Commissioners approve Enterprise Zone request

ALBANY — Tuesday morning, Linn County Commissioners Roger Nyquist and Will Tucker approved an Enterprise Zone tax abatement request for CorrQuest Automation which produces corrugated cardboard production equipment shipped worldwide.

Commissioner Sherrie Sprenger was not present.

The request — which would allow the company to forego property taxes for five years — was brought before the board by Sophie Adams, interim economic development manager for the city of Albany.

The company has purchased property at 5253 Old Salem Road NE, Albany, and is spending $8 million in developing the a 30,000-square-foot operation, plus 5,000-square-feet that can be leased to another company.

As part of the agreement, the company has agreed to pay employees plus benefits at least 150 percent of Linn County’s average wage.

It has 12 employees and will add seven more. 

According to Adams’ written request, CorrQuest plans to move its Nevada operations to Albany as well.

In other business, the commissioners

• Held a public hearing concerning a remand from the Land Use Board of Appeals concerning 108.5 acres of land currently zoned Farm Forest on Crawfordsville Drive southwest of Sweet Home. The owner wants to develop building sites on the land, which he says is so poor it will not grow trees or other crops. It will be rezoned non-resource. Opponents say the property should remain as is, due in part to a large animal habitat overlay on much of it. The remand focuses on examining the county’s comprehensive plan language on dwelling density, which would determine how many lots could be sited on the property. The owner says he will commit to no more than 10 dwellings. The commissioners agreed to accept written testimony — on the dwellings issue only — until 5 p.m. on September 5. The applicant will have until 5 p.m. on Sept. 11 to submit a response and the commissioners will continue the public hearing with the expectation of making a decision at 10 a.m. on Sept. 12.
• Agreed to easements with Kenneth Roth and Evon Roth Trustees for an easement on Seven Mile Lane for $13,000 and another for $2,900.
• Authorized the closure of North River Drive and Quartzville Road near Sweet Home during the Best of the West Triathlon. Hours of closure will be: North River Drive, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sept. 9 and 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sept. 10; Quartzville Road, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sept. 9 and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sept. 10.
• Adopted a Surface Water Code and set stormwater permitting fees.

Media contact: Alex Paul, Linn County Communications Officer, 541-967-3825 or email apaul@co.linn.or.us.