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Multnomah County Transportation and Land Use Planning Division


CFP INDEX


POLICY 5: ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Introduction • Policy • Strategies

Introduction

A growing and healthy economy generates demand for commercial and industrial site development, housing starts, and construction activity. Building rehabilitation and neighborhood revitalization are dependent upon a favorable business climate. Market opportunities stimulate the expansion and diversification of existing businesses, the attraction of new economic activities, and generation of employment opportunities. Conversely, a community with a constrained or deteriorating economy experiences high unemployment and building vacancy rates, substantial slowdowns in rehabilitation, construction and site development activities, and loss of business and industry.

The 1960's and 1970's were a period of industrial development, commercial expansion and job generation in Oregon and Multnomah County. Households attracted by growing job and business opportunities generated new local markets for consumer goods and services. Wholesale trade and industrial activities grew in response to increased demand for Oregon products and expanded foreign trade activities with the Pacific Rim countries. Historically, a labor force exporter, Oregon in the 1970's became a labor force importer. Local land use and economic development planning efforts were supported by the adoption of statewide land use goals, availability of federal and State planning grants, and a growing economy. Economic debate around the State tended to focus on the growth - no growth policy alternatives. Private and public resources were available to stimulate private capital investment and build public services and facilities. The State and local economies recovered quickly from the short-term recession of 1974-75.

Planning efforts in the 1980's are not occurring under the favorable economic conditions of the 1970's. The long-term recession of the late 1970's and early 1980's has affected every sector of the economy and segment of the community. Unemployment is higher than it has been since 1940. The number of bankruptcies has tripled. Inflation rates have dropped, but the real costs of capital, land, energy and labor have increased dramatically. Business and industry are faced with survival issues. Public and private resources are decreasing while demand for community and individual social and financial support services is escalating. No longer are jurisdictions faced with the growth - no growth policy alternatives and how to direct economic activity growth in the landscape. While Multnomah County's Diversified Economic Base and position as a major American trans-shipment point for international trade initially softened the impacts of the recession on its economy relative to the other areas of Oregon, the accumulative effect of the national economic trends and decline in demand for Oregon lumber and wood products have caused record unemployment rates, firm closures, bankruptcies and budget deficits.

Multnomah County's economic development program is faced with two distinct but interdependent tasks: revision of the long-range economic development program policies and strategies, and further elaboration of a public response and interim set of strategies to minimize current recessionary impacts. Present economic conditions have dramatized the importance of maintaining a diversified economy that will minimize the community's vulnerability to national trends and business cycle fluctuations. The long-term policies must be aimed at the stabilization, diversification and growth of the local economy and maintenance of a favorable market climate for business and industry. Interim measures must focus on immediate steps available to a local government for the amelioration of recessionary impacts on the individual, household, and firm.

National recovery and development of new market opportunities will stimulate business investment and job generation. Each region embodies a unique set of physical, environmental, social and economic constraints and potentials. Whether a local community will be able to capitalize on opportunities will be dependent upon its local policies, regulations and business climate. The long range goals of Multnomah County's economic development program are:

  1. Provision of present and future employment opportunities to meet the needs of citizens in Multnomah County;

  2. Encouragement of economic development activities which are compatible with the constraints and potentials of the Portland-Vancouver Metropolitan Region;

  3. Maintenance and encouragement of a stable and diversified economy;

  4. Stimulation of industrial development, commercial expansion, natural resource viability products, and capital investment;

  5. Facilitation of communication and coordination of economic activities between the public and private sectors;

  6. Fostering of inter-jurisdictional economic development coordination and resource utilization;

  7. Implementation of an economic development plan which is responsive to business, industry, community, and household needs.



Introduction • Policy • Strategies

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Policy 5

The County's policy is to:

  1. Maintain the economic deveiopment advisory commission and implement a County economic development program consistent with federal, state and local land use policies and programs and responsive to private sector development needs.

  2. Encourage the retention and creation of employment opportunities and economic development projects designed to meet the needs of business, industry and the community for a skilled labor force.

  3. Direct economic development public expenditures and capital improvements projects into comprehensive framework and community plan designated commercial and industrial areas which support the timely, orderly and efficient growth and development of these centers.

  4. Determine economic program and project priorities through the use of an evaluation system with criteria and standards consistent with the comprehensive plan and overall economic development plan.

  5. Monitor implementation measures for consistency with economic development goals, plans, policies.

  6. Support economic development investments and land use actions which will:

    1. Maximize the use of developable commercially and industrially zoned sites, and

    2. Assure the timely and efficient provision of public services and facilities by public agencies in a coordinated manner or result in a substantial number of the following public benefits:

    1. Expansion of existing commercial and industrial firms.

    2. New commercial and industrial ventures which create permanent job opportunities and increase community employee-per-acre densities.

    3. Small firm and incubator industry growth.

    4. Off-site private capital investment.

    5. Opportunities for local purchasing of goods and services by industry, business, residents, and visitors.

    6. Private and/or public capital improvement investments.

    7. Entry-level jobs targeted to the economically disadvantaged and unemployed.

    8. Facilitate the processing of applications for land use actions, economic development revenue bonds, and other public programs by providing clear and complete instructions and information.

    9. Designate suitable lands to accommodate a range of types and scales of commercial and industrial land users, land suitability will be based on an evaluation of:

      1. The economic (Policy 5); locational (Policies 24-31); transportation (Policies 33-36); capital improvements (Policy 32); housing choice (Policy 21); community design (Policy 19); community identity (Policy 18); and development requirements (Policy 40) of the comprehensive framework plan and appropriate community plan and other applicable land use ordinances and regulations.

      2. The needs of specific types and sizes of users for public services and facilities, supplier and market proximity, labor force availability, community needs and amenity features.

      3. Help initiate and actively support community-based economic revitalization and development efforts which create employment opportunities, generate business investment capital, and improve the attractiveness and marketability of commercial and industrial areas.

      4. Use business incentive programs and County resources to encourage the retention and creation of full-time and part-time permanent employment opportunities which meet present and future job and household income needs of Multnomah County residents.

      5. Encourage and stimulate natural resource processing industries, marketing and pre-processing structures, and information distribution which will improve the economic viability of natural resource production within the County, the location of these enterprises must be carefully balanced with the protection of other natural resources when they occur outside the urban growth boundary.



Introduction • Policy • Strategies

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Strategies

  1. The County should participate in the following efforts to meet the employment needs of residents and private sector firms:

    1. Efforts by academic and vocational training institutes, manpower agencies and other public and private interests to meet labor force needs of business and industry;

    2. Efforts to link joint and public sector investments to manpower program training andjob placement efforts;

    3. Efforts to make jobs more accessible to those seeking employment, ranging from supporting mass transit improvements to clustering employment opportunities;

    4. Efforts to notify Multnomah County's U. S. Department of Labor Service Delivery Area Councils of planned public and private construction projects and economic development activities.

  2. The EDAC with community group participation should develop and the County implement an evaluation system with criteria and standards for:

    1. Prioritizing commercial and industrial employment centers, targeted in the Comprehensive Framework and Community Plans, for receiving economic development public and private resources. Among the centers to be considered for prioritizing are:

      2. Columbia Industrial District, Cully/Parkrose Business and Industrial Districts, Mall 205/Gateway Commercial District, Prunedale Industrial Area, Light Rail Transit Corridor Station Areas, Rockwood Commercial Center, Wilkes Industrial District, SE 122nd and Division, SE 122nd and Stark, SE 182nd and Division and SE 82nd Avenue in Errol Heights.

    2. Prioritizing the allocation of public capital improvement resources to economic development efforts in designated industrial and employment centers consistent with the Comprehensive Framework and Community Plans; and

    3. Determining the appropriateness of criteria for approval of land use actions for furthering economic development activities consistent with the Comprehensive Framework and Community Plans.

  3. The County (EDAC) with community group participation should monitor, evaluate, and annually make recommendations on:

    1. The adequacy of available developable commercial and industrial sites varying in size, locational features, levels of public services and facilities, and amenities to meet the needs of varying scales and types of business and industry;

    2. Impacts of the County's land use controls, regulations and permit procedures upon types and scales of existing and siting commercial and industrial firms;

    3. The need to convert lands from urban future to urban present;

    4. Costs and benefits of economic development program actions.

  4. The County should support new and existing public and private enterprises which:

    1. Support State, regional and local efforts to generate venture risk capital for community economic development activities and business retention and development;

    2. Establish statewide and local development corporations;

    3. Generate and retain employment;

    4. Leverage private capital investment.

  5. The County should facilitate the location of farmers' markets and other cooperatives in the County to provide alternative food sources for County residents.

  6. The County should work cooperatively with other agencies to forward:

    1. Coordination of public/private capital improvement expenditures that maximize the availability of developable commercial and industrial sites;

    2. Coordination of the County's capital improvements program with others who provide services;

    3. Coordination of improvements for the public and private elements of the transportation system;

    4. Coordination with public and private utility companies to ensure energy services are available to areas programmed for development and redevelopment;

    5. Coordination of the use of business incentive and marketing programs which retain and create entry level job opportunities to lower income and unemployed County residents;

    6. Maintenance of an economic development program with provisions for full participation by the private sector, residents and community based organizations.

    7. Legislative and administrative efforts that provide for needed public facilities and services in Multnomah County.

  7. The County should consider changes in the Comprehensive Plan, Community Plans, and ordinances which:

    1. Increase building-to-lot ratios and employee-per-acre densities;

    2. Attract and retain jobs for Multnomah County residents through land use regulations, economic incentive programs and capita improvement programs.

  8. The County should reduce unnecessary regulation which would limit direct links between producers and consumers of natural resource products.

  9. The County should assist marketing and promotion efforts in Oregon, the Portland-Vancouver metropolitan area, and Multnomah County, directed at improving Oregon's business image and climate, including:

    1. Participation in State business incentives programs and programs of the State Executive office and agencies that encourage business and job development in the State;

    2. Active involvement in federal, State and local ongoing legislative efforts that promote economic development activities;

    3. Efforts by County firms and residents to identify needs and investigate alternative implementation funding.

  10. The County should provide assistance and public information:

    1. On industrial and commercial sites, land use controls and ordinances, economic base, public services and facilities, economic trends, and business incentive programs and other relevant information about Multnomah County;

    2. To the public on land use action procedures, regulations and implementation ordinances, and will provide other assistance and instructions necessary to facilitate the land use action and the design review process;

    3. To assist public and private agencies engaged in marketing Oregon, Portland-Vancouver SMSA, and Multnomah County to business investors and firms.

  11. The County should be responsible for the maintenance and annual update of the Oregon Land Conservation and Development Commission Goal 9 data base requirements, including:

    1. Commercial and industrial land use and economic activity patterns;

    2. Economic development opportunities and constraints in Multnomah County;

    3. Labor force profile and other relevant household demographics;

    4. The growth of economic activities; and

    5. Land absorption and building permit activities and trends.

  12. The County should make information available to forest land owners which would enhance reforestation and better woodland utilization.

  13. The EDAC will be responsible for making recommendations to the Board of County Commissioners regarding feasible public actions which can be undertaken by the County to alleviate economic constraints to development and to respond to the current economic crisis.

Introduction • Policy • Strategies

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