A 64-acre Stretch Of Land Along HWY 20 Could Be On Track For A Major Transformation
The 64.35 acre site is located along US Hwy 20 adjacent to the HP campus, the city wastewater treatment plant, and the new Benton County Courthouse site.
A newly filed proposal with the City of Corvallis seeks to shift the property from General Industrial to Central Business District:
“The applicant seeks approval to change the Comprehensive Plan Designation for all of Tax Lot 1312 from General Industrial to Central Business District and part of Tax Lot 1308 from High Density Residential to Central Business District.”
The applicant is listed as: Creed Eckert, G&E Planning, 3202 SW West Hills Rd, Philomath, OR 97370. The owner is listed as: McFadden Ranch, LLC, PO Box 98, Poulsbo, WA 98370.
What Rezoning Like This Actually Means
This proposal changes the zoning to Central Business District (CBD) land use and CMU-3 zoning.
Central Business District land use designation is intended for the city’s most active, urban-style areas… places where a mix of commercial, residential, and civic uses are encouraged in close proximity.
CBD zoning supports higher-density development, including multi-story buildings, ground-floor retail, offices, restaurants, and housing above. The goal is to create walkable, mixed-use environments that concentrate jobs, services, and living spaces in one area, reducing reliance on cars and supporting a more connected, downtown-like feel. Think less industrial edge-of-town, and more mini downtown expansion along Hwy 20.
The location isn’t random. This site sits in the middle of a rapidly changing corridor that is adjacent to the HP campus and next to the new Benton County courthouse. That combination makes it prime for higher-intensity development, and likely why the applicant is pushing to unlock more flexible zoning.
It should be noted that the city also purchased 20 acres from McFadden a few years back. This purchase was for the site of the new courthouse.
The city purchased that parcel through eminent domain. Eminent domain allows federal, state, and local governments, as well as authorized private entities like utilities, to seize private property for “public use” without the owner’s consent, provided they pay “just compensation”.
Often, land owners who fear an eminent domain purchase will rezone. While this is not usually effective in stopping a forced purchase, rezoning can boost property value, which would cost the city more money to buy it, if they choose to pursue this adjacent lot as well.
Beyond zoning, the proposal also splits the land into two parcels and adds a new right-of-way, extending NE Carson Drive through the site. That road extension is key, it signals this might not just be rezoning on paper, but groundwork for future buildout and connectivity.
If approved, this kind of rezoning doesn’t build anything immediately, but it does set the stage. The proposal will move through a quasi-judicial review, with the Planning Commission issuing a recommendation and the City Council making the final decision. Public hearings are expected to be announced where residents will have a chance to weigh in.
Corvallis is slowly pushing outward from its traditional downtown, and this corridor along Highway 20 may be one of the next frontiers for denser, mixed-use growth.
What gets built here, and how fast, could shape the city’s next phase, but remains up in the air for now.
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