City residents restate position that city goals rest on shaky foundation

Two Scappoose residents critical of unchecked city expansion are standing ground against the state’s June decision to approve increasing the urban growth boundary, filing an appeal with Oregon’s land-use agency last week.

Residents Michael Sheehan and Pat Zimmerman are adamant there just hasn’t been enough solid evidence to justify the city’s growth goals, which have been taking shape for years as developers, eager to build, eye hundreds of acres just outside city limits near the Scappoose Industrial Airpark.

Last month, the Department of Land Conservation and Development roundly dismissed 12 objections filed against Scappoose’s proposal to increase its urban growth boundary by 378 acres — land that could one day be added to city limits if voters choose to annex the property (See June 20 Spotlight edition, “Green light for Scappoose growth goals”). Developers often prefer building on land inside city limits because of increased property values and access to city resources, such as water and sewer.

While many city and county officials hope expanding the urban growth boundary will let industry flourish — bringing more jobs and money to the region hit hard in the economy — opponents believe the plans are putting the cart before the horse.

But opponents, such as Sheehan and Zimmerman, say a developer-funded economic opportunities analysis, which was used in part to justify the city’s UGB expansion plans, used flawed figures and unrealistic population and job growth aspirations. Their 48-page appeal to the land-use agency reiterates many of the positions stated in their previous objections.

City leaders remain hopeful the state agency will let the growth plans move ahead.

“I’m looking forward to being able to get some construction going,” said Scappoose Mayor Scott Burge.