APPENDIX B: COMMUNITY PROFILE Community resilience can be defined as the community’s ability to manage risk and adapt to natural hazard impacts. In order to help define and understand the county’s sensitivity and resilience to natural hazards, the following capacities must be examined: Natural Environment Capacity ...........................................................................................3 Location, Geography, History ........................................................................................................ 3 Climate ........................................................................................................................................... 4 Synthesis ......................................................................................................................................... 6 Social/Demographic Capacity .............................................................................................7 Population ....................................................................................................................................... 7 Vulnerable Populations ................................................................................................................... 8 Language ......................................................................................................................................... 8 Race ................................................................................................................................................ 9 Gender .......................................................................................................................................... 10 Age ................................................................................................................................................ 10 Families and Living Arrangements ................................................................................................ 11 Income .......................................................................................................................................... 12 Education ...................................................................................................................................... 14 Health ........................................................................................................................................... 14 Synthesis ....................................................................................................................................... 17 Economic Capacity ............................................................................................................. 18 Regional Affordability ................................................................................................................... 18 Economic Diversity ...................................................................................................................... 20 Employment and Wages ............................................................................................................... 21 Industry ......................................................................................................................................... 22 Future Employment in Industry .................................................................................................... 25 Synthesis ....................................................................................................................................... 25 Built Environment Capacity .............................................................................................. 26 Land Use and Development Patterns........................................................................................... 26 Housing ......................................................................................................................................... 29 Infrastructure Profile .................................................................................................................... 31 Synthesis ....................................................................................................................................... 41 Community Connectivity Capacity .................................................................................. 43 Social Systems and Service Providers ........................................................................................... 43 Civic Engagement ......................................................................................................................... 44 Community Stability ..................................................................................................................... 45 Synthesis ....................................................................................................................................... 47 Political Capacity ................................................................................................................ 48 Regulatory Context: Oregon Statewide Planning Goal 7 ............................................................ 48 Existing Plans and Policies ............................................................................................................ 49 Polk County NHMP October 2017 Page B-1 The Community Profile describes the sensitivity and resilience to natural hazards of Polk County, and its incorporated cities, as they relate to each capacity. It provides a snapshot in time when the plan was developed and will assist in preparation for a more resilient county. The information in this section, along with the hazard assessments located in Section 2 – Risk Assessment, should be used as the local level rationale for the risk reduction actions identified in Section 3 – Mitigation Strategy. The identification of actions that reduce the county’s sensitivity and increase its resiliency assist in reducing overall risk of disaster, the area of overlap in the figure below. Figure B-1 Understanding Risk Source: Oregon Partnership for Disaster Resilience Page B-2 October 2017 Polk County NHMP Natural Environment Capacity Natural environment capacity is recognized as the geography, climate, and land cover of the area such as, urban, water and forested lands that maintain clean water, air and a stable climate.1 Natural resources such as wetlands and forested hill slopes play significant roles in protecting communities and the environment from weather-related hazards, such as flooding and landslides. However, natural systems are often impacted or depleted by human activities adversely affecting community resilience. Location, Geography, History Polk County is located in the lower northwestern part of Oregon within the Mid-Willamette Valley between the Coastal Range and the Cascade Range (see Map B-1). The county was officially created from the Yamhill District of the Oregon Territory on December 22, 1845. On August 13, 1848, President James K. Polk signed a bill approving the boundaries of the Oregon territory, which officially separated the territory from England. The present area of Polk County comprises 472,960 acres (739 square miles). Elevations within the county range from 325 feet in the east to 3,450 feet near Sugarloaf Mountain in the west. The western half of the County is timbered, with the eastern half as prairie or farmlands. Further settlement from eastern United States migrations began in the early 1840’s, one of the earliest settlements is near the present site of Dallas. Jason Lee was the vanguard of this settlement, having established his mission at Wheatland on the east bank of the Willamette River in 1834. The County seat was located at Cynthian (later Dallas) in 1850. A new courthouse was completed in 1860 and destroyed by fire in 1898 and the present courthouse was completed in 1900. The City of Dallas is the northern most incorporated jurisdiction located centrally within the county. The City of Independence was named after Independence, Missouri by E.A. Thorp, a former resident of the Missouri city who platted the town in 1850. The site began to be settled in 1845. Located close to the eastern border of the county, the City of Independence is a close neighbor to the City of Monmouth. The City of Monmouth was founded in 1853 by settlers from Monmouth, Illinois in August, 1852 who spent their first winter at a point about three and one-half miles north-northeast of Rickreall. Monmouth University, now known as Western Oregon State College, was originally founded in 1858. Falls City, named for the historically prominent falls was originally named both Syracuse and Luckiamute Falls. In 1891, when the town was incorporated, the name was changed. However, due to the dual origin, there are two “Main Streets” in town – North and South Main Street run parallel to each other on either side of the river. Historical photos show a power plant constructed at the top of the falls, and records indicate a sawmill operation 1 Mayunga, J. 2007. Understanding and Applying the Concept of Community Disaster Resilience: A capital-based approach. Summer Academy for Social Vulnerability and Resilience Building. Polk County NHMP October 2017 Page B-3 operated by John Thorpe in 1852. The elevation at the falls is approximately 300 feet. Falls City is located centrally in the county. The Grand Ronde Indian Reservation was formed in 1856 combining settlements from several Willamette Valley Indian tribes as well as Indians from other parts of Oregon.