A long-debated proposal to expand industrial land in Washington County has gained new momentum as the City of Hillsboro and the regional government Metro announced alignment on the Oregon JOBS Act, Senate Bill 1586. Supporters say the measure is aimed at strengthening Oregon’s position in advanced manufacturing and creating family-wage jobs, while critics and observers note that the final decision now rests with state lawmakers.
Senator Janeen Sollman, a Democrat representing Hillsboro, said the legislation reflects a bipartisan, bicameral effort to address what she and other backers describe as a shortage of large, development-ready industrial sites capable of accommodating major advanced manufacturing projects. “Oregon has the workforce talent, the innovation, and the community strength to lead in advanced manufacturing. What we don’t have is industrial land available in the size or location required by advanced manufacturing firms,” Sollman said. “This creates a place for firms to invest, expand, locate, and create family wage jobs within Oregon’s existing high-technology ecosystem.”
At the center of the agreement is an amendment that would bring 373 acres into Metro’s urban growth boundary. The land sits adjacent to property already being assembled for potential large-scale manufacturing projects. The remaining approximately 1,400 acres of the broader North Hillsboro area would return to the standard land use process. According to supporters, the bill also restores Metro’s authority over the designated lands, authority that was removed under House Bill 4078 in 2014 when the acreage was classified as rural reserves and placed outside Metro’s jurisdiction.
Metro Councilor Juan Carlos Gonzalez described the proposal as a compromise intended to balance urgency with long-term planning. “The compromise in this bill balances the need for immediate action with the imperative for a thoughtful, region-wide jobs strategy,” Gonzalez said. “We look forward to working with the City of Hillsboro in meeting the moment on this specific need and supporting our regional economic recovery.”
The legislation builds on groundwork laid in recent years, including the Oregon CHIPS Act, Senate Bill 4, passed in 2023, and the recommendations of the 2022 Semiconductor Task Force. That task force identified specific siting requirements for advanced manufacturing facilities, including large, contiguous parcels with infrastructure capacity. SB 4 subsequently confirmed the 1,700-acre North Hillsboro site as strategically positioned to meet those criteria.
Hillsboro Mayor Beach Pace said the city views the agreement as a critical step in sustaining economic competitiveness. “Hillsboro is committed to doing our part to ensure that our local, regional and state economy can be as competitive as possible to produce family wage jobs for Oregonians,” Pace said. “Though support and action is still needed from State Leadership, this is a historic step forward. This bill will enable us to meet the economic needs of our families, communities, and state.”
The North Hillsboro site has been the subject of more than a decade of study and public review, supporters note. Because the land was designated as rural reserve in 2014, any change to its status requires legislative action. Sollman emphasized that the current proposal follows established procedures. “This agreement between Hillsboro, the jurisdiction responsible for planning and serving the land, and Metro, the jurisdiction responsible for managing regional growth, comes on the heels of more than a decade of study and public process,” she said. “The time to act is now.”
As this bill moves through the Legislature, lawmakers will weigh economic development priorities alongside Oregon’s long-standing land use framework. The outcome will determine whether the proposed acreage becomes a new hub for advanced manufacturing or remains governed by existing rural reserve protections.