Residents urge Washington County to oppose SB 1586, citing farmland and planning concerns

Several residents testified at the Washington County Board of Commissioners meeting on Feb. 24 calling on the board and state legislators to oppose Senate Bill 1586, commonly described by commenters as the Oregon Jobs Act.

Wendy Mortensen, speaking for community planning organization members and agricultural and forestry workers, asked the board to “please oppose SB 1586” and argued the bill would “cede your planning and zoning authority to the state of Oregon” and could bring “1,700 acres of our prime farmland into the urban growth boundary for no reason other than speculation.”

Aaron Nichols, a local farmer, told the board he was “extremely disappointed” in the commission’s previous endorsement of the bill and called it a “poorly written, poorly conceived, and deeply unpopular land grab.” He said no economic analysis showing job benefits had been presented and asserted that most public testimony on the bill had been opposed.

David Williams, a long-time unincorporated-county resident and USDA Wildlife Services employee, urged preservation of agricultural lands and wildlife habitat and said industrial development—specifically data centers—would “pave over” landscape important to birds traveling the Pacific Flyway.

Chair Harrington read a brief statement on behalf of the board acknowledging the complexity of land-designation decisions and noting that Metro-region Urban and Rural Reserve adjustments and related land-designation authority “is squarely in the state legislators domain, not the county commission.” The chair said the board "continues to support the legislation as amended most recently" and directed constituents to raise land-designation concerns with their state legislators.

What happens next: multiple speakers urged local elected officials to reconsider endorsements and press state legislators. The board has not rescinded its endorsement in this meeting; Chair Harrington advised residents to bring their concerns to the state legislature.

Sources: public comments from Wendy Mortensen, Aaron Nichols and Dave Williams at the Feb. 24 Washington County Board of Commissioners meeting, and a board statement read by Chair Harrington.