Nicole Underwood, principal with Echo Northwest, told the council that using the Oregon Employment Department regional forecast Wilsonville is expected to add about 6,100 jobs by 2046, translating to roughly 320 acres of industrial land and 110 acres of commercial land. Underwood said the city has enough land on paper but that near-term development is constrained by small parcel sizes, fragmented ownership and limited urban-level infrastructure in areas like Basalt Creek.

The draft economic development strategy organizes actions around six focus areas. Underwood described five near-term actions for industrial land readiness: launch a land-aggregation and resale program in Coffee Creek using urban renewal paired with Business Oregon's regionally significant industrial site (RSIS) reimbursement program; study the feasibility of expanding or creating an urban-renewal area in Basalt Creek; coordinate with Washington County on contractor-establishment approvals that do not match the master-plan vision; design an infrastructure-financing toolkit (local improvement districts, cost-sharing, grants); and promote the city's most development-ready industrial sites.

Councilor Cunningham said aggregation is likely the top priority to overcome the recurring development roadblocks. Matt (city staff) replied that statutory limits on expanding an existing urban renewal area without creating a new one mean Coffee Creek (roughly 250 acres) could add about 20%—approximately 50 acres—without a new plan. Matt said a major developer has already aggregated about 50 acres in Basalt Creek and could be a near-term candidate if timing and criteria align.

Councilors pressed staff about whether the city should take more control over processing applications in Basalt Creek rather than defer to Washington County. Matt and Beth Goodman said the city could process county unincorporated-property applications but would still implement county policies; city processing could, however, ensure required coordination happens and reduce approvals that bypass city input.

Councilors also raised infrastructure concerns. Staff noted local roads are typically constructed by developers with arterial and intersection upgrades becoming city capital projects, and that the Coffee Creek master plan identifies needed road projects. On power, staff said Pacific Gas & Electric (PGE) reported capacity for many industrial users in the Wilsonville area but that lead times for distribution equipment (transformers, other gear) are the key constraint: “The question is not if, it’s when,” staff said, noting long lead times can be a deal breaker for tenants.

Staff said draft amendments related to RSIS and the Coffee Creek Urban Renewal Plan are being prepared for the Urban Renewal Task Force and council in Q1; if council supports the approach, land-assembly activity using RSIS reimbursements could begin in 2026 to identify sites that meet the program criteria.

The council did not take formal action during the work session but gave staff direction on prioritizing land aggregation, studying urban-renewal feasibility, and maintaining coordination on utilities and transportation planning as the next steps.