2-25-10

At its February 25 business meeting, the Clackamas County Board of Commissioners approved an intergovernmental agreement (IGA) with Metro to designate urban and rural reserves in Clackamas County for the next 50 years.

Clackamas County Commissioner Charlotte Lehan, the County's representative on the Core 4 regional decision-making group, said, "This is certainly a significant milestone in the regional reserves process.  After two long years of hard work and compromise, of gathering and reviewing data, and of talking with the public and communities about the future of this special region, we have reached agreement."

The IGA includes a map of designated urban and rural reserve lands in Clackamas County, and planning principles for the urban reserves.  There are 70,500 acres of rural reserves (areas that will not be urbanized in the next 50 years) and 13,660 acres of urban reserves (areas that may be brought into the Portland Urban Growth Boundary [UGB] during the next 50 years)..

Lehan added, "We have come a long way in this process and, though Clackamas County is not yet fully satisfied with the results, we continue to be committed to working as an equal partner with Metro and Multnomah and Washington counties to maintain and enhance the livability and prosperity of the region."

The agreement requires concept planning for any urban reserve area brought into the UGB.  That planning must involve extensive public involvement, as well the participation of adjacent cities and area community groups.  Other provisions in the IGA and related principles include:

• Concept planning for different urban reserve areas may take place separately, but concept planning for the Stafford basin areas will be coordinated.
• Concept plans will be approved by Metro, the County and cities that will have jurisdiction of new urban areas, and new urban areas will be governed and planned by cities.
• Metro and the three metro area counties will review reserve designations in 20 years.

"This agreement could only have happened with the involvement and commitment of hundreds, even thousands of people - citizens, community groups, businesses, county and Metro staff and elected officials who worked diligently," said Clackamas County Commission Chair Lynn Peterson.  "On behalf of the Clackamas County Board, I would like to express deep appreciation to everyone who has worked on and been involved with this process."

After Metro's approval of the IGA, Metro will incorporate Clackamas County's urban reserves into its Regional Framework Plan and Clackamas County will proceed to adopt the reserves and implementing materials into its Comprehensive Plan.  That process will begin Monday, March 8, when the Clackamas County Planning Commission holds a public hearing on reserves at 6:30 p.m. at the Development Services Building at 150 Beavercreek Rd., Oregon City.