OPINION: Build on success — vote yes on Measure 3-605

Join us in voting YES in the May 21 election on forming a Town Center urban renewal district.

Our city has no downtown core, and we need one. A new plan for our Town Center was developed through a multi-year process involving residents, businesses and community partners. It involved task forces, 100+ events and 1,800+ responses from numerous stakeholders. The resulting Town Center Plan was adopted by the City Council in 2019. It envisions an active downtown core with space for socializing, shopping, dining, culture, living and working — with walkable and engaging public spaces and safe, accessible parking.

A practical financing tool is needed to advance the Town Center Plan, to help fund the critical public infrastructure necessary to spur private capital investment and to ensure a safe and well-functioning Town Center for automobiles and other modes of transportation. In 2023, the City Council engaged the Urban Renewal Task Force, an ad hoc committee of residents, businesses, developers and taxing districts such as the School District and Clackamas Community College. The Task Force met over several months to conduct an in-depth study about how urban renewal could responsibly fund critical infrastructure and other projects in Town Center. When the study was complete, the Task Force voted to send it to the City Council for consideration. In January 2024, the City Council adopted Resolution 3099, recognizing that urban renewal is a critical funding source for the Town Center Plan, and referred the question of forming an urban renewal district to the voters for the May 21 election.

Let’s build on Wilsonville’s excellent success with urban renewal since 1990 and vote YES on Measure 3-605. Our Town Center needs an urban renewal district to come to fruition, and the May 21 election is the time to make it happen.

Urban renewal is not a new tax or a tax increase. It is a municipal funding tool that cities may use for the development of new infrastructure and to spark economic growth. Urban renewal is a temporary redistribution of existing tax rates. To find out more, visit the City's informational website, www.WilsonvilleTownCenter.com

Strategic use of urban renewal in Wilsonville has involved sharing tax increment revenue with other taxing districts well before the urban renewal district is retired and partnering to implement projects like building school facilities and adding resilience for the fire district by requiring residential fire sprinklers in Villebois. These strategies ensure the taxing districts share in the benefits of urban renewal while it is in effect.

Urban renewal has transformed Wilsonville. It has benefited every neighborhood and business. Our city's strategic use of urban renewal has enabled Wilsonville to complete the expansion of our sewer plant and build miles of streets, sidewalks and acres of parks. Major projects completed here with urban renewal include underground utility lines that bring us safety and resilience, Town Center Park, Murase Plaza and Villebois parks. Using millions of dollars generated by urban renewal, the city has partnered with our schools on land acquisition for a new school, building the high school gymnasium, adding sports fields and more. The successful use of urban renewal since 1990 has made Wilsonville what it is today.

You can experience our successful use of urban renewal when you visit Memorial Park or travel on urban-renewal-funded roads. Examples include Memorial Drive, Wilsonville Road, Canyon Creek Road, Boones Ferry and Tooze Roads. Urban renewal-funded infrastructure has been instrumental in attracting significant employers that drive Wilsonville’s $1.2 billion annual private sector payroll. Very few cities our size can claim the stable, diversified tax base that funds the amenities that make Wilsonville is such a good place to live, work and play.

Currently, our Year 2000 Urban Renewal plan, which closed this year, is providing significant funding for street improvements in the Frog Pond area, including the Boeckman Dip Bridge, to meet the increased transportation needs of the growing neighborhoods and the new school under construction.

Wilsonville would be a much different city if not for the wise application of urban renewal since 1990.

The Town Center will be the heart of Wilsonville, so let’s build on success and vote YES on Measure 3-605.