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Hillsboro, a hub for Oregon's semiconductor industry, is eyeing expansion opportunities to meet the growing demands of this sector. A 2014 legislative decision, however, has limited the city's ability to develop certain lands ideal for semiconductor manufacturing. As Oregon legislators work on policies and allocate state funds to compete for federal grants under the CHIPS and Science Act, Hillsboro city leaders are advocating for state intervention to make these lands available for development.
City Manager Robby Hammond and Economic and Community Development Director Dan Dias have actively pitched the idea to journalists, emphasizing Hillsboro's significance in semiconductor manufacturing and the need to expand. The city currently has 777 acres available for industrial development, but seeks to combine this with an adjacent 373 acres outside the urban growth boundary, an area restricted by state law for city expansion.
Senate Bill 4, under consideration, could allow Governor Tina Kotek to designate land for rapid inclusion in urban growth boundaries for semiconductor manufacturing. However, Hillsboro leaders believe legislative action is required due to the 2014 "grand bargain" which classified adjacent lands as rural reserves, limiting development. The proposal has generated mixed reactions, with some opposing any changes that might weaken state land use laws, while others, including local landowners, support the zoning change for better land utilization.
The debate highlights the balance between preserving farmland and accommodating industrial growth, with Hillsboro at the forefront of this discussion in Oregon's semiconductor industry expansion.
