Urban Growth BoundariesContaining Sprawl Has Its Costs

Control urban expansion onto farm and forest Promote efficient use of land Protect natural areas Define urban and rural areas

source: EPA

Defining Rural Areas

In Oregon’s Willamette River Valley UGBs are drawing a line between what is urban and what is rural

Smart Growth ?

Advocates say it promotes economic activity Creating cities without suburbs Creates infill

Critics say they do more harm than good Creates a rise in housing costs Forces low income families elsewhere Destroys the neighborhood character Limit human capital

PORTLAND, OREGON (UGB)

Positive Effects

Portland’s pedestrian friendly areas are a result of the UGB’s

Growth of high tech and medical industries brought in nearly 400,000 high income, educated residents

Created a hip urban areaPortland has many mixed use areasthat are easily accessible by the mass-transit system (the max)

Big box retailers stay clear of Portland’s high priced downtown areas

Negative Effects

Single family home prices went from $104,000 to $160,000 from 1990 to 2000 and $195,000 to $355,000 from 2002 to 2007

Average home prices dropping after 2007 due to slowing economy everywhere

UGB’s may be excluding lower income families due to higher housing costs in the area.

Portland is trying to curb this by implementing the Mandated Fair-Share Program

Portland an UGB model