Commissioners approve expansion of Jefferson County enterprise zone near Madras Airport

The Jefferson County Board of Commissioners and the Madras City Council voted to expand the Jefferson County Enterprise Zone to include a 196‑acre county parcel north of the Madras Airport.

Brenna, a county staff presenter, said the proposal would add about “0.3 miles to the enterprise zone” and follow the same process used for a recent Simons property designation. She told the board the shorter 3–5‑year abatements would remain available for initial site development, while any developer seeking a 12‑year abatement would trigger additional review and could be steered toward a payment‑in‑lieu‑of‑taxes arrangement.

Commissioners and councilors pressed staff on public‑safety implications. A county official who identified themselves as a fire‑department staff member warned that expanding industrial or employment land into areas with already‑stretched emergency services could increase demand on fire, EMS and law enforcement. Staff outlined an option in which the county could require development agreements that include a public‑safety fee tied to acreage or projected service impacts — an approach other cities use to offset incremental emergency response costs.

Councilor Seagull moved to approve the resolution; the motion was seconded and the joint bodies approved the measure by voice vote.

The expansion takes effect following the administrative steps recorded in the resolution; staff said further applications for specific abatements will require additional approvals by both governing bodies.