Washington County commissioners approve property sale, park-district annexation, housing tax-exemption changes and supplemental budget; authorize data‑sharing I

Washington County commissioners voted unanimously Tuesday to approve the sale of a county-owned parcel to King City, adopt an update to the county's nonprofit low-income housing property tax-exemption ordinance, approve a spring supplemental budget adjustment and authorize an intergovernmental data-sharing agreement with Metro Regional Government related to the Supportive Housing Services program.

The approvals came as a series of staff reports were presented and public hearings were closed without public testimony. Chair Harrington called for and the board carried each motion 4 to 0.

County facilities manager Greg Wyman told the board the parcel being sold was acquired through tax-foreclosure in February 2014 and was included in the county's most recent real property auction. "Washington County has no current public use for the property," Wyman said, and the city of King City asked to acquire the parcel to provide public access to the Tualatin River through parks and trails. The county accepted King City's offer of $70,000; staff noted a newspaper notice incorrectly listed the parcel as 0.07 acres when the property is actually about 1.06 acres.

In a separate hearing the board adopted a resolution approving a consent-petition annexation of two tax lots totaling about 4.75 acres into the Tualatin Hills Park & Recreation District (THPRD). County staff said the annexation was initiated by the property owner and is intended to serve future development; the motion carried 4 to 0 after no public testimony.

The board also adopted Ordinance 905, "an ordinance amending chapter 3.48 of the Washington County Code relating to nonprofit corporation low income housing tax exemptions." Jill Chen, assistant director of the Department of Housing Services, summarized the changes as aligning local wording with state law, limiting a vacant-land exemption to five years, allowing income averaging for certain tax-credit projects and raising allowable tenant income from 60% to 80% of area median income after a first year of tenancy. Chen said the county's portion of taxes waived in the most recent tax year was about $136,000 of roughly $634,000 in total tax exemptions granted.

Interim Chief Financial Officer John Steyer presented the spring supplemental budget request, saying the total requested increase in appropriations was $5,700,000 spread across 12 funds and departmental requests. Steyer described the supplemental as a combination of new and adjusted grant revenues, administrative corrections and transfers of contingency; he told the board details were in the meeting packet. The board adopted the supplemental budget resolution 4 to 0.

Commissioners also authorized the chair to sign an intergovernmental agreement with Metro Regional Government for data sharing tied to the Supportive Housing Services program, and approved the 2025–2029 Disability, Aging and Veteran Services area plan and budget, both by unanimous votes.

Votes at a glance

- Consent agenda: adopted, 4-0. - Sale of county-owned property (Tax Lot identified in staff report): approve sale to King City for $70,000; motion carried 4-0. Note: newspaper notice listed property as 0.07 acres; staff said actual size is about 1.06 acres. - Annexation to THPRD (boundary change 25-001 / service district annexation referenced in staff report): resolution adopted; effective 03/18/2025; motion carried 4-0. - Ordinance 905 (amending chapter 3.48 — nonprofit low-income housing tax exemptions): adopted; motion moved by Commissioner Willey and seconded by Commissioner Schneider; vote 4-0. County portion of last-year tax waivers: approx. $136,000 (total waived ~ $634,000). - FY25 spring supplemental budget (total requested appropriation increase $5,700,000 across 12 funds): resolution adopted; motion carried 4-0. - Intergovernmental agreement with Metro (Supportive Housing Services data sharing): authorized; motion carried 4-0. - 2025–2029 Disability, Aging and Veteran Services area plan and area plan budget: approved; motion carried 4-0. - Ordinance 906 (repeal chapter 3.27 establishing a commercial PACE program): first reading and scheduling of second reading and public hearing set for 06/03/2025; motion to schedule carried 4-0.

Context and what the actions mean

The property sale transfers county title of a foreclosure-acquired parcel to King City, which staff said needs the parcel to provide direct public access to the Tualatin River as part of parks and trails. The annexation moves two tax lots into THPRD to allow future development to be served by park district services. The housing ordinance change refines local code to match state practice for nonprofit-owned affordable housing, adds limits on vacant-land exemptions and allows income-averaging for certain projects. The supplemental budget increases appropriations to reflect new or adjusted revenues and administrative corrections during the fiscal year. The Metro agreement formalizes data sharing related to supportive housing services the county participates in with regional partners.

What the board did not decide tonight

No final decisions were made tonight on the county's proposed staffing or county department eliminations that were discussed in public comment; the county administrator is preparing a balanced proposed budget for presentation April 28. Several public commenters raised concerns about elections, county services and other topics; those comments were received for the record but did not trigger formal board action at this meeting.

Ending

All formal motions recorded at the meeting passed unanimously, 4 to 0. The board scheduled the second reading and a public hearing for Ordinance 906 on June 3, 2025. The county will publish the full adopted resolutions and ordinance texts on washingtoncounty.org.