Measure 37 continues its unrelenting attack on Oregon's agriculture, scenic beauty, forests, and ecosystems.
In Hood River:
The Hood River Valley now has Measure 37 claims on more than one-fifth of its farmland, according to county planners.
Maddox says Hood River could wind up looking like San Jose, California.
Ken Maddox: "These Measure 37 claims have been growing like cancer -- in number and size, and the intensity of development in nearly all cases is very high. We're talking about sub-divisions."
On Steens Mountain:
The latest in a string of large Measure 37 claims is to develop the west side of Steens Mountain in Harney County. The proposal is to develop up to 640 homes on 640 acres. Measure 37 and Steens Mountain How many Measure 37 claims are there? According to Portland State University, 3,450 demands have already been filed on over 223,00 acres—an area greater than Oregon’s seven largest cities combined. The vast majority of these demands involve slicing up Oregon’s farm and forest lands.
By out of state corporations across the Oregon coast:
Seattle-based Plum Creek Timber Co. delivered nearly 100 applications at Lincoln and Coos county offices Thursday, asking to construct homes on forestland scattered across Oregon’s coastal region.
Planning directors from both counties said they hadn’t had time to analyze the applications Thursday afternoon. But they said a Plum Creek representative told them in separate meetings last week to expect claims on as much as 10,000 to 15,000 acres in each county.
And on and on and on and on. (This is a recent update from 1000 Friends of Oregon, you can subscribe to their outstanding updates here.)
And our Governor notes:
"For every request filed by a small landowner seeking to build a residence under Measure 37, there have been six claims filed by developers, speculators and corporations."
So, with the Democrats in control of the House, the Senate, and the Governorship, surely Oregonians can do SOMETHING about this now?
Don't be so sure! Here is the mealy-mouthed playing-both-sides-of-the-issue from Kate Brown:
I believe in the principle of property rights and that out land use system must be fair to landowners. I don’t believe these principles need to conflict with our common interests in protecting the quality of life that we, as Oregonians, cherish. We have the responsibility to find common ground on this contentious issue, and I believe that we can.
As elected officials we also have a responsibility to honor the will of Oregon voters. By passing Measure 37 by a large margin, Oregonians voiced a need for greater fairness in our land use system. However, the complicated text of Measure 37 creates a great deal of unfairness and unintended consequences. I do not believe that a majority of Oregonians intended to waive all land use protections for some property owners while leaving in place inflexible restrictions on property next door. I also don’t believe that a majority of Oregonians favor the placement of massive development in and adjacent to much of our prime farm and forest lands.
So, do not sit back, now we MUST do something about Measure 37.
Here's what to do:
Step 1. Contact your State Senator and Representative. You can find out who they are using this form. Here's some advice from 1000 Friends.
Step 2. Are you near Salem? Want to testify against Measure 37 TODAY? You can do so by testifying today in front of the Special Committee on Land Use "Fairness":
Land Use Fairness
Office: 453 Phone: 503-986-1674
Date: Thursday-February 1
Time: 5:00 P.M.
Room: HR B
Informational Meeting
Possible continuation of invited testimony by Ballot Measure 37 Stakeholder Groups
Public testimony regarding Ballot Measure 37
Staff respectfully requests that you submit 20 collated copies of written materials at the time of your testimony.
Persons making presentations including the use of video, DVD, PowerPoint or overhead projection equipment are asked to contact committee staff 24 hours prior to the meeting.
Step 3. Engage with 1000 Friends of Oregon. They aren't perfect by any means (their slavish devotion to their dwindling agricultural constituents precluded them from aggressively attacking M37 2 years ago in the first place). BUT, they are fighting hard. And you can join their Updates list to get local/regional/national updates. Consider giving a few bucks to them.