SAMPLE LETTER

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SUBJECT LINE: Please Support Senate Bills 73, 77, 78, and 79

Dear Senator Taylor,

I am writing to request your support for Senate Bills 73, 77, 78, and 79. I have been growing nursery stock in south Clackamas county for over 40 years and, as a member of both the Oregon Farm Bureau and the Oregon Association of Nurseries, I am dedicated to the long term success of farming and ranching in Oregon.

These bills will make important and necessary improvements to Oregon’s land-use planning program. Agriculture is the second largest sector in our state’s economy, bringing billions of dollars into our state and employing thousands of Oregonians.

Our land-use planning program is unique in our nation and has protected our fertile and productive farm and ranch land for more than 50 years.

Below is a brief summary of each bill. All of us who make our living farming will be grateful for your support in committee and as they move toward Senate passage.

SB 73—Requires local governments to use the existing statutory planning process in ORS 215.788-.794 to rezone designated agricultural and forest land for residential and industrial development.

SB 78—Limits the scale of replacement dwelling in ag and forest zones to be consistent with that of the dwelling being replaced, so that it is truly a replacement dwelling and not merely a new non-farm dwelling.

SB 79—Prohibits new houses that have nothing to do with agriculture or forest management from being built in critical groundwater areas, priority wildlife habitat and migration corridors, and on high‐value farmland.

SB 77—Restores the intent of Oregon’s home occupation statute to allow homeowners to run small inconspicuous businesses, such as bookkeeping or small-scale childcare services, as accessory uses in homes located in farm and forest zones. Unlike the agri-tourism provisions in ORS 215.283(4)(agri-tourism events), 215.283(1)(o)(farm stands), and 215.461 (guest ranches), state law does not require home occupations to be related to agriculture or to tourism. ORS 215.488. This bill makes the priority on the dwelling being the home “residence” and not the home occupation the priority but secondary to the residence.

Members of Senate Natural Resources and Wildfire Committee

Sen. Golden <sen.jeffgolden@oregonlegislature.gov>
Sen. Prozanski <Sen.FloydProzanski@OregonLegislature.gov>
Sen. Taylor <Sen.KathleenTaylor@oregonlegislature.gov>
Sen. David Brock Smite <Sen.DavidBrockSmith@oregonlegislature.gov>
Sen. Girod <Sen.FredGirod@oregonlegislature.gov>

Also, Please cc our ED Jeff Stone and our new lobbyist Bill Perry so they know you support for these important reforms.
Jeff Stone <jstone@oan.org> Bill Perry <bill@bpsoregon.com>