Business leaders from the Tualatin Valley urged Metro to think big with its industrial expansion on Tuesday, fearing a conservative approach to urban growth boundary expansion could direct big employers elsewhere in the world.
At a meeting with Metro Chief Operating Officer Michael Jordan, members of the Greater Hillsboro Area Chamber of Commerce’s Board of Directors expressed concern that Metro might act too slowly to get large industrial lots into the urban growth boundary – even if some of the changes Jordan has proposed are implemented.
Key among those changes Jordan has suggested is a program that would allow Metro to annually review how many large industrial sites are available within the growth boundary. If a site is developed, Metro would, within a year, have to add a site to ensure a potential employer would have a spot to set up shop.
Metro would continue on its five-year cycle of evaluating how big that bank of industrial land should be.
Hillsboro chamber members would like to see the agency more than double its recommended industrial expansion this year, adding 690 acres of land north of Hillsboro to the urban growth boundary for potential large employers. Metro staff has recommended adding about 300 acres in the area.
"I’m concerned about the timeliness of the replenishment system," said chamber board presidentchair Denzil Scheller. "We’re not competing with Gresham. We’re competing internationally. If people don’t feel those properties can be offered in a timely way, they’re not going to consider Hillsboro."
Jordan said his proposal includes a requirement that the supply would be replenished within a year.
"But what if there’s more than one we have to replace? If we start humming again we might be in the business of constantly looking at lots," Metro’s staff boss said. "That would be a good problem to have. But that’s the idea, to have to do that within one year."
That didn’t seem to satisfy Keith Peal, a vice president at Baker Rock Resources.
"“If we miss any opportunity to grow, we’re missing an opportunity that all of us so desperately need right now," Peal said. "Any cumbersome process that will limit our ability to compete, would be contrary to what we need in the short term – even if that may be contradictory to what the long term plan would say or want."
Jordan responded by talking about his proposed investment task force, which would consist primarily of private sector representatives who would study what targeted investments bring out the best return from the private sector.
"The way you do business put barriers in place to development … Is just as important as how you invest your money," Jordan said.
But Peal said Metro should start by adding the full 690 acres the chamber has suggested, so opportunities to land large employers won’t be missed.
"You don’t know if they’re going to come through the door, and if you’re not ready, they’re going to go through another door," he said.
This story was not subject to the approval of Metro staff or elected officials.
Correction: An earlier version of this story misidentified Denzil Scheller's title. He is the chair of the Greater Hillsboro Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.