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For the first time, the metro area’s urban growth boundary will not move outward, following a unanimous vote by Metro councilors on Thursday. They took several factors into account when making the decision to keep in place the boundary that separates farmland from land available for urban development.

The council felt that despite previous UGB expansions, most development was happening in the same sections of the metro area.

鈥淥ur challenges in the Portland-metro area aren’t about land supply,鈥� said Jim Middaugh, Metro’s communications director. 鈥淭hey’re about land readiness.鈥�

The decision also took into account the state’s history, including preservation of as much farmland as possible.

鈥淚n Oregon we have a long tradition of trying to protect the land that nurtures us,鈥� Middaugh said. 鈥淭he decision that the Metro Council made reflects that heritage and tradition in Oregon.鈥�

By law, the Metro Council has to assure that enough land is available to provide for 20 years of growth population. The council is required to look into that every six years. With understanding that the recession has significantly affected development plans, the council made a commitment to review the situation again in three years.

鈥淲e’re coming out of a recession and we’ve seen such a boom in the multifamily market in the Portland region,鈥� Middaugh said. 鈥淲e don’t know whether that’s going to continue or not, whether that’s the result of a hangover from the recession or not.鈥�