A draft transportation needs assessment survey conducted by Portland State University suggests Canby's ability to offer a city-run bus service could prove more beneficial than continuing with existing Tri-Met service.

The Canby Community Transportation Needs Assessment survey found more than 60 percent of local residents work outside of Canby - the majority in Portland, Wilsonville, Salem, and Oregon City, according to survey report author Thomas Sanchez of PSU's Center for Urban Studies.

"There is demand for non-work travel to Oregon City, Portland, Wilsonville (north) and Aurora (south)," he reported. "While on average these trips do not occur on a daily basis, responses suggest they occur at least on a weekly basis."

Also, residents walk and bike frequently for local travel, but the use of carpools, bus service and taxis occurs much less frequently.

Canby residents do not frequently use Tri-Met bus Nos. 79 and 35, the survey found.

"Approximately 30 percent of respondents reported they would use locally provided non-stop (bus) service to Portland in the morning, with 25 percent reporting potential mid-day use, and less than 20 percent reporting potential evening use," PSU reported.

"There appeared to be significant interest in a local shuttle service, especially to downtown and the 99E commercial area locations, as well as to Thirteenth and Ivy, the southeast quadrant, and high school area locations."

About one out of four Canby household surveyed returned a completed the 13-question survey questionnaire, which focused on travel patterns, desired needs and existing public transportation services.

"A total of 481 responses represented a good cross-section of city residents," PSU's report stated.

The most frequent response from people surveyed was the desire to see a non-stop bus service from Canby to Portland, followed by "Canby system would be useful," "no benefit from Tri-Met service,' "hours of service should be extended," and "only use a car."

The survey concluded with the following observations: "In general, the results of the survey suggest that the city of Canby has certain transportation mobility needs. Unlike large cities, which must make major investments in order to see results, Canby is small enough that pilot projects and incremental service additions can be tested and modified as demand warrants.

''A local shuttle system would effectively connect the quadrants of the city, as well as serving specific locations, such as downtown, the 99E commercial corridor, and schools.

''Being small in size, and having identifiable locations showing demand for transit service, Canby can also take advantage of flexible service options. ''These include vanpool services for targeted populations, such as seniors and the disabled, demand responsive route deviation, along with community circulator-type service.

''It is likely that any combination of these services will provide better coverage and local connectivity than does the current fixed route service.

''Besides local circulation needs, the results of the survey suggest that more direct and efficient connections are desired to Portland, Wilsonville, and the I-5 corridor (in both north and south directions).

''Locally provided express service, again based upon small operating resources, may be more responsive to local needs compared to the current service.

''Shuttle service focused on weekday peak hours, as well as some weekend service, appears to be in demand.

''As Canby continues to grow, it will be important to serve local mobility needs, as well as maintaining good connections to regional employment locations, shopping and recreational locations.

''The purpose of this survey was to gauge the needs and opinions of Canby residents. If it is concluded that there is sufficient demand for locally provided transportation service, Canby would then need to examine the economic feasibility of different service options.

''This would involve an analysis of estimated numbers of rides, the origins and destinations of these rides, and the appropriate route/service alternatives.

''This planning is likely best done through a service operator experienced with small towns and needs similar to those of Canby."

PSU's final survey is due to be completed soon, and will be submitted to the Planning Commission and City Council by mid-November or early December. The Canby Public Transportation Task Force met Oct. 26 at the Canby Adult Center to discuss PSU's draft transportation needs survey.

"They thought it was good, and that they could use a lot of information from it," said Donna Borges, the city's transportation task force consultant and coordinator.

"The report did come back with real positive information, and people felt positive about a local transit system and connectivity to Wilsonville and Oregon City. We think those would really be pluses. We want to do as well or better as Tri-Met currently offers."

Borges said subcommittees have been created to research, discuss and assess: commuter use, including adults with families and high school kids and seniors and disabilities; commuter routes and connectivity to the regional transit system; Tri-Met petition documents; local shuttle service routes and schedules; and provisions to accommodate youth and small children.

"The subcommittees are getting together to do some more research and to address some of the issues people in town may have," she said. "We're gathering Tri-Met data and had a meeting with them. Our goal is to submit the petition and then the real work begins.

''We have representatives from the high school and from the business sector, we have people who commute, we have many seniors and representatives from the adult center, and we have some people interested in making it sure its ADA, plus from county and school bus systems . . . "It's a good mix of people."

The City Council and Canby Budget Committee approved and funded a project entitled Canby Transit Plan during the 2000-01 budget process.

The purpose of the project is: to petition Tri-Met to withdraw from their transit district; to create a public transit plan that is equal or better than the current Tri-Met bus service; to devise a local shuttle service system; and to develop a Canby public transportation plan.

The idea behind creating a task force is to maximize public input, to strengthen citizen participation, and to provide a strong public forum, in addition to the Planning Commission and City Council.

The task force idea was initiated to ensure public participation as city boards and staff investigate whether or not to petition to opt out of Tri-Met bus service, in order to offer a city-run shuttle system in the future.

A town hall-style public meeting on the city's transit options was held July 25 at the Canby Adult Center, and attendees implied a city-run service would be viable.

The people appointed to the task force by the City Council on Sept. 6 are: Steve Allen, the operations director of Wilsonville's SMART transit system; Barbara Austin of the transportation technical committee and the Mom's Club; and business owner Nathan Clayton.

Mary Cooper of Hope Village; Dave Eatwell of Canby Business Revitalization and the transportation technical committee; Sam Flaherty, of the transportation technical committee and Leadership Canby; Curtis and Lila Gottman of the Bike and Pedestrian Committee; and local resident Philip Groelz.

Barb Kirwin of School Bus Services; Mary Leighty, an author and Canby Adult Center staffer; Doris Mathis of the adult center; and Caroline McFarland, an author, transportation technical committee member and Hope Village.

Oscar Monteblanco, a Hispanic youth sports organizer and transportation technical committee member; local resident Hugh Riley; local resident Laurie Sandsness; and PSU employee Joan Seely.

Local resident Ann Skoe; Canby Planning Commission member Jean Tallman; Canby Area Chamber of Commerce Director Bev Doolittle; and local resident James LeRoy.

Insurance company owner Scott Gustafson, a chamber of commerce member; Tim Austen, body shop operator and a Chamber of Commerce board member; and Brenda Durban of Clackamas County Social Services.

Canby High School students Brett Kitter and Chris Muller were appointed to the 26-member volunteer panel by the City Council last month.

The Canby City Council unanimously approved an ordinance last week amending the city code to alter the city's industrial area overlay zone "in order to assure quality development of the industrial park."

The passage of Ordinance 1057 changes the zoning from agricultural to a combination of light industrial, heavy industrial, and heavy commercial/manufacturing.

The new regulations, agreed upon by the council and the Canby Planning Commission after three joint meetings and a public hearing last month, apply to the portion of the industrial area east of the railroad tracks, including land already in the city, as well as to future annexations.

The City Council and Planning Commission met for a third time Oct. 23 to discuss and modify the overlay zone. At the special meeting, the commission found standards and criteria were met and recommended approval of Ordinance 1057, and the council subsequently passed it on first reading.

The ordinance, passed six weeks after voters rejected annexing 301 acres of farmland to form phases II and III of the Logging Road Industrial Park, was approved Nov. 1 on a 6-0 vote.

"What (the ordinance) will do mainly is it adds a whole bunch of things that are conditional uses," said Canby Planning Director John Williams. "The idea is to make things that have the potential for negative impacts conditional so they are subject to extra review, uses such as hazardous uses or very large uses."

Some of the land, including the Canby Market Center, is already developed. Privately owned land parcels southeast of the Highway 99E shopping center and north of Zion Memorial Cemetery are immediately affected by the amendments.

Ray and Irene Burden own the two parcels of affected land totaling 41.7 acres, on which nursery stock is currently being grown, and requested the zone change. The council voted 6-0 on first reading to approve.

The Planning Commission had recommended approval of the zone change request on a 4-0 vote, with two members absent and one abstaining due to a conflict of interest. Despite the voters' 2-to-1 rejection of the Sept. 16 annexation measure, city leaders and staff say they are still honing industrial park regulations to try to encourage a diverse base of family wage-paying industrial, commercial and manufacturing companies to the industrial area. All annexations, either large or small, will require voter approval.

"I think it helps us start moving in the right direction," Councilor Randy Carson said. "I think it's a good way to start consolidating, and get some new business out there."

Modifications made in Ordinance 1057 include pre-application review and conditions of approval, conditional uses, and prohibited uses.

The ordinance calls for potential developers or relocating businesses to attend a meeting with utility and service providers prior to any land-use, business permit or business license application in the industrial overlay zone, which would allow city staff to evaluate whether a conditional use permit would be required.

"At the pre-application meeting, the city shall determine the need for a Hazardous Materials Management Plan. If required by the city, the applicant shall prepare a plan meeting the relevant sections of the Uniform Fire Code as determined by the city.

''The plan shall allow utility and service providers to review the health and safety impacts of any proposed use and ensure an adequate plan will be place to address those impacts prior to forming a recommendation on approval.

''The Planning Commission or City Council may impose conditions to protect public health and safety on any discretionary land-use application."

Prohibited uses in the industrial park include wrecking yards, trash dumps, insecticide plants, and slaughter houses, race tracks, and nuclear power plants.

Commercial uses encompassing 50,000 square feet or more will be prohibited in in areas primarily zoned for manufacturing, which aims to restrict the potential for "big box" retailers dominating the industrial park landscape.

"To approve a conditional use in the (industrial overlay) zone, the Planning Commission shall find that each of the following additional criteria are either met, or can be met by observance of conditions, unless it is not applicable:

''The proposed use is compatible with the industrial nature of the park and will have minimal negative impact on the development and use of surrounding properties; the proposed use does not pose a threat to public health or safety; and the proposed use is beneficial to overall economic diversity and vitality of the city."

In other council news, City Administrator Mark Adcock reported truck traffic concerns have been eased along South Pine Street, and police efforts to encourage them to use alternate routes "has been working well."

Councilors were updated on 11 local traffic safety projects, and Council President Walt Daniels said neighborhoods need to be canvassed to gauge residents' concerns.

The city's traffic engineer consultant will study the different issues associated with the 11 projects, and recommendations will be presented to the Traffic Safety Committee by January.

"The major roads tend to be the roads not owned by us, so we need to work with other jurisdictions," Canby Planning Director John Williams noted.

Days after 34 Americorps-led volunteers cleaned up the Canby Community Park, the city received two grants - $14,500 from Metro Council, and $15,000 from the state Department of Land, Conservation and Development - for a joint venture wetlands clean up at the park with the Canby School District, and for the Downtown Master Plan's parking study, respectively.

"We're very satisfied," Adcock said, "and it's an example of what we can do in the future."

Mayor Scott Taylor signed a proclamation designating Nov. 11-18 as Recycling Awareness Week in Canby, handing it to Canby Disposal/KB Recycling's Fred Kahut. The council approved an interagency agreement between the Canby Swim Club and the Canby Swim Center.

The city has yet to receive any applications for its "Home Town Hero" award, and nominations are encouraged.

Two vacancies still exist on the Canby Budget Committee, and applications can be made at City Hall.

Prior to the Nov. 1 meeting, a status report and performance measures for the Canby Planning Department were discussed for 45 minutes at Canby Utility's board room.