In the early 1970's the then Governor of Ore. Tom McCall created the LCDC (Land Conservation and Development Commission). City growth had to fit within a County and State plan. The Municipalities were required to create an urban growth boundary that allowed for planned growth for 20 years.
The UGB here was an area circling Eugene & Springfield called "The Metro Plan". Originally it was a large area, and as growth filled it up, it was also to grow to retain a 20 year supply of land.
Then some local anti-growth politicians (read Eugene) hijacked it and imposed their vision for the future. That vision is an inflexible boundary that becomes denser and denser as time goes by. Allowable lot sizes were reduced to 4500 sq. ft. Streets became narrower.
There was a newspaper (guess which one) with an article a couple of years ago that predicted new neighborhoods built at a density of 20 homes per acre. (It was around 6).
It is happening. You've seen it.
Land is becoming scarcer and prices are skyrocketing, taking new home prices with it. New houses are being crammed into every nook and cranny almost on top of each other.
This is NOT because of greedy developers. Springfield planners have long wanted to allow the boundaries to grow, but they have been dominated and restricted by Eugene, because it is one Metro Plan.
UNTIL NOW.
Senate Bill 3337 has passed into law!
http://www.leg.state.or.us/07reg/measpdf/hb3300.dir/hb3337.en.pdf
Eugene and Springfield are now separated. This is monumental for the area. The stranglehold that some Eugene politicians have had on growth is broken. The Bill requires each city to create their independent 20 year plan within 2 years. Springfield has theirs already a year in planning.
Some Eugene politicians say that they don't interpret it that way, and don't intend to do anything until FORCED to. (Duh!-what a surprise).
I’ll keep you posted.
Terry@OMTmortgage.com
November 1, 2007 10:56 AM
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