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Planning, Ports

Newport may not be the only winner in the competition for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) research vessel fleet. Oregon’s Port of Toledo plans to benefit from the new NOAA Marine Operations Center-Pacific at the Port of Newport, just a few miles downstream on the Yaquina River. When an Oregon port gets business, it means jobs for Oregon’s citizens and money injected into the local communities and state’s economy.

Why? Because the four NOAA vessels that will home port in Newport, and the two visiting ships

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Planning

We are products of our own environment.  As a Pacific Northwest native, and having lived in the UK, I hold views that have been shaped by neat and tidy communities; tasteful, leafy, neighborhoods; benign weather patterns; and exceptionally beautiful landscapes. We are also influenced by our friends and neighbors, many of whom earnestly try to refine, improve, and envision the future of their communities. When faced with population growth and development pressure, we often turn conservative and become comfortable with taking time ou

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Brownfields, Planning

As both the public and private sectors develop strategies for economic recovery, the role of redeveloping brownfield properties is becoming increasingly important. Brownfields represent under-performing assets in communities and present a tremendous opportunity for public-private partnerships to foster sustainable economic development.

The Washington State Department of Ecology recently issued a policy report focusing on how to better integrate economic development with environmental cleanup. This report is a milestone marking a pa

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Planning

The sovereign governments of Native American tribes are playing a larger and increasingly more important role in community and economic development in the Pacific Northwest. Many tribes are now the engine of rural economic development and playing key roles in urban areas as well.

This trend is largely due to greater tribal self-governance, increased revenues from casinos and other enterprises, and the maturing of a new generation of well educated leaders. Many tribes are now experiencing higher levels of economic success that trans

RSS Subscribe How Northwest Tribes are Planning for Rising Sea Level and Flooding Rivers

Planning, Tribes

Faced with seasonal flooding and limited land for development, the Skokomish Indian Tribe has embarked on an ambitious plan to build new neighborhoods — eventually an entirely new community — on higher ground overlooking Hood Canal. The first phase of streets and utilities is now complete and ready for the construction of new homes. Future phases are being planned to best suit the current and future needs of Skokomish families.

Historically, the Skokomish — “SqWuqWu’b3sh”, People of the River — were the largest of nine Twana commun

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Planning

I recently had the opportunity to lead a unique land use process for the Children’s Farm Home, a nonprofit organization in rural Benton County, Oregon. The organization exhibited needs outside those allowed through existing zoning and entitlement and required a deviation from standard practices.

For several years, we provided master planning services for the Children’s Farm Home. Operated by Trillium Family Services, the Children’s Farm Home is a state-of-the-art community treatment program that serves at-risk youth in Oregon. The