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Damascus
Is Now A City! |
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On November 2nd, residents voted overwhelmingly to incorporate! Congratulations
to Dee Wescott, Barbara Ledbury, Jim Wright, Randy Shannon, and John Hartsock
on being elected to Damascus's first city council.
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What is the future of Damascus?
The Damascus Community, located in northeastern Clackamas
County, Oregon is currently a rural unincorporated area of 12,000 acres with a
population of approximately 12,000 residents living in 4,000 dwelling units.
Clackamas County governs the area as part of its 1.2 million acres and
population of 188,000 residents outside the current fourteen incorporated
cities within the county.
Demand on the county for services is high and resources are
limited. The County's many responsibilities, including public health, human 
services, corrections, courts, elections, planning, and transportation and
management of 1,436 miles of roads, leave them limited time and resources to
serve the local community.
Damascus is a community perched on the edge of urban development
since being brought into the Urban Growth Boundary (UGB) by Metro, the Portland
area's regional government, in December 2002. Damascus has, in essence, become
a test case for the Urban Growth Boundary planning concept, Metro's land use
rules, and the State of Oregon's land use laws.
The Damascus Yes! campaign believes it is possible to achieve
balanced, well-planned, and well-executed growth in a financially responsible
manner. Through community
participation, core values and a vision have been created that will
preserve the spirit of Damascus for future generations.
It is anticipated that this rural community will grow to
accommodate 60,000 residents, 25,000 dwelling units, and 50,000 jobs in the
next 20 years. Density will increase from 43,560 sq feet per person today to
8,712 sq feet per person in 2024. It will be challenge to manage this dramatic
growth and yet maintain the core values of the community.