Council holds hearing on Jerome property annexation; zone change postponed, annexation clears first reading

The City Council held a public hearing Feb. 18 on an applicant-initiated annexation and a city-initiated zone change for two parcels owned by the Barbara J. Jerome Living Trust (about 10.11 acres in South Hillsboro). The two separate actions reviewed by the council were: (1) annexation of the parcels into Hillsboro and (2) applying City zoning (the proposal applied R-4.5 implementing the RM comprehensive-plan designation and the City’s Significant Natural Resource Overlay and floodplain overlay).

Planning staff presented the application and staff reports, noting the zone change would apply the Significant Natural Resource Overlay (SNRO) and that the City’s inventory and the county’s inventory differ because they were completed at different times. Rachel Bridal, the City’s senior planner, explained the overlay is based on a city-level inventory and that subsequent site-level delineation (required at development) would confirm what resources are present on the ground.

Several residents who live adjacent to the Jerome parcels testified and urged protections, citing the removal of a stand of mature trees prior to annexation. Neighbors asked for a buffer at the south property line, expressed concern about a single new access point and requested a transition between the existing R-10 neighborhood and the proposed medium-density development. Residents said trees were harvested under an Oregon Department of Forestry permit while the land remained under county jurisdiction.

A planning consultant representing the Jerome family said the owners purchased the property in 1961, intended the trees to be harvested and had followed Oregon Department of Forestry rules. He said a prior comprehensive-plan process assigned residential medium density to the site and that developers had previously considered higher-density options but the owners planned single-family detached homes at a medium density level.

Council discussion focused on whether council should attach a condition to the zone change requiring a transition or buffer along the southern edge. Staff advised that any condition attached to a zone change must be tied to the applicable approval criteria and that some proposed conditions (such as reducing density) would require a comprehensive-plan amendment. Given the range of legal and technical considerations, the council directed staff to draft possible condition language and supporting findings and bring them back for the March 4 meeting.

Actions and votes: the council postponed the city-initiated zone change (Order 23) to the March 4, 2025 council meeting. The council then approved the first reading of Annexation Ordinance No. 6497; the second reading and final adoption of the ordinance were scheduled for March 4. The vote on the first reading was recorded by roll call and passed.(See 'Votes at a glance' below.)

Ending: Staff said site-level natural-resource delineation and development review would be required before any construction, and councilors encouraged neighbors to participate in subsequent land-use review steps where detailed conditions and mitigation measures can be considered.