[Grovenet] Re: Wal-Mart, etc.

[Eric Canon]

--- JBlair2154 at aol.com wrote:


> Seriously, I'm a moderate when it comes to the
> issue of Wal-Mart. I  believe 
> there are places for that kind of retail
> establishment and places where  it 
> does not fit in and should be opposed. My gut
> feeling is that most rural  
> communities in Oregon will be better off
> without Wal-Mart. 

I think your gut is right, especially Forest
Grove/Cornelius. But when you talk with the local
business families and the Chamber of Commerce, it
seems a non-issue. We are probably going to find
out whether our guts are right or not.
  
> Now, if anyone on either side of this issue
> still feels inclined to  speak to 
> me, can I ask you another 
> stupid-outsider-kind-of-question?
> Which county is a better place, overall,  to
> live: Washington,  Clackamas, or 
> Yamill? Or does it make a difference?

That's a tough one. Easy for me personally,
because Forest Grove has it all for us. Pacific
University brings so many ideas and so many
cultural opportunities to our area. Music, drama,
art, lectures, and so many incredible people.
That institution brings us the wealth of
knowledge and insight that would be absent
otherwise.

Forest Grove is a small town with well defined
boundaries. We are not so much a suburb, nor are
we susceptible to sprawl like Hillsboro and
Beaverton. We are growing, but we can grow only
so much as defined by the urban growth boundary
which restricts development outside the
rural/urban line. Here are two links that
describe what I'm talking about, for the state:

http://www.uoregon.edu/~pppm/landuse/UGB.html

and for the Portland metro area:

http://www.metro-region.org/article.cfm?articleID=277

But you were asking about the counties. And you
left out Multnomah, which is primarily Portland.
Washington and Clackamas are similar in that they
are 75%-80% rural and are going urban, and
suburban to Portland. There is farm and nursery
and forestry activity within both, but Beaverton
and Hillsboro in Washington County, and Gresham
and Wilsonville and West Linn and Tualatin and
Lake Oswego in Clackamas create a significant
urban presence, and the trends are moving toward
urban. Yamhill County is much more rural, with
McMinnville being their largest town, and Mac (as
it's called) is only 28,000+. 

Washington County is conservative, but it's
moving toward the politics of Portland. Clackamas
is more conservative still, and Yamhill is rural
with pockets of artists and wine makers. 

Clackamas County is perhaps a little more rugged
due to the Columbia Gorge. When the east wind
blows, it gets icy cold over there. Both
Washington County and Yamhill are nearer the
ocean and more moderate temperature wise.
Precipitation is about the same for all three.

Visit the respective county websites and poke
around. Lot's to see at each, and they are
different, reflecting the identities you wish to discover.