Should Metro be in the planning business?
That's the question scheduled to be discussed at a Friday hearing of the Oregon House Transportation and Economic Development Committee. A bill, sponsored by two east metro Republicans, would strip Metro of its authority to establish the urban growth boundary.
Under the proposal, drafted by Reps. Patrick Sheehan, R-Clackamas, and Matt Wand, R-Troutdale, Metro would have no say in whether cities expand their urban growth boundaries. It also would remove Metro's oversight of cities comprehensive planning.
Sheehan's office was unable to schedule an interview this week. In an e-mail, Wand said Metro's oversight of land use, urban growth boundary decisions and state land use goals has failed to adequately address the needs of his district.
"The regional system has failed to equitably address the land use needs of the east metro area," Wand said in the e-mail. "While it may be responsive to the needs of downtown Portland and the west side, east Multnomah County and Clackamas County have been substantially left behind, including the incorrect assertions I frequently hear that there is no industrial land in the metro region, when in fact there are huge tracts of available industrial land in my district."
Indeed, two leaders from the west side - Metro Council President Tom Hughes and Jerry Willey, Hughes' successor as Hillsboro mayor - have voiced opposition to the bill. Hughes is scheduled to testify at the Friday afternoon hearing; Willey wrote a letter opposing the bill.
In Hillsboro, Hughes said, "we disagreed with them (Metro) occasionally. We disagreed with the numbers. We disagreed with lots of other things. We even sued them on occasion."
But, he said, the city never tried to remove Metro's authority over the boundary.
"We recognized, as part of the region, the value of regional planning towards the whole economic development process," Hughes said. "Having a planned, coherent, efficient urban form has been a huge asset for us in terms of doing economic development."
The Wand and Sheehan proposal would put urban growth boundary decisions back in the hands of individual cities, working directly with the state. That's how Portland-area cities not in Metro, like Banks, North Plains and Canby, already handle their growth boundary expansions.
Since Banks and North Plains hardly resemble the image of sprawl, despite great freeway access to central Portland, doesn't that mean the system can work without Metro?
"There's a delicate balance between the right and the authority of individual communities and the Metro region as a whole," Hughes said. "That's one of the reasons why the process that Metro goes through - contrary to what Rep. Wand might think - has been a collaborative process within which all of the jurisdictions have had an opportunity to weigh in and ask for what they want."
Damascus Mayor Steve Spinnett disagrees. He also is expected to testify at the Friday hearing, and he said Metro adds another layer that makes it difficult for cities to plan.
"To comply with Metro's planning when our local community has to comply with Metro's planning and DLCD (the Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development), that's very cumbersome, very time consuming, adds additional restrictions, is expensive and I believe unnecessary," Spinnett said. "I actually believe it's counterproductive."
The bill is expected to be unpopular in environmental circles, and could struggle to get Democratic support in the legislature. But Wand said he's open to further conversations on the proposal.
"If this is not the best solution, I am interested to hear other solutions that will streamline land use in my community and allow us to facilitate local jobs in our areas," Wand said. "Metro’s 'one size fits all' approach to land use ignores the unique characteristics of my community, and locks in the economic gains achieved by downtown and the westside, preventing my community from catching up."