Save the Region’s Farm Land – NOW is the Time to Act 
YOUR voice is needed NOW to preserve our region’s valuable
farmland and natural resources. Elected officials will soon decide
which lands will be protected and which areas will be developed over
the next 50 years. This is a critical time to share your opinion with
your mayors, county
commissioners, and Metro Councilors before these important decisions
are made.
Background on
Urban and Rural Reserves
Metro and Washington, Multnomah, and Clackamas counties are in the last
stage of designating urban reserves and rural reserves for the Portland
metropolitan region. They are jointly deciding which lands will
be protected for agricultural production, forest purposes, and natural
resources, and which lands will be developed for urban uses over the
next 50 years.
Please attend one of the upcoming hearings (dates & locations below) and
share your views about the
importance of protecting our farmland and natural resources. Also, please share this message with your county's elected officials.
Click here to contact Multnomah County Leaders and Metro Councilors NOW!
Under Current
Proposal: More Sprawl, Traffic & Costly Growth!
The current proposal (click here to see map)
designates over 25,000 acres around the region for future urbanization
– and most of that is farmland, especially in Washington
County. The county and the region propose to pave over some of
the world’s best farm land – land that is
irreplaceable.
No matter where you live in the region, you should care and share your
comments about this proposal. We each live, work, shop, and play
throughout the region. The fruits and vegetables you enjoy at
your local
farmers market comes from farms in every county. The Tualatin
Mountains; the Clackamas, Willamette, and Sandy rivers; Sauvie’s
Island; Jackson Bottom Wetlands – all form our collective sense
of place and deserve long-term protection for future generations.
Click here to contact Multnomah County Leaders and Metro Councilors NOW!
Large Rural Reserves, Small
Urban Reserves Benefit Everyone
- Large urban reserves are NOT in the best interest of maintaining and enhancing vibrant cities.
Residents of every neighborhood want better transit service and more
parks, community centers, and theaters. Many cities need
additional investment to keep and grow vibrant neighborhoods and retail
areas, such as sidewalks, boulevards, civic centers, local grocery
stores, spaces for farmers markets, etc. However, studies show the cost
of providing infrastructure on new land at the urban edge is at least
twice as expensive as accommodating growth in the existing urban area,
through infill and redevelopment. The region has limited
public and private dollars for investment in infrastructure.
Large urban growth boundary expansions will cause that investment to
move to the edge, competing directly with existing neighborhoods and
town centers.
- Preserve
Farmland.
Washington and Clackamas County farmland is among the most productive
in the world, producing $700 million in farm products last year.
The region is uniquely situated with great soils, climate, and rain,
allowing a diversity of farm products from berries to hazelnuts to wine
grapes to Christmas trees. The region’s farm value has increased
every year for over 2 decades – a record that is unmatched by any
other industry. Our local farms supply a growing economy of
farmers markets, neighborhood grocery stores and restaurants, and
tourism. Protecting farmland protects a valuable piece of our local
economy!
- Reduce our
Carbon Footprint.
A more compact urban area will help meet our region’s and
the state’s goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Reducing our
need to drive by providing walkable neighborhoods and transit also
gives residents greater transportation choices and creates healthier
communities.
Click here to Contact Multnomah County Leaders and Metro Councilors NOW!
The most effective voice in this process is YOURS – those making
the decision already know 1000 Friends’ opinion. What they
don’t know is YOURS. Please share it today – it will
only take a few minutes. You can also comment on Metro's website
beginning Jan. 11. New detailed maps, descriptions of proposed reserves
and online surveys will be available.
Public Hearings: Your Chance to Make Your Voice Heard
Monday, January 11th
- Open House and Public Hearing. Multnomah County East, 600 NE 8th,
Gresham - Open House begins at 4:30pm; Public Hearing begins at 6pm.
Thursday, January 14th - Open House and Public Hearing. Metro Regional Center, 600 NE Grand, Portland. Open House begins at 4:30pm; Public Hearing begins at 6pm.
Saturday, January 16th - Open House. Washington County Public Services Building, 155 N. 1st, Hillsboro. Open House from 10am - 1pm.
Tuesday, January 19th - Open House. Clackamas County Development Services Building, 150 Beavercreek Rd., Oregon City. Open House from 4:30 - 6:30pm.
Wednesday, January 20th
- Open House and Public Hearing. Sherwood Community Center, 22560 SW
Pine St., Sherwood - Open House begins at 4:30pm; Public Hearing begins
at 6pm.
Thursday, January 21st
- Open House and Public Hearing. Wilsonville City Hall, 29799 SW Town
Center Loop E., Wilsonville - Open House begins at 4:30pm; Public
Hearing begins at 6pm.
Speakers at the public hearings will be given three
minutes each. Please arrive early to sign-up to testify if you can. For advice on testifying at a Public Hearing, click here
or for more information contact Tara Sulzen,
Field Organizer at 503-497-1000 ext. 137.
For additional information on Urban and Rural Reserves, visit Metro's Reserves website.
 Your participation in our campaigns
makes a huge
difference when it comes to the important work of 1000 Friends of
Oregon.
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