Posts Tagged ‘ metro government ’

Breaking: Metro Approves Urban Reserves Plan

February 25, 2010
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UPDATE:

Council President David Bragdon releases a statement calling this a vote a “historic moment.” He goes on to write:

“Our work is not done. We need to refocus our efforts on how we can best invest in attracting more jobs and residents to our existing communities inside the urban growth boundary. Metro, local governments and the private sector need to work more strategically to invest limited public resources more wisely and encourage greater private investment in the communities we already call home.”

EARLIER:

The Metro Council put a final stamp of approval on a plan to guide growth in the region for the next 50-years. The vote was 5-2.

The plan creates 28,000 acres of urban reserves, areas outside the urban growth boundary that will be set aside for most new business and residential development.

It also preserves 272,000 acres as rural reserves, places protected as farmland and natural areas.

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Metro Ready To Approve Urban Reserves Plan

February 22, 2010
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Two years of political brawling and bargaining over where the Portland metro area will grow in the next 50-years could be settled by the end of the week.

On Thursday, the Metro Council votes on a plan to creating new urban and rural reserves in Clackamas, Multnomah and Washington counties. Leading up to the big show on Thursday, each of the county commissions will meet separately this week to ratify the plan.

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Close Enough: Metro Moves To A Decision On Urban Reserves

February 8, 2010
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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.

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Final Urban Reserves Hearing Thursday

January 21, 2010
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Tonight’s your last chance to get up in front of the Metro Council and tell them how you really feel about urban and rural reserves.

A two week period of open houses and public hearings wraps up this evening at the Wilsonville City Hall, 29799 SW Town Center Loop E. The open house starts at 430pm and the public hearing begins at 6pm. Metro is also taking online comments through 5pm Friday.

Metro, plus Clackamas, Multnomah and Washington counties, are drawing up a plan that will guide the region’s growth for the next 40-50 years. Areas called urban reserves will be set aside for future business, industrial and residential development. Rural reserves are preserved for farmland, forests and natural areas.

There’s been considerable debate over just how much land should be put into urban reserves, and where those areas should be located. The current plan being discussed by Metro includes about 29,000 acres, with half of them in Washington County. An alternative proposed by a coalition of conservation and agriculture groups calls for about 15,000 acres of urban reserves.

VIDEO: Jobs and the Economy Drive Metro’s First Hearing on Urban Reserves

January 11, 2010
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Job growth and the economy were the two major themes at Metro’s first public hearing on urban reserves. It didn’t seem to matter whether someone supported setting aside more areas for urban development, or preserving rural land. Missing from the debate were traditional green values. In the time I was there no one talked about preserving natural areas or protecting watersheds.

The message to Metro councilors was clear. Speaker after speaker told them that supporting economic growth should be their primary consideration as they plan for the region’s future.

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