Public Policy

Land Use issues

Many new policies that address land use and economic growth in the Portland region are currently in different stages of development. The alliance is participating in a number of ways, and primary concerns are: maintaining land supply that will support job retention and growth, and ensuring land is well served by infrastructure. In November, the Portland Business Alliance weighed in on two issues relating to job growth and land supply. The Alliance is supporting the work of two coalitions - one focusing on land use decisions, called the Coalition for a Prosperous Region, and the second called the Working Waterfront Coalition, focusing on the city's River Plan.

Coalition for a Prosperous Region

Projections for the growth of our region show a dramatic increase in population in the coming decades. Therefore, it is vital that the region has available land and the necessary infrastructure to provide family-wage jobs and affordable housing for the region's current and future residents.

Currently, Metro, in coordination with Washington, Multnomah and Clackamas counties, is determining what land can be set aside for possible development in the next 50 years to accommodate the projected growth. These portions of land are called Urban and Rural Reserves. Urban growth boundary expansions were previously determined by whether or not land contained good farming soil. However, 2007 legislation set up a process that governs expansion decisions on land that:

  • Can be developed in a way that makes efficient use of existing and future infrastructure;
  • Includes sufficient development capacity to support a healthy economy;
  • Can accommodate a range of needed housing types.

Local governments must evaluate land by such criteria and designate a 40 - 50 year land supply of Urban and Rural Reserves. The reserve designations determine what portions of land are protected from urbanization and what portions are eligible for urban growth boundary expansions.

Part of that designation process includes Metro's Reserves Steering Committee (RSC), which consists of city officials, and representatives from business sectors, environmental conservation groups, and social and economic equity organizations. The RSC's task is to give direction to the study of prospective urban and rural reserves and advise the Metro Council and county commissions on the land being designated as urban or rural reserves.

To ensure future employment and housing was kept top of mind, the Alliance has been working with a coalition of businesses to advise the RSC's business members. The coalition recently branded itself as the Coalition for a Prosperous Region (CPR) and expanded its membership to include both business and labor organizations, including more than 20,000 union members of the Columbia Pacific Building Trades Council.

In addition to providing recommendations to the steering committee members, CPR will be working to communicate the need for suitable and flexible employment land options and infrastructure as well as affordable housing for future employees and their families.

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