Metro to examine urban boundary issues

The Metro council will continue exploring issues related to future urban growth boundary expansions that could possibly bring more industrial jobs.

The council, in a June 29 work session, will discuss identifying selected urban reserve areas for inclusion in the region’s urban growth boundaries. The term urban reserve refers to lands outside the urban growth boundary that, by eventually becoming part of the urban growth boundary, provide for future expansion over a long-term period. The reserves must also allow for the additions of public facilities and services.

The urban growth boundary dictates areas in which development can occur within a given Oregon metropolitan area. Metro and other government leaders hope to spur more industrial growth within Portland’s urban growth boundaries.

Councilors won’t take any action on staff recommendations during the two-hour work session, which takes place at 2 p.m. at 600 N.E. Grand Ave.

Instead, the discussion will help determine where the council could site some of the land newly designated as urban reserves. On June 10, the council designated 28,615 acres as eligible to become urban reserves in Multnomah, Clackamas and Washington counties.

The council also designated 266,954 acres of rural reserves, land that will not be considered for urban development for the next half century.

The Oregon Land Conservation and Development Commission must still approve the plan. The commission won’t make its decision until this fall.

Click here for a map of urban and rural reserves.

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