Business View Magazine | October 2020

312 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE OCTOBER 2020 some significant road improvement projects. We’re widening roads near the new highschool, and our major east/west connector through town is going from two to four lanes starting this fall. Other major widening projects will improve connections to the nearby interstate, I-5. We are doing some studies on what additional work is needed on our major north/south connector, which is State Highway 99W. It splits our community and we know we need some improvements there. As part of that, we are planning to do a pedestrian crossing over the highway that will connect both sides of our town - the area near our YMCA and the area of our new highschool. On a different part of the State Highway, we’re planning a tunnel, expanding our residential trail network that goes through our community.” Gall sums up Sherwood’s current state of affairs and its outlook, going forward: “Things have not slowed down with the pandemic,” he states. “We continue to see new construction in our city, and we see folks that are interested in investing here. We have very stable political leadership. Mayor Mays has served for many years and our council works well together. I think that stability is very important in a variety of ways, including to the investment community. I feel that for the foreseeable future, the city is going to continue to grow in a very positive way.” the UGB (Urban Growth Boundary) in the not- to-distant future,” Mays adds. “We’re working to Master Plan that area for a good mix of jobs and housing.” Smart and forward-thinking development is a hallmark of Sherwood’s future growth. In concert with 3J Consulting, a civil engineering company based in Beaverton, Oregon, the city launched its Sherwood 2040 Comprehensive Plan vision in 2018, the first phase of an update to its Comprehensive Plan, last updated in 1990. The Visioning Process engaged community members to develop a shared understanding of Sherwood today and set goals for policy development, anchoring a planning process that will address key issues for the future. Sherwood’s updated Comprehensive Plan and the process to develop it will be organized around six core areas: A Thriving and Diversified Economy; Strong Community, Culture, and Heritage; Strategic and Collaborative Government; Attractive and Attainable Housing; Coordinated and Connected Infrastructure; and Healthy and Valued Ecosystem. Meanwhile, the city is not ignoring some of its nuts and bolts infrastructure needs. “Underway, right now, a brand new High School is nearing completion,” Mays shares. “It will accommodate 2,400 students when it’s done. We’re also doing PREFERRED VENDORS n Kerr Construction www.kerr-construction.com n 3J Consulting www.3jconsulting.com n Tiland/Schmidt Architects PC www.tilandschmidt.com