Wild & Scenic Places In the News

Measure will stop farmland loss, conflicts

SAUVIE ISLAND - Farmers from counties throughout the lower Willamette Valley, including leadership of the state and county farm bureaus, gathered last week at a farm here to tell Oregonians why they hope the state passes Measure 49 on Nov. 6. The farm community is deeply concerned about the unlimited development of subdivisions and strip malls on lands that Measure 37 allows on lands previously dedicated to agriculture.

"Subdivisions on farmland create two problems," said Barry Bushue, president of the Oregon Farm Bureau Federation. "We lose the prime crop land that is the foundation of Oregon agriculture, and new non-farm neighbors can take up water supplies and make it harder to farm." Bushue also pointed to a study authored by the nonprofit Environment Oregon at the request of the Oregon Farm Bureau Federation. The study compared the 518,128 acres of subdivisions and other development that have been proposed under Measure 37 on Oregon agricultural lands to Oregon's pattern of farmland loss over the last 20 years as documented by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Census of Agriculture. The study found that the land proposed for Measure 37 development is more than three times the 165,000 acres of farmland Oregon loses in an average five-year period and is 40 percent greater than the maximum amount Oregon lost in any one five-year period. The study also found that subdivision proposals make up 70 percent of the Measure 37 development claims on farmlands. "Our farm is our livelihood," said Lyneal Vandermolen, a farmer from Clackamas County, "but developers are proposing 88 subdivisions within 10 miles of our farm. I don't know how we'll stay in business." Larger subdivision development can create the greatest conflict with nearby farming operations as dozens of new neighbors strain groundwater resources that are limited in many parts of the state. In addition, new residents often fail to realize that farming operations involve noise and dust, often at odd hours. Once they realize it, complaints and even lawsuits can ensue. Measure 37 was a 2004 property rights measure that required government to pay landowners to follow land-use planning rules or waive the rules if government could not pay. Under the measure, more than 7,500 applications have been filed to waive development restrictions. The claims are for land totaling 800,000 acres that is otherwise dedicated for farm and forest use. Measure 49 is a proposal on the November ballot that would limit large development under measure 37. It specifically protects farmlands by creating a "fast track" path for landowners interested in smaller developments of three homes or less that are unlikely to cause significant problems for neighboring farmers. Landowners seeking more than three houses would have to document that land-use rules have reduced property value in order to build up to 10 houses. On high-value farm and forest lands, only three houses would be allowed. Commercial and industrial development would not be allowed outside of areas planned for those uses. "Measure 49 is a reasonable and balanced fix for Measure 37," said Bushue. "The Farm Bureau supports it because it will protect Oregon farms."