Regional Industrial Lands Readiness - Wetlands Mitigation Solutions

1. Regional Industrial Lands Readiness - Wetlands Mitigation Solutions

2. Regional Industrial Lands Readiness - Wetlands Mitigation Solutions Coordinated by – Oregon Cascades WestCouncil of Governments In partnership with – State of Oregon: Gov’s Office, DLCD, DSL, Business Oregon, OED City of Adair Village City of Albany City of Corvallis City of Lebanon City of Millersburg City of Tangent Economic Dev Organizations: AMEDC BL3 Regional Investment Board PacifiCorp

4. Overview of key findings... • What is a “wetland”? • How do wetlands impact industrial sites? • What are the issues? • What needs to be “fixed”? • How are we moving forward?

5. What is a “wetland”? What about this Corvallis site? Is this Tangent site likely to be a wetland?

6. What is a “wetland”? • May not always be wet – • Seasonal • Altered (farmed, tiled, channeled) • Inundated or saturated with ground or surface water to support hydrophytes (aquatic plants)

7. What is a “wetland”? • Serve important functions – • Storm water retention • Ground water recharge • Filter contaminates • Wildlife & plant habitat • Recreation • Aesthetics • Goal 5 balancing act

8. How do wetlands impact sites? • Almost all industrial sites have areas of known or suspected wetlands • Few 10+ acre sites could be developed without impacting likely wetlands area...

9. How do wetlands impact sites?Lebanon Rodeo Industrial Park Total Area of Sites: 120.1 Acres Delineated Wetlands: 73.1 Acres

10. How do wetlands impact sites?South Albany Industrial Park Total Area of Sites: 247.0 Acres Delineated Wetlands: 125.5 Acres

11. What are the issues? Analysis of wetlands-related impacts on industrial development found - • Uncertainty &timeto address wetlands permit requirements are impediments to siting industry • Cost to meet regulations is a lesser factor for larger build-to-suit development

12. What are the issues? • Development proposal must work to - #1 - Avoid wetlands area #2 - Minimize impact to wetlands #3 - Compensate for impact - • Restore wetlands / create new wetlands • Same / more wetlands area • Same / enhanced wetlands functions & values

13. What are the issues? • Review requires real, detailed, development plan • Review to possible permit can take over 1 year • Recent delineation • Delineate in rainy season • Must prove non-wetlands sites aren’t possible • Developer must mediate between DSL & US ACE

14. What are we “fixing”? • Forecast future industrial land demand • Preferred & likely future • Inform local Comp Plan updates = 20 years • Understand industrial site wetlands • Address wetlands-related uncertainty & timing impediments

15. BASELINE INDUSTRIAL EMPLOYMENT PROJECTION Broad Economic Trends State Economic Vision and Economic Initiatives The Region’s Assets Anticipated Growth and Change in Industrial Sectors REFINED ECONOMIC FUTURE – REGIONAL INDUSTRIAL EMPLOYMENT PROJECTION Community Characteristics and Preferred Economic Future Evaluate Alternative Views of Industrial Land Demand DEMAND FOR INDUSTRIAL LAND

16. What are we “fixing”? • Industrial Economic Opportunities Analysis • Need ~1,500 acres of vacant land to meet demand & provide market choice • Inventory requires about 84 sites - • 20 sites of 10-acres or more • 63 sites of under 10 acres (76% of demand) • Cities inventoried 3,360 acres in 108 sites • Review of wetlands on “key sites” • Toured sample of 20 sites most likely to develop • ~100–300 acres will need to be mitigated • Common approach is possible - • All in same Upper Willamette Basin • 97% of potential wetlands area is PEM Flats classification

17. What are we “fixing”? • Regulators prefer larger areas to individual or on-site mitigation – • Shared maintenance costs • Eased monitoring • Increased long-term success • Securing mitigation bank credits improves part of certainty issue, but... • In ‘08 almost all existing & planned Upper Willamette credits were taken, and... • ‘08 Upper Willamette credit purchases averaged $93,654 ($84,500 state-wide)

18. How will we move forward? Track A: Regional mitigation • Cities agree they have a role in providing industrial development certainty • Business plan for mitigation banking strategy • Strong desire to add multiple values into/alongside public mitigation area • Cascades West Regional Consortium incorporated • Seeking project development funding • State endorsement for this regional effort • Connections to potential partners

19. How will we move forward? Track B: Streamlined permitting • State priority – great support • Regulators like regional permit & RGP provides ~70% certainty • Gov’s Strategic Reserve Funds • Solicited for & selected 20 “best” sites for analysis • Contracted w/Pacific Habitat Services to develop RGP Proposal • Continued RSC assistance • 20 sites moving to “Decision-Ready” status • Professional services for “Certified” readiness

20. Regional Industrial Lands Readiness - Wetlands Mitigation Solutions Coordinated by – Oregon Cascades WestCouncil of Governments In partnership with – State of Oregon: Gov’s Office, DLCD, DSL, Business Oregon, OED City of Adair Village City of Albany City of Corvallis City of Lebanon City of Millersburg City of Tangent Economic Dev Organizations: AMEDC BL3 Regional Investment Board PacifiCorp