OREGON CITY – Borland, business and Beavercreek.
The Three B's were the key topics at the Metro Council's first public hearing on its proposed capacity ordinance. The hearing, on Monday night in the Clackamas County Commission chambers, drew about 20 attendees, six of whom testified on the ordinance.
The most notable testimony came from Clackamas County Commissioner Charlotte Lehan, who served notice that her county could ask for an urban growth boundary expansion in the Borland Road area near Stafford as soon as 2015.
The ordinance "gives the region an opportunity to carefully consider where we might expand in other places, such as Borland, which has the potential for an important future regional center in Clackamas County," she said. "It may not be ready now, but it could be ready in another year or so."
When pressed by Metro Councilor Robert Liberty about whether she was suggesting the boundary be moved in Metro's anticipated urban growth boundary review in 2011, Lehan said no.
The cities around the Borland area – Tualatin, West Linn and Lake Oswego – are "not opposed to expanding necessarily, but are not eager to do it anytime in the immediate future."
Also speaking before the council was Burton Weast, head of the Clackamas County Business Alliance. Weast said he was disappointed that the council has tabled consideration of a proposed industrial lands replenishment system.
"When Mr. (Metro Chief Operating Officer Michael) Jordan presented his report to our board, that was probably the one thing everybody got excited about," he said.
Weast also supported Lehan's arguments in favor of the Borland area.
"We see that as a future town center and a major employment center for Clackamas County in the future, and would like to echo her comments on that," he said.
Three members of the public came to testify about the Beavercreek area, southeast of Oregon City. The area is in Metro's concept plans as an industrial site, but the regional government is proposing to allow residential development in part of the area that Oregon City and Metro staff says isn't ideal for industrial development.
Two of the residents expressed concerns about traffic impacts and suggested Oregon City has enough housing stock available without Beavercreek being converted; one spoke in favor of the proposed plan change.
The next Metro Council hearing on the capacity ordinance is Thursday night in Hillsboro.