Metro wants to expand urban growth boundary

(DECEMBER 8, 2018) Oregon law created urban growth boundaries in 1973. An urban growth boundary is a border around Oregon cities. It stops urban growth. It protects farm land and forests.

Metro is a regional government of several cities in the Portland area. Metro wants to expand the urban growth boundary by 2,200 acres. This expansion would allow people to build 9,200 new homes. They would be built in Beaverton, Hillsboro, King City, and Wilsonville.

Metro will vote on the decision Thursday, December 13, 2018.

Beaverton asked for 1,232 acres in the Cooper Mountain area for 3,760 homes.

King City asked for 528 acres for 3,300 homes.

Wilsonville asked for 271 acres for 1,325 homes.

Hillsboro wants 150 acres for 850 homes.

Housing is more and more expensive in the Portland area. Metro believes the new homes will help to lower housing prices. Others, however, disagree. They say new homes require new streets, sewers, and water pipes. This will make the homes expensive to buy or rent.

Experts also say that the Portland area needs many more homes. They say the city needs 280,000 more homes by the year 2038. Some of these new homes will be apartments in the city.