Up Sucker Creek

Up Sucker Creek
Photo Courtesy of the Lake Oswego Library

Friday, April 10, 2015

Stafford Hamlet in the cross hairs

Why Stafford?  

Because it's a great place to live, and because it's there.  

Why now?
Because Metro, Clackamas County and the State made such a mess out of Damascus, they need a "win" on bringing new, developable land into the UGB.  And developers want it.  

What's going on?  
Developers, land speculators, Metro and state legislators can't believe their power isn't infinite.  For them it's winner-take-all rather than a win-win compromise.   

There was a meeting of officials from local jurisdictions, Metro and the state at the Wilsonville City Hall on Monday 4/6.  The meeting was closed to the public - invitees only.  Is there a "grand bargain" in the works, or a demolition derby?  

Until Stafford is brought into the Metro Urban Growth Boundary, investors (Stafford Land Owners Association, Inc.) cannot urbanize the area with their plan for compact neighborhoods, a town center and 4,000 new residents.

The residents of Stafford Hamlet created their own compromise plan for the area they hope will satisfy all parties and give each something they want, while giving no one everything they hoped for.  The plan allows investors to develop homes on 5-acre parcels that fit the character of the hamlet and would add just 200 new homes.  No new infrastructure would be needed!

No city in the area can afford to take on development in Stafford with the horrendous costs of added infrastructure, and the negative impacts increased density would bring to local transportation infrastructure.  Our own water, sewer, storm water and street maintenance fees are already causing a hardship for city residents, and LO is not finished upgrading its utility and transportation infrastructure - and will never be done completely.  Other cities are in the same boat. Where is the magic the legislature or Metro will bring to make their grand, "smart" plans work?

Where is the emergency? 

Sponsored by Committee on Rural Communities, Land Use, and Water

Title:  Relating to post-acknowledgement changes to regional framework plan in 
Metro; declaring an emergency.

Summary:  Validates urban reserves adopted by Metro and Clackamas County.  Declares emergency, effective on passage.  

Submitted by Representative John Davis (R-Wilsonville)


USC Note:  Article below is from last October and while current conditions may have changed, it is presented here for the excellent history of land use in the hamlet.

 Both of the images in this post are from the Oregonian story.

Stafford residents say hamlet should be off limits to urbanization, except for Borland Rd.
Oregonian, October 15, 2014, By Michael Bamesberger

Residents of the Stafford Hamlet have voted overwhelmingly in favor of asking county and Metro's officials to designate much of the hamlet off limits to an expansion of the Urban Growth Boundary.


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