, COUNTY OF MARION, STATE OF OREGON, MAY 1,2001. CONVENED. The Economic Opportunities Analysis workshop convened at 7: 15 pm with Mayor Jennings presiding. ROLL CALL. Mayor Councilor Councilor Councilor Councilor Councilor Councilor Jennings Bjelland Chadwick Figley Kilmurray Nichols Sifuentez Present Present (7:55 pm) Present Absent Present Present Present Staff Present: City Administrator Brown, Public Works Director Tiwari, Community Development Director Mulder, Senior Planner Zwerdling, City Recorder Tennant Consultants: Terry Moore, ECO Northwest; Greg Winterowd, Winterowd Planning Services 0050 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STUDY/OPPORTUNITIES ANALYSIS. Administrator Brown stated that an issue was raised during the buildable lands inventory as to how much industrial land the City wanted versus how much could be justified to Dept. of Land Conservation & Development (DLCD). Another issue with DLCD related to minimum housing lot sizes since the City was interested in bettering the future of our community by providing a mix of housing including more expensive housing. As a result of the various issues brought forth, the City was awarded some funds from the State of Oregon to do an analysis and the City contracted with ECO Northwest to prepare the Economic Opportunities Analysis. He stated that this study is_ an attempt to determine the City's position in the region as a potential site to attract the right kind of industry that provides a higher paying wage than City residents currently have, interested in how much land and infrastructure the industry needs, social and cultural amenities, and steps necessary to get that set of conditions in place. This workshop focuses on reviewing the first half of the report with the intent of giving the Council an opportunity to digest the information during the week so that policy choices can be considered at the May 7th Special meeting. Terry Moore, ECO Northwest, stated that this project focuses on updating the economic portion of the City's Comprehensive Plan (Goal 9). The scope of work is in two phases - Page 1 - Council Meeting Minutes, May 1,2001 --------- <....-- 8A COUNCIL WORKSHOP MINUTES MAY 1, 2001 TAPE READING first phase is evaluation of local economic conditions, and the second phase is putting together economic strategies to achieve the City's economic vision. He stressed that what the City does in making choices about jobs and other economic issues will have an impact on land use and transportation. He stated that Goal 9 requires an estimate of how much land supply the City has in the long term, followed by an analysis of economic opportunities and types of constraints for the purpose of developing a list of targeted industries, then work towards an economic development strategy. He reviewed various sources of information used to evaluate the local economic conditions including local and regional employment trends from 1990-1999, opportunities and constraints for the City such as availability of buildable lands, suitable sites for certain industries, labor force, transportation, and public facilities. In preparing the list of targeted industries, a review of selected established criteria was utilized and are listed in the report. Additionally, other required State Goals pertinent in trying to address Goal 9 are as follows: Goal 10 (Housing), Goal 11 (Public Facilities), Goa112 (Transportation), and Goal 14 (Urbanization). He stated that if the Council would like certain target industries that have higher paying jobs and different type of employment, those industries need larger sites than what Woodburn has to offer at this time along with good transportation access inside its Urban Growth Boundary (UGB). He reviewed the following findings: 1) City has had a large population growth in the 1990's (4.1 % average annually whereas the Oregon growth rate was only 1.9%); 2) Employment growth was also greater than statistics show for Oregon, North Mid- Willamette Valley, and Marion County; 3) City has a location advantages by being located close to Salem and Portland, and located along 1-5; and 4) City has a surplus of low density residential land and a major deficit of industrial land. In regards to vacant land, there is a lot of land that may look vacant on a map, however, there is a large amount of open areas used for parks and schools within the City. It was noted that the vacant industrial land is scattered with most of the land in the northeast quadrant which is away from the 1-5 interchange area. Mr. Moore stated that a large number of citizens travel to the metro area for their employment with a smaller number commuting to the SalernlKeizer area. In terms of housing needs, a computer model showed, over the next 20 years, a need for another 2300 units of which 2/3 would be owner-occupied and 1/3 renter-occupied. In regards to transportation, Kittleson Assoc. has been providing information for this report since they have done some recent transportation work for the City. Their assessment is that (1) there is no substantial capacity for new growth unless something happens with the 1-5 interchange and Highway 214. Currently, the 1-5 interchange does not meet the ODOT mobility standards, and Highway 214 has intersections operating at a very poor capacity. He reviewed proposed transportation improvements that need to occur to change the current economic conditions: 1) improvements to the 1-5 interchange, Page 2 - Council Meeting Minutes, May 1,2001 COUNCIL WORKSHOP MINUTES MAY 1, 2001 TAPE READING 2) widening of Highway 214, 3) improved access on Highway 99E, 4) development of the south side arterial roadway, and 5) improved public transportation services. He reminded the Council that everything hinges on an improvement to the 1-5 interchange area in order to provide sufficient capacity. In regards to site needs, he briefly reviewed the four types of site needs: 1) large lot industrial site to accommodate fabrication or electronic plants; 2) campus research and development which requires approximately 40 acres; 3) small light industrial which could be individual sites or smaller campus site; and 4) speculative sites within a mixed use developments. He reiterated that these were the types of sites that the targeted industries would be interested in developing. Even though the City has infrastructure capacity and flat land, the problems facing the City are transportation and potential UGB. He reminded the Council that economic development becomes more tangible when land development is considered, therefore, he presented some changes in land use as a way to visualize the requirements and results of economic future. He explained the three alternatives that could be accepted by the Council: 1) Implement the existing plan, 2) a more compact form of growth, and 3) expansion of the UGB. Of the alternatives provided, the expansion of the Urban Growth Boundary would have the biggest impact on economic development. In the opinions of ECO Northwest and Kittleson Assoc., the development of a north side or south side arterial would be preferable if a UGB expansion is pursued. In order to finalize the study, it is necessary for the Council to give them policy direction on what alternative is preferable. 3640 Mayor Jennings expressed his opinion that citizens in the community should have the privilege to determine what the City should look like in the future. He realizes that there are land use laws but whenever the City tries to square up the urban growth boundary, the City meets with resistance at the State level. He stated that he is a proponent for expansion of the UGB. Greg Winterrowd stated that there are many roadblocks ahead of the City if they elect to expand the UGB since there is a current transportation problem and the City is surrounded by agricultural land. Expansion of the UGB is now more involved than in the past and financial plans need to be in placed, housing needs analyzed, transportation plan updated, public infrastructure in place for capacity, and vacant land analyzed to accommodate all of the future zoning needs. The City will need to exhaustively examine all of those alternatives since the State policy says that cities are to stay off of large-sized high value farm land and the class of soil does not make any difference. As a result, the City will need to build their case from the ground up and look at all requirements within the statewide planning goals to justify the need to expand the UGB. He reviewed each one of the statewide planning goals to provide additional information as to what the City will need to do in order to submit a complete plan to LCDC. He reiterated that it will be Page 3 - Council Meeting Minutes, May 1, 2001 COUNCIL WORKSHOP MINUTES MAY 1, 2001 TAPE READING at least a 2-year process and it will be a major commitment of resources and public involvement. Discussion was held regarding the need to develop another arterial roadway in order to provide transportation access to industrial land. 5552 Councilor Nichols expressed his opinion that the City needs to pursue development of a transportation loop around the City and the City should pursue a UGB expansion and provide for industrial growth in the West Woodburn area. Councilor Kilmurray felt that the UGB seems to be the way to go, however, she is not sure as to what the best approach is for the City. Even though expansion in the freeway is desirable, there is still some land in the vicinity of Highway 99E zoned industrial and she is unclear as to why it is not considered as a good arterial. Councilor Bjelland expressed his opinion that there are a number of issues to address and complete before a successful UGB expansion is granted. These issues include a new transportation system plan which recognizes what the City wants to see as the UGB, location of industry, and provide adequate access for those facilities locating on those expanded areas. He also stated that he is a proponent of a north/south arterial and this is a critical issue to any UGB expansion. He agreed that the City needs to have all of the issues thoroughly analyzed at various city and state levels so that the results of the plan are justifiable to LCDC. Tape 2 0001 Terry Moore stated that the next step is to prepare an economic development plan which will include a set of strategies which is based on the Council's direction. A set of policies would be developed as part of the strategy so that they can move forward with the alternative that they select. Councilor Bjelland felt that the City has some very definite policy decisions to make that are even beyond the decision of whether or not the UGB should be expanded. Administrator Brown stated that if the Council is looking at targeting a livable wage at $35,000, then the City will need to attract a larger industry which then requires expansion of the UGB in order to provide the industrial land to bring the industry into our community. Councilor Sifuentez stated that she is in favor of pursuing an expansion of the UGB for the future even though a lot of policy work needs to be completed. She also supported the need to look for a targeted industry which will bring up the average annual household wage within our community. Councilor Chadwick expressed her opinion that the City should work towards the expansion of the UGB in order to meet future needs. Terry Moore summarized the next phase of this study which involves 1) outlining various probabilities and timing if certain actions are taken by the Council; and 2) drafting a set Page 4 - Council Meeting Minutes, May 1,2001 COUNCIL WORKSHOP MINUTES MAY 1, 2001 TAPE READING of policies consistent with the economic development strategy to address jobs within the City and size of land to accommodate the target industry. He stated that the purpose of this workshop is to give the Councilors a little time to digest the materials presented so that the following week they can further discuss this issue and provide some policy direction in order to complete this phase of the report. Councilor Bjelland stated that it is necessary for the Council to know what is achievable and what is feasible in order to decide which direction to move toward in the future. Mr. Moore expressed his opinion that, after reviewing the documentation gathered, Woodburn would be able to find target industries provided that adequate policies and improvements are made to accommodate those industries. The meeting concluded at 9:15 pm. APPROVED ATTEST Mary Ten ant, Recorder City of Woodburn, Oregon Page 5 - Council Meeting Minutes, May 1,2001