The four elected officials from Clackamas, Multnomah and Washington counties and Metro charged with negotiating a map of long term regional urban growth as well as farm and forest protection made further progress at their meeting on Friday, Dec. 4. With two more meetings in December, they hope to come to agreement on the map of future city expansion areas while also defining areas off limits to growth for the next half century. Learn more about urban and rural reserves
Whatever agreements these four governments craft by Dec. 16 will be shared with the public at open houses across the region in January. Dates and times have not yet been announced. If agreements cannot be reached by then on some areas, residents and stakeholders will have the opportunity to weigh in on the options under consideration. The public will also be able to view maps and descriptions of reserve proposals on the Metro web site in January and share their views through online surveys.
Friday’s meeting included a discussion of intergovernmental agreements – the documents that will accompany the map of reserves and memorialize the agreements around these new land designations. Should there be a formal evaluation of these 40-year agreements at the 20 year mark? Should there be some flexibility to adjust a boundary to one side of a road or the other if over time it becomes clear that it would make a more appropriate dividing line? The agreements continue to evolve as these questions are painstakingly addressed.
Multnomah County staff illustrated the latest recommendations they are bringing to county commissioners including proposals for urban reserves outside of Troutdale and Gresham. Staff recommends that lands north of Forest Park in the west hills remain undesignated. The Multnomah County Commission invites public testimony on these proposals at their Dec. 10 hearing.
While he emphasized that decisions are not final, Washington County Commission Chair Tom Brian described the progress made in negotiations with Washington County cities and stakeholder groups in adjusting boundaries. He noted that the area north of Highway 26 initially proposed as an urban reserve is no longer under consideration and, in fact, lands north of West Union Road will likely be recommended as rural reserves. Additionally, he described possible inclusion of some lands north of Cornelius for urban use to conserve higher quality farmland to the south. According to Brian, areas on the outskirts of Beaverton and Sherwood initially proposed as urban reserves may also be scaled back. The Washington County Commission is holding a short hearing Dec. 8 and will also devote much of their Dec. 15 meeting to public testimony on reserves.
The “Core 4” elected officials meet again at the Metro Regional Center on Dec. 9 from 9 a.m. to noon.