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Yamhill County agrees to back three city-led Opportunity Zone applications, declines county application for now
Summary
After discussing zoning and infrastructure limits for a recommended county parcel (41071030601), the board voted to provide support letters for three city-driven Opportunity Zone nominations and defer a county-led application because the proposed county site is not shovel-ready.
Yamhill County commissioners on May 14 agreed to provide support letters for three city-led Opportunity Zone nominations rather than submit a county application for zone 41071030601.
Chair Johnston described the parcel under consideration as —along Highway 18— near McMinnville and said the tract is not zoned for industrial use, lacks infrastructure such as water and sewer, and would not be —shovel ready.— Commissioners debated whether the county should apply to increase odds of securing two zones countywide, or instead back applications already further along.
Several commissioners and staff argued that Sheridan and Newberg have shovel-ready industrial projects and that supporting those applications would increase the county's chances of getting at least two Opportunity Zones designated.
The board instructed staff to prepare support letters on Business Oregon's online interface for the three city applications and moved, seconded and passed that action unanimously.
County staff noted the application process is now permanent under the updated federal rules (Opportunity Zone 2) and that counties will revisit nominations on a decadal cycle; the board discussed starting planning now for the 2036 nomination window.
No formal county nomination was submitted at the meeting; commissioners asked staff to help prepare support letters for the three city applications.
