HomeMy WebLinkAbout2024-06-03 Study SessionnMMCouncil Study Session Meeting Agenda
ASHLAND CITY COUNCIL
STUDY SESSION AGENDA
Monday, June 3, 2024
Council Chambers, 1175 E Main Street
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1. PUBLIC FORUM
15 minutes — Public input or comment on City business not included on the agenda
II. Buildable Lands Inventory Update
Buildable Lands Inventory Update
III. Land Banking
Land Banking
IV. ADJOURNMENT
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"'Agendas and minutes for City of Ashland Council, Commission and Committee meetings may be found at the
City website, ashland.or.us/Agendas.asp
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Date: June 3, 2024
Agenda Item
Land Banking
From
Brandon Goldman. Director of Community
Development
Cow ;
brandon.goldman@ashland.or.us
SUMMARY
Land banking is presented to the City Council for informational purposes and discussion as part of the Housing
Production Strategy. This initiative aims to inform and engage the Council on the strategic action of establishing
or participating in a land bank to support affordable housing development.
POLICIES. PLANS & GOALS SUPPORTED
• 2023 Housing Production Strategy: Strategic Action A. Evaluate participating in or establishing a land
bank.
• Council Values:
Community affordability, including in available housing and childcare
Regional cooperation, including in support for public safety and homelessness
BACKGROUND AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Land banking is a strategic approach where property is acquired and held for future development. The primary
goal is to purchase vacant, abandoned, or underutilized properties to meet community needs, particularly for
affordable housing. The escalating land costs due to market changes are mitigated through a land bank, as the
land is typically acquired before cost escalation and then can be utilized years later for affordable housing
development.
The adopted Ashland Housing Production Strategy (HPS) identifies land banking as a critical strategic action to
support the development of affordable housing. The strategy anticipates the City of Ashland undertaking the
necessary steps to establish land banking policies in 2026, with implementation expected to begin in 2027. This
approach involves the City partnering with non-profit land banking efforts to efficiently manage and utilize land
resources. The primary goal of land banking is to reduce or eliminate land costs for affordable housing projects.
thereby increasing the capacity of non-profit organizations to build such housing.
The City of Ashland will play a pivotal role in this initiative by identifying surplus City -owned land that can be
contributed to the land bank. Additionally, the City will work on identifying and securing funding sources to
support these efforts. By inventorying both publicly and privately -owned properties that are suitable for affordable
housing, the City can assist in identifying properties suitable for needed housing. A collaborative effort with non-
profit organizations that develop housing will ensure that the land is used effectively to meet the housing needs of
low- and moderate -income households, addressing a critical component of the city's overall housing strategy.
This Land Banking model involves the following key steps:
1. Acquisition: The municipality acquires surplus or strategically located properties, either through purchase,
donation, or transfer.
2. Holding: Unlike private property owners, a municipality does not incur annual tax liabilities on properties it
holds, allowing it to retain vacant land until a suitable development opportunity arises.
3. Partnering: The city works in partnership with affordable housing developers, leveraging the held land to
facilitate the construction of needed housing.
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4. Request for Proposals (RFPs): As the landholder, the municipality can issue RFPs advertising availability
of the surplus properties, inviting developers to propose projects that align with community needs and
priorities.
Supporting Housing Development: By utilizing surplus city property or acquiring developable land, a
municipality can play a crucial role in supporting the development of affordable housing. Through land banking,
the City can provide a pipeline of land for future development and control the type of development that may occur
on that land. This approach includes several advantages:
Cost Savings for affordable housing providers: Municipalities can hold properties without incurring tax
liabilities, reducing the financial burden and allowing for affordable housing partners to design projects,
seek grant funding, and even obtain planning and building approvals prior to taking ownership and
incurring financing costs.
Incentivizing Developers: By providing land at reduced or no cost, municipalities can incentivize
affordable housing developers to undertake projects in our jurisdiction given the cost savings from no -
cost, or reduced cost land.
Targeted Development: The city can direct the development of specific housing types that address s
community needs, ensuring that projects align with local priorities.
Community Impact: Land banking allows cities to proactively manage land resources, address housing
shortages, and support sustainable community development. Through careful planning and strategic
partnerships, municipalities can ensure that surplus land is used effectively to benefit residents, particularly those
in need of affordable housing.
To facilitate discussion of land available for residential development, the Community Development Department
has referenced the draft 2024 Buildable Lands Inventory (BLI) to identify parcels currently available that could
accommodate larger residential developments. It is evident that development land in Ashland is largely
comprised of small infill lots, and most of the larger residentially zoned properties capable of supporting
developments of 10 units or more are located outside the City Limits, within the Urban Growth Boundary.
The presentation at the upcoming Study Session will highlight several areas within the Urban Growth Boundary
based on the Draft 2024 Buildable Lands Inventory where land banking for larger scale projects could be
considered. By focusing on these larger parcels, the City can strategically plan for significant affordable housing
developments that meet community needs and leverage the benefits of land banking.
When the City undertakes the land banking strategic action as identified in the Housing Production Strategy
(HPS), a similar review of developable lands will be of value. This approach allows the City to address the
scarcity of large infill lots within the city limits and ensure that suitable land is available for impactful housing
projects.
FISCAL IMPACTS
The costs associated with land banking vary depending on whether existing surplus or donated land is included in
the land bank, which would minimize expenses, or if the City proactively purchases properties for the initiative,
potentially incurring significant costs. The financial impact will thus depend on the approach taken and the
availability of funds or donations.
SUGGESTED ACTIONS, MOTIONS, AND/OR OPTIONS
What is the City's role in establishment of a Land Bank:
If the City prioritizes using surplus City -owned land for land banking, then how will we identify and evaluate these
parcels for suitability in affordable housing projects?
If we decide to partner with non-profit organizations for land banking, then what steps should we take to ensure
these partnerships are effective and mutually beneficial?
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REFERENCES & ATTACHMENTS
None
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Date: June 3, 2024
Agenda Item
Buildable Lands Inventory Update
From
Brandon Goldman, Director of Community
Development
Cont- =t
brandon.goldman@ashIand.or.us
SUMMARY
An update of the Citys Buildable Lands Inventory (BLI) is presented for Council review. The 2024 BLI update
provides an assessment of the capacity of land within the City of Ashland and Urban Growth Boundary to
accommodate future residential and commercial development.
POLICIES. PLANS & GOALS SUPPORTED
Ashland Comprehensive Plan
Housing Element Chapter VI Goal (6.10.04): Forecast and plan for changing housing needs over time in
relation to land supply and housing production.
1. Policy 22: Maintain a data base that includes, measurement of the amount of vacant land and
land consumption. housing conditions. land use. land values. and any other pertinent information.
Urbanization Element Chapter XII
1. Appendix A entitled "Technical Reports and Supporting Documents'
State of Oregon
Statewide Planning Goal 10 (Housing): Buildable lands for residential use shall be inventoried. and plans
shall encourage the availability of adequate numbers of housing units at price ranges and rent levels
which are commensurate with the financial capabilities of Oregon households and allow for flexibility of
housing location. type. and density. -
Oregon Revised Statutes 197.296: Factors to establish sufficiency of buildable lands within urban growth
boundary.
BACKGROUND AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
The City's Buildable Lands Inventory (BLI) was last updated in 2019. This inventory offers a comprehensive list of
vacant and underdeveloped residential and commercial lands within the City's existing Urban Growth Boundary
(UGB) and City Limits. It is important to note that the inventory does not imply that all identified vacant or partially
vacant properties are currently available for development; rather, it indicates that these properties have the
potential to be developed in the future.
An ordinance presented and approved in 2011 (ORD#3055) amended Appendix A of the Ashland
Comprehensive Plan to include the BLI by reference as a technical support document of the Ashland
Comprehensive Plan's chapter on Urbanization (Chapter XII). This ordinance amendment directed that future
updates of the BLI are to be approved by resolution of the City Council to account for land consumption through
development and other changes in land supply. A new resolution adopting the 2024 BLI is to be presented to the
City Council for consideration on July 16, 2024. The prior adopted Buildable Lands Inventories (adopted in 1999,
2005, 2011, and 2019) do not reflect development that has occurred subsequent to their adoption dates. The
BLI currently presented (Exhibit A) reflects recent development and land consumption through December of
2023. This update of buildable lands provides an adequate factual basis to evaluate developable land
availability within Ashland's Urban Growth Boundary and City Limits.
A Buildable Lands Inventory (BLI) is an assessment of a city's development capacity. The BLI is used to assess if
the Urban Growth Boundary (UGB) has enough land to meet the community's 20-year housing needs. The
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updated 2024 BLI document, and associated Geographic Information System (GIS) database, quantifies
buildable areas for all tax lots within the City's UGB, including information regarding the following:
• Capacity of each parcel to accommodate future residential dwellings or commercial development;
• Cumulative buildable acreage by parcel, zoning and comprehensive plan designation;
• Cumulative dwelling unit capacity by parcel, zoning and comprehensive plan designation.
• Projected population growth;
1. 2022-2072 Coordinated Population Projection: Portland State University Population Research
Center.
• Household size and housing characteristics and residential housing need
1. 2021 Ashland Housing Capacity Analysis
In combination with the Housing Capacity Analysis (2021), Housing Production Strategy (2023), this updated BLI
allows the City to assess whether or not there exists a 20 year supply of buildable land to accommodate future
housing and business development in consideration of zoning allowances, physical constraints, and expected
residential and commercial growth.
Using the spatial analysis tools in the GIS, the area of each individual parcel that was constrained by steep
slopes (over 35%), flood zones (FEMA 100yr. floodplain), and impervious surface was calculated to better assess
the likely level of future development on the property. The resultant figure was called 'Net Buildable Acres' and
informed an adjustment to the number of dwelling units that may be developed in the future.
Key Findings:
• Within the City limits there are 288 net buildable acres across all zones. There are 630 net buildable
acres of land within the UGB out of a gross area of 985 acres.
• Over the last 13 years the city has consumed 10.2 acres per year.
• In May of 2021, the City completed a Housing Capacity Analysis (HCA) which determined that Ashland
has a demand for 858 new dwellings for the expected population increase over the next twenty-year
period.
• Within the City it is estimated that 1,407 dwellings can be accommodated. The area in the UGB is
projected to be able to support an additional 1,303 possible dwellings for a total of 2,710 dwellings in the
combined City Limits and UGB. Over the last six fiscal years the city has produced 90 dwellings units per
year.
• The 2024 BLI demonstrates that adequate land exists within the City -Limits and UGB to accommodate
the number and types of residential units needed (Single-family & Multi -family) for the next 20 years .
Recommendations
The Planning Commission reviewed and discussed the 2024 BLI update at their regular meeting on May 14th
2024 and have forwarded a recommendation to the City Council to approve the resolution updating the BLI.
Staff recommends approval of the BLI update to provide a current inventory to be utilized in evaluating the land
supply to accommodate both housing and employment growth, and to inform the upcoming
FISCAL IMPACTS
Adoption of the proposed resolution updating the Buildable Lands Inventory will have no financial impact to the
City.
SUGGESTED ACTIONS, MOTIONS, AND/OR OPTIONS
The Department of Land Conservation and Development has been provided with a copy of the 2024 BLI, and has
a 35 day opportunity for comment as part of the State of Oregon acknowledgment process. Following this review
period, a Resolution adopting the 2024 BLI will be presented to the City Council for consideration on July 16,
2024.
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REFERENCES & ATTACHMENTS
1. 2024 BLI Report
2. 2024 BLI Map DRAFT
3. 2024 BLI Resolution Draft
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C 1 T Y O F
AS LAN D
Buildable lands Inventory
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EXECUTIVESUM-NIARY.......................................................................................................... 1
INTRODLTCTION........................................................................................................................
1
SECTION 1: BUILDABLE LAND INVENTORY....................................................................
2
LAND USE CLASSIFICATIONS
DEFINITIONS AND COMMON TER-NIS..............................................................................................
4
LANDINVENTORY ........................................................................................................................
S
QUANTIFYING LAND AVAILABILITY & METHODOLOGY..............................................................
S
BUILDABLELAND........................................................................................................................
6
DWELLING UNIT ASSESSMENT...................................................................................................
I
CITY PROPERTY- PUBLIC USE....................................................................................................
I
SECTION 2: DE'IOGRAPHICS..............................................................................................
16
AmERICAN COMMUNITY SURVEY (ACS)...................................................................................
16
POPULATIONGROWTH...............................................................................................................
17
POPULATION MAKEUP...............................................................................................................
18
PERSONS PER HOUSEHOLD........................................................................................................
23
SINGLE FA_mIILY HOME SIZES.....................................................................................................
24
STUDENT POPULATION AND HOUSm'G.......................................................................................
25
SECTION 3: CONCLUSION, SUFFICIENCY OF LAND, HOUSING SUPPLY ..............
25
L"FFICENCl" OF LAND................................................................................................................
-'-
HOUSING PRODUCTION..............................................................................................................
26
APPENDIX A -BUILDABLE LANDS INVENTORY _NIAP....................................................I
APPENDIX B - OREGON ADMINISTRATIVE RI?LES......................................................
II
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Tables
Table1 - Residential Density .......................................................................................................... 3
Table 2 - Total Net Buildable acreage (V&PV) City Limits.......................................................... 8
Table 3 - Total Net Buildable Acreage (V&PV) UGB alone......................................................... 8
Table 4 - Total Net Buildable acreage (V&PV) UGB & City Limits ............................................ 8
Table 5 - Total Net Buildable Acreage by Comprehensive Plan (V&PV) City Limits .................. 9
Table 6 - Total Net Buildable Acreage By Comprehensive Plan (V&PV) UGB alone ............... 10
Table 7 - Total Net Buildable Acreage by Comprehensive Plan (V&PV) UGB & City Limits.. 11
Table 8 - Total Net Buildable Acreage By City Zone (V&PV) City Limits ................................ 12
Table 9 - Potential Dwelling Units by Zoning Designation, City Limits ..................................... 14
Table 10 - Potential Dwelling Units by Comprehensive Plan Designation UGB & City Limits. 15
Table 11— Table 2 from PSU Jackson County Coordinated Population Forecast 2022-2072..... 17
Table 12 - Ashland Housing Tenure, Comparison 2013-2017 vs 2018-2022 .............................. 23
Table 13 - HCA Forecast of demand of dwellings....................................................................... 26
Table 14 - Residential Production................................................................................................. 26
Table15 - Land Consumption...................................................................................................... 27
Figures
Figure 1 — Potential Dwelling Units by Comprehensive Plan Designation .................................. 1;
Figure 2 - Ashland Historic and Projected Population 1940-1972............................................... IS
Figure 3 - Age Cohort over time ................................................................................................... 19
Figure 4 - Ashland Population Pyramid........................................................................................ 19
Figure 5- Comparing Population Distribution by Age................................................................. 20
Figure 6 - Population by Age and Sex.......................................................................................... 20
Figure 7 - Population Distribution by Sex per Age Group........................................................... 21
Figure 8 - Ashland Population by Race/Ethnicity ........................................................................ 22
Figure 9 — Comparing Ashland vs Jackson County Race/Ethnicity ............................................. 22
Figure 10 — Comparing Household Size....................................................................................... 24
Figure 11 - Home Size (National, by region; US Census CHARS) ............................................. 25
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Acronyms used in this Document:
BLI
Buildable Lands Inventory
CFA
Climate Friendly Area
CFEC
Climate Friendly and Equitable Community
DLCD
Department of Land Conservation & Development
EOA
Economic Opportunity Analysis
FEMA
Federal Emergency Management Agency
GIS
Geographic Information System
HDR
High Density Residential
HCA
Housing Capacity Analysis
HPS
Housing Production Strategy
LDR
Low Density Residential
MFR
Multi -Family Residential
OAR
Oregon Administrative Rule
ORS
Oregon Revised Statute
PPH
Persons per Household
SFR
Single Family Residential
SR
Suburban Residential
UGB
Urban Growth Boundary
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ASHLAND
2024 Buildable Lands Inventory
Executive Summary
This technical document, and corresponding map, provides detailed information regarding the
amount of buildable lands within the City and Urban Growth Boundary (UGB) as of the end of
2023. The process of conducting a Buildable Lands Inventory (BLI) is essentially an exercise in
quantifying available land suitable for development within the City of Ashland's political
boundary. Under statewide planning goals a BLI is utilized to assess whether the combined City
Limits & UGB contain enough land to satisfy the community's twenty-year housing and
commercial land need. The inventory should not be construed to mean all properties identified
are presently "readily developable," but rather over the next fifty -years are likely to become
available for development.
In May of 2021, the City completed a Housing Capacity Analysis (HCA) which determined that
Ashland has a demand for 858 new dwellings over the next twenty-year period. This Buildable
Lands Inventory shows that the City of Ashland has the potential development capacity of 1,407
dwellings within the city limits, and an additional 1,303 possible dwellings possible within the
UGB. This capacity exceeds the forecasted demand for new dwellings and demonstrates that
there is sufficient buildable land for the projected demand over the twenty-year period.
Introduction
The purpose of conducting an update of the "Buildable Lands Inventory" (BLI) is to quantify the
amount vacant and partially -vacant land available within the political boundaries of the City of
Ashland (City Limits and Urban Growth Boundary). In combination with the Housing Capacity
Analysis (2021), Housing Production Strategy (2023), a BLI allows a community to determine
whether or not there exists an adequate supply of buildable land to accommodate future housing
and business development. The BLI was last updated in 2019.
The BLI is prepared in accordance with OAR 660-038-0060 requiring that cities maintain a
buildable lands inventory within the urban growth boundary (UGB) sufficient to accommodate
the residential, employment and other urban uses such as public facilities, streets, parks and open
space needed for a 20-year planning period. The BLI is effectively an analysis of exiting
development capacity. The use of the City's geographic information systems (GIS) enables the
City to evaluate development potential using 4 basic steps:
1. Identify both developed and vacant properties throughout the City and Urban Growth
Boundary.
2. Calculate development potential in terms of number of future single-family residential
lots, multifamily housing units, and available commercial lands.
2024 City of Ashland BLI DRAFT Pg. 1
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3. Identify development parcels that significantly underutilize their allowed (or proposed)
development capacity;
4. Quantify physical constraints to development (steep slopes, floodplains, etc) to refine
estimated development capacity on a parcel by parcel basis.
If it is determined that future population growth, or economic development, will require more
buildable land than is available, the community's governing bodies can make informed
decisions, and implement appropriate measures to provide for the unmet housing and
commercial land needs. As a companion document to the BLI the Housing Capacity Analysis
provides data necessary to determine the mix of housing types will be needed to accommodate
population growth and demographic changes. The City recently completed a Housing Capacity
Analysis in 2021 and a Housing Production Strategy in 2023. In combination with this BLI,
those documents will allow the City to assess whether the supply of available residential land is
sufficient to accommodate each needed housing types through the 20-year planning period. In
2024-2025 the City will complete an Economic Opportunity Analysis update, which will forecast
the demand for employment, commercial and industrial lands, This 2024 BLI will inform
whether an adequate supply of land zoned for commercial uses is available to meet this
forecasted demand.
Section 1: Buildable Land Inventory
A buildable lands inventory (BLI) is a state -required assessment of a city's development
capacity, including the amount of buildable land available, and how that capacity can
accommodate future housing. The BLI is used to assess if the Urban Growth Boundary (UGB)
has enough land to meet the community's 20-year housing needs. The inventory does not indicate
that all properties are immediately ready for development, but rather that they are capable of
development.
Land Use Classifications
The BLI maintains an accounting of all lands within Ashland's Urban Growth Boundary (UGB)
by Comprehensive Plan designation and by zoning designation within the city limits. Each City
zone relates to a specific Comprehensive Plan designation as shown below. The BLI provides an
assessment of buildable land for both the Comprehensive Plan and Zoning designations.
Comprehensive Plan
Zoning
Suburban Residential
Residential - Suburban (R-1- 3. 5 )
Single Family Residential
Residential - Single-family (R-1-10, R-1-7.5, R-1-5)
Low Density Residential
Residential Low Density (R-1-10)
Residential - Woodland (WR)
Residential - Rural (RR)
Multi -Family Residential
Residential - Low Density Multiple Family (R-2)
High Density Residential
Residential - High Density Multiple Family (R-3)
2024 City of Ashland BLI DRAFT pg.
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Commercial
Commercial (C-1)
Downtown
Commercial - Downtown (C-1-D)
Employment
Employment (E-1)
Industrial
Industrial (M-1)
Health Care
Health Care Services Zone (HC)
Croman Mill
Croman Mill District Zone (CM) includes various district
zones (CM -NC, CM -MU, CM -OE, CM -CI, CM -OS)
Normal Neighborhood
Normal Neighborhood District (NN) includes various
district zones (NN-1-3.5, NN-1-3.5 C, NN-1-5, NN-2)
North Mountain Neighborhood
North Mountain Neighborhood (NM) includes various
district zones (NM-R-1-7.5, NM-R-1-5, NM-MF, NM-C,
NM -Civic)
Southern Oregon University
Southern Oregon University (SOU)
City Parks
Various zones
Conseivation Areas
Various zones
The residential densities used to determine the number of dwelling units expected per acre of
land for all zones and Comprehensive Plan designations is provided in Table 1.
Table 1- Residential Density
Zone
Assumed Density
R-1-3. 5
7.2 units per acre
Suburban Residential (SR). Townhouses,
Manufactured Home
R-1-5 & R-1-5-P
4.5 units per acre
Single -Family Residential (SFR)
R-1-7.5 & R-1-7.5-P
3.6 units per acre
Single -Family Residential (SFR)
R-1-10 & R-1-10-P
2.4 units per acre
Single -Family Residential (SFR)
R-2
13.5 units per acre
Multi -Family Residential (MFR)
R-3
20 units per acre
High Density Residential (HDR)
RR-.5 & RR-.5-P
1.2 units per acre
Rural Residential, Low -Density (LDR)
HC
13.5 (as R-2)
Health Care
RR
Slope contingent
Woodland Residential
RR-1
0.6 units per acre
Rural Residential, Low -Density (LDR)
2024 City Of Ashland BLI DRAFT pg. 3
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Definitions and common terms
The following definitions were used in evaluating land availability:
Buildable Land
Residentially and commercially designated vacant, partially vacant, and, at the option of the
local jurisdiction, redevelopable land within the urban growth boundary that is not severely
constrained by natural hazards, (Statewide Planning Goal 7) or subject to natural resource
protection measures (Statewide Planning Goals 5 and 15).
Publicly owned land is generally not considered available for residential use. Land with slopes of
35-percent or greater and land within the 100-year flood plain was not considered buildable in
conducting this BLI. For the purposes of updating the Buildable Lands Inventory,
"redevelopable lands" as defined below were not included as "Buildable Land". This is
consistent with the methodology used in previous Buildable Lands Inventory's methodologies
for identifying properties with additional development potential. Properties considered
"Redevelopable" that otherwise had further development potential, were included instead in the
"Partially Vacant" category in order to capture that net buildable land area.
Residential Density
The number of units per acre (density) for residential properties with development potential was
determined by referencing the base densities established in the City's zoning ordinance. The
density allowance coefficient (e.g. 13.5 dwelling unit per acre in the R-2 zone) was initially
established to include accommodations for needed public facilities land, thus a "gross buildable
acres"- to- "net buildable acres" reduction, specifically to accommodate future public facilities,
has been omitted.
Vacant
Vacant lots were those parcels that were free of improvements (structures) and were available for
future residential or commercial development. Alternative designations were assigned to those
parcels that, although physically vacant, were not considered suitable for residential or
commercial development.
Vacant/Undevelopable = Unbuildable acres due to physical constraints including:
1) with slopes in excess of 35%
2) within the floodway
3) within the 100-year flood plain
4) in resource protection areas
Vacant/Airport = Land reserved for Ashland Municipal Airport uses.
Vacant/Open Space = land reserved as private open space
Vacant/Parks = land reserved as public parks and open space
Vacant/Parking = paved parking lots
Partially Vacant
Partially vacant lots were determined to have buildable acreage if the lot size was equal to, or
greater than, the minimum lot size requirements set for residential density [in each zone]. In
Commercially zoned lands, those parcels with additional undeveloped land area yet containing a
2024 City of Ashland BLI DRAFT pa. 4
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building on a portion of the property were likewise considered partially vacant. Collectively,
these partially vacant parcels account for a considerable amount of Ashland's future land supply.
For example, a five -acre parcel occupied by only one home is considered partially vacant,
however the percentage of land that is available may be 80% due to the location of the existing
home. Thus, in this hypothetical example, the partially vacant property would yield four acres of
net buildable land.
Redevelopable
Redevelopable property is traditionally defined as property on which there are structures valued
at less than 30% of the combined value of the improvements and the land. For example, were a
building valued at $100,000 located on a property with a land value of $300,000 this property
would be mathematically defined as re -developable: $100,000/($100,000+$300,000) = 25%
Within Ashland, the high land cost relative to building valuations makes the above standard
calculation method a poor indicator of future supply of land for housing and commercial land
needs in our community. However, in mapping all such "redevelopable" properties utilizing the
Jackson County Assessors Department's Real Market Values (RMV) for Land Value (LV) and
Improvement Value (IV) the City was better able to identify many properties that were
underdeveloped and more appropriately defined as "Partially Vacant".
Land Inventory
The City of Ashland contains a grand total of 4,258 acres within the City Limits. This is an
increase of 7.9 acres from the 2019 BLI. This increase was associated with the Beach Creek
Annexation and Subdivision which is the only annexation to have taken place in that time. The
Urban Growth Boundary (UGB) contains a total of 4,732 acres. An area of 226 acres in the
southwest corner of the city is inside the city limits but outside the UGB. For this reason, the
combined total area of Ashland political boundaries is 4,958 acres. When dedicated public
rights -of -way are removed, there remains 4,161 (84%) net acres within the City's urban area'.
Public rights -of -way, parks/open space and civic uses accounted for 27.8% of the City's total
gross acreage. The remaining land is classified as Residential (60.1%), commercial (11.4%), and
industrial (0.4%).
Quantifying Land Availability & Methodology
The primary data sources used in order to determine the amount of land available within
Ashland's UGB included:
• 2019 Buildable Lands Inventory data and map
• Jackson County assessor parcel data
• Citywide Aerial photos (Nearmap June 2023)
• City of Ashland GIS database (for building footprints, slope, flood, and impervious areas)
• Ashland Building Permit data (July 1, 2019 through December 22, 2023) [this time series
begins immediately after the data used for the 2019 BLI]
` `Within the City's Urban Area' includes both land within the City Limits and Urban Growth Boundary combined. If
reference is being made to the UGB area exclusive of land within City Limits, we will refer to `UGB alone'.
2024 City of Ashland BLI DRAFT pa.
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Each of these data sources were used to closely examine properties designated as available and
to identify physical or other constraints to future development. Properties were analyzed for their
available buildable land, and to ascertain whether the property was suitable for further
development.
Building Permit data, current as of December 22, 2023, was paired in GIS to county assessor
parcel data, along with the 2019 BLI's dataset. Because the present parcel configuration has
changed since the 2019 BLI, and because building permits are frequently issued to a subdivision
`parent parcel' before the new tax lot number has been created it is not a 1:1 match. By using
definition queries those properties were able to be easily identified and thus reclassified
accordingly. This method ensures an accurate accounting of lands represented as "vacant" in the
Jackson County Assessor's records, but for which building permits had already been issued.
In the 2024 BLI's GIS project, each parcel within the City and UGB has been categorized as one
of the following:
• Developed =D
• Vacant = V
• Partially -Vacant = PV
• Undevelopable = UnDev
In addition to the primary categories above there are several sub -types of vacant lands that were
classified to indicate they are not available for future development such as Airport, Parks, Open
space, parking lots, and other public or quasi -public land.
In general, a vacant parcel from the 2019 BLI was classified as developed if there was an
existing building, or a recent building permit issued, unless the property was large enough to be
further subdivided, or otherwise able to support additional dwelling units due to multi -family
zoning. If a property had previously been categorized as `partially vacant' in the 2019 BLI, it
was evaluated to determine the number of additional dwelling units (or sub -dividable lots) that
currently could be provided.
Using the spatial analysis tools in the GIS, the area of each individual parcel that was constrained
by steep slopes (over 35%), flood zones (FEMA 100yr. floodplain), and impervious surface was
calculated to better assess the likely level of future development on the property. The resultant
figure was called `Net Buildable Acres' and informed an adjustment to the number of dwelling
units (Adjusted DU) in the tables provided in this inventory that present future dwelling
potential.
To verify the accuracy of the draft BLI map, staff conducted site visits to numerous areas
throughout the City that had experienced significant development since 2019. The `ground
truthing' and examination of an aerial photography, allowed for refinement of the BLI to
appropriately represent the consumption of property within the City.
1MWO••4OT16
Due to the careful reassessment of each individual parcel within the Urban Growth Boundary
and City Limits, and the use of improved GIS spatial analysis tools, severe constraint areas not
suitable for development were more readily identified and therefore this 2024 BLI provides a
more accurate assessment than a simple calculation of density by area. The difference between
2024 City of Ashland BLI DRAFT pa. 6
Pane 11; of d.!i
Gross Acreage and Net Buildable Acres in the tables below represents reductions in available
land area due to severe physical constraints, developed portions of properties, and other
constraints to development.
In total, there are approximately 630 net buildable acres of land within the UGB that are
developable (across all Comprehensive Plan designations) out of a gross area of 985 acres. When
considering properties within the city limits alone there are 288 net buildable acres that are
classified as developable across all zones. These data are shown in Tables 2 through 8. Tables 9
and 10 show the estimated number of dwelling units that could be supported by each zone /
comprehensive plan designation in the City, the UGB, and the combined City & UGB.
It is crucial to acknowledge the significant shifts in state law over recent years that have
impacted local land use regulation. These legislative changes include mandating cities to permit
duplexes and Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) without restriction% enabling Middle Housing
Land Divisionst, eliminating parking requirements*, allowing residential development on
commercial lands§, and requiring the allowance of'adjustments' to local regulations".
Collectively, these changes provide the potential for thousands of additional dwellings beyond
the numbers previously reported. It's important to note, however, that while these laws make it
possible to add dwelling units such as duplexes or ADUs on all properties with a single-family
home, the actual redevelopment of established neighborhoods to this extent is unlikely.
Ultimately, the Buildable Lands Inventory (BLI) provides only a conservative estimate of the
number of homes that could be constructed within Ashland's urbanizing area.
Additionally, it should be noted that the Climate Friendly and Equitable Community (CFEC) rule
making is still being implemented. The Climate Friendly Areas which will be created are
required to accommodate 30 percent of the future population in areas with increased height
allowances and no residential density limitations. When combined with the removal of off-street
parking requirements this potentially opens substantial areas of existing paved parking to
redevelopment. As yet there has been no associated change from the State to the established
methodology prescribed for BLI's and no direction from the state in terms of if or how these
changes are to be factored into BLI preparation. Ashland has opted to look at this BLI based on
the prescribed methodology, relying on existing densities for residential zones without factoring
in the anticipated - but yet to be completed - creation of Climate Friendly Areas. It is assumed
that once Climate Friendly Areas have been established statewide, the ramifications of new
middle housing rules fully understood, and the effects of eliminating parking mandates can be
quantified through changes in development patterns that the methodology for conducting future
BLI's will be updated.
' HB 2001 801b OR Leg — 2019 Regular Session
t SB 458 811 OR Leg — 2021 Regular Session
x CFEC rulemaking Nov 2023 (OAR Division 8, Division 12, and Division 44). On March 6, 2024, the Oregon
Court of Appeals ruled in City of Cornelius v. Dept. of Land Conservation finding in favor of the DLC and
affirming the validity of the rules adopted by the commission 331 Or App 349.
§ HB 2984A 82nd OR Leg — 2023 Regular Session
SB 1537 82nd OR Leg — 2024 Regular Session
2024 City of Ashland BLI DRAFT pg. 7
Panes 1 F of 45
The tables on the following pages show Vacant and Partially Vacant land by comprehensive plan
or zoning designation. These data are shown in tables identical to the 2019 BLI for easy
comparison.
Table 2 - Total Net Buildable acreage (T &PL) City Limits
of Parcels
Gross Acreage
mr
Net Buildable Acres
Vacant
304
224.8
139.2
Partially Vacant
308
243.8
149.7
Vacant/Airport
9
94.2
54.5
Vacant/UnDevelopable
78
236.7
0
Vacant /Open Space or
Park
409
610.8
0
Vacant /Parking
77
20.7
0
Table 3 - Total Net Buildable .4creage (i &PT) UGB alone
+ of Parcelsa
Gross Acreage
Net Buildable Acres
Vacant
59
168.2
110.7
Partially Vacant
112
345.6
230.7
Vacant/Airport
1
' 1
per plan
Vacant/UnDevelopable
8
8
0
Vacant /Open Space or
Park
2
0
Vacant /Parking
3
1.
Table 4 - Total Net Buildable acreage (V&Pi) UGB & City Limits
BLI Sl
Vacant
# of ParcfflF
Gross Acreage
Net Buildable Acres
lo,
393
-�
Partially Vacant
420
592.4
380.4
Vacant/Airport
10
11 � .2
per plan
Vacant/UnDevelopable
86
244.7
0
Vacant /Open Space or
Park
411
619.1
0
Vacant /Parking
80
22.4
0
2024 City of Ashland BLI DRAFT pa. S
Panes 17 of 45
The following tables show the number of net -buildable acres by Comprehensive Plan
Designations for City Limits, UGB alone, and total Ashland urban area (UGB & City Limits),
and net -buildable acres by zoning designation for properties within the City Limits.
Table S - Total Net Buildable Acreage by Comprehensive Plan (V&PTI City Limits
Comprehensive Plan
# of Parcels
Net Buildable Acres
Commercial
Croman Mill
4 , . S
Downtown
0.4
Employment
HC
3
1?
HDR
52
10.8
Industrial
3
5.4
LDR
46
15.1
MFR
108
21.2
NM
10
1 �. 1
SFR
?59
108.5
SFRR
3
2.5
SOU
1.8
Suburban R
1
0.1
Woodland
10
6.6
Totals
555
288.9
2024 City of Ashland BLI DRAFT pa. 9
Panes 18 of 4S
Table 6 - Total Net Buildable Acreage By Comprehensive Plan (T &PT) t "GB alone
Comprehensive Plan
# of Parcels
Net Buildable Acres
Airport
1
Per Airport Master Plan
Commercial
3
4.4
Croman Mill
2
17.3
Employment
1
41.7
Industrial
3
9.2
MFR
5
21.1
Normal NBHD
27
69.7
NM
1
0.7
SFR
34
77.4
SFRR
33
94.1
Suburban R
5
7.5
Totals
111
343.1
2024 City of Ashland BLI DRAFT pg. 10
Pane 1 A of 4.ri
Table 7 - Total Net Buildable .4creage by Comprehensive Plan (JUPi) L%GB & Cit3' Limits
Comprehensive Plan
# of Parcels
Net Buildable Acres
Gross Acres
Airport
10
Per Airport Master Plan
115.2
Conunercial
24
15.2
25.3
Croman Mill
22
61.1
85.7
Downtown
8
0.4
2.9
Employment
89
90.0
136.7
HC
3
1.2
1.8
HDR
54
10.8
13.6
Industrial
6
14.6
16.3
LDR
46
15.1
38.7
MFR
115
41.3
63.5
Nonnal
Neighborhood
14
12.4
20.5
NM
32
69.7
87.9
SFR
303
185.8
301.3
SFRR
48
96.7
157.9
SOU
3
1.8
2.3
Suburban R
6
7.5
8.0
Woodland
10
6.6
23.2
Totals
783
630.4
985.4
2024 City of Ashland BLI DRAFT pg. 11
Pane gn of 45
Table ,S - Total Net Buildable _ Icrea-e Br Olt, Zone 0 -Sl PI ) Otr Limits
ZONE
+ of Parcels
Net Buildable Acres
C-1
19
11.0
C-1-1)
8
0.4
CM
12
429
E-1
58
48.1
HC
3
1.2
M-1
4
6.3
NM
12
11.7
R-1-10
54
18.9
R-1-3.5
1
0.1
R-1-5
79
45.5
R-1-7.5
128
36.7
R-2
ill
21.6
R-3
54
10.8
RR-.5
44
14.5
RR-1
3
2.5
SO
5
2.0
WR
11
6.8
Totals
612
288.9
Dwelling Unit Assessment
Tables 9 & 10 on the following pages show the estimated number of dwelling units that can be
developed on vacant and partially vacant land in the urbanizing area. Within the City it is
estimated that 1,407 dwellings can be accommodated. This constitutes a reduction of 137
dwelling units from what was shown in the 2019 BLI. The area in the UGB is projected to be
able to support an additional 1,303 possible dwellings for a total of 2,710 dwellings in the
combined City Limits and UGB.
2024 City of Ashland BLI DRAFT pg. 12
Pane 91 of 4f;
Additionally, it's worth emphasizing that recent changes in both local and state laws mandate the
allowance of duplexes and Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) without the need for special
permissions. These regulatory adjustments, along with other legislative efforts aimed at fostering
housing development, have the potential to expand the capacity of land for accommodating more
housing. This expansion relies on property owners and developers actively seeking to enhance
densities through utilizing these measures.
The estimated number of dwelling units assumes that upon remaining buildable lands within the
City's commercially zoned properties, with mixed -use potential', that such commercial properties
will likely provide only 50% of the residential units that are otherwise permitted at the base
densities. This 50% reduction was done at the Calculated Dwelling Unit stage of the analysis,
and then further adjusted based on site constraints and existing development to estimate the
number of Adjusted Dwelling Units. Ashland has experienced a history of mixed -use
development on commercial lands given the strong market for housing. However, to provide
conservative estimates of future housing on commercial lands the 50% reduction from permitted
densities is intended to recognize that a number of commercial developments may not elect to
incorporate housing into their developments as housing is not a requirement within the zones.
This 50% reduction in expected production was also included in prior BLI updates (2011, 2019)
and as such provides for ready comparisons between the documents. Efforts taken by the City to
promote inclusion of mixed -use developments within commercially zoned lands along transit
routes can function to accommodate more housing on such lands than is presently projected in
this BLI.
800
700
I
500
400
300
200
100
0
poi 0 �� Oo�C �QNO
�OIO
o� � a�
■ Partially Vacant ■ Vacant
Figure I — Potential Dwelling Units by Comprehensive Plan Designation
E-1 with a residential overlay, C-1, and C-1-D
oa-b
2024 City of Ashland BLI
DRAFT
pg. 13
Panes 99 of 4S
Table 9 - Potential Dwelling L"nits bt' Zoniirg Designation, C'in- Limits
Zone
Permitted Density
units per acre
Calculated Dwelling
Units
(Gross acres x Density)
Adjusted
Dwelling Units
C-1
30
538
162
C-1-D
60
172
48
CM
Master Plan
88
E-1
15
936
251
HC
24
16
N 1
Master Plan
53
R-1-10
2.4
85
66
R-1-3.5
7.2
1
1
R-1-5
4.5
106
�09
R-1-7.
3.6
245
155
R-?
420
174
R-3
?0
171
123
RR-.5
1.-
4
46
RR-1
1
4
3
SO
Master Plan
WR
Slope contingent
12
Total
1407
2024 City of Ashland BLI DRAFT pg. 14
Pang 9'1 of 4S
Table 10 - Potential Dwelling Units by Comprehensive Plan Designation UGB & City Limits
Comprehensive Planlir
Calculated Dwelling
Units
Adjusted Dwelling Units
Commercial
7
�r�S
Croman Mill
Downtown
17
1 ti
Employnient
205
, 7
HC
24
16
HDR
272
124
Industrial
79
N/A
LDR
51
49
MFR
S 7
346
\1
114
�3
Normal NBHD
607
474
SFR
1202
676
SFRR
363
146
SOU
2
N A
Suburban R
57
44
Woodland
7
11
Total
2710
City Property- Public Use
Properties under public ownership are regarded as unlikely to be developed for additional
residential uses because they are dedicated for public purposes such as public rights -of -way,
parks, power substations, public works yards, or other public facilities. These city owned lands
are therefore excluded from the inventory of vacant and partially vacant lands. That said, in the
last year there have been discussions with both SOU and the school district regarding
development of housing on SOU/School District land showing that there is an interest at every
corner to address the housing crisis.
2024 City of Ashland BLI DRAFT pa. 1
Pang 94 of 45
In the event the City determined a property was not needed for public uses, the City could
proceed with disposition of the property through procedures set forth in Oregon Revised Statutes
(ORS 270.100-140). At such time the property was no longer restricted for public use, it would
then be added to the inventory of buildable lands provided it had further development potential.
Municipalities in Oregon are currently authorized to provide transitional housing on public lands
in the form of campgrounds within their urban growth boundaries for persons who lack
permanent housing but for whom there is no available low-income alternative, or for persons
who lack safe accommodations. House Bill 2916 enacted in 2019 expands the allowance for
transitional housing campgrounds with the expressed intent that such housing is temporary and
may include yurts, huts, tents, and other similar structures. Such temporary housing units on
public property would not be considered permanent dwellings, and as such the potential for such
campgrounds does not increase dwelling unit capacity of inventoried buildable lands.
Section 2: Demographics
Demographics is the statistical study of populations, including their size, structure, and
distribution. It encompasses factors such as age, gender, ethnicity, income, education, and
household composition. In the context of a town's population growth, demographics provide
valuable insights into the underlying trends driving changes in population size and composition.
To that end, both the Housing Capacity Analysis (HCA)(May 2021) and the Housing Production
Strategy (HPS)(Apri12023) have extensive analysis on demographics providing context on
housing need'. These reports examine race, disability status, income, and other characteristics to
help understand housing impacts on different groups. It is beyond the scope of the BLI to
completely update all the demographic analysis that has previously been done in those recent
studies, however both of those reports relied on the 2014-2018 and 2015-2019 American
Community Survey (ACS). Since that time, the 2018-2022 5-year ACS data has become
available, and the PSU population forecast has been updated as well. Therefore, we take this
opportunity to update those data at a high level with regard to population, age, gender and race.
American Community Survey (ACS)
The American Community Survey (ACS) is an annual demographics survey program conducted
by the U.S. Census Bureau. ACS estimates are period estimates that describe the average
characteristics of the population and housing over the period of data collection. The 2018-2022
ACS 5-year period is from January 1, 2018 through December 31, 2022. These estimates cannot
be used to describe what is going on in any particular year in the period, only what the average
value is over the full period. The ACS, like any statistical activity, is subject to error, and those
margins of error increase as the geographical area decreases, as such care should be used when
interpreting the data to not confuse precision with accuracy.
Housing Capacity Analysis pages 35-59, Housing Production Strategy pages 85-118
2024 City of Ashland BLI DRAFT pg. 16
Pane 95 of 45
Population Growth
Oregon's land use planning program relies on population forecasts as a primary tool for
determining urban growth boundary (UGB) expansions and for crafting new land use planning
policies. By estimating future populations based on historic and current trends, as well as
assuming the likelihood of future events, population forecasts provide necessary information to
help planners, public officials, private firms, and developers better understand the short and long
term effects of population growth in local areas. In the recent past, Oregon law required counties
to create their own population forecasts. This resulted in widespread inconsistencies in the
forecast methods used. Additionally, the costs of creating a forecast kept some communities
from updating their forecast on a regular basis. Therefore, the legislature passed a law (ORS
195.033) that assigned the forecast creation task to the Population Research Center at Portland
State University (PSU). In 2015, the Land Conservation and Development Commission adopted
rules (OAR 660-032) to implement the new law.`
Therefore, all data regarding population totals and estimates are from Population Research
Center at PSU. The data is updated on a four-year cycle with Jackson County's report most
recently released on June 30, 2022, and will be updated next in 2026. Ashland's certified
population provided by PSU is 21,457 as of 7/l/2023 which reflects a 0.5% annual rate of
change between 2020-2023.
Table 11— Table 2 from PSU Jackson Count} Coordinated Population Forecast 2022-2072
Table 2. Historical and forecasted population and AAGR in Jackson County and its sub -areas.
Historical
Forecast
AAGR
AAGR
AAGR
2010 2020
2010-2020
2022
2047 2072
2022-2047
2047-2072
Jackson County
203,206 223,259
0.99,
228,380
276,013 318,713
0.811,
0.6,,
Larger Sub -Areas
> r !
20,626 21,897
0.6,,
22,553
25,208 28,257
0.4-s,
051,
Shown above is a portion of Table 2 form the PSU Jackson County Coordinated Population
Forecast 2022-2072. According to their projections Ashland's population within the UGB will
increase to 24,963 in 2050 and continue to grow to an estimated 28,257 in 2072, with an average
annualized growth rate of between 0.4 and 0.5W
For more information see: https://www.oregon.Aov/lcd/about/pages/population-forecasts.aspl
t Chen, C., Sharygin, E., Whyte, M., Loftus, D., Rynerson, C., Alkitkat, H. (2022). Coordinated Population Forecast
for Jackson County, its Urban Growth Boundaries (UGB), and Area Outside UGBs 2022-2072. Population Research
Center, Portland State University
2024 City of Ashland BLI DRAFT pg. 17
Panes 96 of 45
PSU coordinated population forecast
30000
dog, r
25000 •�+�� ----.
20000
15000
10000
5000
0
o Ln o in o Ln o Ln o Ln o Ln o Ln o o Ln o v, o Ln o Ln o Ln o
a -;T Ln in Z .o r r, w w m m o o .4 cv ry m m V V in in kG to r`
m —4-4 o 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Actual — — — Forecast2018-2068 — --Forecast2022-2072
Figure 2 - Ashland Historic and Projected Population 1940-1972
While Ashland is projected to grow the rate of growth is less than Medford and other
surrounding communities, as such Ashland's projected share of the county population will
decrease from 9.9% to 9% over the forecast period. In contrast Medford's share of the county
population is projected to increase from 40.2% to 52.1% by 2072. This is because Medford
grows at a faster pace than the other UGBs, taking a larger proportion of the county population
growth.
Ashland's historical and forecasted population are shown in Figure 2 including both the 2018-
2068 forecast as well as the 2022-2072 forecast for comparison. The 2022-2072 forecast show a
larger expected population in the future than what had previously been forecasted.
Population Makeup
To examine the composition of Ashland's population, and how it is changing overtime, below
are updates to a number of charts that were previously presented in both the HCA and BPS using
updated 2022 ACS data`. Where possible all the following charts have been formatted in the
same manner to the data presented in both the HCA and BPS for direct comparison.
The City of Ashland is being affected by population and demographic trends that will have
significant impacts on the housing needs of the future. Of most significance is the slowdown in
population growth and changes in the age distribution of residents, including fewer children and
higher numbers of seniors. In addition to these trends there continues to be an increase in
diversity. The age distribution of a city is an important factor in determining current and future
housing needs. An aging population generally signals the need for more senior housing, while
growing numbers of children and young families would point to the need for more large family
housing.
As illustrated in figure 3, Ashland's collective population has been shifting older over time. The
shifting age cohort line shows a significant increase in Ashland's residents that are 60 years or
` US Census ACS 5-year estimates 2018-2022
2024 City of Ashland BLI DRAFT pa. 1 S
Panes 97 of 45
older as a percentage of the total population. This trend toward an aging population, is likely to
continue into the foreseeable future.
0.35
0.33
0.31
0.29
0.27
0.25
0.23
0.21
0.19
0.17
0.15
age cohort as a perctenage of population
2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022
< 19 20-39 yr 40-59 yr -60 +
Figure 3 - Age Cohort over time.
The `Sex by Age' Tables' allow an examination of the population make up. The population
pyramid below as well as the following three charts are generated from these data.
Ashland Population Pyramid
80 to 84 years
70 to 74 years
60 and 64 years
50 to 54 years
40 to 44 years
30 to 34 years
20 to 24 years
10to 14years
Under 5 years
(Z000) (1,WO) (1,60D) (1,e00) M200) (1.000) (8W) (cool j4Ws (200,
OM OF
Figure 4 - Ashland Population Pyramid
N0 IW 600 800 1,000 1,200 1.6W 1.6W 1,800 2,OW 2,200
The following charts are updates from demographic analysis that was conducted in the BPS.
Figure 5, below, is an update of Exhibit 19 from the HPS (at 87). Once again, the trend of an
aging population is showing with 34.7% of the COA population aged 60+. This compares to
U.S. Census Bureau. "Sex by Age." American Community Survey, ACS 5-Year Estimates Detailed Tables. Table
B01001, 2022
2024 City of Ashland BLI DRAFT pg. 19
Panes 98 of 4S
29.3% of Jackson County, and 24.8% of Oregon who are 60+. By comparison the US average of
the population aged 60+ is 16.8% showing that as a proportion of population Ashland is more
than twice the national average for aged 60+.
40%
35%
30%
25%
20%
15%
10%
5%
0%
Population Distribution by Age, Ashland, Jackson County, and Oregon 2018-
2022
24% 24%
35%
26% 25%
"°' 739K Z:5%
under 20 20 to 39 40 to 59 60+
uAshland QJackson County ❑Oregon
Figure S- Comparing Population Distribution by Age
Figure 6 is an update of Exhibit 20 from the HPS (at 87). The data are very similar and show the
expected pattern of a population that is aging with a notable decrease in population in the 20-39
age bracket, and in increase in 60+ especially among females.
Population by Age and Sex, Ashland 2018-2022
25%
20%
15%
10%
5% 11%
9°�
0%
under 20
Figure 6 - Population by Age and Set
20 to 39 40 to 59
❑ Male ❑ Female
60+
Figure 7 is an update of Exhibit 21 from the BPS (at 88). The percentage of female population
has increased in each age group when compared to the 2015-2019 ACS data.
2024 Citv of Ashland BLI
DR-XFT
p8.20
Panty 99 of 4..5
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Population Distribution by Sex for Each Age Group, Ashland 2018-2022
under 20 20 to 39 40 to 59 60+
p Male 0 Female
Figure 7 - Population Distribution by Sex per Age Group
The US Census Bureau collects and reports data on race and ethnicity in several categories.
Individuals are asked to identify their race and whether they are of Hispanic origin, with the
option to select one or more categories. The Census distinguishes between race and Hispanic
origin, recognizing that Hispanic origin is an ethnicity and can be of any race. The main racial
categories include White, Black or African American, American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian,
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, and Some Other Race. Respondents can also select
multiple races or choose "Some Other Race" if their identity does not fit into the listed
categories. Additionally, individuals are asked whether they are of Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish
origin, which is considered separately from race. They can identify as Hispanic or Latino
regardless of their race.
The data table "Hispanic or Latino Origin by Race"' was used to create the following two charts.
Figure 8 is an update of Exhibit 23 from the BPS (at 89) with the inclusion of error bars for the
reported margin of error. As mentioned above, as the geography gets smaller the sampling error
will increase. Figure 9 is an update of Exhibit 24 from the BPS comparing race and ethnicity
between the City of Ashland and Jackson County.
As was done in the HCS those reporting `white alone' are not shown in the charts because this
makes up such a large percentage of the population in Ashland (86%) and Jackson County
(81%). These percentages have not changed from those values reported in the HCS with the
older AC data.
U.S. Census Bureau. "Hispanic or Latino Origin by Race." American Conununity Survey, ACS 5-Year Estiinates
Detailed Tables, Table B03002, 2022
2024 City Of Ashland BLI DRAFT pa. 21
Pane 'in of 4..9
COA Population by Race/Ethnicity
3000
2500 2, 56
2000
1500
1, 4
1000
~.. ;.
500 51 93 90 141 369
o
Some other race Native Hawaiian American Indian Black or African Asian alone Two or more Latino (any race)
alone and Other and Alaska American alone races
Pacific Islander Native alone
alone
Figure 8 - Ashland Population by Race/Ethnicio,
Figure 9 below, an update of Exhibit 24 from the HPS (at 89), compares the racial makeup of
Ashland and Jackson County. It's important to highlight that in this chart, the consultants who
prepared the HPS chose to consolidate categories such as 'Some other race alone,' 'Native
Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone,' and 'American Indian and Alaska Native alone' into
the category labeled 'some other race.' This consolidation was done due to the limited diversity in
Ashland. To ensure comparability with the BPS, the same procedure is followed in this chart.
Population Distribution by Race and Ethnicity, Ashland and Jackson County
14%
4%
2% 1% 1% 1% 1%
0% +mow
Some other race alone Black or African
American alone
10%
5% 5%
2� 1%
1;;;;Q 61 , —;
Asian alone Two or more races: Hispanic or Latino (of
any race)
®Ash Waco
Figure 9 — Comparing Ashland vs Jackson County Race/Ethnicity
These data show an increase in reporting of both `two or more races' (S% now an increase from
3%) and `Hispanic or Latino of any race' (10% now, an increase from 7%). Jackson County also
showed virtually the same increase in `two or more races' and to a lesser extent with the
Hispanic and Latino population (increase from 13% to 14%). The changes in the data of Asian
alone, and `some other race alone' & `Black or African American alone' are very minor and not
likely to be statistically significant when considering the margin of error.
Jackson County as well Ashland are well below the national averages for several of these
categories; `Hispanic or Latino (any race)' — 18.7%, Asian Alone — 5.7%, Black or African
American alone = 12.1 %. In terms of `some other race alone' when grouping the data as
discussed above we are in line with the national average of 1.2%. That said, when considering
2024 City of Ashland BLI
DRAFT
pg. 72
Pane '31 of 45
the size of our geography, as well as the general lack of diversity care should be used when
interpreting these data.
Persons Per Household
In the United States, there's been a gradual decline in the average number of persons per
household over recent decades. The average household size has decreased as more individuals
opt for living alone, delaying marriage, or having fewer children. This trend has continued in
Ashland as well. Over the last five decades persons per household (PPH) in Ashland has dropped
from 2.84 persons in 1970, to 2.36 in 1980, 2.07 in 2010, and 2.03 with the most recent 5-year
ACS data. This compares to Jackson County at 2.43 PPH and Oregon at large 2.46 PPH'. This
illustrates that Ashland has smaller household sizes than the region as a whole.
These PPH numbers are combined totals including both owner and renter occupied units. When
looked at individually renter -occupied household size is smaller (1.84 PPH) when compared to
owner -occupied household (2.19 PPH). It is also worth noting that this trend is statistically
significant in both renter and owner -occupied housing when compared to the previous 5-year
datat showing that the trend to smaller household size is continuing.
Table 12 - Ashland Housing Tenure, Comparison 2013-2017 vs 2018-2022
Ashland city, Oregon
Label
2018-2022
2013-2017
Statistical
Estimates
Estimates
Significance
HOUSING TENURE
Occupied housing units
10,120
9,719
Owner -occupied
52.8%
54.1%
Renter -occupied
47.2%
45.9%
Average household size of
owner -occupied unit
2.19
2.02
Average household size of
renter -occupied unit
1.84
2.11
Figure 10 is an update of Exhibit 22 from the BPS (at 92). The HPS chose to group three -person
and four -or -more person households into a single category so we do the same here. One and two
person households represent the largest segments of Ashland's housing market. Combined, these
small households comprise 76% of owner households and 79% of renter households in Ashland$.
This compares to 79% owner and 74% renter in the 2019 BLI, however it should be noted that
this has a margin of error of +/- 4%. Less than a quarter of all households within Ashland have 3
or more occupants which is much lower than both the state and county of 35% and 34%
respectively.
U.S. Census Bureau. "Average Household Size of Occupied Housing Units by Tenure." American Conununity
Survey, ACS 5-Year Estimates Detailed Tables, Table B25010, 2022
1 U.S. Census Bureau. "Comparative Housing Characteristics." American Community Survey, ACS 5-Year
Estimates Comparison Profiles, Table CP04, 2022
* U.S. Census Bureau. "Occupancy Characteristics." American Community Survey, ACS 5-Year Estimates Subject
Tables, Table S2501, 2022
2024 City of Ashland BLI DRAFT pg. 23
Panty S9 of A..S
With regard to four -or -more person households, Ashland only has 10% households of this size.
This is less than half of the county (20%), state (20%) and US average (22%). A large senior and
student population within Ashland understandably increases the number of small one and two
person households given these populations typically do not have children present in their homes.
Houshold Size,
Ashland, Jackson
County,
ClRegon 2018-2022
100%
90% 22%
80%
34%
35%
70%
60% 41%
50%
37%
37/° °
40% .:.
30%
20% 36%
29 %
28%
10%
0% -- —
Ashland
Jaco
OR
0 1-person household ❑ 2-person household 0 3-or-more person household
Figure 10 — Comparing Household Size
Single Family Home Sizes
The average size of single-family homes in the United States has generally trended upwards over
the decades, propelled by factors such as suburbanization and increasing household incomes.
This trend persisted until the late 2000s recession, during which economic uncertainty and
changing demographics led to a shift towards smaller, more affordable homes. In recent years,
there has been a divergence in housing preferences, with some buyers still favoring larger homes
while others opt for smaller, more energy -efficient options. This shift reflects evolving
preferences influenced by considerations such as sustainability, walkability, and affordability,
particularly among younger buyers and urban dwellers.
The Census Bureau's Characteristics of Households US Census Characteristics of Households
(CHARS) data provides detailed information on housing characteristics, including the size of
single-family homes. Figure 11 shows the Median size of new single family homes. Over the
reporting period there has been a trend in larger and large homes peaking in 2014. Looking at
recent building permit data the City of Ashland has seen a reduction in average SFR home size
from a 2020 high of 2,317 sq ft and now averaging 1,550 in both 2022 and 2023 which reflects
this recent trend to smaller home sizes seen nationally.
2024 City of Ashland BLI DRAFT pg. 24
Pane 3 3 of 45
Median Square Feet of Floor Area in New Single -Family Houses
2,600
2,400
2,200
2,000
1,800
1,600
1,400
1,200
1,000
ti�� �hti��� ti���ti��~ti���ti��yti��� �����A�ti���3-�S 1� -�5 If,oti�oo�- f� ,, a"oo', 'f5",, ,o,, 'IP, "o,,��otiti
States east -Midwest South West
Figure 11 - Home Size (National, b , region; US Census CHARS)
Student Population and Housing
Southern Oregon University (SOU) can accommodate up to 1,094 students in residence halls,
165 in apartments (with two reserved for faculty), and 9 in detached units. In spring of 2019, 763
students were in dormitories, with 146 in student apartments and family housing units. Presently,
there's room for about 331 students in dorms and 28 households in apartments and family
housing. When the 2010-2020 Master plan was adopted it predicted that enrolment would grow
from a 2009 enrolment of 5,082 students to approximately 6,000 students by 2020. SOU's
complete enrolment in fact exceeded 6000 in both 2017 and 2018 but has since seen a decline
over to —5000 in recent years.
The 2010-2020 SOU Master Plan proposed building new housing to replace old structures,
limited increases on -campus residency, and maintain a compact campus exclusive of the
development of McLoughlin Hall. While McLoughlin Hall, with 704 beds, was completed in
2013, the older Cascade Complex (692 beds) is subject to demolition, resulting in minimal net
gain in housing capacity. Future plans include a student life zone near the campus core and
potential faculty housing in a proposed Faculty Village. However, since the master plan hasn't
been updated since 2010, it doesn't detail this additional housing capacity. Discussions of
development of proposed senior housing complex have occurred, but no formal proposal has
been made, so this BLI doesn't reflect a change in campus housing capacity.
Section 3: Conclusion, Sufficiency of Land, Housing supply
Sufficency of Land
As mentioned above the city completed a Housing Capacity Analysis (HCA) in May of 2021.
The primary indicator of future residential land needs is the projected population growth. In
combination with changes in the number of people per household, and the assumed vacancy rates
for housing units, these factors can predict the number of total housing units needed.
2024 City of Ashland BLI DRAFT pQ. -I5
Panes 34 of 4ri
Shown at right is Exhibit 66 from the HCA
Table 13 - HCA Forecast of demand of dwellings
showing the complete calculations for how
the number of new required dwelling units
Exhibit 66. Forecast of demand for new dwelling units, Ashland
UGB, 2021 to 2041
was established. The HCA determined that
Source: Calculations by ECONorthwest.
Ashland will have demand for 858 new
dwelling units over the 20-year period,
variable
New Dwelling Units
with an annual average of 43 dwelling
(2021-2041)
units. This was determined by first
Change in persons
1.691
establishing the change in population over
minus Change in persons in group quarters
58
the planning period from the official
equals Persons in households
1,633
population forecast discussed above, minus
Average household size
2.06
the change in persons in group quarters to
New occupied DU
793
determine the number of people in
times Vacancy rate
8.2%
households. Then the average household
equals Vacant dwelling un its
_ 65
Total new dwelling units (2021-2041)
858
size (2.06 PPH) was used to find the
Annual average of new dwelling units
43
number of new dwellings needed. Finally,
the vacancy rate is then used to calculate the number of vacant dwellings to calculate the final
number of dwellings needed over the twenty-year period.
The 2024 BLI estimates that the City of Ashland has the potential development capacity of 1,407
dwellings within the city limits, and an additional 1,303 dwellings possible within the UGB. This
exceeds the forecast demand for new dwellings and demonstrates that there is sufficient
buildable land for the projected demand over the twenty-year period.
Housing Production
Monthly permit activity reports from the last six fiscal years are summarized in table 14 showing
total and average residential units built per year (2017-2023). The present fiscal year is not
shown as the year is not yet complete. It should be noted that this makes some of the current
construction appear under -reported as 54 of the 70 units under construction at the Mid Town
urban lofts were issued earlier this fiscal year. Additionally, it is worth noting that these data are
recorded at the time of permit issuance rather than C of O which is important when considering
the lag between the beginning of construction and when the housing unit becomes available to
the market. Construction timelines for larger developments can often extend over multiple years.
Table 14 - Residential Production
Residential Units built per fiscal year
2017-18 2018-19
2019-20
2020-21
2021-22
2022-23
average
total
SFR 36 39
32
44
32
17
33.3
200
ARU 13 19
12
12
15
12
13.8
83
Multi -family 29 34
3
96
4
20
31.0
186
Mixed -Use 2 2
36
30
1
0
11.8
71
80 94
83
182
52
49
90.0
540
Between FY 2017-18 through FY 2022-23 200 Single Family homes were built for an average of
33.3 per year. When ARU's, Multifamily and Mixed -use development dwelling units are
` 2021-2041 City of Ashland Housing Capacity Analysis at 69
2024 City of Ashland BLI DRAFT pa. 26
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Appendix A —Buildable Lands Inventory Map
_'02-4 BLI DRAFT pg. i
PanP 37 of 45
Appendix B — Oregon Administrative Rules
OAR 660-038-0060
Buildable Lands Inventory (BLI) for Residential Land within the UGB
A city must determine the supply and development capacity of lands within its UGB by condiicting a
buildable lands inventory (BLI) as provided in this rule.
(1) For purposes of the BLI, the city shall classify the existing residential comprehensive plan and zoning
designations within its UGB based on allowed density. The classification shall be based on either:
(a) The allowed density and housing types on the comprehensive plan map; or
(b) If the comprehensive plan map does not differentiate residential districts by density or type of
housing, the applicable city or county zoning map, as follows:
(A) For cities with a UGB population less than 2,500, districts shall be classified as follows:
(i) Districts with a maximum density less than or equal to eight dwelling units per acre: low density
residential. A city may classify a district as low density residential despite a maximum density of greater
than eight dwelling units per acre if the majority of existing residences within the district are single-
family detached and if the city has a medium density residential district as determined by subparagraph
(ii);
(ii) Districts with a maximum density greater than eight dwelling units per acre: medium density
residential.
(B) For cities with UGB populations greater than or equal to 2,500, districts shall be classified as follows:
(i) Districts with a maximum density less than or equal to eight dwelling units per acre: low density
residential. A city may classify a district as low density residential despite a maximum density of greater
than eight dwelling units per acre if the majority of existing residences within the district are single-
family detached and the city has a medium density residential district as determined by subparagraph (ii);
(ii) Districts with a maximum density greater than eight dwelling units per acre and less than or equal to
16 dwelling units per acre: medium density residential, unless the district has been classified as low
density residential pursuant to subparagraph (i). A city may classify a district as medium density
residential despite a maximum density of greater than 16 dwelling units per acre if the majority of
development within the district is developed at densities of between eight and 16 dwelling units per net
acre and the city has a high density residential district as determined by subparagraph (iii);
(iii) Districts with a maximum density greater than 16 dwelling units per acre: high density residential,
unless the district has been classified as medium density residential pursuant to subparagraph (ii);
(iv) A city may not classify as low density a district that allows higher residential densities than a district
the city has classified as medium density. A city may not classify as medium density a district that allows
higher residential densities than a district the city has classified as high density.
(2) The city must identify all vacant lots and parcels with a residential comprehensive plan designation. A
city shall assume that a lot or parcel is vacant if it is at least 3,000 square feet with a real market
improvement value of less than $10,000.
(3) The city must identify all partially vacant lots and parcels with a residential comprehensive plan
designation, as follows:
(a) For lots and parcels at least one-half acre in size that contain a single-family residence, the city must
subtract one -quarter acre for the residence, and count the remainder of the lot or parcel as vacant land, and
2024 BLI DRAFT pg. ii
Panes IR of 45
(b) For lots and parcels at least one-half acre in size that contain more than one single-family residence,
multiple -family residences, non-residential uses, or ancillary uses such as parking areas and recreational
facilities, the city must identify vacant areas using an orthophoto or other map of comparable geometric
accuracy. For the purposes of this identification, all publicly owned park land shall be considered
developed. If the vacant area is at least one -quarter acre, the city shall consider that portion of the lot or
parcel to be vacant land.
(c) The city shall exclude the following lots and parcels from the BLI for residential land:
(A) Lots and parcels, or portions of a lot or parcel, that are designated on a recorded final plat as open
space, common area, utility area, conservation easement, private street, or other similar designation
without any additional residential capacity.
(B) Lots and parcels, or portions of a lot or parcel, that are in use as a school, utility, or other public
facility, or are dedicated as public right of way.
(C) Lots and parcels, or portions of a lot or parcel, which are in use as a non-public institution or facility,
including but not limited to private schools and religious institutions. The excluded lots and parcels or
portions of lots and parcels may not include vacant or unimproved lands that are owned by the non-public
institution or facility.
(4) The city must determine the amount and mapped location of low density, medium density, and high
density vacant and partially vacant land in residential plan or zone districts within the city's UGB.
(5) The city must, within the city limits:
(a) Identify all lots and parcels within a residential district that are developed;
(b) Identify all portions of partially vacant lots and parcels within a residential district that are developed
with residential uses;
(c) Calculate the total area of land identified in (a) and (b);
(d) Calculate the total number of existing dwelling units located on the land identified in (a) and (b). and
(e) Calculate the net density of residential development on the land identified in (a) and (b).
(6) For lots and parcels that are split:
(a) Between a residential and a non-residential comprehensive plan designation or zoning district, the BLI
shall include only the area that is residentially designated or zoned for purposes of determining lot and
parcel size or development capacity.
(b) Between two different types of residential comprehensive plan designations or zoning districts, the
BLI shall include each portion of the parcel separately for purposes of determining lot and parcel size or
development capacity.
2024 BLI DRAFT pa. iii
Panes Iq of 45
4 Buildable Lands Inventory
Buildable Lands Inventory
-��
Vacant 0 City Limits
�.
Partially Vacant Urban Growth Boundary
Vacant/Open Space -Park
Vacant/Airport
3 -
`� Vacant/Parking
Vacant/Undevelopable
ijr-
-
�
---i
_ f
P+ t
♦ IcITY OF
ASHLAND
.a \
Buildable Lands Inventory Map zou, �
Produced by the Department of Community Development
Sources.
Ashland Building Department data -\!.
Jackson County Assessor data
City of Ashland z000, voo5, zmi and 2019 BLI (�
City of Ashland GIS
'.0 035 0s 11 1
RESOLUTION NO.2024-XX
A RESOLUTION ADOPTING AN AMENDMENT TO THE ASHLAND COMPREHENSIVE
PLAN UPDATING THE BUILDABLE LANDS INVENTORY AS A TECHNICAL
SUPPORTING DOCUMENT OF THE URBANIZATION ELEMENT.
RECITALS:
A. The City of Ashland (City), in accordance with ORS 197.296(2) is required to demonstrate
that its comprehensive plan provides sufficient buildable lands within the urban growth boundary
established pursuant to statewide planning goals to accommodate estimated housing needs for 20
years; and
B. The City last updated the Buildable Land Inventory in 2019 and was approved by City
Council Resolution No. 2020-01; and
C. The City, in accordance with Section 18.5.9 of the City of Ashland Municipal Code, initiated
a Type III Legislative amendment to the City's Comprehensive Plan to update the City's
Buildable Land Inventory and the official Buildable Lands Inventory Map; and
D. The Buildable Land Inventory update does not amend any policies of the Ashland
Comprehensive Plan, but only serves to provide a factual accounting of the City's buildable land
inventory; and
E. The Ashland Planning Commission conducted a duly noticed public hearing on May 14, 2024
at which time it reviewed the City staff report and Buildable Land Inventory; and
F. The City Council approved Ordinance No. 3055 on November 15, 2011, directing that
updates of the Buildable Lands Inventory, a Technical Report in in support of Chapter XII
[Urbanization] of the Ashland Comprehensive Plan, may be approved by Resolution of the
Council to account for consumption of land by development, and redevelopment, as reflected in
the issuance of Building Permits by the City.
THE CITY OF ASHLAND HEREBY RESOLVES AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. The City of Ashland City Council does hereby accept, the 2024 update of the
Buildable Land Inventory as set forth in attached Exhibit "A" for final consideration and
adoption.
SECTION 2. This resolution is effective upon adoption.
This resolution was duly PASSED and ADOPTED this day of June 2024, and
takes effect upon signing by the Mayor.
Resolution No. 2024-XX
Page 1 of 2
Pane 41 of 45
Alissa Kolodzinski, City Recorder
SIGNED and APPROVED this day of , 2024
Tonya Graham, Mayor
Reviewed as to form:
Douglas M. McGeary, Acting City Attorney
Resolution No. 2024-XX
Page 2 of 2
Panes 49 of 4.17i
,-<c --,C I T Y OF
,= -ASHLAND
Buildable Lands Inventory Map 2024
Produced by the Department of Community Development
Sources:
Ashland Building Department data
Jackson County Assessor data
City of Ashland 2000, 2005, 2011 and 2oig BLI
Buildable Lands Invent(
Buildable Lands Inventory
z Vacant City Lim
' Partially Vacant Urban G
.a
Vacant/Open Space-Park
Vacant/Airport
H� SA"v1e�.i�._ _ . � L"mf°'n""SI._ j.. �r_� ,
II , I-e �.,� a5 Vacant/Parking
66
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its
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/ N `
.` SPEAKER REQUEST FORM
Submit this form to the meeting Secretary
prior to the discussion item.
1)You will be called forward when it is your turn to speak
2) State your name and speak clearly into the microphone
3) Limit your comments to the time allotted
4) Provide any written materials to the meeting Secretary
5) Speakers are solely responsible for the content of their statement
Date:
Na e: (Please rint) /
A17-
Ashland Resident:
.SYES ❑ NO City:
Agenda Topic/Item Number:
V dS6 "DLL C)&-S
Public Forum Topic (Non -agenda Item):
Please respect the order of proceedings and strictly follow the
directions of the presiding officer. Behavior or actions which are loud
or disruptive are disrespectful and offenders will be requested to
leave.
Disclaimer: By submitting this request to address the Public Body, I
agree that I will refrain from the use of any obscene, vulgar, or
profane language. I understand that if I do not follow procedure my
speaking time may be terminated, and I may be requested to sit down
or leave the building.
• GUEST OPMON S v i✓b .� 30�1/
M L ne undesirable
tyranny
of online filing_
ir
requirements
i
ft Brent Thompson
ncreasingly, to function adequately
e an online capability is required. This
involves expensive, equipment, i.e.,
smartphones and laptop computers.
This requirement is wrong because it
*increasingly marginalizes the economically
;disadvantaged, the unemployed, those out
*of reach of WiFi and cellphone coverage,
the disabled, those at society's bottom, and
those who work but who lack the desire or
ability to function with society's increas-
ing technological demands. In other words,
" online filing requirements by business
and/or government are exclusionary and
discriminatory.
Thus, on their face, requirements for
exclusively online filing, applications or
processes should be illegal. Therefore legis-
latures and Congress should make any and all
exclusively online filing requirements illegal.
This means there should be no rewards,
no requirements no discounts for the online
filing for anything. Of course, there is the
societal or environmental benefit of reducing
paper consumption and the speed entailed
with automatic approvals and processes, but
this benefit should never trump the benefit of
being more inclusive and open.
For completing any number of tasks,
online communication is quick, efficient and
economical. But what is good and manage -
able for the majority often will not benefit a
large minority. And what is good and easy for
private and public administrative staff is not
necessarily good for the public. The job of
government or private administrative staff is
to serve their customers or the public, not to
operate in a more efficient but exclusionary
fashion.
For example, let's take a group most would
profess to care about — those with no fixed
residence, no job, no car, no smartphone and
no computer. Or let's look at those recently
released from jail. Persons in such situa-
tions might desire to enter the mainstream,
including working, but:
■ Only online employment applications
are acceptable when applying for jobs.
■ Only online applications are acceptable
when applying for any number of social ser-
vice assistance programs.
■ Only online applications are acceptable
when enrolling in academic classes or voca-
tional training programs.
■ Only dnline communication is accept-
able when interacting with taxing bodies or
other government authorities.
How do such policies assist those people
most ion need of what is being offered? Why
should over-the-counter applications be
banned?
Thus, we need approval, admission, rat-
ification or validation procedures to be set
as if the whole electronic system has failed
and where paper communication is the only
means of functioning. Then we'd have a
more fair system plus we'll provide for the
inevitable disaster or contingency planning
always needed but not incorporated often
enough into our systems.
Our priority must be to serve taxpay-
ers, constituents, the public, consumers
and the disadvantaged, not government
or company managers and staff who may
seemingly benefit from the cost savings of
eliminating having real people involved in
approval processes, public interaction and/
or communication.
It is guaranteed that perpetuating the
electronic tyranny many have come to accept.
will exacerbate, not ameliorate, our current
seemingly unsolvable social problem of a
large population being left out and staying
left out.
Brent Thompson lives in Ashland.