Oregon Public Broadcasting

Portland City Commissioners have initiated a land swap agreement in the Bull Run Watershed.

Portland is agreeing to trade plots of land that were originally private homesteads.

In return, it would get federal land in and around some of its own supply and transmission stations. 

The deal is meant to simplify a patchwork of land parcels, but the plan’s better known for its security changes.

Water bureau commissioner Randy Leonard has wanted to give full police training and firearms to bureau staff in the watershed.

Leonard repeated Wednesday that this would not be the first time in city history for watershed patrols to be armed.

Randy Leonard   “What I’ve asked to have happen is IF we have armed security, I’d like them to have the best training available in the state of Oregon, so they had a number of other tools at their avail – not just the gun - to diffuse a situation.”

The plan has been a sticking point between Leonard and Commissioner Dan Saltzman. But Saltzman voted for it, saying he basically agrees with Leonard about the city’s authority to make the changes.

The entire agreement is not final. The city and the Forest Service will continue their talks about the swap in the coming months.