Urban Renewal

Terminology

Tax Increment Finance is called "Urban Renewal" in Oregon Revised Statutes. In Wilsonville, we use the two terms interchangeably, with a preference for Tax Increment Finance, as it accurately describes what the tool is. However, because urban renewal remains the term used in statute, you will still find "urban renewal" used throughout this website.

Purpose

The purpose of urban renewal is to stimulate economic development by way of private investment in a specific area of the community. Tax increment financing is used in order to invest public funds into blighted areas where private development has stagnated or is not feasible. Public funds are needed to change those conditions and make private development feasible.

The types of urban renewal projects undertaken generally include land assembly, construction of infrastructure, and public amenities such as streets, utility lines, lighting, public open spaces, and parks.

Governance

The Wilsonville Urban Renewal Agency is the governing authority for all of Wilsonville's urban renewal plans. The Agency is itself is led by a board, which has the same membership as the City Council.

The urban renewal activities of the the City are guided by the Urban Renewal Strategic Plan (URSP), a visionary document and roadmap for current and prospective uses of tax increment finance.

UR Task Force

The Urban Renewal Task Force (URTF) advises City staff and the City Council/Urban Renewal Agency on the City's use of urban renewal as a public finance and economic development tool. The Urban Renewal Strategic Plan was developed by staff and consultants with thorough input from the URTF. The URTF is convened to advise the city on urban renewal matters on an ad hoc basis as need and circumstances dictate. To learn about the Urban Renewal Task Force membership and meetings, visit the Urban Renewal Task Force web page here.

Goals

Consistent with the goals and policies of the Economic Development element of the city’s comprehensive plan, the Urban Renewal Agency strives to meet or exceed the following policies:

• The city shall protect existing and planned industrial and commercial lands from incompatible land uses, and will attempt to minimize deterrents to desired industrial and commercial development.
• The city's public facilities and transportation and capital improvements plan, priorities will be established to ensure adequate public facilities are available to support desired industrial and commercial development. A high priority shall be given to improvements to storm drainage, traffic circulation, and safety.
• To ensure overall economic stability the city will attempt to coordinate its policies with those of Clackamas and Washington county's overall economic development plan (OEDP).

In-depth information relating to economic development in the City of Wilsonville is available with the Economic Development Department.  For additional information, please visit Wilsonville's Economic Development webpage.