Land Use
& Voices Not Heard
At the Regional Dialogues, Participants from rural communities named the struggles they have with getting their perspectives heard and reflected in Oregon’s policies and practices. They most often gave Oregon’s land use laws as the policies where they feel the least represented.
State land use laws are recognized by some to promote development in town and city centers preserving undeveloped land for agriculture, conservation, and recreation. Others identify these same laws as constraints on the creation of housing for middle-income households and economic development. “One-size does not fit all,” was a sentiment that came up often in the Dialogues. Policies intended for Portland, its suburbs and the nutrient-rich soils of the Willamette Valley do not work in small communities with low population density and/ or with significantly different landscapes.
Participants saw policy decisions happen in urban centers at the state and federal level, so there is tension that rural communities are not at the decision-making tables or, when they are, they are the only one with a differing perspective. There was a sense that individuals and communities collectively feel unheard, ignored, or both. Some Participants from Portland and other cities even acknowledged this unfortunate dynamic.
The Cohort recognized the magnitude of this issue and attempted to reflect on many of its complexities but did not want the scope of the problems to prevent ALF Oregon’s engagement on the issue. The Cohort recognized the divisiveness of this issue and that it is central to the divide between urban and rural communities. The Cohort saw this as an issue to wade into further and seek more explanations.
Land Use Planning: Decisions Made Without All Voices
The Land Use Committee came together at the May 2019 retreat with our committee members coming from urban, rural and suburban communities. We all have substantial knowledge and experience with the benefits of Oregon’s land use policies and a good sense of how these policies confound communities and individuals. This is represented in our team name, “Grass Is Always Greener.”
For our project, we chose to provide the perspectives of Oregonians whose day-to-day work and livelihood involves the Oregon Land Conservation and Development Act of 1973, also known as “Senate Bill 100.” Adopted in 1973, the Act is designed to focus development within towns or urban centers in order to protect Oregon’s working and natural landscapes that are so vital to our way of life and support our economies. As part of this Act, all cities and counties are required to prepare comprehensive plans that also meet state goals laid out in the law. The goals help to accomplish the purpose of the Act and direct communities to create plans for the provision of affordable housing, protection of natural resources, and well-rounded citizen involvement plans.
We worked with a videographer, Brady Holden, to offer both short history and the challenges and impacts of Oregon’s land use through interviews with Oregonians part of the Hood River, Irrigon (Morrow County), Madras, Monmouth and Portland communities.
This video does not seek answers but hopefully illuminates issues and perspectives and brings home the value of getting involved in your community.
Here are questions to Consider as You Watch (and perhaps re-watch) our video, Oregon’s Land Use: Add Your Voice.
-
What parts of the video are meaningful or resonate with you?
-
Did you learn anything new?
-
Are you curious to learn more about a part of Oregon’s land use laws.
-
Whose perspective is most like yours? Or is there anyone?
-
Does the video inspire you to connect with anyone in your network or take any action?