The Future Vision is described in the Metro Charter as "a conceptual statement that indicates population levels and settlement patterns that the region can accommodate within the carrying capacity of the land, water and air resources of the region, and its educational and economic resources, and that achieves a desired quality of life."
It is not a regulatory document but a visionary outlook addressing (1) use, restoration and preservation of regional land and natural resources for the benefit of present and future generations, (2) how and where to accommodate the population growth for the region while maintaining a desired quality of life for its residents, and (3) how to develop new communities and additions to the existing urban areas in well-planned ways."
The Metro Charter, adopted by voters in 1992, called for the adoption of a Future Vision which must be reviewed and revised every 15 years.