26. Central Oregon LandWatch (Ben Gordon, Executive Director)
26. Central Oregon LandWatch (Ben Gordon, Executive Director)
April 7, 2026 sent via email: Prosperity.Roadmap@oregon.gov, tim.knopp@oregon.gov Governor’s Prosperity Council Tim Knopp, Chief Prosperity Officer Office of Governor Tina Kotek, State of Oregon 900 Court Street, Suite 254 Salem, Oregon 97301 Dear Co-Chair James, Co-Chair Robinhold, Prosperity Council members, and Mr. Knopp, As this Council creates recommendations for Governor Kotek’s consideration to accelerate Oregon’s economy, create good-paying jobs, and recruit and grow Oregon’s businesses, we look forward to engaging and working together to help ensure all Oregonians have the opportunity to thrive. It will be essential in the work ahead to recognize that Oregon’s land use program is part of the bedrock foundation upon which our economic vitality is built. Oregon Land Use: At the heart of Oregon’s ‘second paycheck.’ For more than 50 years, Oregon’s land use program has been at the heart of creating the 1 world-renowned quality of life that sets our state apart. It has focused development in cities and towns, corralled rural sprawl, and preserved working farms, forests, wild places, and open space. As noted in Governor Kotek’s Prosperity Roadmap, “Our exceptional quality of life…makes [Oregon] not only a smart place to do business but also a desirable place to live, work, and raise a family.” For over 50 years, Oregon’s land use program has proven its durability and flexibility, evolving to safeguard the state’s exceptional quality of life. Today, that adaptability is being put to work to address some of the state’s most pressing economic headwinds: the affordable housing shortage and wildfire risk. The program is already delivering results on these issues through significant reforms, 2 such as the Oregon Housing Needs Analysis (OHNA). Finalized in December 2025, these landmark changes to Oregon’s housing goal will provide more abundant and affordable housing across Oregon’s communities as they are implemented this year and 1 Oregon Values and Beliefs Center. Environment and Land Use – 2023 Typology Study Summary. OregonVBC.org. https://oregonvbc.org/environment-and-land-use/ 2 Oregon Adopts Landmark Housing Rules to Increase Production, Affordability, and Choice, DLCD, December 2025 https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/ORDLCD/bulletins/3fe7815
beyond. Simultaneously, the land use program serves as a critical shield against climate-driven threats. By strategically limiting development in the wildland-urban interface, Oregon is effectively protecting both people and property from the increasing 3 risk of catastrophic wildfire. Working farms and forests, intact landscapes, healthy waterways: Oregon’s economic all-stars To borrow an example from the sporting world, you don’t bench your star players. And when it comes to Oregon’s economy, working farms and forests, intact landscapes and healthy waterways have been and will continue to be essential VIPs that need to be prioritized. Oregon’s farmlands support an agricultural economy that contributes 13% of the state’s gross 4 product and produces more than $6.8 billion in agricultural commodities annually. Our 5 forestlands make Oregon the largest softwood lumber producer in the U.S. Further, the benefits and value of intact, functioning landscapes and waterways are significant, as recently highlighted in Governor Kotek’s Executive Order No. 25-26 (October 2025), directing state agencies to take urgent action to promote the resilience of our communities and natural and working lands and waters. Outdoor recreation and 6 related tourism spending top $16 billion in Oregon and support over 190,000 jobs. We urge this Council to keep these facts and this track record ‘front and center’ in the work ahead and, in doing so, ensure any forthcoming recommendations uphold the key pillars of Oregon’s land use program. Our economy and the livability of our communities depend on its continued success. Thank you for your service and consideration of these comments. We would welcome the opportunity to share more detailed insights and examples on the information included here with the Prosperity Council as you undertake this important work on behalf of Oregonians. Sincerely, Ben Gordon, Executive Director 3 Oregon’s Land Use Law Creates Wildfire-Adapted Communities, Sightline Institue, 2023: https://www.sightline.org/2023/07/25/oregons-land-use-law-creates-wildfire-adapted-communities/ 4 Oregon Department of Agriculture. State of Oregon Agriculture: 2025 Report from the State Board of Agriculture. Oregon.gov. https://www.oregon.gov/ODA/Documents/Publications/Administration/BoardReport.pdf 5 Business Oregon. Forestry & Wood Products – Target Industries. Oregon.gov. https://www.oregon.gov/biz/programs/homeareas/byboregon/targetindustries/pages/forestry.aspx 6 Economic Analysis of Outdoor Recreation in Oregon: 2022 Update, Earth Economics. https://www.oregon.gov/oprd/PRP/Documents/2024.07.17 Economic analysis of outdoor recreation in O R%20-%202022%20update.pdf
Parent: Appendix E: Submissions & Feedback · PDF: pp. 265-266