Oregon Consensus was asked by a coalition of nonprofit organizations engaged in renewable energy issues (Defenders of Wildlife, Natural Resources Defense Council, Renewable Northwest, and Oregon Natural Desert Association) to help facilitate a collaborative effort around renewable energy facility siting. These groups recognize that there is the potential for expanding renewable energy in Oregon, but … Read more
The Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board (OWEB) asked Oregon Consensus to conduct an assessment and follow-up facilitated sessions involving staff from OWEB and members of the Oregon Coalition of Land Trusts (COLT), as well as individuals intimately familiar with drafting Measure 76, which permanently allocated a percentage of lottery proceeds to OWEB and guides the use … Read more
OC provided facilitation support to a Department of State Lands rules advisory committee designed to provide input on new rules related to easements for crossing of trust and non-trust lands. Beginning in spring 2018, OC began providing facilitation support to a second rules advisory committee that designed to provide input to the Department of State … Read more
The Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development asked OC to conduct an assessment to determine if there was an opportunity for a collaborative, mediated solution to a long running dispute over proposed expansion of the Woodburn, Oregon, urban growth boundary. OC interviewed interested parties and submitted a draft report to participants.
Oregon Consensus and the William D. Ruckelshaus Center conducted a convening assessment for The Columbia River Gorge Commission. The assessment explored opportunities to engage regional stakeholders in a collaborative effort to develop a comprehensive regional urban area policy for the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area. The overall purpose of the project was to help … Read more
Oregon Consensus and the William D. Ruckelshaus Center assisted the Columbia River Gorge Commission in designing and convening a stakeholder engagement process to develop legal descriptions for the thirteen urban area boundaries established in the gorge by the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area Act of 1986. As part of the Act, Congress provided a … Read more
Issues related to submerged lands date back to Oregon’s inception when the Equal Footing Doctrine granted the state ownership of submerged and submersible lands on tidally-influenced and navigable waterways. Since then, some of these lands have been filled, developed and inhabited by occupants who may be unaware of the state’s entitlement to these lands. The … Read more
In 2012, in collaboration with the University of Washington’s William D. Ruckelshaus Center, Oregon Consensus conducted an assessment for the executive staff of the Columbia River Gorge Commission that identified opportunities for collaboration between parties interested in issues related to urban growth policies in the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area.
In 2012, Oregon Consensus conducted an assessment and facilitated a series of stakeholder meetings for the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department to address land use issues affecting siting of state parks. Priority issues discussed were: park uses in farm and forest zones; intergovernmental coordination to ensure land use compliance; methods for determining the need for … Read more
In 2009, the City of Sodaville, in Linn County, Oregon, vacated a road to make room for development of a new water pump station. An adjacent property owner appealed the City’s decision to the Land Use Board of Appeals (LUBA) because of concerns about accessing property. Oregon Consensus conducted a case assessment and mediated the … Read more
In 2008, at the request of the Port of Portland and the City of Portland Bureau of Planning, Oregon Consensus conducted a neutral assessment of issues related to potential development of 800 acres of Port property consisting of most of the west half of Hayden Island. The Port or Portland, in conjunction with the Planning … Read more
In 2006, A group of citizens in Clackamas County requested assistance from Oregon Consensus (OC) to help turn what had become a polarized, highly-charged community conflict into a collaborative process around the land use approval and development of North Clackamas Park. With assistance from OC, the county and citizens reached agreement that the citizens would support approval of a … Read more
In 2006, Oregon Consensus conducted an independent assessment of issues and concerns related to governance, annexation, the provision of urban services, and other related issues in the unincorporated Bull Mountain area of Washington County, adjacent to the City of Tigard. Prompting the assessment was a continuing set of challenging issues and concerns and a history … Read more
In 2004, a dispute involving an urban growth boundary expansion to accommodate a proposed golf course to be developed by the Parks and Recreation District was appealed to the Land Conservation and Development Commission. The dispute was resolved through mediation conducted by Oregon Consensus.
In 2004, mediation conducted by Oregon Consensus resolved a Court of Appeals case relating to a land exchange on Mount Hood. The mediation resulted in further discussions of a number of land use and development-related issues involving potential future development of a ski area.
In 2004, Oregon Consensus conducted an assessment of community concerns regarding potential designation of a Eugene residential area as a historical district. The possible land use designation was slated to result from the district’s placement on the National Register of Historic Places. The broad-based community input gathered during the assessment interviews better equipped the City … Read more
In 2004, Oregon Consensus helped parties in a land use dispute involving potential development on culturally-sensitive lands near Wallowa Lake access mediation services from the Federal Community Relations Service. The mediation did not resolve all issues, but did address options for protecting the land, which were being pursued.