Damascus is oriented along Highway 212 with the City of Happy Valley and I-205 to the west, Pleasant Valley and the City of Gresham to the north, Boring and Highway 26 to the east, and the Clackamas River and Highway 224 to the south. The Damascus Fire House Study Group - named for the location of its monthly meetings along Highway 212 – was convened in Fall 2002 by Clackamas County in anticipation of a significant expansion of the urban growth boundary in the Damascus area. The character of Damascus has been traditionally rural, and urbanization poses a host of challenges to the area.
The Damascus Fire House Study Group is a unique gathering of 13 representatives from local jurisdictions, service providers, and community groups. Portland Institute for Metropolitan Studies provides facilitation, organization, and support. The study group’s mission is to reach new understanding and consensus about governance issues facing the Damascus area, which is meant to enhance and not replace community discussions about governance that must ultimately occur. The study group has been addressing fiscal capacity issues of existing and prospective cities, water authorities and districts, and fire districts. There has been agreement that any governance, service provision, and fiscal options being discussed should serve some greater vision for the area and the region.
The Institute for Metropolitan Studies keeps a living document of the study group’s understanding, a practice that has lead to a series of smaller working groups seeking to reach their own understandings of specific governance and service provision options and boundaries.
City of Gresahm Community and Economic Development Department
(featuring Pleasant Valley Plan District and Springwater Center)
www.ci.gresham.or.us/departments/cedd
Damascus CPO
Barbara Ledbury; 12805 SE 242nd; Boring, OR 97009; (503) 658-3823;
dcpo@attbi.com
Meeting times: varies, at Damascus Assembly of God Church, 19070 SE
Sunnyside Road, Damascus
Boring CPO
Chair Les Otto; PO Box 391; Boring, OR 97009; (503) 663-1297;
leso@effectnet.com
Meeting times: 7 pm - 1st Tuesday; Boring Fire Hall
