Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The City of Monroe Adopts 2020-2040 Comprehensive Plan
MONROE, OREGON – August 27, 2019 – The City of Monroe’s Planning Commission and City Administrator Rick Hohnbaum are pleased to announce the adoption of the 2020-2040 Comprehensive Plan. At the City Council’s August 26, 2019 meeting, councilors unanimously passed Ordinance 2019-04, An Ordinance Adopting the 2020-2040 City of Monroe Comprehensive Plan. The Ordinance becomes effective 30 days after City Council passage.
The Comprehensive Plan is the blueprint for future development over the next 20 years in our City. It is a plan developed by our citizens for our citizens which addresses a wide variety of issues including land use, economic development, housing, historic preservation, and transportation.
The City’s current Comprehensive Plan was adopted in December 1979 and last amended in 1986. The Comprehensive Planning process provided the community with the opportunity to guide land use and development to meet the future needs of our City especially in terms of public health, safety, and infrastructure. The Comprehensive Plan enables the City to implement our “Monroe Tomorrow” vision to maintain and enhance the quality of life for our community.
The update of this key planning and development document began in September 2017 with the Monroe Planning Commission. In March 2018, our “Monroe Tomorrow” visioning document was adopted by the City Council. Over the last two years with the help of volunteers on the Planning Commission, graduate students from Portland State University’s Constellation Planning team, and staffing provided by participants from the Resource Assistance for Rural Environments (RARE) Americorp program administered by the University of Oregon, all parties worked together diligently on this new Comprehensive Plan including active community participation and input.
This Comprehensive Plan Update would not be possible without the Monroe Planning Commission, Monroe City Staff, RARE Participants RJ Theofield (2017-2018) and Taylor Evans (2018-2019), Portland State University’s Constellation Planning Team, Community Partners including Alliance for Recreation & Natural Areas, Amigos de Monroe, Business Association of Monroe (BAM!), Community Roundtable Participants, Monroe Community Health Clinic, Monroe School District, Monroe Vision & Revitalization Committee, South Benton Citizen Advisory Committee, Strengthening Rural Families, as well as our Regional Partners including Benton County, Oregon Cascades West Council of Governments, the State of Oregon, Patrick Depa (Small Cities Planner), and Patrick Wingard (DLCD Representative), and the support of Monroe’s City Council.
The City of Monroe would like to give a special thank you to the Resource Assistance for Rural Environments (RARE) Program for their guidance and expertise in planning and working with rural communities throughout the State of Oregon. This Comprehensive Plan was part of the RARE Participant Work Plan for both RARE members in 2017-2018 and 2018-2019. Without their hard work and dedication, the City of Monroe would not have been able to write the updated Comprehensive Plan within two years.
Additional information can be found on the City’s website at www.ci.monroe.or.us or to view a digital version of the Comprehensive Plan, click HERE.
Media Contact: Rick Hohnbaum
City Administrator
City of Monroe
(541) 847-5175