The Office of the Metro Auditor released an audit today that followed up on the 2008 audit, Functional Plan Compliance Process: Strengthen Redesign Efforts. Metro has adopted a Regional Framework Plan that incorporates policies concerning urban growth, greenspaces and transportation. State law requires that this plan comply with statewide land use planning goals. Under the Metro Charter and state law, cities and counties within Metro's boundaries are required to be consistent with Metro's regional plan. The purpose of this audit was to determine if Metro had improved its process to monitor local government compliance with the regional plan based upon the Metro Auditor's Office recommendations in 2008.
This audit followed up on six of the original seven recommendations. Of these, Metro implemented three recommendations and three were in process. The audit found that Metro had redesigned the process for ongoing monitoring and that the process was more efficient. However, the audit noted that Metro had not yet issued a required annual compliance report.
"The annual compliance report provides for accountability," Metro Auditor Suzanne Flynn said. "Without compliance information, understanding why outcomes were achieved or not, may be difficult."
Copies of the audit may also be obtained by calling the Office of the Metro Auditor at 503-797-1892.