"If we just expand the urban growth boundary…"
It's an easy pitch to make – add more land, get more houses. But perception doesn't match reality. Here's a look at some of the areas added to the Metro urban growth boundary since 1998 – and the development that's happened there since.
1. Pleasant Valley
In 1998, the Metro Council added more than 1,000 acres of Multnomah County's Pleasant Valley into the urban growth boundary.
More than 5,000 homes were planned for the area, but only 145 have been built or permitted for construction.
2. Damascus
In 2002, the Metro Council chose the existing community of Damascus – complete with a grocery store and roads to the city – for a 19 square mile urban growth boundary expansion.
295 new homes have been built or approved there.
3. Oregon City
In 2002, the Metro Council added 657 acres around Oregon City to the urban growth boundary. But voters in Oregon City can veto annexation, and the areas have never been brought into the city limits.
12 homes have been built or permitted for construction in those 657 acres.
4. Villebois
In 2000, the Metro Council added 355 acres to the UGB in Wilsonville.
Since then, 1,063 homes have been built or approved for construction in the area of the 2000 expansion. As of mid-February, the least expensive new home in Villebois was listed at $312,990.
5. Sherwood
In 2002, the Metro Council added 337 acres around Sherwood to the urban growth boundary. But voters in Sherwood can veto annexation, and the areas have never been brought into the city limits.
56 homes have been built or approved for construction in those 337 acres.
6. River Terrace and South Cooper Mountain
In 2002, the Metro Council added 572 acres west of Tigard to the urban growth boundary.
The area was projected to have 2,450 homes. So far, 12 have been built or permitted for construction.
In 2011, the Metro Council added another 544 acres south of Cooper Mountain, in Beaverton and just north of Tigard, to the boundary. The area was projected to have 4,651 homes. Only one has been permitted.
7. South Hillsboro
The area south of Hillsboro has been primed for development for decades. It was the poster child for the years-long urban and rural reserves designation process, which was largely finished in 2010 and made it easier to expand the urban growth boundary onto land most suitable for new development.
The Metro Council brought 1,062 acres in South Hillsboro into the UGB in 2011. The expansion was confirmed by the Legislature in 2014.
But the parks, roads and pipes to serve South Hillsboro could cost $450 million – even though South Hillsboro has existing development on two sides, and is relatively flat. The fees to pay for those parks, roads and pipes could top $40,000 per home.
No homes have been built in South Hillsboro since it was added by the council in 2011.
8. Forest Grove
In 2002, the Metro Council expanded the urban growth boundary on flat farmland north of Forest Grove. In 2014, the Legislature added more land, totalling 240 acres.
No homes have been built there.
9. Cornelius
In 2014, the Legislature added 349 acres to the urban growth boundary around of Cornelius. 1,500 homes are planned for the area.
None have been built.
10. North Bethany
In 2002, the Metro Council brought 716 acres into the urban growth boundary in Washington County's North Bethany area. More than 5,000 homes are planned for the area.
Since then, 573 homes have been built or approved for construction in the area. As of mid-February, the least expensive home in the area was for sale for $405,995.
Not every urban growth boundary expansion area has struggled. More than 1,400 homes have been built or permitted in a 1998 expansion near Happy Valley. Nearly 900 were built or permitted in a 1998 expansion south of Hillsboro.
But overall, of the 67,000 new homes planned for UGB expansion areas, about 5,400 have been built or permitted in 16 years.
By comparison, 5,452 housing units were permitted or built in the Portland city limits – in 2014 alone.
Data is compiled from the Construction Monitor report through 2014.