Prevent a 1,700 Acres UGB Expansion on to Prime Farmland
SB 1586 would bring 1,700 acres of rural reserves into Hillsboro’s urban growth boundary (UGB) for industrial use.
Rural land outside Hillsboro, OR
Legislators are attempting—for the sixth time—to skirt the state’s established UGB expansion process to bring 1,700 acres of some of Oregon’s finest farmland into Hillsboro’s UGB for advanced manufacturing, high technology development, and accessory data centers.
The subject area is considered to be some of the best agricultural land in the world. Hillsboro already received 1,000+ acres of industrial land in 2014—enough to accommodate their growth needs for 50 years. However, rapid data center development and other commercial, recreation, and retail land uses have since eaten up that supply. Data centers create few, relatively low-paying jobs, and this bill would also extend tax breaks for the corporations that want to build more.
The only public hearing for SB 1586 is scheduled bright and early on Monday, February 16, at 8:00am—making your testimony pushing back on this bill that threatens to pave over some of the best farmland in the world all the more urgent. Help support Oregon farmers, farmworkers, and a diverse economy for all Oregonians by submitting comments or signing up to testify at the hearing.
How to Submit Comments:
Copy the sample testimony below. If you have a personal story or perspective on the importance of preserving rural lands, please be sure to incorporate it.
Go to SB 1586 Testimony Page
Fill out your contact information and the relevant submission fields:
Skip the “on behalf of” box. You’re submitting as an individual.
For “Position on Measure,” select Oppose
Choose Text Testimony
Paste the text below and personalize it directly in the text box provided. Be sure to add your name and the city or town you live in.
Final Deadline for Submission: Wednesday, February 18th at 8:00am
Your comments will be most impactful if you can submit them before the public hearing on Monday, February 16th at 8:00am.
Please note that comments submitted through Oregon’s Legislative Information System are part of the public record.
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Chair Broadman, Vice Chair McLane, and members of the committee,
As an Oregonian, I am opposed to SB 1586.
I have a number of concerns about converting this many acres of farmland, in this important region, and how it could:
increase the cost of farmland
reduce access to top tier soils
impact carbon sequestration
threaten local food security
hurt the surrounding agricultural economy
harm nearby watersheds, wetland habitats, and tributaries
There is a lack of accountability for cities to attract and create good jobs in their UGBs. This should not come at the cost of paving over farmland. Hillsboro has already converted many acres of farmland for land intensive data centers. If they haven’t brought good jobs over the last decade with the land they already have, why would we expect that to change with new land?
I am further concerned about this being disproportionately at the benefit of a couple property owners looking to sell their land as rezoned industrial land, rather than sell it to someone who wants to start or expand their farm operation.
It’s not a good idea for Oregon to pit two key economic sectors (tech and agriculture) against each other.
Please ensure these lands stay as rural reserves until at least 2065, and pursue a more thoughtful approach to this issue.
Sincerely,