Troutdale balks at Metro land-use restrictions

Plan would leave city woefully short on developable land, mayor says

By Shannon Wells

The Gresham Outlook, Sep 18, 2009, Updated Oct 30, 2009 (3 Reader comments)

ADVERTISEMENTS

Jim Kight supports the concept of an urban growth boundary. Troutdale’s mayor also wants to consider the long-term livability of the city he leads.

He and the City Council are pushing to leave a 775-acre swath of undeveloped land in the city’s southeast corner as urban reserves eligible for future development.

Michael Jordan, chief operating officer of Metro regional government, apparently disagrees. He’s recommending that Metro Council reject the city’s request for urban reserves, effectively thwarting development of the area for a 50-year period.

To express his concern, Kight — with the support of neighboring mayors of Gresham, Fairview and Wood Village — said he sent a “letter of support” to the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners. Kight also plans to send the letter of support to Metro Council members.

Given Troutdale’s hemmed-in position — with the Columbia and Sandy rivers to the north and east and neighboring cities to the west and south — there is virtually no direction in which Troutdale can grow. Aside from 24 acres that could now be built upon, the only real exception is the 775-acre space bounded by Strebin Road, Division Street, 302nd Avenue and a leg of Southeast Troutdale Road.

“We have to have a 50-year land supply, as required by the state of Oregon,” Kight said. “You have to have property available for people to build residential housing.”

1 | 2 Next Page >>