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Towns across Oregon are looking for ways to balance their budgets. Better development strategies could help them do that.

A new report released today by the national non-profit Smart Growth America reveals how much municipalities can save, on average, by using smart growth development strategies.

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The dangers of building a bridge on unstable foundations, and concerns about converting high-quality industrial land for a big box development in McMinnville: 1000 Friends has been active in the Willamette Valley lately.

Some of...

Want to help shape Oregon policy makers' decisions about jobs, the economy, health, and more? The Oregon's Kitchen Table project is a great opportunity to participate in the conversation. Sign up now to participate in the 2013 Oregon Values and Beliefs Survey.

More info from the OKT people:

We're writing to invite you...

What do a sidewalk in Keizer, faster bus service in Medford, neighborhood parks in Corvallis, and mixed-use buildings in Bend have in common?

They are all benefits that might arise from Oregon’s most significant recent planning initiative: regional scenario planning.

The Legislature identified scenario planning in 2010’s Senate Bill 1059 to give Oregon’s major cities an effective, transparent tool for assessing their possible futures.

Taking Ownership: What Scenario Planning Does

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LULI participants discuss Oregon's racial history with Jeri Williams (right) at 1000 Friends' offices in Portland.
In April, our Land Use Leadership Initiative met for a frank afternoon discussion of a...

Jim Redden
Thu, 05/02/2013 (All day)
Portland Monthly

A recent Opt In survey reveals that Portland region residents are concerned about climate change and safe transportation options in their communities, reports the Portland Tribune's Jim Redden:

Metro sponsored the online survey as part of its Climate Smart Communities Scenarios Project. The regional elected government started the project in response to a directive from the 2007 Oregon Legislature to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from motor vehicles in the metropolitan area.

The Metro Council is...

A big bridge built on shaky projections for population, traffic flow, and toll revenues. Sound familiar? But we're not talking about the Columbia River Crossing between Portland and Vancouver; this is the so-called "3rd Bridge" across the Willamette in Salem. 1000 Friends joined local residents opposing this proposal at a hearing Monday, urging the City Council to reject the proposal.

Our...

A strong April 11 editorial in the Daily Astorian urges lawmakers: don't usurp the integrity of Oregon planning for a single company's location preferences. 

"Some legislators want the the Legislature to become the state's planning commission as well as its judiciary," writes the Daily Astorian. "That very bad idea is embodied in Senate Bill 845."

The bill is one of the worst to...