Land Watch v. Lane County

388 P.3d 434, 283 Or. App. 217, 2016 Ore. App. LEXIS 1623
CourtCourt of Appeals of Oregon
DecidedDecember 29, 2016
Docket2016003, 2016004; A162909
StatusPublished

This text of 388 P.3d 434 (Land Watch v. Lane County) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Oregon primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Land Watch v. Lane County, 388 P.3d 434, 283 Or. App. 217, 2016 Ore. App. LEXIS 1623 (Or. Ct. App. 2016).

Opinion

DEVORE, J.

This case involves review of a decision of the Land Use Board of Appeals (LUBA). In 2015, following urbanization studies and public hearings, the City of Coburg and Lane County coadopted two ordinances to amend the city’s urban growth boundary (UGB) and to revise the city’s transportation system plan. Respondents, Land Watch and Kersten, appealed to LUBA, contending that the amended UGB was not supported by an adequate factual basis and that the county did not comply with Oregon statutes, statewide planning goals, and administrative rules.1 LUBA remanded both ordinances because the local findings were insufficient to satisfy ORS 197.298 and factors pertaining to Goals 9 and 14. The city and county seek review of LUBA’s order. Land Watch cross-petitions, contending that the city used two mutually exclusive ways of calculating its employment-based land need and that the city had “double-counted” future employment growth. We affirm on the petition and cross-petition.

I. BACKGROUND

A. Local Government Proceedings

In 2010, the City of Coburg conducted an urbanization study, as part of a periodic review, to evaluate its land needs in light of future employment and residential growth over a period of 20 years. See ORS 197.628 - 197.644 (periodic review requirement). The study concluded that the city would need to expand its UGB to meet its projected growth.2

The urbanization study was updated in 2014 with an addendum, reflecting changes between 2010 and 2014. Generally, the addendum concluded that there was a “need for a UGB expansion * * * based on forecast need for large industrial sites within Coburg and the Central Lane County [220]*220region.” The addendum concluded that the “scenarios,” which the city council had selected in 2010, remained the recommended sites for expansion. In 2014, the city also conducted a Regional Economic Analysis (REA), prepared by an economic and development services company, E.D. Hovee. The REA considered “scenarios,” each of which would require expansion of Coburg’s UGB.3

“[WJhen a city amends its comprehensive plan, including any amendment to its UGB, the city must justify the change as being consistent with the [Land Conservation and Development Commission (LCDC)] goals, except to the extent that compliance with a goal is excused by an exception to its application.” 1000 Friends of Oregon v. LCDC, 244 Or App 239, 243, 259 P3d 1021 (2011) (McMinnville); see also ORS 197.175 (requiring cities and counties to exercise land planning and zoning responsibilities in accordance with state land use statutes and goals approved by LCDC).

In this case, 11 discrete areas of land were considered as sites for the UGB expansion. Of those areas, Areas 1, 6, 7, and 8 were predominantly agricultural land that had been zoned for exclusive farm use (EFU). Maps of the UGB were employed, illustrating alternative arrangements to address the city’s projected land needs. The city considered a map that illustrated growth using “exception lands.” They are lands outside the UGB in which the city or county can take an “exception” to the application of a goal to particular property that is regulated by LCDC substantive standards. See Waste Not of Yamhill County v. Yamhill County, 240 Or App 285, 287-89, 246 P3d 493 (2010), adh’d to as modified on recons, 241 Or App 199, 255 P3d 496 (2011) (explaining the relationship between goals and exception process). Other alternatives illustrated growth using EFU land.

[221]*221The city considered alternatives that proposed using those 11 areas for residential and employment-based expansions. The urbanization study noted that “[a] 11 employment land expansion alternatives show expansion occurring on the east side of 1-5 in order to take advantage of the excellent transportation opportunities presented at this location.” The study recommended, for employment-related growth, an expansion of 106 acres using the entirety of “Study Area 8.” That area, comprised of EFU land, “would require the City to expand further across 1-5 * * * as well as extendí] water and sewer services to the areas.” With regard to residentially-related growth, the study recommended an expansion that included “Study Areas 1, 2, 5 and 6.” The city, however, determined that Areas 5 and 7 were unavailable or unsuitable for employment-based development, despite its recognition that those areas were, in fact, “higher-priority” lands under the applicable land use standards for inclusion in an expansion of the UGB.

The study’s recommendations were based, in part, on an analysis of estimated future population and employment growth (population and employment forecast). In 2010, the urbanization study had explained:

“Based upon State forecasted employment growth, employment growth within Coburg’s UGB is anticipated to yield an additional 615 new jobs, for an employment total of 4,035 in 2030. This projection is based upon one of the Safe Harborfs], Safe Harbors were established in OAR 660-024-0040(8)(a), and adjusted based on local knowledge and/or community vision. As part of this process, the employment growth rates are based on the trends at the County level, which have been estimated by the Oregon Employment Department. As a result, Coburg’s employment is projected to grow at a rate equal to the County or Regional job growth rate provided in the most recent forecast published by the Oregon Employment Department. The employment growth rate has been evaluated by applying the annual average growth rate (AAGR) percentages from OED’s 10-year Lane County employment sector forecast (2006-2016) to Coburg’s industry sectors (2008-2030).”

(Emphasis added.) In the 2014 addendum, the city explained that it was relying on the 2010 data for its analysis “because the long-term forecast is expected to be realized, and [222]*222therefore the calculation of employment change requires a starting figure reflecting Coburg’s existing employment capacity and redevelopment potential.” (Underscoring omitted.) The 2014 addendum added:

“If Coburg’s job growth rate were adjusted upwards to reflect the updated overall growth expectations for Lane County ***, the employment gain within Coburg’s UGB would double from the previous projection of an added 615 jobs to 1,292 net added jobs over a 20-year planning horizon. It is noted * * * that a truly sector specific forecast was not possible given the information that economist Eric Hovee was provided [for the REA].”

The projected employment-based land need, as determined by Hovee in the REA, would become a contested issue before LUBA and again before this court.

Coburg’s city council held public hearings and adopted the UGB expansion. The Lane County Planning Commission recommended to the Board of County Commissioners that it approve an ordinance and coadopt the city’s plan.

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Related

Waste Not of Yamhill County v. Yamhill County
246 P.3d 493 (Court of Appeals of Oregon, 2010)
1000 Friends of Oregon v. Land Conservation & Development Commission
259 P.3d 1021 (Court of Appeals of Oregon, 2011)
WASTE NOT OF YAMHILL COUNTY v. Yamhill County
255 P.3d 496 (Court of Appeals of Oregon, 2011)
Barkers Five, LLC v. Land Conservation & Development Commission
323 P.3d 368 (Court of Appeals of Oregon, 2014)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
388 P.3d 434, 283 Or. App. 217, 2016 Ore. App. LEXIS 1623, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/land-watch-v-lane-county-orctapp-2016.