Stafford pact an impressive win for good government

The three-party agreement gives each of the three cities and the people of the Stafford Hamlet something they want, although no one is getting everything they want.

In May 2017, five governments — Metro, Clackamas County and the cities of Lake Oswego, West Linn and Tualatin — unanimously (by a combined vote of 31-0) made a determined leap of faith to end 20-plus years of court fights and to provide cities greater authority to move forward with respect to the Stafford triangle.

Then, after a year of negotiations, Tualatin city councilors voted on Jan. 28 to join Lake Oswego and West Linn in approving an additional three-party agreement that provides a framework for moving forward. The final vote between the three cities was 16-3.

Stafford — actually four areas between Tualatin, Lake Oswego and West Linn totaling 6,230 acres —- is designated as an urban reserve that will potentially be open to development within 50 years. The three-party agreement gives each of the three cities and the people of the Stafford Hamlet something they want, although no one is getting everything they want. There will be many more steps. But without the three-city framework, the risk of returning to the days of endless expensive, unproductive litigation would have increased.

From the beginning of what at times seemed an interminable process, there were strong disagreements and concerns. Governments, residents and landowners worried about what might happen next: inadequate transportation facilities, conflicts with community values, densification, unknown costs of infrastructure and so on.

Yet a number of issues pushed the three cities to an agreement. There was wariness of litigation, the increasing likelihood of tolling on I-205, density issues, etc. Most important was the recognition that the cities are best equipped to evaluate and address the longstanding concerns about the details and timing of change.

This agreement has been hard fought and long sought. It taxed the patience of many. But people persevered. Collectively, a big first and second step has been achieved.

Now there is much work to do. It will be hard, but it can be done. All voices must be heard. Guiding principles must be identified, including:

Infrastructure: The cost of providing necessary roads, water, parks and systems for surface and wastewater will be enormous. The cities already struggle to maintain and improve their existing infrastructure, let alone taking on new projects in Stafford. The cities' current capital improvement plans collectively include $994 million in projects, with only $133 million funded. They can't immediately fund extensive new infrastructure in a challenging topography.

Transportation impact: Where will all the additional cars go? Rosemont, Stafford, Borland, Childs and Johnson roads and McVey Avenue are, for the most part, two-lane roads that will not be expanded. Although a top priority, Interstate 205 expansion will be years in the making. Congestion on I-205 will be pushed onto roads that can't handle increased volume and cannot be expanded. The cities and Stafford residents do not want another Tualatin-Sherwood bottleneck. The costs of new infrastructure, lack of funding and inadequacy of the exiting transportation system to absorb increased population make this challenge significant.

Housing: If population growth in the metro area continues to increase, whether by the lowest or highest projections, housing needs can be accommodated by other cities that already hope to expand their boundaries.

Delineation/Governance: The three cities will need to decide who will govern the different parts of the Stafford Hamlet.

Citizen Engagement: The residents of the three cities as well as the residents of the Stafford area must be a part of a robust public process.

Thanks to the dedicated work of negotiators, government staff and three sets of elected officials, the work will continue to thoughtfully and carefully address the needs of the region. We cannot guarantee success in Stafford, but we can continue to earn it.

Jeff Gudman is a former Lake Oswego city councilor. This Citizen's View is a reflection of his own views and not necessarily those of the council.