‘Climate friendly areas’ hit a slight delay

Councilman Thomson argues against the state-mandated “climate friendly areas” on Wedneday. (Screen grab from council meeting YouTube video)

As ordered by the state bureaucracy, Albany will have five so-called “climate friendly areas,” but not quite yet. At least one council member thinks it’s a bad idea for Albany.

On Wednesday night the city council voted to advance a slew of code and plan changes to designate the areas, which are intended as places where housing can develop more densely and where a mix of land uses will allow people to meet most of their daily needs without having to get in the car and drive.

Councilman Michael Thomson spoke out against the changes. Since it takes a unanimous council to adopt an ordinance at a single meeting, the climate friendly areas will have to come back for adoption at the next regular meeting April 23.

This attempt to change parts of town over time to more walkable neighborhoods started in 2022 with rules adopted by the Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development. The rules forced Albany and seven other cities or metro areas to designate “climate friendly and equitable communities” by the end of April 2025.

This in turn was in compliance with Gov. Kate Brown’s executive order of 2020 to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Planners and consultants have been laboring on this venture for three years. The upshot is that Albany is designating five areas, one in North Albany around Hickory Street, the others downtown and in the east and south ends of the city.

To get the flavor of Wednesday’s discussion, you should watch the YouTube video here.

Thomson objected to the top-down state mandate and said the denser neighborhoods envisioned by state officials are not what he wants for Albany.

Other councilors and the mayor variously said Albany has to change with the times, has to pepare for growth, should encourage a supermarket around 53rd Avenue, and in any case has to obey state law.

Thomson countered that some cities have taken the state to court.

Councilwoman Marilyn Smith said nothing much is likely to change as a result of the pending code changes. She pointed out that it’s the private market, not the city, that determines whether and where groceries or houses are built.

She’s right, or course, which raises the question why state and local officials would spend who knows how much money and countless hours over three years to work up changes in regulations that won’t make much difference for a very long time, if ever.

People should have been wary of this planning exercise at the start. The nomenclature itself is infantile.

“Climate friendly areas?” An area can’t be friendly, and certainly not friendly to a thing like climate. That’s not how the language works. (hh)

The map prepared by the city shows the planned “climate friendly areas” in different parts of Albany.