The property includes 300 acres of light-industrial property

Voters will decide in November whether 300 acres of property touching the current Sherwood city limits should be annexed.

The property in question is what’s known as the Tonquin Employment Area, located east and south of the current city boundary, south of Tualatin Sherwood Road, southeast of Oregon Street, and generally east of Tonquin Road.

The plan is to create a light industrial zone for production-type employment, according to Tom Pessemier, community development coordinator.

Within that 300 acres are about 30 tax lots, ranging in size from less than an acre to 90 acres. That larger parcel would provide for a relatively large firm to set up shop if interested, city officials have said. If voters approve the annexation measure, land-owners would then have to individually (or collectively) let the city know if they’re interested in annexing to the city, going through a public process from there.

Pessemier said while residential land in Sherwood is plentiful, industrial development is lacking.

“What we’re looking for is providing some balance,” he said.

What also will play a big part in development of the Tonquin Employment Area is the extension of 124th Avenue. Plans are to extend 124th from Tualatin-Sherwood Road/Boones Ferry Road to Tonquin Road, a distance of about 11/2 miles.

On July 24, the Washington County Board of Commissioners approved construction of a two-lane road on 124th Avenue from Tualatin-Sherwood Road to Tonquin Road at a cost of $10.9 million. That project is slated to begin in 2016. The commissioners also approved $10 million for the design of an east-west arterial from Tonquin Road to Boones Ferry Road in an effort city officials say will improve commute times and growth occurring along the road’s alignment.