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Proponents and opponents of urban renewal are coming together to fight an urban renewal bill that even some of them admitted was a good idea.

Rep. Matt Wand, R-Troutdale, on Friday pitched to the House Transportation and Economic Development Committee. The legislation would require municipalities to hold a public hearing before creating an urban renewal agency. But the bill’s chances could be slim because of a pact between 13 urban renewal-related organizations made after passed during the 2009 legislative session.

Wand noticed how different urban renewal efforts looked in his east Multnomah County district compared to those in Portland. He figured that if citizens had more say from the onset – when the urban renewal agency is created – the municipality would be more likely to get effective URAs that accomplish urban renewal’s main goal: elimination of blight.

“I’m not opposed to urban renewal and I truly believe it is an important tool for towns where a community can come together and solve the specific problem of blight removal,” Wand said. “But I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that I’m concerned it’s being overused, which is causing a whole list of problems with how we fund our basic services.”

The bill would require any municipality to post a public notice and hold a public hearing before establishing an urban renewal agency. Also, the ordinance that activated the agency would be required to include determinations and findings that identify the nature of blighted areas within the municipality.

The bill and its merits aren’t doubted by the pact’s 13 organizations; however, they are committed to opposing any new urban renewal-related bills until 2017. Some stakeholders say that preservation of the pact is essential to maintain a good working relationship and line of communication.

“You are probably wondering why on earth we would be up here testifying against this bill,” Alec Jensen, executive officer of Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue, said to the House committee. “But it was the spirit of community that brought these groups together in 2009 and we owe it everyone that worked on that bill to give it time before making any other changes to urban renewal.”

HB 3056 created a formula for finding the amount of debt a municipality can take on with an urban renewal plan. Concurrence with overlapping taxing districts would be required for the urban renewal agency to increase the maximum indebtedness.

“This is a group of people that have always disagreed, and we are trying to make it work,” Jensen said. “But it’s still fragile. Our ability to communicate between the urban renewal agencies, the special districts and schools is contingent upon us not being adversary. That’s the spirit of the peace treaty.”

While Rep. Patrick Sheehan, R-Clackamas, co-vice chairman of the Transportation and Economic Development Committee, understands how hard both sides worked in the 2009 session, he doesn’t understand the point in fighting a bill that provides more public input.

“We work for the people, so I just don’t see what the objection could be to having a public hearing,” he said. “It seems so innocuous.”

Opponents of the bill contended that there is already ample room for public input in the process. They say the municipality should be able to choose, and not be subject to a state requirement. They cited a downtown Portland URA proposal dying last year because of public upheaval, and early success of a Beaverton URA proposal that is going through an extensive public process.

A work session on the bill is likely to be scheduled in the weeks ahead.