Public Involvement

In Oregon's Statewide Planning Goals, 'Citizen Involvement'  is Goal 1.  Washington County takes your participation just as seriously.

Your involvement in policy and planning efforts is valuable.  You can choose to stay informed and be aware of planning efforts as they evolve or participate in community events like advisory groups, work shops, open houses or neighborhood coffees.  Whatever involvement best meets your time and interest level it is important that you are aware of policy and planning efforts that may affect you. And that you have opportunities to voice your opinions.

Public involvement and the exchange of information is a fundamental and necessary part of the planning process.  To facilitate this exchange of information, the Washington County Long Range Planning Division includes a public engagement strategy in every planning effort.  For land use changes you always have opportunity to provide testimony before the Board of County Commissioners (specified in Chapter 5 of the County Charter.).  In most planning efforts, multiple opportunities beyond testimony also are provided to build awareness and solicit feedback.

A good way to get involved is by attending your Citizen Participation Organization's monthly meeting (http://extension.oregonstate.edu/washington/cpo).  Since the early 1970s Washington County uses this acknowledged citizen involvement program to provide opportunities for citizens and other interested parties to participate in all phases of the planning process. 

A draft version of the Public Engagement and  Communications Plan was provided to the Citizens Advisory Committee for review and comment. Your input is also valuable. Send comments on the plan to alohareedville@co.washington.or.us. The Plan has a built in review and refinement process at the beginning of each of the next two phases. Approaches that did not yield a good return on investment of resources will be replace with other engagement methods. New/improved approaches will be continually considered throughout the process.

The public involvement component for Aloha-Reedville Study will include, but is not limited to the following:

  • Open Houses
  • Work Groups
  • Informational Coffees
  • Public Hearings