BANDON — It’s been around for 10 years and it doesn’t appear the economic benefits promised through the Coquille Valley Enterprise Zone will go away anytime soon.

The Bandon City Council will review an option to extend Bandon’s involvement with the enterprise zone during its regular meeting on Monday.

The enterprise zone was established in 1997 to promote business development in Coos County. It must be redesignated every 10 years. The current zone would go out of business on June 30 if member governments don’t renew it.

But that’s not going to happen.  

Zone sponsors Myrtle Point, Coquille and the county commissioners already approved the extension.

The zone offers incentives for new businesses to come to the area, hoping to encourage job growth and stimulate the economy, according to its manager, Eileen Ophus of the Coos Curry Douglas Business Development Corporation. The private nonprofit organization works with agencies to promote business and community development in the three counties.

Perhaps the largest benefit for new businesses is a complete abatement on local property taxes for three to five years on buildings and equipment newly invested in the zone, according to Ophus. For qualifying businesses that bring substantial investment and meet certain criteria, tax exemption may be available for seven to 15 years.

According to Ophus, the decision to extend the enterprise zone includes no new changes.

“We don’t usually even ask to extend it, but this time I wanted (all the zone sponsors) to tell me that they wanted it,” Ophus said Tuesday.

The ports of Bandon and Coquille also may be added as sponsors.

“The zone is continuing,” Bandon City Manager Matt Winkel said. “I’m just taking it to the council for review to see if they still want to be a part of it.”

But not all Bandon residents were excited about the city’s inclusion in the zone. Some worry large businesses may come to the area in search of tax breaks while threatening local business. Many were upset when the zone was extended in 2004 to include the Bandon Dunes Golf Resort — after the resort announced plans to expand.

The county approved the redesignation of the enterprise zone this month, but it was not a unanimous decision. The commissioners voted 2-1, with John Griffith dissenting.

“I don’t believe (the enterprise zone) tends to work in the way it is supposed to,” Griffith said Tuesday.

Griffith has been outspoken against it, saying the tax abatement has been used as reward instead of incentive. He cited the case of Bandon Dunes, which approached the county with plans to rezone its property and expand — months before it was included in the enterprise zone. Bandon Dunes would have expanded regardless, Griffith contends.

“With the loss of timber, we need taxes,” Griffith explained.

Bandon’s City Council will be the last to weigh in on the issue. The Monday meeting begins at 7 p.m. at Bandon City Hall.

(Stephanie Vallance is a staff writer at the Bandon Western World, which can be found online at http://www.bandonwesternworld.com.)