The Oregon Statewide Land Use Planning Goals require Comprehensive Plans to develop implementation strategies for achieving goals and policies for each Goal. Goal 6 (Air, Water, and Land Resources Quality) is one example where there is a recommendation to use incentives to help achieve policy.
In developing Wasco County 2040, the Citizen Advisory Group and Planning staff are looking to identify possible incentives to include with our various policies to help us achieve goals. As part of our May-June roadshow event series, and in other material soliciting public feedback like the most recent survey, we are encouraging the public to share suggestions for effective land use planning incentives.
Possible incentives might include:
- Reduced planning permit fees for voluntary, up to date compliance for things like defensible space (fire protection)
- Encouraging pre-application conferences for complex projects by refunding the total fee with a complete development permit application
- Over the counter or same day application approvals for simple projects
- Reduced fees for home occupations (working from home)
- Transfer of development rights for certain types of uses where density closer to public services and facilities may be more appropriate
Over the course of the next several months, we look forward to hearing from residents and property owners their ideas on how to improve land use planning…and whether incentives may help us to achieve goals and policies.