Got your attention?

You may have stumbled upon this page because you or someone you know has a large housing development being built in your backyard. You are thinking what is going on?  How can this happen? What is my city doing? This is crazy! 

Let us try to explain. Oregon Legislature in 2019 passed housing choices, House Bill 2001. The thought of this bill was to provide affordable middle income housing developments which included duplexes, triplexes, quadplexes, townhouses and detached homes for Oregon. While thoughtful in nature, cities have struggled to implement this law, especially in circumstances when the urban growth boundary has expanded. Sometimes developers take advantage of this land grab and throw anything on the property. When the boundary changes, it almost becomes a race to see how fast new developments can be built and the bidding wars begin. In some cases, the burden of developing proper infrastructure is left to the city as an afterthought, after the development was built and the contractor is long gone... and little can be done. Can you see the problem?

Now, let me tell you ouR story...

Currently in Tualatin at the corner of Norwood and Boones Ferry, a development of approximately 500 new homes, condos, duplexes, and townhomes, just like House Bill 2001 directed is being built. You can see it going south on I-5 just before Exit 286. This new development wiped out 33 acres of old growth forest and is causing major change to sleepy Norwood Rd and the surrounding neighborhoods of more than 400 homes. This change seemed almost inevitable as our new urban growth boundary incorporated 62 acres of low/medium density housing. Our city complied with housing Bill 2001 and provided zoning for the diverse mix of housing. The plan was approved. The questions about lack of supporting infrastructure was posed to the city, but little was done to address the concerns. 

Stay with me now...

If 500 new homes and apartments are not enough, lets fast forward to today where another developer is now requesting the city to rezone the last acres of old growth forest and adjacent lots for a high-rise development. Yes, we said HIGH-RISE. This would wipe out most of the remaining forest and Norwood Rd, will forevermore be known as "Nowood Rd." It would be one thing if this was the only available property to build a High-Rise, but this is not the case...there are already areas in downtown Tualatin zoned correctly with proper infrastructure for a high-rise development. Additionally, there are commercial areas in downtown Tualatin that are vacant...the developer could purchase this land and have it rezoned but is choosing not to due to convenience. If this zoning change is approved off of Norwood Rd, the developer can build four story and higher buildings within low/medium density single-family neighborhoods with little restrictions. This also sets a precedence that is not seen anywhere else in the city. This will affect everyone in Tualatin and is more than just a mere extension of your already long commute down Boones Ferry to I-5. You can see how this is starting to get out of hand.

What you can do to change this!

1. Write, write and write to the Tualatin mayor, city council and the planning department! It is very important. Your written testimony will be used in the decision. If enough people voice a concern, it will be very, VERY hard for our city to approve this change. This means send a letter from everyone in your household. You can use the template provided saying you also have the same concerns or write your own. Use the 'Write' button at the bottom of the page.

2. Attend the city council meetings! Written testimony is great, but in-person presence is even harder to ignore. It may seem intimidating alone, not knowing exactly how government works, but you will be there with other supporters. So don't worry and know that your voice matters! Hit the process button at the bottom of the page.

3. Donate. If all this seems overwhelming to you and this is not your cup of tea, donations always help. By giving you are helping everyone have a voice in this matter and helps with our vision. Hit the donate button below. 

4. Be patient. This is a process. You have to follow the process in order to make an impact. Also, the developer may play games and resubmit this amendment multiple times when they are not in the spotlight. Keep this issue in the back of your mind and pay attention. This is our city! We will send you updates, too. Hit the schedule button at the bottom of the page to subscribe.

Don't get us wrong...

Providing housing is very important to Oregon and our community. However, making smart developmental decisions makes our city better for current and future residents. We want to showcase Tualatin for everyone who passes through and calls our city home. We all want a great place to live and enjoy it together. 

If any news outlets would like to hear our story, please contact admin@norwoodsaysno.org

Thanks, for reading.

Sincerely,

Norwood for Smart Zoning