In the last few years Bend, Medford, Lincoln City, Central Point, Lebanon, Oregon City, Hillsboro, Gresham, Cedar Mill, Corvallis, Hood River, Cornelius, and Portland have all had grassroots citizen campaigns to stop unwanted Big Box development. In many cases the campaigns are very costly, and local laws narrow the area of contention to traffic increases
The Oregon Informed Growth Act (to be introduced during the 2009 session) would give an invaluable tool for communities and be an excellent campaign plank for local progressive candidates throughout the state.
Patterned after a recently passed Maine law it requires that economic impact analyses be conducted for proposed large retail development to determine whether the proposed development will have an adverse
economic impact on the local community.
It stipulates that municipalities conduct an economic impact analysis for proposed big-box retail stores larger than 75,000 square feet. The analysis – which evaluates the effects of the proposed store on existing businesses, jobs, wages, vacancy rates, cost of municipal services, and volume of "sales revenue retained and reinvested" in the community –must be performed by an independent consultant chosen jointly by the town and the developer, and is financed through a fee charged to the developer.
After the analysis is complete, a public hearing must be held. Town officials then evaluate the available information make a determination about whether the project would create an undue adverse impact on the
local economy and municipal finances. If it is determined that the proposed store would result in an adverse economic impact to the community, the law gives the town the authority to reject the development.
Additional Information about the Policy Idea
What is your current strategy for moving this idea forward? What is the general timeline?
The ultimate goal of this effort is to see the Oregon Informed Growth Act enacted in the 2009 session of the State legislature. In order to accomplish this, we plan to lay groundwork in 2008 by talking with local government officials, businesses, community groups, unions, and legislators to build support for the Act in advance of the 2009 session. Once the Act has been introduced in the legislature, we will work with partners and use the resources of Onward Oregon to marshal public support for the bill in the form of calls and letters to State legislators to encourage them to pass the Act. Other grassroots efforts in 2009 could include letters to the editor of key Oregon newspapers and efforts to gain editorial support among key newspapers.
Based on the list of prizes that are available for the winner of this contest, what prizes would you select and how would you put them to use?
• Debate Club Forum – to inform the public about issues surrounding big box development and the need for the Informed Growth Act.
• Rebooting Democracy sponsored Lobby Day – to push the legislation in 2009.
• Media Package – to inform the public about the legislation once it is introduced.
• Volunteer phone bank shifts – to generate public support for the Act.
• Portland Mercury Ad – to inform the public about the issues surrounding big box development and the need for the Act.
• Appearance on the KPOJ morning show – to inform the public about the issues surrounding big box development and the need for the Act.
• State Legislator to commit to backing the Informed Growth Act – significant, early commitments from legislators will be helpful in generating support
• Meeting with a state legislator – would use meeting to gain support of additional legislators for the Act
• Inclusion in a Rebooting Democracy email blast (15,000 recipients) – to encourage recipients to contact their legislators regarding the Act during the 2009 session.
• Featured on the Rebooting Democracy website and final policy report – to increase awareness of big box issues generally and the Act more specifically.
Voters in the Progressive Policy Battle Royale commit either money or volunteer time to whichever ideas they support. To which 501c3 organization will such monetary donations go and how will they be used? How will you be able to put volunteers to use and what kinds of tasks will they perform?
We would like any monetary donations to go to the Bus Project Foundation for use on efforts to support passage of the informed growth act. Volunteers could be used to help generate public support for the Act through canvasses.
Information about the Presenter
Onward Oregon exists to connect people in joined advocacy for progressive change in Oregon. In pursuing its mission to build an online community to champion the public interest, Onward Oregon uses email alerts to inform over 50,000 Oregonians about key issues in the State and encourage them to take action. Although only 4 years old and staffed by volunteers, Onward Oregon has issued more than 100 email alerts and played a key role in number of progressive victories, including defeat of an Enron-like company purchase of a local utility, and the success of community groups in Portland and Gresham in repelling big box develop