| Biennial Economic Revitalization Team Report |
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Executive Summary
House Bill 2011 was passed by the 72nd Legislative Assembly to focus state agency resources toward activities that improve Oregon’s readiness for economic development. This legislation, renamed the Community Solutions Team the Economic Revitalization Team (ERT) and charged it with:
- Increasing the supply and marketability of industrial lands;
- Providing coordinated assistance to local government and business; and
- Simplifying and expediting state agency permitting processes.
The ERT is a seven-member team within the Governor’s Office and a system-wide, collaborative and results-based approach to economic and community development. Because of its direct connection to the Governor’s Office, the leadership and commitment of the eight ERT state agency directors and the statewide network of nine locally based, multi-agency regional teams; the ERT is able to achieve both statewide initiatives and local priorities.
During the interim, the ERT has made great strides toward improving the state’s readiness for economic development. ERT coordination has been critical in developing and implementing the “project ready” industrial site certification program as administered by the Oregon Economic and Community Development Department (OECDD). “Project-Ready” site certification means that all the barriers that may be preventing a site from being developed have been removed and construction can begin within 180 days or less after being chosen for development.
To date, 22 industrial sites, totaling more than 1,800 acres, have been certified as “project ready.” Another 18 sites are in the queue to be certified. An example of how certification can enhance a site’s marketability and create jobs is Lebanon’s NW Industrial Area. The site, which sat vacant for 17 years primarily because of uncertainty as to the extent of the wetlands on the site, was selected as the location for a major national retailer’s distribution center four months after being certified. The recruitment is expected to employ about 350 construction workers over the next two years. It will also create between 400 and 750 full-time, family-wage jobs.
The Industrial Lands Advisory Committee comprised primarily of economic development professionals identified 25 “Opportunity Sites” of statewide significance for job creation in December 2003. To date, nine of the 25 sites have been certified. In addition to the Lebanon site identified above, “Opportunity Sites” in Canby, Klamath Falls and Salem have option on them.
In addition to increasing economic opportunity, the ERT approach has resulted in improved state agency service delivery to local governments and businesses. 95% of respondents to the 2004 OECDD Customer Satisfaction Survey rated the ERT as “having a collaborative, problem solving, and customer service attitude.” 75% of survey respondents stated that ERT coordinator and regional team involvement resulted in projects completed as planned without surprises and roadblocks. Almost half say that ERT involvement enhanced their project significantly.
HB 2011 directed the ERT to expand its focus to include coordination and streamlining of agency policies, programs and processes related to economic development. The Advisory Committee on Regulatory Permitting, composed of individuals familiar with agency permit processes and procedures, worked with the eight ERT state agency directors during 2004 to identify streamlining opportunities. The ERT directors and the Office of Regulatory Streamlining are implementing a number of the ideas generated by the advisory committee, including the following:
- State agency participation at local pre-application conferences
- Increase the use of exemptions and exclusions for de minimus impact projects
- Expedite permit approval processes
- On-line permitting assistance
- Improve state/local coordination on highway access decision-making
- Increase coordination on the 404/401 removal fill permit nexus
One result of this emphasis on economic development and streamlining is an increased awareness on the part of the state’s regulatory agencies of their impact on economic development. This awareness translates into a shift in attitude away from the traditional regulatory paradigm of preventing “bad” things from happening to a new role of facilitating good projects by helping developers comply with federal and state laws protecting the environment and the state’s quality of life.
With its system-wide perspective and results-based, collaborative problem-solving approach, the ERT makes state government more responsive to the rapid changes of the global marketplace. Funding for the ERT is included in the Governor’s Budget because it.
- Helps create jobs by increasing the supply and marketability of industrial lands
- Fosters a customer service attitude toward working with local government and business which builds trust in state government, and
- Streamlines state regulatory permitting processes.
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