Urban and Rural Reserves
Core 4 Meet February 8 to finalize urban and rural reserves agreement.
The Core 4 (representatives of Washington, Multnomah, and Clackamas counties and Metro) arrived at urban and rural reserves proposals for public comment at their December 16 meeting. Six regional open houses were held in January with four also providing testimony opportunity to the Metro Council. Much input was received for Core 4 consideration as they move forward.
Next the Core 4 meet February 8 with the goal of reaching agreement on urban and rural reserves across the metropolitan region. Once agreement is reached, each of the four jurisdictions will adopt Intergovernment Agreements (IGA) between Metro and each county. Adoptions will occur before the end of the month. Each county will then incorporate rural reserves into their comprehensive plans and Metro will incorporate urban reserves into its functional plan.
Urban and Rural Reserves Background
Shaping the Region for the next 40 - 50 years.
Clackamas, Multnomah and Washington counties and Metro are collaborating on a regional effort to help determine the shape of this region over the next 40 to 50 years. Urban and rural reserves are intended to provide greater predictability for the region as to where future growth may take place both inside and outside the current urban growth boundary (UGB) over the next 40 to 50 years, while protecting important farmland and natural areas from urbanization for that same period of time.
Urban and Rural Reserves are one of four regional tracks to address future growth. Metro has developed “Making the Greatest Place” as the umbrella for these four tracks. In addition to the Urban and Rural Reserves effort, the other three are: Investing in Communities (to address funding), Regional Transportation Plan, and Performance-based Growth Management (to establish benchmarks and monitor progress.)
Opportunities for community involvement can be found in the Public Involvement/Events page and current project updates in What’s New? Pleased visit the site often for up-to-date information and ways to stay involved.
A collaborative process
Metro and the three counties are collaborating on the designation process. You can find information on each of the partners' websites: Metro, Clackamas County and Multnomah County
Making the Greatest Place: 2040 Growth Concept
This region is admired across the nation for its innovative approach to planning for the future. Our enviable quality of life can be attributed in no small measure to our stubborn belief in the importance of thinking ahead. One example of this foresight was the Metro Council’s adoption of the 2040 Growth Concept, a long-range plan designed with the participation of thousands of Oregonians in the 1990s. (learn more)
Challenges and Opportunities
We’re growing faster than anyone expected. New forecasts show that within the next 25 years, about a million more people will live in the five-county Portland metropolitan region. In addition, time has exposed some of the shortcomings in the implementation of the region’s long-range plan, as well as tensions and trade-offs between different objectives. We must make difficult choices if we want our neighborhoods and communities to continue to thrive. (learn more)
A New Approach
In 2007, the Oregon Legislature approved Senate Bill 1011. This bill enables Metro and the counties of the region to establish urban reserves – areas outside the urban growth boundary that, based on a number of factors, may be better suited to accommodate population and job growth over 40 to 50 years – as well as rural reserves, which are areas outside the urban growth boundary needed to protect valuable farm and forestland for a similar period. Many elements exist to support Senate Bill 1011 including a House Bill, Oregon Statutes and recent studies through partnerships with Metro, the three counties, Oregon Department of Agriculture and the State of Oregon Land Conservation and Development Commission. (learn more)
