The Community Planning Workshop (CPW) is helping five small Oregon cities develop local programs that protect wetlands, stream corridors, and surface water quality. The work is part of a pilot project funded by the Environmental Protection Agency and the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality that links under-resourced communities with the university, providing technical assistance to the communities and service learning opportunities to students. The approach focuses on identifying and addressing the unique challenges and needs of each community and therefore differs from the more common tactic of adopting generic model codes.

The project has thus far involved drafting regulatory ordinances for two communities, the most common approach to protecting water quality. It has also involved innovative community-based outreach programs to accompany regulation. In other communities, the work has resulted in the development of a unique non-regulatory surface water management program that relies heavily on water quality education and voluntary protection efforts. The non-regulatory surface water management program is the first of its kind for cities in Oregon.

More about the Community Planning Workshop(CPW)