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Lane County commissioners approved a proposal to help a sawmill and forest products company obtain a 15-year property tax break for a $253 million modernization of its site near the Eugene Airport.
Commissioners unanimously approved the proposal Tuesday for Sierra Pacific Industries, which is planning a four-year construction project at its 115-acre sawmill site along Highway 99 in Eugene’s urban growth boundary outside city limits. The planned project will feature new buildings, technology and equipment upgrades at the facility, which has 347 employees. Those employees will stay on the job while the four-year project’s work unfolds.
The tax break is not yet a done deal. With the county’s backing in hand, Sierra Pacific Industries will ask state officials for an exemption through Oregon’s Strategic Investment Program, which grants companies a 15-year property tax exemption on a portion of improvements for large capital projects. The proposal now goes to the Oregon Business Development Commission for final approval…