Making our case

Formal testimony

Justification for designation as Rural Reserves under OAR 660-027-0060

• Long-Term Agricultural Operations
• Wildlife Habitat
• Oregon White Oak Survey (Quercus garryana)
• Historic and Cultural Areas of Helvetia
• History of the Swiss in Helvetia
• Easy access to recreational opportunities
• Foundation/Important ag lands within 3 miles of UGB

Much of this information was presented at the August 20, 2009 Washington County public hearing.  Watch video of citizen testimony.

Endorsements

Please see this page of endorsements regarding the area north of Highway 26

Other public testimony

2014

• August 5 - Save Helvetia's testimony to the WaCo Board of Commissioners (PDF, 209KB) re: HB 4078 Legislative intent re: roads at the urban-rural interface
• July 16 - Save Helvetia's letter to WaCo Planning Commission (PDF, 177KB) and attachments (PDF, 5.2MB) re: road zoning at the urban-rural interface as the County implements HB 4078 via Ordinance 785
• March 21 - Save Helvetia's letter to WaCo DLUT re: Public Involvement Guidelines for Transportation Planning, Programs, and Projects
• March 3 - Save Helvetia's letter to Governor Kitzhaber re: HB 4078
• February 20 - Save Helvetia press release re: Court of Appeals ruling on Urban and Rural Reserves
• February 16 - Save Helvetia press release re: HB 4078 "Grand Bargain"
• February 4 - Save Helvetia letter in opposition to HB 4078
• January 27 - Save Helvetia position paper on Agri-tourism and February 14 addendum
• January 27 - Westside Transportation Solutions Study: Save Helvetia comments on the Draft Study Approach for Public Comment

⇑ 2014 ⇑             ⇓ 2013 ⇓

• November 28 - Save Helvetia expresses concern about citizens being prohibited from attending the Westside Transportation Solutions Study White Board Session (PDF, 102KB)
• October 14 - Testimony on Intel DEQ air quality permit (PDF, 131KB)
• September 26 - Robert Bailey - Testimony to LCDC CIAC re: Citizen Involvement (PDF, 455KB)
• September 16 - Robert Bailey - Testimony on Intel DEQ air quality permit (PDF, 115KB)
• August 9 - Testimony on HB 2322 (Westside Transportation Study) (PDF, 191KB)
• August 7 - Testimony on Ordinance 771 (Natural Features Buffers) (PDF, 476KB)
• April 4 - Robert Bailey - Testimony on HB 2255 (PDF, 94KB)

⇑ 2013 ⇑             ⇓ 2012 ⇓

2012 reserves appeal

Petitioners' briefs:

• Save Helvetia / Robert Bailey brief (PDF, 10MB)
• 1000 Friends of Oregon brief (PDF, 160KB)
• Chesarek/Amabisca (Peterkort) brief (PDF, 128KB)

Defendants' answering briefs:

• Washington County (PDF, 8.3MB)
• Metro (PDF, 6MB)
• LCDC (PDF, 5MB)

Helvetia interchange

• Linda Peters - August 7 - Testimony re: Ordinance 749 (PDF, 75KB)

WaCo soil fill issues

• Robert Bailey - November 28 - Letter to Intel re: D1X expansion and soil removal (PDF, 153KB)
  Read Intel's response to Robert's letter
• Robert Bailey - July 3 - Soil Fill Policies and Ordinance Amendments (PDF, 40KB)

Citizen Involvement

• Robert Bailey - May 1 - Insuring Widespread Citizen Involvement and Input in All Phases of the Process (PDF, 463KB)

⇑ 2012 ⇑             ⇓ 2011 ⇓

October/November – Metro UGB Expansion

• 1000 Friends of Oregon, Save Helvetia, et. al. - Objections to Metro UGB expansion (PDF, 650KB) and large lot development chart (PDF, 6KB)
• Cherry Amabisca - Oct. 20 - Hillsboro's road plans affect farmland (PDF, 42KB)
• Robert Bailey - Oct. 20 - Opposition to Proposed North Hillsboro Expansion Area (PDF, 20KB)
• Cherry Amabisca - Oct. 6 - No need for a UGB expansion in 2011 (PDF, 49KB)
• Robert Bailey - Oct. 6 - Procedural concerns about Metro's Citizen Involvement process (PDF, 21KB)

August 18^th – LDCD hearings

• Cherry Amabisca - Helvetia Area 8B Buffers (PDF, 2.94MB)
• Matt Furrow - Helvetia Area 8B Tiling (PDF, 1.56MB)
• Greg Mecklem - Protecting Washington County’s Remaining Class I Soils: Area 8B (PDF, 2.6MB)
• Ed Sullivan - Save Helvetia objections to Metro Ordinance 11-1255 (PDF, 1MB)

Watch video of citizen testimony at this meeting.

August 8^th – Exceptions to the DLCD staff report

• Save Helvetia exceptions re: Area 8B (PDF, 2.3MB)
• Linda Peters - Goal 1 / procedural exceptions (PDF, 661KB)

June 1^st – Objections to Metro Ordinance No. 11-1255 (WaCo Ordinance 740)

• Save Helvetia, 1000 Friends of Oregon, WaCo Farm Bureau, Friends of Council Creek, et. al. - Combined objections to Metro Ordinance No. 11-1255 (PDF, 273KB), signatures page (PDF, 1.8MB) and related documents: Save Helvetia's 2010 Objections (PDF, 4.2MB), and 1000 Friends & Farm Bureau's 2010 Objections (PDF, 131KB)
• Robert Bailey - Goal 1 objections (PDF, 144KB) and attachments (PDF, 5.5MB)

April 26^th – WaCo BCC hearing on the Reserves IGA (Ordinance 740)

• Robert Bailey - Comments on information gleaned from Save Helvetia's public records request (includes extracts from the public records documents) (PDF, 7.6MB)

April 25^th

• Cherry Amabisca - Why is there no formal remand order? (PDF, 27KB)

March 29^th

• Robert Bailey - Concern about lack of written remand order (PDF, 15KB)

March 15^th – Joint Metro / WaCo BCC hearing on the Reserves IGA

• Robert Bailey - Transparency and Disclosure (PDF, 17KB)
• Brian Beinlich - Hillsboro's Track Record in Helvetia (PDF, 4.1MB)
• Pam Gates & Matt Furrow - Helvetia's High-value Farms (PDF, 4MB)
• Faun Hosey - Seeking Solar Industry: Is Hillsboro Getting It Right? (PDF, 780KB)
• Mary Kyle McCurdy - Testimony on behalf of 1000 Friends of Oregon (PDF, 129KB)
• Greg Mecklem - Protecting Washington County's Remaining Class I soils (PDF, 7.3MB)
• Washington County Farm Bureau - Washington County Reserves (PDF, 7.6MB)
• Charles Young - Hillsboro's Crusade for Large Lots: Realistic Goal? Or Field of Dreams? (PDF, 660KB)

March 2^nd – WaCo Planning Commission hearing on Ordinance 740

• Allison Amabisca - Seeking Solar Industry: Is Hillsboro Getting It Right? (PDF, 780KB)
• Cherry Amabisca - State agencies recommend Rural Reserves (PDF, 52KB)
• Robert Bailey - Helvetia's superior soils and hydrology (PDF, 22KB)
• Miki Barnes - The problems with perpetual growth (PDF, 13KB)
• Brian Beinlich - Hillsboro's Track Record in Helvetia (PDF, 4.1MB)
• Charles Young - Hillsboro's Crusade for Large Lots: Realistic Goal? Or Field of Dreams? (PDF, 660KB)

⇑ 2011 ⇑             ⇓ 2010 ⇓

October 19-23 – LCDC hearings on the Urban and Rural Reserves designations

• Cherry Amabisca - Save Helvetia's opening statement (10/19) (PDF, 36KB)

Watch video of citizen testimony at this meeting.

October 8 – Exceptions to the DLCD staff report

• 1000 Friends of Oregon / Washington County Farm Bureau (PDF, 154KB)

July 12^th – Objections to the Urban and Rural Reserves designations

• Carrie Richter on behalf of Save Helvetia - Objections to Metro Ordinance 10-1238A (PDF, 4.4MB)
• 1000 Friends of Oregon / Washington County Farm Bureau - Objections to WaCo Ordinance 733 and Metro Ordinance 10-1238A (PDF, 131KB)
• Linda Peters - Washington County's Citizen Participation failures and opposition to Ordinance 733's conversion of roads to urban reserves (PDF, 545KB)
• Carol Chesarek / Cherry Amabisca - Objections to the Peterkort property being designated as Urban Reserves (PDF, 214KB)

June 15^th – Final testimony to Washington County

• Save Helvetia - Objections to Ordinance 733 re: citizen involvement (PDF, 61KB)
• Save Helvetia - Limiting Citizen Involvement in Reserves Hearings (PDF, 46KB)
• Save Helvetia - Objections to Ordinance 733 re: area 8B ("Standring") (PDF, 77KB)
• Save Helvetia - Objections to Ordinance 733 re: undesignated areas (area "8-SBR") (PDF, 70KB)
• Save Helvetia - Opposition to including rights-of-way for rural side of roads (w/photos) (PDF, 228KB)
• Brian Beinlich - Opposition to including rights-of-way for rural side of roads (PDF, 12KB)
• Save Helvetia & the Washington County Farm Bureau - Unused lands inside existing UGB and agricultural infrastructure in proposed UR, which refers to the following maps:
  • North Hillsboro (JPG, 2.5MB)
  • South Hillsboro (JPG, 3.2MB)
  • Forest Grove & Cornelius (JPG, 2MB)

May 25^th – Final testimony to Metro

• Save Helvetia - How UR and undesignated affects land prices (PDF, 39KB)
• Save Helvetia - Opposition to including rights-of-way for rural side of roads (PDF, 73KB)
• Brian Beinlich - Opposition to including rights-of-way for rural side of roads (PDF, 12KB)
• Save Helvetia - Opposition to UR for Peterkort property (PDF, 51KB)
• Save Helvetia - Why Hillsboro and Washington County don’t need more urban reserves for large lot industrial sites (PDF, 76KB)
• (Various) - Seven letters submitted via the web site

May 11^th Washington County Commissioners meeting

• Save Helvetia - Opposition to proposed UR designation for Peterkort property (PDF, 28KB)
• Linda Peters - Opposition to including rights-of-way for rural side of roads (PDF, 78KB)

April 27^th Washington County Commissioners meeting

• Save Helvetia - Opposition to proposed UR designations for O'Callahan/Peterkort (Rock Creek), and Bobosky (Bendemeer) properties (PDF, 26KB)
• Linda Peters - Opposition to including rights-of-way for rural side of roads (PDF, 21KB)

January 26^th Washington County Commissioners meeting

Watch video of citizen testimony at this meeting.

January 20^th Metro Council public hearing

• Faun Hosey - Undesignated lands (PDF, 22KB)
• Casey Schoch - Impact of Urban Reserves on farming (PDF, 26KB)

Watch video of citizen testimony at this meeting, then contrast it with the way developers were treated at the same hearing.

January 19^th Washington County Commissioners meeting

• Brian Beinlich - Objections to urban reserve designation for area 8B ("Standring") (PDF, 7.9MB)
• Faun Hosey - Reserve areas near North Plains (PDF, 3MB)

Watch video of citizen testimony at this meeting.

⇑ 2010 ⇑             ⇓ 2009 ⇓

December 15^th Washington County Commissioners public hearing

Watch video of citizen testimony at this meeting.

December 8^th Washington County Commissioners public hearing

Watch video of citizen testimony at this meeting.

December 4^th Reserves Steering Committee / Core 4 meeting

• Carrie Richter on behalf of Save Helvetia - re: UR2A/UR2B (Standring, etc.) (PDF, 744KB)

November 24^th Washington County Commissioners meeting

Watch video of Save Helvetia testimony at this meeting.

November 17^th Washington County Commissioners meeting

• Greg Mecklem - Testimony regarding West Helvetia

Watch video of Save Helvetia testimony at this meeting.

November 3^rd Washington County Commissioners meeting

Watch video of Save Helvetia testimony at this meeting.

October 27^th Washington County Commissioners meeting

• Cherry Amabisca - Reflections on the area north of Highway 26
• Brian Beinlich - Summary of citizen testimony regarding the Reserves Process

Watch video of Save Helvetia testimony at this meeting.

Argument For Rural Reserves on the northwest corner of Helvetia Road/Hwy 26 interchange

This rebuttal letter and accompanying photos was prepared in response to the Greenfield/Angelo testimony presented to the RSC on Oct 14th regarding the Standring/Berger properties.  The letter argues for Urban Reserves for four properties located west of Helvetia Road between Highway 26 and West Union Road.

Read the letter

October 15^th Metro "Making the Greatest Place" public hearing

Watch video of citizen testimony at this meeting.

October 1^st LCDC meeting

• Brian Beinlich - Lack of Citizen Involvement in the Washington County Reserves Process
• Meredith Younghein (presented by John Platt) - A legal analysis of Washington County's Citizen Involvement Program
• Linda Peters - Urban and Rural Reserve Designation Process
• Greg Mecklem - Washington County Placement of Rural Reserves and Undesignated Lands

September 24^th Metro "Making the Greatest Place" public hearing

Watch video of citizen testimony at this meeting.

September 23^rd Washington County Reserves Coordinating Committee meeting

• Cherry Amabisca - Wildlife corridor spans Multnomah and Washington Counties
• Allen Amabisca - Infrastructure costs for 34,000 acres of urban reserves

September 21^st Beaverton City Council meeting

The following two letters were presented by Cherry Amabisca and Pam Gates.  The minutes of the Council's August 27th meeting contained many misperceptions about Helvetia, specifically that it was only hobby farms and generational farms, and didn't have high-production, high-export farming activity.

• Pam Gates addresses the high-export and generational aspects of farming in Helvetia
  “This farm began in 1886.  That’s 123 years the farm has been owned and operated by the same family and 123 years the farm has provided a livelihood to our family.  Our children are the 5th generation to live on our 309 acre farm.  If any other business stays around this long, they are praised.  Let me be clear.  Farming is a business.” Read more…
• Cherry Amabisca's testimony regarding agri-tourism in Helvetia
  “Agri-tourism needs a rural environment.  But it’s not only these agri-businesses that want the area north of Highway 26 to stay rural - it’s YOUR residents who want it rural as well.” Read more…

August 20^th Washington County public hearing

Watch video of citizen testimony at this meeting.

August 10^th Washington County Reserves Coordinating Committee meeting

Watch video of citizen testimony at this meeting.

July 25^th Save Helvetia interviewed on KUIK 1060AM

Listen to the interview

July 6^th Washington County Reserves Coordinating Committee meeting

Watch video of citizen testimony at this meeting.