Economic Opportunities Analysis:
Talking Points January 2026

Call to Action: 

The City of Portland is undergoing an update to the City’s Economic Opportunities Analysis (EOA). Testify at the Planning Commission on January 13, 2026 (register before 5:00pm on 1/12), or submit written testimony before February 3 at 5:00pm. See talking points below.

Background + The Issue:

The City’s December 2025 Discussion Draft of the Economics Opportunities Analysis (EOA) helps Portland plan and prepare for the economy of 2045, including the amount of industrial land needed, what types of jobs we’re preparing for, requirements relating to buffers to maintain river health, where and how many trees to plant, transportation corridors, and other topics that relate to environmental justice, climate change, and public health.

It is vital that Portland’s land use regulations and environmental and climate protections grow in tandem with our economy to protect the vulnerable communities adjacent to industrial zones and high traffic areas.

Sponsored by: 350PDX, Braided River Campaign, Verde

How to Submit Testimony:

  • Testify live at the January 13 Planning Commission public hearing. Briefing begins at 4:00pm, hearing from 5:00–8:00pm.
  • Submit written testimony through the Map App before 5:00pm on February 3, 2026.  

See the EOA project website for more information.

 

Talking Points

Develop your public comment to include aspects of the talking points below that are most important to you. Some of the topics have more detailed suggestions; click links to view.

  • The EOA must protect every Portlander’s access to:
  • Clean air
  • Clean water
  • Quiet neighborhoods
  • Ensure treaty rights with Indigenous tribes are respected regarding the health of rivers
  • High community livability: the EOA Proposed Draft selects a “low” community livability scenario; the Planning Commission should instead use the EOA Discussion Draft’s “high” community livability scenario. The economy is there for the people; economic development should prioritize making the community a better place to live, with clean air, clean water, green spaces, and living wages.
  • Plan for the climate-friendly economy we want to see in 2045. Start now to build the just transition to a sustainable Portland and regional economy, emphasizing clean energy and other green jobs, and job training in and beyond our school systems to prepare people for those jobs.
  • Warehouses: a nationwide boom of e-commerce, based on warehouses located near customers, will affect the land use and employment landscape of the Portland region. The EOA should take into account the public health, equity, climate, and traffic impacts of diesel emissions from shipping.
  • Ensure that existing or new buildings and lots zoned for use as industrial or warehouses cannot be used to detain or hold people against their will, even temporarily.
  • Detailed talking points on warehouses
  • Incorporate earthquake preparedness: there is already enough land zoned for industrial purposes, though we want to make sure there are high seismic protections, since most of it is located in earthquake liquefaction zones. Remove highly toxic and/or flammable substances, particularly those near waterways.
  • 170-foot river setbacks: buffer zones on industrial land will improve worker safety during floods and earthquakes, and provide ample room to plant trees and other plants that help stabilize riverbanks, promote a healthy river with salmon habitat, and reduce climate impact. The 50-foot setbacks in the EOA Proposed Draft are insufficient in many places to achieve these benefits. The setback should be extended to 170 feet.
  • Equity: since the EOA will update the Comprehensive Plan, it needs to include all of the “Guiding Principles,” including Human Health, Environmental Health, Equity, and Resilience as we consider how we develop the economy.
  • Tribal consultation: tribal consultation and agreement has not occurred and must be conducted before the EOA is adopted in 2026 in order to honor our treaties.
  • Regional and visionary: economic opportunities do not begin and end at the City boundary. The State should allow future EOAs to be Metro-wide with agreement at all levels of government for a comprehensive and coordinated approach. EOAs should help cast a vision and pathway toward the future we want to see, rather than opening more land for unnecessary and harmful development that provides minimal economic benefit to most Portland area residents.

Sample Testimony:

Dear Portland Planning Commission and Bureau of Planning and Sustainability:

My name is [ADD NAME], and I live in [area of Portland, ex., East Portland, Cully, etc.]. I’m submitting this testimony because I care deeply about how our city grows, and who bears the burden of that growth. The Economic Opportunities Analysis (EOA) shapes land use decisions and the types of jobs available for Portlanders for the next 20 years, and right now, it does not adequately protect public health, the rivers, air quality, and frontline communities. First and foremost, the EOA should center “Community Livability” with a “high” scenario: the purpose of an economy is to support a thriving community. Any economic development should prioritize public and ecological health, equity, and a livable climate.

[Personal or community connection].

 The EOA should help create a pathway toward a 2045 where we have transitioned to clean energy, we have created adequate numbers of well-paying green jobs, our workforce has received green job training, and where we know our workplaces are designed to withstand a major earthquake. This requires: [select 1-3 of the talking points that are most important to you and put in your own words].

Rather than following a business-as-usual trajectory, the EOA should help Portland intentionally build toward the future we want to see.

Thank you for your time and for the opportunity to share my perspective as a Portlander directly affected by these decisions. 

Sincerely

[Name]

[Neighborhood]