WEST LINN - Wetlands, streams, drainage ways and the vegetated areas beside them are protected as Water Resource Areas by the Community Development Code. The State of Oregon Land Use Planning Goal 5 and Metro codes require all cities to adopt land use regulations that protect water resources and protect wildlife habitat. In 2007, West Linn came into compliance with these regulations with the adoption of Chapter 32 of the CDC.
Since then, some community members have expressed concern with the regulations. A review and code refinement process is being initiated with the expectation that the City can develop new code language which fully protects the resources but without unduly burdening property owners.
The City of West Linn’s Planning Commission has appointed three members to form a WRA Committee to evaluate and, if warranted, propose refinements to the regulations. In the coming weeks, the WRA committee will compile lists of issues and concerns that community members have regarding WRA’s.
They will study those issues in light of recent scientific findings and land use cases; and identify possible regulatory fixes to address the issues.
To raise issues you think should be addressed, share comments, or for more information, please e-mail or phone Peter Spir at pspir@westlinnoregon.gov or at 503-723-2539 or visit westlinnoregon.gov.
A special web page dedicated to WRA issues has been established at http://westlinnoregon.gov/wra. Please bookmark this page for the latest WRA information or sign up for Planning Department RSS feeds at http://westlinnoregon.gov/rss/latest/planning.
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