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Residents and groups urge council to scale back proposed 855-acre UGB expansion
Summary
Public commenters at the March 3 North Plains council meeting urged the city to reconsider an 855-acre Urban Growth Boundary expansion, citing farmland loss, fiscal costs and concerns about staff recommendations and manager authority.
Several residents and local groups used the public comment period at the March 3 North Plains City Council meeting to urge caution on a proposed 855-acre Urban Growth Boundary (UGB) expansion.
Lori Furrow read an excerpt of testimony attributed to Ronald Bunch arguing that the 855-acre proposal was unsuitable for North Plains, would remove irreplaceable farmland, pose large costs and lacked a clear business plan. Jeremy Anderson, speaking for a newly formed local Strong Towns chapter, said the community had voted against UGB expansion previously and urged the council to consider restoring powers to elected officials that he said had been shifted toward the city manager.
Chris Edmonds, representing Southeast Area property owners, said the Southeast Area appeared in the most preferred map alternatives and that landowners were willing to work with the city on concept planning, noting existing infrastructure and potential business opportunities. Aaron Nichols of Friends of North Plains thanked staff for the relook process but said the staff recommendation was not yet appropriate and recommended reconsidering the Housing Needs Analysis and Economic Opportunities Analysis and conducting additional initial studies.
No formal council action on the UGB was recorded in the business meeting portion of the minutes; the topic was listed on the earlier work session agenda. Public commenters raised concerns about scale, fiscal impacts and process; council members did not take a formal vote during the business meeting portion of the transcript.
