Planning and conservation › Land and development › Urban and rural reserves › Share your views
You can help shape future urban and rural reserves. Learn about the reserves designation process, view maps of proposed reserve areas and share your insights.
Metro's chief operating officer's recommendation on urban and rural reserves is part of his strategies for a sustainable and prosperous region.
Read the recommendations, plans and reports
By the end of 2009, the Metro Council and the commissions of Clackamas, Multnomah and Washington counties will have made decisions that affect the future of thousands of acres around the region. And the reserves decision doesn't stand alone. Together, these elected officials along with the region's 25 cities and stakeholders around the region who care about livable communities and natural resources must make collective decisions about how we grow; how we move people and goods around the region and beyond; and where we invest in our current and future communities. This is an important time to pay attention and to let these officials know what you care about.
Metro and the three metropolitan area counties are crafting a proposed regional map of urban and rural reserves as well as the legal agreements that will formally establish these land designations. The representatives of these four governments, the Core 4, are meeting regularly through 2009 and anticipate bringing their proposed map to the public for comment in early 2010. Read about their process
Watch for announcements of public events and online comment opportunities.
The reserves process was designed to provide a variety of ways for people to share different perspectives and interests in a meaningful collaborative process that would result in agreement on some of our most vexing long term land use decisions. By design, there are a lot of different ways for residents to express their desires.
The regional Reserves Steering Committee and the county advisory committees represented regional and local interests as the counties determined land suitability for either urban or rural uses. Learn more about the committee
Every resident of the region is represented by a Metro Councilor who will help forge agreements on rural reserves and vote to designate urban reserves.Find your Metro Councilor
Every resident is also represented by a county commission. Commissioners have held public hearings and approved maps of lands they feel are suitable for urban or rural designation. All three county commissions must agree to urban reserves and they will designate rural reserves in 2010. You can write letters, send e-mails or phone your Metro Councilor or county commissioners at any time during this process to let them know what you think.
Around the region cities are making decisions about their future aspirations for lands both inside and outside their current boundaries. You can contact your city government to learn of their plans and let them know your views.
The reserves process was launched in early 2008. Since then, staff and officials from Metro and the three counties have presented information to civic, business, agriculture, professional and academic organizations. The Oregonian, community news papers, the Capital Press agriculture newspaper, commercial television stations, community access cable stations and Oregon Public Broadcasting have provided coverage.
In summer 2008, seven open houses were jointly sponsored by the counties and Metro to share information about this new land designation process and to ask residents to help define the area to study. More than 300 people attended these events. The three counties also maintain reserves web pages and email lists to notify people of decisions and events. Members of the regional and county advisory committees have reached out to their constituents and communities to share information and obtain guidance.
Metro and the counties hosted eight public open houses in April 2009 where people viewed candidate area maps, heard presentations and shared their views with officials. You can still access maps and information and you are welcome to share your views with officials at any time.
See county proposals
View public comment report
View the spreadsheet of all survey comments
Comment on Metro staff recommendations
The three counties also maintain reserves web pages and e-mail lists to notify people of decisions and events. Members of the regional and county advisory committees have reached out to their constituents and communities to share information and obtain guidance.
On Sept. 15, 2009 Metro's chief operating officer Michael Jordan released his recommendation to the Metro Council on how the region should manage growth and achieve long term sustainability and prosperity over the next decades. Metro hosted open houses and hearings and online surveys providing residents of the region the opportunity to comment on his recommendation and advise the Metro Council regarding key decisions coming this fall on land use as well as transportation. More about Making the Greatest Place
The three counties and Metro are also in the process of scheduling open houses around the region in early 2010 focused entirely on reserves where you can view the initial proposed regional map of reserves recommended by the Core 4 and share your views. You'll also be able to view all of the open house materials here on our web site and take an online survey. Based on your comments, the Core 4 will revise the regional map and agreements. The four governments anticipate approving these agreements in spring 2010. Make sure they hear from you.
The Metro Council will formally designate urban reserves and the county commissions will designate rural reserves by summer 2010.
Join the reserves mailing list
View the program calendar
Marcia Sinclair
503-797-1814
reserves@oregonmetro.gov
Find information about how your county is planning for urban and rural reserves.
Clackamas County
Multnomah County
Washington County
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