About a month ago, the trees were removed from the area across from the Winco Plaza, at the intersection of Kings and Walnut. The change was very sudden, and it left many people wondering why this was happening. I was one of those curious people, so I contacted Corvallis’ Planning Manager, Jason Yaich, with some questions. It turns out that the area across from the Winco Plaza has been designated as residential land in Corvallis’ comprehensive plan. This plan goes back 50 years or more, and says that that particular area of land is set aside for single-family housing. The land itself is privately owned, which means that the developer can build any home on it as long as it meets the requirements for that area’s housing.
Many people were also wondering about why the development happened so fast, with the trees disappearing in a matter of hours. In reality, the building permit for that area was issued a couple years back, and the surrounding neighbors were notified of the impending development. Planning and sectioning out lots has already occurred, and they’ve already figured out where new roads will go, where the runoff will be filtered, etc. Now they’ve started the actual development, which inevitably led to the removal of the trees. However, the developer is required to replant about 25 percent of those trees once the housing is built, and they’re also required to protect any riparian areas in the building zone.
This new development is reflective of the visions of both Corvallis and Oregon. Our city values its green spaces, and that’s seen in the comprehensive plan. This plan designates green spaces, requires tree replanting in many areas, protects riparian ecosystems, and even protects ecologically important areas like oak meadows. However, the state plan requires Corvallis to build a certain number of new houses, in order to meet the demands of the housing market. This state law makes it so that Corvallis can’t say no to proposed housing unless it’s in direct violation of the building codes in that area. If they said no, the Corvallis government would be in direct violation of federal law. This law is one of the reasons that this development is happening, and why other developments in Corvallis are being planned and carried out.
One way that the community can be involved in this is making your voice heard whenever there’s a proposed change to the building code in an area. If a developer wants to build something out of an area’s building code, they have to bring it to City Hall and get it approved. This is when the community can veto the proposed change and make their voice heard in the development process. If you want to learn more about the specifics of the development at the intersection of Walnut and Kings, you can go to Lookup Property Information on the Corvallis government website to see an interactive map. It shows property lines, zoning, vegetation designations, etc. for the whole city.
Sources: Jason Yaich, Planning Manager for the Corvallis Government
The Crescent Crier 