A bill to make Oregon’s land use laws more flexible for rural Oregon has cleared the final hurdle in the legislative process before it goes to the Governor’s desk.  

Senate Bill 2 would allow 10 rural Eastern Oregon counties with low growth rates the ability to conduct an economic opportunity analysis (EOA) outside of the Urban Growth Boundary (UGB) and immediately utilize up to 50-acres for commercial and industrial purposes without going through the cumbersome and hurdle-filled exceptions process to Oregon’s land use system. Counties impacted by this legislation include: Baker, Gilliam, Grant, Harney, Lake, Malheur, Sherman, Union, Wallowa, and Wheeler counties.  

The bill was created through a collaborative workgroup led by Senate President Peter Courtney’s office with a broad range of stakeholders, including Harney County Commissioner Mark Owens and Association of Oregon Counties (AOC) Interim Executive Director, Mike Eliason, Farm Bureau, 1000 Friends of Oregon, property owners association, and others.

In his floor speech, Representative Brian Clem (D- Salem), co-carrier of the bill said, “this is a long-standing question in the minds of many people of like myself, who are in favor of the land use system generally, but are wondering whether or not our land use system is inhibiting job growth in rural areas. And this will answer it in about 10 counties.”

Representative. Mike McLane (R-Powell Butte) commented in his floor speech on the economic challenges in rural Oregon, and said of the bill, “this will help the very people that when you look at the economic data, are not doing as well as the urban areas.”

The bill first passed the Senate on a 26-2 vote, and the House unanimously, and now awaits the Governor’s signature.

Contributed by: Megan Chuinard | Public Affairs