Clackamas County Enterprise Zone

This tax abatement program provides a financial incentive for industrial businesses to expand their facilities, invest in machinery and hire new employees.

Clackamas County Enterprise Zone Program

Enterprise zones are designed to encourage business investment through property tax exemption in designated areas of Clackamas County. Locating or expanding into an enterprise zone provides eligible businesses property tax exemption on new construction and equipment for a period of three years to five years.

View Enterprise Zone Flier and Map

Eligible business includes manufacturers, processors, shippers and a variety of operations that serve other organizations, as well as call centers and headquarter-type facilities. Hotel/resort businesses also are eligible in the Sandy Enterprise Zone only. Retail, construction, financial and certain other defined activities are ineligible.

Criteria for Qualifying Projects

The 3-Year Tax Abatement Program

A company will not pay taxes on its new investment if it can:

Increase full time, permanent employment by 10% and maintain it for 3 years;
Pay the new employees at least 150% of the state minimum wage or $13.20 per hour for 2012 (benefits can be used to reach this pay level);
Enter into a First Source Hiring Agreement with local job training providers; and
Pay an application fee of 0.1% of the proposed total investment.

The 5-Year Tax Abatement Program

A company must meet all of the requirements of the 3-year program as well as the following to receive 2 additional years of tax abatement.

Compensation of new workers must be at or above 150% of the County average wage for 2012 of $30.40 per hour/$63,230 annual (benefits can be used to reach this pay level);
The increased employment level and higher wages must be maintained for 5 years;
There must be local approval by written agreement with the local zone sponsor; and
The company must meet any additional requirements that the local zone sponsor may reasonably request.

Please contact the Business & Economic Development team at 503-742-4BIZ(4249) for more information.

Content provided by Business & Economic Development

Similar topics: business