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John Sowell The Roseburg News-Review May 8, 2006
Douglas County officials told members of a statewide land use commission meeting Friday in Roseburg that more consideration needs to be given to housing needs.Commissioner Dan Van Slyke told members of the Land Conservation and Development Commission that a certain percentage of the lands classified as agricultural are marginal at best and should be considered for future development opportunities.
Both Van Slyke and fellow Commissioner Marilyn Kittelman told the commission that even small farm operations are hampered by regulations that discourage or prevent them from using smaller parcels of land. Kittelman said small farms put more money into equipment and supplies, per acre, than larger operations.
“They’re doing more intensive farming,” she said.
The exchange took place during a roundtable discussion organized by the Land Conservation and Development Commission as part of its quarterly meeting. Whenever it meets outside Salem for its quarterly meetings, the commission invites local officials to share views on land use topics.
The commission was also told the state’s land use program is cumbersome.
John VanLandingham, a Eugene attorney who serves as chairman of the seven-member commission, acknowledged that as he addressed an audience of about 30 people at the meeting in the Ford Community Room at the Douglas County Library. He said the commission is working to simplify the periodic review process — what he said is sometimes called “perpetual review” or “permanent review” — that cities and counties undergo to ensure they’re complying with state law in that area.
Wayne Shammel, an attorney for the Cow Creek Band of the Umpqua Tribe of Indians, suggested that tribal lands could be used as staging areas for new innovative ideas. That would save the state from revamping its land use system and finding out later that certain ideas didn’t work as intended.
“Why not show people on the ground how it could work,” he said.
Commission member Tim Josi of Tillamook said he appreciated hearing the suggestions brought out during the two-hour discussion.
“I’m glad you folks spent your time with us,” said Josi, a former Oregon legislator who now serves as a Tillamook County commissioner.