|
Oregon’s Land Use Commission Adopts Rules for Climate-Friendly and Equitable Communities
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 21, 2022
MEDIA CONTACT: Sadie Carney, 503-383-6648, sadie.carney@dlcd.oregon.gov
TECHNICAL CONTACTS:
Kevin Young (Division 8 and Climate Friendly Areas), 503-602-0238, kevin.young@dlcd.oregon.gov
Bill Holmstrom (Division 12 Transportation Planning Rule and Regional Planning), 971-375-5975, bill.holmstrom@dlcd.oregon.gov
Cody Meyer (Division 44 Metropolitan Greenhouse Gas Reduction Targets), 971-239-9475, cody.meyer@dlcd.oregon.gov
SALEM – At its July 21, 2022 meeting, the Land Conservation and Development Commission (LCDC or commission) adopted rules to strengthen Oregon’s transportation and housing planning rules, reduce climate pollution, and create more equitable communities. The rules apply to cities, counties, and Metro in Oregon’s eight metropolitan areas, areas that collectively represent most of Oregon’s population.
The rules aim to remove local barriers to climate-friendly planning and development. They do this by encouraging:
- Increased development in climate-friendly locations, including city centers, town centers, and transit corridors, where housing, jobs, and services are located, and the need to drive is reduced;
- Improved facilities for walking, bicycling, and transit so people can reach destinations without depending on single occupancy vehicles;
- Improved parking management and reduction of parking mandates which will free up land for housing and other services rather than subsidize driving, increase housing costs and push land uses apart making it harder to walk to destinations; and
- Transportation planning to focus on prioritizing systems that provide a wider range of equitable and climate-friendly transportation options rather than focusing solely on motor vehicle congestion.
The rules also aim to improve equitable land use planning outcomes, and are written to help community transportation, housing and planning serve all Oregonians, particularly those traditionally underserved and experiencing discrimination.
"We conducted extensive community engagement and heard during each phase that: Oregonians want more housing choices, more transportation options, less pollution, and more equitable outcomes,” said Brenda Bateman, Director of the Department of Land Conservation and Development. “Today, our commission adopted rules that respond to this collective call. These rules will shape how our communities build and develop for generations.”
Oregon’s work to address climate concerns has been in progress for over a decade, starting with the establishment of greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets by the legislature in 2007. DLCD’s former Director, Jim Rue, worked to advance these goals within agency initiatives and across the enterprise. In 2020, Governor Brown’s executive order directed agencies to take action in their program areas to correct Oregon’s course on meeting climate goals. LCDC directed the Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD or department) to respond.
The commission adopted a rulemaking charge and initiated the rulemaking process in September 2020 under the leadership of LCDC’s then-chair Robin McArthur. A diverse rulemaking advisory committee was appointed to provide guidance to the department during the rules drafting process that followed. The committee was the largest and most representative advisory committee in the Department’s history, with more than 40 members, including several members of traditionally excluded and underserved populations.
DLCD is committed to providing financial and technical assistance programs for implementing communities. DLCD and the Oregon Department of Transportation have secured more than $18 million in funding to support implementation across the eight regions and are seeking additional resources.
"As Commissioners, we recognize the undeniable ecological, human and economic toll of climate change. This is an urgent issue that demands action," said LCDC Chair Anyeley Hallová. “While this rulemaking process has been long, complex, and difficult; we are confident that the outcomes are balanced and have multiple benefits. We have worked diligently to address a variety of perspectives and needs. As local governments begin implementation, DLCD will continue to provide partnership and support at every step. We celebrate this bold step toward creating a more sustainable future for all Oregonians.”
“Local governments are critical partners in this effort. This work only succeeds if we move forward together and implement these efforts collaboratively, with a shared commitment to our goals on climate, equity, and robust housing and transportation options,” said Vice-Chair Nick Lelack. “We adjusted the rules numerous times over the past year to provide more flexibility to cities and counties, and worked hard to identify implementation resources. Our conversations are ongoing. LCDC is ready to listen.”
The commission will monitor progress during implementation, with regular updates at upcoming commission meetings. LCDC is committed to ensuring the rules move us towards meeting Oregon’s shared goals; and will refine the rules if a need for adjustment is identified in the future. Land use provisions in local plans are generally scheduled to be updated by the end of 2024; while transportation plans will be updated over the next several years, with all plans updated by 2029.
###
DLCD’s Climate-Friendly and Equitable Communities Rulemaking
In 2020, the Oregon Land Conservation and Development Commission directed the Department of Land Conservation and Development to draft updates to Oregon's transportation and housing planning rules, and to convene a rulemaking advisory committee to help guide rule development.
The rules developed significantly strengthen Oregon’s rules about transportation and housing planning, particularly in the eight areas with populations over 50,000 people (Albany, Bend, Corvallis, Eugene/Springfield, Grants Pass, Medford/Ashland, Portland Metro, Salem/Keizer). The rules supplant the temporary rules on the same subject, adopted at the May 2022 Commission meeting.
The adopted rules amend Oregon Administrative Rules Chapter 660, Division 8 (Housing), 12 (Transportation Planning Rule) and 44 (Metropolitan Greenhouse Gas Reduction Targets).
Developed through two years of public process, including more than 160 meetings organized by geography and topics, the rules direct cities to identify and update zoning for climate friendly areas for more compact, mixed use development. They allow communities to deregulate and reform parking rules and require conduit for electric vehicle charging in new development. The rules are consistent with state regulation to require a 20-year supply for housing and employment land, with additional urban growth boundary expansion where warranted.
Oregon has a long history of discrimination and racism, including in land use and transportation planning decisions. The Climate-Friendly and Equitable Communities rules focus on reducing pollution while also increasing housing choices and creating more equitable outcomes for all Oregonians.
Oregon’s planning system is a partnership between state and local governments. State law and rules direct how local governments develop comprehensive plans, including land use and transportation elements. In order to meet Oregon’s climate pollution reduction goals and policy, state rules and local land use and transportation plans will have to change significantly.
|
