Mission & History
Cultivating livable and sustainable communities in southern Oregon's Rogue Valley region.
Our Mission
"Rogue Advocates is dedicated to cultivating livable and sustainable communities in southern Oregon's Rogue Valley region."
Through advocacy, education, and outreach around local land use issues, we work to preserve productive rural lands and promote vibrant urban centers.
Rogue Advocates recognizes that endless growth threatens the preservation of farmland, forestland, open space, wildlife habitat and livability that we treasure in the Rogue Valley.
Where We Work
Serving the diverse landscapes of Jackson and Josephine Counties.
Map representing Jackson & Josephine Counties (Placeholder)
Oregon's Land Use System
A legacy of long-term thinking started in the 1970s.
Oregon has a strongly revered land use system, which began in the 1970s through a bi-partisan effort to think long-term about how Oregonians wanted their state to look. The response was a comprehensive land use system which prioritized protecting farmlands, forestlands, and open space.
In addition, one priority of Oregon’s land use law was to ensure that when cities and towns inevitably grew, that they grew “smart,” assessing transportation needs, affordable housing, and other important issues that make communities vibrant places to live.
Goal 1: Citizen Participation
The law calls for “the opportunity for citizens to be involved in all phases of the planning process,” making public engagement a critical pillar of our legal framework.
History
Rogue Advocates began as a response to Measure 37, a ballot initiative that authorized previously prohibited urbanization of farmlands and other valuable resource lands in Oregon.
We saw that Oregon’s land use laws were being eroded, and that the Rogue Valley, with its explosive population growth, was in need of help to ensure that its rural character and vibrant communities stayed in tact.
Fortunately, Measure 37 has now been repealed and no longer threatens valuable resource lands across Oregon. However, urbanization pressures have not disappeared, but are growing stronger all the time as the population continues to grow.
"The Rogue Valley has limited amount of arable farmland... It is more important than ever that we don't convert this land through inefficient urban planning."
What We Do
Monitor
Rogue Advocates monitors the decision-making processes of both Jackson and Josephine counties’ planning departments for damaging land use proposals.
Educate
We educate the public about projects that could negatively affect quality of life. We conduct outreach to encourage residents to engage in the planning process.
Litigate
When necessary, we resort to litigation to make sure the counties comply with state law and that decisions are held accountable.