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St. Helens officials weigh boundaries for proposed Woodland Reserve along Milton Creek
Summary
City planning and parks officials discussed a proposed Woodland Reserve on city-owned parcels near Milton Creek, debating trade-offs between preserving camas meadow and keeping some land available for industrial use; next step: use updated topographic data to define firm boundaries before pursuing formal protection.
City of St. Helens planning commissioners, councilors and parks volunteers spent the bulk of a June 11 joint meeting discussing a proposal to set aside city-owned land along Milton Creek as a low‑maintenance Woodland Reserve while balancing future industrial needs.
The proposal grew from a parks commission concept presented in December and has been refined in staff meetings since March. Daniel April, chair of the Landmarks and Trails Commission, said preserving the site is urgent because nearby parcels are under development pressure and the area contains unique native flora. “The timeliness of preserving the location is paramount,” April said.
Scott Jacobson, a city planning staff member, told the group the city’s recent Economic Opportunities Analysis (EOA) shows St. Helens has about 243 buildable industrial acres and a 20‑year need of roughly 29 acres — a surplus of about 214 acres. “The question we have to ask ourselves,” Jacobson said, “is is this prime industrial land or not?” He listed factors that could make…
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