The current urban growth boundary around the Portland metropolitan area is large enough to contain virtually all of the population and employment growth forecast for the next 20 years, but only if effective, efficient actions are taken by local governments, according to recommendations released today by Metro's chief operating officer Michael Jordan.
Jordan recommends that we use vacant, dilapidated and underutilized land within the current urban growth boundary before expanding onto farm and forest land; repair, maintain and get the most out of existing bridges, roads, sewers and water pipes, parks and other facilities before building new; and ensure there are enough good jobs for current and future residents.
"Global warming, rising energy prices, population growth and a changing economy all require us to invest our limited public resources in protecting, repairing, maintaining and improving what we have already built," Jordan said.
The recommendations, titled "Making the Greatest Place: Strategies for a Prosperous and Sustainable Region," are the result of a multi-year effort to focus transportation and land use investments and policies to provide good jobs, to protect natural areas, farms and forest land by improving vacant lots and underutilized buildings, and to improve the safety and quality of existing neighborhoods across the region.
The recommendations will inform decisions that will be made later this year and in 2010 about how the region can best accommodate its growing population by making the most of existing cities and transportation corridors, and which areas currently outside the urban growth boundary should be considered for urban development or reserved for farms and forests during the next 40 to 50 years.
The report contains:
- a draft of the 2035 Regional Transportation Plan that outlines investments in multiple modes of transportation aimed at supporting economic growth, reducing global warming and enhancing vibrant communities where residents can choose to walk or cycle to meet their everyday needs
- a report analyzing the capacity of the current urban growth boundary to accommodate anticipated population and employment in the region during the next 20 years, as required by Oregon law
- guidelines for designating urban and rural reserves in a manner that supports growth and development inside the current urban growth boundary, protects farm and forest land, and achieves the best use of limited public investments
- stated aspirations of local cities and counties for managing growth in a way that sustains vibrant communities, and a listing of the public and private investments identified to achieve those aspirations
- an analysis of the investments necessary to maintain and build new public assets, such as sewers, sidewalks, parks and other basics that are essential in supporting healthy communities
- a framework for measuring progress and the effectiveness of investments, and to inform future growth management decisions.
"We are wise enough in this region to recognize that we're putting too much carbon in the atmosphere and are struggling to pay for existing roads, bridges, sewers and parks. Growing the footprint of our region instead of taking care of what we have only exacerbates the problem," Jordan said.
Jordan's report stresses that current local land use policies will not be sufficient to accommodate the additional people and jobs forecast for the region by 2030. It also indicates that if local governments make the most of past and ongoing investments in existing city centers, along major streets and in employment areas, that all future residential and most employment growth can be accommodated within the existing urban growth boundary.
"Our region has been a leader in creating great communities," Jordan said. "We have the chance to continue that role by making decisions that may not be easy today, but will be the right ones over the coming years."
The report also provides strong direction about how much land may need to be designated as urban reserves and how and where rural reserves should be delineated. In October, a regional Reserves Steering Committee led jointly by elected officials from Metro and Clackamas, Multnomah and Washington counties will issue recommendations to the Metro Council and the county boards of commissioners on the size and location of urban and rural reserves.
The release of Jordan's recommendations kicks off a 30-day public comment period on the integrated elements of the proposal. (A list of public hearings and open houses follows.) Following the adoption of the Reserves Steering Committee's recommendations in mid October, additional open houses yet to be scheduled will take place.
The Metro Council is scheduled to vote by Dec. 17 to adopt the RTP (pending completion of an air quality conformity analysis in spring 2010); to reach agreements with the boards of commissioners of the three counties to adopt urban and rural reserves, and to accept the final urban growth report to submit to the Oregon Land Conservation and Development Commission. Actions by the Metro Council will come after review by the Metro Policy Advisory Committee and the Joint Policy Advisory Committee on Transportation.
In 2010, the Metro Council will adopt the final RTP, take formal action to designate urban reserves (the three counties will formally designate rural reserves), and work with local governments to commit to actions that will accommodate half or more of future growth within the current urban growth boundary. If, by the end of 2010, there remains a need to add capacity to the boundary to accommodate the next 20 years' worth of growth, an expansion will be considered.
More information on today's report and on upcoming actions by the Metro Council can be found at www.oregonmetro.gov/greatestplace.
Public meeting schedule
Monday, Sept. 21
2 to 4 p.m. (open house, written comments)
Hillsboro Civic Center, 150 E. Main St., Hillsboro
Spanish translation provided
Tuesday, Sept. 22
5 to 7:45 p.m. (open house, written comments)
Multnomah County Library, 512 N. Killingsworth St., Portland
Spanish translation provided
Thursday, Sept. 24
4 p.m. (open house) | 5:15 p.m. (hearing)
Beaverton City Hall, 4755 SW Griffith Drive, Beaverton
Thursday, Oct. 1
4 p.m. (open house) | 5:15 p.m. (hearing)
Gresham Conference Center, 1333 NW Eastman Parkway, Gresham
Thursday, Oct. 8
4 p.m. (open house) | 5:15 p.m. (hearing)
Happy Valley City Hall, 16000 SE Misty Dr., Happy Valley
Tuesday, Oct. 13
4 p.m. (open house) | 5:15 p.m. (hearing)
Clackamas County Public Services Building, 2051 Kaen Road, Oregon City
Thursday, Oct. 15
4 p.m. (open house) | 5:15 p.m. (hearing)
Metro Regional Center, 600 NE Grand Ave., Portland