Did you know that Portland Metro area contributes 1/5th of the total share of agriculture production value for the entire state? I certainly didn’t. So it stands to reason that any adjustments to the urban growth boundary not only has an impact on our region’s livability, but the entire state’s diet, no?
Yes, that’s just one fact that ought to inform urban planning discussions. But don’t look to me for the details — instead, see what Cooking Up a Story has to say. As ever, Rebecca & Fred Gerendasy & their team have extensive background information, along with the video we show below in their post.
The CUpS people sat down with Jim Johnson, land use planner for the Oregon Department of Agriculture, to discuss the Reserves Process, how the land use laws in Oregon came into being, and what they are designed to accomplish.
Johnson shared the 1/5th factoid above with CUpS, and also told them that this area contains some of the best agricultural soils in the nation. Yes, the nation.
So doesn’t it make sense for those who value locally-grown produce, for starters, to pay close attention to anything that would change existing boundaries? Well, there’s a meeting today you should know about.
Urban and rural reserves meeting
You are invited to an open house and Metro Council hearing to share your views about urban and rural reserves. The open house is from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. and will be held in the Sharron Kelly room (room 200). The Metro Council hearing begins at 6 p.m. and will be in the Chinook room (room 180). You will have 3 minutes to state your points.
Details:
Monday, Jan 11
Starts at 4:30 pm
Multnomah County East Building
600 NE 8th Ave.
Gresham, OR
Our thanks to Rebecca from Cooking Up a Story for tipping us off to this important issue!
Comments on this entry are closed.