Business recycling, investments in local communities and a preview of a series of upcoming policy recommendations by Metro COO Michael Jordan were the main areas of focus at the Metro Policy Advisory Committee meeting Sept. 9.
Raising the bar on business recycling
Metro staff Matt Korot and Jim Desmond provided updates to MPAC on Metro’s enhanced business recycling ordinance, adopted in September 2008, which requires local governments to establish higher benchmarks for business recycling rates and work with local businesses to increase recycling. Currently each city government within Metro except for Damascus, Johnson City, Maywood Park, Rivergrove and Troutdale have adopted ordinances to comply with Metro’s requirement, as has Clackamas County.
The question discussed among MPAC members dealt with what to do about local governments that are not in compliance with the regional requirements. Metro staff recommended exempting the three smallest cities (Johnson City, Maywood Park, Rivergrove) from penalties due to their very small numbers of businesses. Staff also recommended exempting Damascus which, as a new city, is focusing its limited staff resources on adopting its comprehensive land use plan and establishing basic city services. That left the question of what to do about Multnomah and Washington counties and Troutdale. Washington County is planning to review and consider an enhanced business recycling ordinance in September. Troutdale mayor Jim Kight expressed a willingness to take another look at adopting increased requirements but expressed concerns about ensuring that enforcement is not onerous on city staff and businesses. Though Multnomah County has few businesses in its unincorporated areas, Commissioner Judy Shiprack promised to raise and address this issue with her board.
Making the Greatest Place
Metro chief operating officer Michael Jordan then gave a preview of a report he will issue on Sept. 15 that outlines recommended policies and investments to support jobs, protect the urban growth boundary and build on past investments in essential public services. This report will bring together the various transportation and land use elements of Metro’s four-year Making the Greatest Place effort and inform upcoming decisions by the Metro Council related to transportation policies and investments, the capacity of the urban growth boundary, and the designation of urban and rural reserves.
Jordan’s recommendations will be aimed at better implementing the 2040 Growth Concept. His comments at the MPAC meeting focused on:
- achieving greater use of existing zoned capacity in centers and corridors to accommodate more housing and jobs
- raising the bar for future urban growth boundary expansions by requiring concept plans, financing plans and governance agreements to be established before expansion
- sizing urban reserves in a way that supports development inside the urban growth boundary
- addressing long-term challenges to financing essential public services.
Jordan’s report will be discussed more fully at the Sept. 23 MPAC meeting. The full report and list of recommendations will be available on Metro’s Making the Greatest Place web page as of September 15.