Tensions between cities, counties and Metro have been building for years, and many see MPAC as ineffective in its ability to advise the Metro Council. About 20 mayors gathered for the first meeting of the group.

After a years-long process to envision a new way to analyze the urban growth boundary, the Metro Council votes to add 1,985 acres of developable land to the Portland region.

Today the Metro Council voted 6-0 to add 1985 acres to the region’s urban growth boundary for future housing and jobs. (Councilor Rex Burkholder was excused.) This represents less than a one-percent expansion of the region’s urban footprint to accommodate thousands of additional households and workers over the next 20 years.

On Thursday, the Metro Council amended its proposed ordinance to expand the urban growth boundary by adding one new area for consideration at its final public hearing on Thursday, Oct. 20.

Metro Councilor Carl Hosticka makes suggestion to add 48 acres to the area Metro is considering for an urban growth boundary expansion. Council's proposal also sets a baseline for units per acre in expansion areas.

The Oregon Land Conservation and Development Commission was reviewing reserves for the second time in a year. This time, commissioners agreed with the plan crafted by Metro and the region's three counties.

On Thursday, the Oregon Land Conservation and Development Commission will begin its review of the revised proposal for urban and rural reserves in Washington County. This revised proposal, which the Metro Council and the Washington County Board of Commissioners agreed to in March, identifies more than 13,000 acres of land for future urban development over the next 50 years while setting aside more than 151,000 acres of land as rural areas for the same 50 years.

Metro staff tells council that the top options for possible 2011 urban growth boundary expansion are in Hillsboro. Areas near Beaverton, Tigard, Wilsonville, Cornelius and Oregon City are also possibilities, or the Metro Council could decide to leave the boundary as-is.

Metro, the Port of Portland, Portland Business Alliance, Business Oregon and the Oregon Chapter of NAIOP are undertaking a comprehensive review of the region’s inventory of large industrial sites and assessing their readiness to support new private-sector jobs.

Hillsboro wants Metro to study land north of U.S. 26 for a potential urban growth boundary expansion. Tigard also eyeing about 400 acres; Clackamas County asks for an eventual study of Stafford.