Urban Studies and Planning Commons^™

Periodic Atlas Of The Metroscape: Common Ground? Land Use Along Portland's Urban Growth Boundary, Thomas Harvey, Martha A. Works

Metroscape

In this study we analyze the impact of the urban growth boundary on rural landscape change in Portland, Oregon, and Clark County, Washington,and assess the importance of rural and agricultural landscapes to residents of the rural-urban fringe. We selected five, 4-square mile areas in the greater Portland metropolitan area for the study. Four are in Oregon and cover the transition area from urban to rural land uses under different levels of pressure along the state-mandated and Metrodel ineated urban growth boundary. One is in the less regulated land use environment of Clark County, Washington. The kinds of questions we addressed …

The Final Frontier: Using Space Under 2040, John Provo

Metroscape

Later this year the Metro Council will face a decision about expansion of the urban growth boundary (UGB). Reaching a verdict on that question will require negotiating the conflicts between the long term regional vision described in Metro's 2040 Plan, short-term economic fluctuations, and specific local concerns. Looking at possible tradeoffs and choices facing the region, panelists at a recent Metroscape™ forum on these topics were asked to discuss the connections among implementation, design, and market challenges involved in planning for the integration of open space with denser development in regional centers.

What follows are excerpts from a panel discussion …

Regional Centers: Do They Work?, John Provo

Metroscape

Focusing on Regional Centers and other places designated in 2040, this article is the first in a two part series discussing some of the key concepts of density and open space, inseparably intertwined with our understanding of the region's quality of life. The local implementation of these regional plans will be explored through discussions with local planners, developers , and neighborhood activists. Looking back five years to the visions expressed by the citizens of Clackamas , Multnomah, and Washington Counties in Metro's 2040 plans, how have Metro and local jurisdictions planned for density and open space? How has the market …