Tigard River Terrace 2.0 urban growth boundary exchange

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A proposed swap would remove land from the urban growth boundary that is unlikely to be developed in the next 20 years and add land near Tigard that could support development in the near future.

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Oregon law protects farms and forests, and ensures that growth happens in areas where it makes sense. In the greater Portland region, Metro manages the urban growth boundary to ensure there’s enough developable land for the next 20 years of growth. That growth also requires urban services such as roads, water and sewer systems, parks, schools and fire and police protection.

Despite being buildable, some areas inside the boundary have not moved forward with the needed planning and urban services required to encourage new housing and businesses. Tigard has proposed a new community in urban reserves that can be developed to provide people in the region with much-needed housing. Metro is exploring adding Tigard’s River Terrace 2.0 area to the urban growth boundary, while removing a comparable amount of land from the boundary in an area that has so many challenges that it is unlikely to provide substantial new housing or jobs needed for the next 20 years. This process, known as an urban growth boundary exchange, has been used elsewhere in the state, but not the greater Portland region.

Upcoming Metro Council action

The Metro Council is scheduled to vote on Ordinance No. 23-1488 at their Feb. 2 meeting. Meeting materials, information on how to attend by Zoom or phone is available on the Metro calendar.

On Jan. 19, the Metro Council held a public hearing on the proposed UGB exchange and heard testimony from interested parties. The record remains open for additional written testimony, which should be submitted by Thursday, Jan. 26 in order to be included in the materials for the Feb. 2 Metro Council meeting.

For communication with the Metro Council regarding the ordinance, email [email protected].