Members of the Clackamas County Business Alliance warned Metro Tuesday that implementing its growth plans could hit roadblocks when towns and cities have growth visions that differ from Metro's overall strategy.
While alliance executive director Burton Weast praised Metro's growth planning process, he said a system that doesn't give Metro authority over competing cities within Clackamas County will simply drive development elsewhere.
"For us, it's a recipe for all economic development to go to Washington County," Weast said.
Metro chief operating officer Michael Jordan agreed, adding that city governments in Clackamas County need to be more collaborative in determining how they'd like their communities to grow.
"The systems are disintegrated," Jordan said. "They need to be more integrated."
The alliance met with Jordan and Metro Councilor Carlotta Collette to offer feedback on Metro staff's growth report, "Making the Greatest Place: Strategies for a sustainable and prosperous region." The report encourages channeling most growth inside the existing urban growth boundary, investing in repairing and maintaining existing buildings and infrastructure, and holding Metro and its local government partners accountable for the goals they put in place for themselves and the region.
Clackamas County Commissioner Ann Lininger also raised the issue of undesignated lands, a hot topic at Tuesday night's public hearing in Oregon City. She asked if leaving land undesignated would make it easier to develop the land before it becomes an urban reserve.
Jordan said that no, undesignated lands would not be considered for development until all other urban reserves are used. Lininger said that fact needs to be communicated, because many people are advocating for their land to remain undesignated but not fully understanding what that means.
Councilor Collette then added that Stafford residents feel an undesignated label would allow them to pursue their city planning on their own. But Jordan said urban reserves are a much better tool for focusing community growth.
"That's the clearest path to building the kind of community you want," Jordan said. However, because of the newness of the urban and rural reserves process, Jordan said he's expecting challenges.
"This is the first time we're doing this under this rule, so I have every confidence that someone will litigate," Jordan said with a touch of humor.
Weast also challenged the report's goal to reach zoned capacity for residential areas. He said local governments and neighborhood councils typically want developers to include parks or other open space, which makes it hard to push high-density projects through.
"Overall if you want to get your project approved, the first thing you give up is density," Weast said.
Jordan agreed with that point, but said those issues usually come up in single-family neighborhoods, which the staff recommendations are not targeting. Rather, the recommendations aim for higher density along transportation corridors and in town centers.
Though he praised Metro staff's efforts, alliance president David Marks raised a list of concerns at the end of the meeting. He complained that more emphasis was being given to offering transportation choices, while choices for industrial development were given short shrift. He also said Metro tends to favor policies that benefit Portland's city center while punishing other communities in the region, and that Metro doesn't approach the business community enough in its planning process, which hurts businesses' ability to plan for their own futures.
Marks also railed against the idea of leaving lands undesignated, saying it is an abdication of Metro's planning duty.
"The amount of time and energy and emotion that has gone onto this planning process is a waste if there is not a decision," Marks said.
- by Sean Breslin, Metro staff