The Metro regional government is “almost” at a decision on urban reserves.
The latest plan, as proposed by a committee called the Core 4, includes setting aside 27,000 acres for urban reserves and 270,000 acres for rural reserves. That leaves about 2300 acres in the “undecided” category.
It’s the latest step in an unbelievably complicated process that will determine how the Portland metro areas grows and develops over the next four or five decades.
Metro may be best known for the Urban Growth Boundary (UGB) around the Portland region. That’s the magical line that roughly divides the urban areas from the rural areas.
What it’s looking at now is how to plan growth outside the UGB. A new state law says Metro needs to figure out what are the best places to set aside for future development (urban reserves) and what are the best places to preserve as farmland and natural areas (rural reserves). And if that wasn’t difficult enough, officials from Multnomah, Washington and Clackamas counties, plus the Metro government, all have to agree on the same plan!
This is supposed to be wrapped up by the end of February. The Metro Council has a meeting scheduled for the 25th.
What happened today is that the Core 4 committee drew up a plan that covers 99.5% of the area outside the UGB. They couldn’t agree on what to do with the remaining half-percent. So each of the three counties will hold separate talks with Metro on working out those details.
Metro held six public events during January that were attended by hundreds of people who wanted to look at urban reserves maps, ask questions, and testify before the Council.
See: VIDEO: Jobs and the Economy Drive Metro’s First Hearing on Urban Reserves
The amount of land set aside for urban reserves is still almost twice as large as a proposal from a coalition of environmental and agricultural groups. They wanted Metro to set side only 15,000 acres for urban reserves. The biggest disagreement came over how much land to allow for development in Washington County. But the coalition proposal never gained traction with Metro officials.
See: Farmers, Conservation Groups Come Together On Urban Growth
