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Clackamas County adopts CPACE program in unanimous vote
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Summary
The board on April 23 adopted an ordinance establishing a Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (CPACE) program, approving emergency adoption so it could pass without a second reading. County staff said private capital providers will fund projects; no county general funds are involved.
The Clackamas County Board of Commissioners adopted an ordinance on April 23 creating a Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy program, known as CPACE, authorizing county staff to administer program processes required by state statute and to record related liens.
Dan Johnson, director of Transportation and Development, told the board the program is intended to be a financing tool in which private capital providers make loans to commercial property owners and the county ensures loan applications meet statutory and administrative criteria. "The county's role would be to ensure that the loan applications followed certain criteria," Johnson said, adding that private capital providers are responsible for underwriting, building and collecting loan payments and that "there is additionally no essential financing and or fiscal impacts, to the county or the program."
Johnson asked the board to adopt the ordinance on an emergency basis because of constrained capital availability in the current economic climate. The board voted unanimously to adopt Ordinance No. 05-2026, allowing the county to enact the new chapter of code (Ch. 8.11) without a required second reading. Commissioner West moved approval; Commissioner Helm seconded. The clerk recorded the motion as passing 4 to 0.
The ordinance places program administrative responsibilities with the county's Department of Transportation and Development, including filing documents and recording liens in favor of private capital providers when required by statute. Johnson said the county would be notified only if a borrower defaulted, in which case staff would facilitate discussions with the capital provider about next steps.
The board and staff emphasized there is no use of county general fund dollars for the program. With emergency adoption complete, staff will proceed with implementation steps laid out in the ordinance and related program materials.
Next steps: county staff will finalize administrative procedures described in the ordinance and begin outreach to potential capital providers and stakeholders.
