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The Metro Council next month will decide whether to expand the urban growth boundary, and the number of expansion possibilities is continuing to grow.

The Metro Policy Advisory Committee 鈥� a 21-member group that helps guide land-use decisions for the Metro Council 鈥� last week voted to recommend adding four areas, a total of 1,120 acres, to a list of potential residential expansion areas. The council already is set to consider two other areas that total 1,606 acres.

Urban growth boundary expansion possibilities

The Metro Council recommended areas for study to be included in potential UGB expansion for residential housing. They include:

• 1,063 acres south of Hillsboro 鈥� south of Tualatin Valley Highway and west of Southwest 209th Avenue; and
• 543 acres of the South Cooper Mountain area near Beaverton 鈥� north of Southwest Scholls Ferry Road and east of Tile Flat Road.

The Metro Policy Advisory Committee recommends considering four additional areas. They include:

• 256 acres west of Tigard, near the intersection of Southwest Roy Rogers Road and Southwest Beef Bend Road;
• 276 acres west of Sherwood, near Oregon Route 99W and Southwest Kruger Road;
• 272 acres south and east of Cornelius; and
• 316 acres adjacent to Wilsonville, near Advance Road.

Metro policy requires that a notice be sent to every household within one mile of an area being considered for an urban growth boundary expansion. Metro Council is expected to finalize the list of those households Tuesday afternoon.

鈥淐onsidering there is a cost associated with mailing these notices, we’ve been trying to be very strategic in only considering areas that have a realistic chance of being included in an expansion,鈥� said Ken Ray, a Metro spokesman.

The Metro Council has already determined it will consider a 1,063-acre area south of Tualatin Valley Highway and west of Southwest 209th Avenue near Hillsboro, and the 543-acre South Cooper Mountain area, north of Southwest Scholls Ferry Road and east of Tile Flat Road. Both areas are being considered to accommodate residential housing and not employment.

But MPAC members recommend four other areas be considered for residential expansion: three in Washington County and one in Clackamas County. These include a 256-acre parcel west of Tigard, a 276-acre parcel west of Sherwood, a 272-acre parcel southeast of Cornelius and a 316-acre parcel near Wilsonville.

Metro officials, staffers and MPAC members all have made it clear throughout the process that just because these areas are being considered for UGB expansion doesn’t mean they will be included in one.

鈥淭he action taken by MPAC isn’t an endorsement; it’s about what areas should be included in the noticing,鈥� Ray said. 鈥淢PAC will make its recommendation for an expansion at its (Sept. 28) meeting.鈥�

Both sides of the UGB expansion issue have advocates. Officials at the Home Builders Association of Metropolitan Portland have strongly supported adding multiple areas to the UGB for housing needs, while land-use advocacy group 1000 Friends of Oregon has taken a hard stance against any expansion whatsoever.

Complicating the matter is the fact that the five potential expansion areas in Washington County could encounter a legal snag because of the county’s urban and rural reserves map. It outlines land that can and cannot be brought into the UGB over a 50-year period. After the long-range growth map was remanded to Washington County and Metro officials last year, the Land Conservation and Development Commission finally approved a revised version in August.

But even though the map received approval, it’s likely to be appealed to the Oregon Court of Appeals. Cherry Amabisca, leader of Save Helvetia, said her group would most likely appeal the decision, but it is waiting for the LCDC to release its final written order.

According to Lisa Howard, assistant to the director of the Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development, that final written notice is expected to be issued in November. The Metro Council plans to take its final vote on whether to expand the UGB at its Oct. 20 meeting.

But according to Ray, the possibility of an appeal won’t affect the council’s actions.

鈥淣o, we’re not going to wait for the Court of Appeals if the reserves process is appealed,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e’ve got the basis to make a decision since LCDC has approved the reserves map, and we feel fairly confident with the process we went through.鈥�

In addition to lands being discussed for residential housing, the Metro Council is also going to examine at least one area for industrial employment: a 330-acre parcel north of Hillsboro. Also during the MPAC meeting, members decided to add two other industrial areas to the discussion: a 115-acre area north of Forest Grove and a 117-acre area south of Tualatin.