In 2018, the Oregon Legislature provided funding to the Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD) for economic development planning assistance to economically-distressed Eastern Oregon counties. Thirty-one cities within seven eastern Oregon counties—Baker, Gilliam, Grant, Harney, Lake, Sherman, and Wheeler–are working with consultants to complete Economic Opportunities Analyses (EOAs) and associated public facility inventories by June 30, 2019.
The purpose of this project is supporting jobs and employment in Oregon by identifying a 20-year supply of suitable employment land in eastern Oregon communities—a requirement of Oregon statewide planning Goal 9. Kirstin Greene, DLCD’s Economic Development Specialist notes that “with many eastern Oregon cities and counties continuing to focus on economic recovery, this innovative county-wide approach to economic planning will give them a chance to look both locally and regionally at economic opportunities and strategies to overcome barriers for growth.” 
The project will also ensure comprehensive plan policies implement the community’s economic development objectives and will help the city determine whether rezoning or an urban growth boundary expansion would be needed to accommodate needed employment land. Further, this initiative will enable every county for the first time to have the basic planning tools of digitized zoning and comprehensive plan maps.
For more information, contact Kirstin Greene, Kirstin.greene@state.or.us, 503.934.0017.
Weblink: https://www.oregon.gov/lcd/UP/Pages/EO-Economic-Development-Project.aspx