Building/Industrial Council   AGC's Position on Land Use    Statewide Planning Goals    NMFS 4(d) Rule, Goal 5    Glossary of Terms and Acronyms

METRO URBAN GROWTH MANAGEMENT FUNCTIONAL PLAN
www.metro-region.org/

Title 1 (Metro code 3.07.110-3.07.170) Requirements for Housing and Employment Accommodation

This section of the functional plan facilitates more efficient use of land by setting population and job target capacities for each city and the urban portion of each county. These targets are based on vacant land and redevelopment and infill opportunities within each jurisdiction's borders. Vacant land close to transit corridors such as light-rail lines offers the best opportunity to build compact new communities with housing And retail. A more intense level of development was assumed possible for vacant land near these transit lines and less intense development was assumed farther away from transit corridors and mixed use centers.

Cities and counties are required by this section of the functional plan to set minimum density standards for all zones allowing residential uses. The intent of this provision is to help ensure that local comprehensive plans and land use codes achieve the target capacity. The functional plan specifies a minimum density standard of 80 percent of maximum zoned density. The underlying zoning and the minimum densities established by each jurisdiction will determine its dwelling unit capacity and its ultimate ability to meet functional plan target capacities.

In addition to minimum density standards, the functional plan also requires that local governments not prohibit partitioning of existing lots that are two or more times the minimum lot size in the development code. Finally, local governments shall not prohibit the construction of an accessory unit within any detached single family dwelling unit.

IMPLEMENTATION CHOICES:
Standard Option: Zone consistent with Metro 2040 Analysis Map.

Local Option: Demonstrate that local zoning will accommodate housing and employment targets for each jurisdiction and special areas such as centers, main streets and station areas. Demonstrate that the required minimum density is at least 80 percent of maximum densities. Show that accessory units, with reasonable regulation, will be allowed in single family zones.

Title 2: (Metro code 3.07.210-3.07.220) Regional Parking Policy

The Metro 2040 Growth Concept calls for more compact development as a means to encourage more efficient use of land, promote non-auto trips and protect air quality. In addition, the federally mandated air quality plan adopted by the state relies on the 2040 Growth Concept fully achieving its transportation objectives.

This title established region wide parking policies that set the minimum number of parking spaces which can be required by local governments for certain types of new development. It does not affect existing development. Parking maximums are also specified. By not creating an over supply of parking, urban land can be used most efficiently.

IMPLEMENTATION CHOICES:
Standard Option: Change zoning to reduce parking minimums and establish parking maximums.

Local Options: Modify parking maximum map based on local conditions. Consider variances to parking minimums and maximums on a case-by-case basis.

The goal of the Stream and Floodplain Protection Plan (Title 3) is to protect the region's health and public safety by reducing flood and landslide hazards, controlling soil erosion and reducing pollution of the region's waterways. Title 3 specifically implements the Oregon Statewide Land Use Goals 6 and 7 by protecting streams, rivers, wetlands and floodplains by avoiding, limiting or mitigating the impact on these areas from development.

Title 3 contains performance standards to protect against flooding. The standards limit development in a manner that requires balanced cut and fill and requires floor elevations at least one foot above the flood hazard standard. The areas subject to these requirements have been mapped and adopted by Metro Council. The areas are the FEMA 100-year floodplain and the area of inundation for the February 1996 flood.

The purpose of these standards is to protect and allow enhancement of water quality. The water quality areas are rivers and streams with a protected vegetated corridor width depending on the slope of the stream and the number of acres drained by the stream. The performance standards require erosion and sediment control, planting of native vegetation on the stream banks when new development occurs and prohibition of the storage of new uses of uncontained hazardous material in water quality areas.

Finally, the functional plan directs Metro to establish performance standards to protect regionally significant fish and wild habitat areas. Local jurisdictions are to complete Title 3 work by December 1999.

IMPLEMENTATION CHOICES
Standard Option: Protect areas in Metro Water Quality and Flood Management Map

Local Option: Establish that local existing or modified plans and ordinances meet performance standard for protecting water quality and managing flood prone areas.

Title 4 requires cities and counties to prohibit retail development in excess of 60,000 square feet per building in areas designated as "industrial" on the Title 4 map. The intent of this regulation is to help focus retail development in mixed-use areas where it can be served by a variety of modes. Industrial areas are often separated from neighborhoods and are located along freeway interchanges and can only be reached by auto.

This regulation also limits the size of retail in designated employment areas. Retail uses are allowed if they can demonstrate transportation facilities are adequate to serve the proposed retail use and for the other planned uses in the Employment area. Metro has adopted an industrial and employment area map to accompany this regulation. The map may be amended at the request of cities or counties.

IMPLEMENTATION CHOICES:
Standard Option: Prohibit retail uses larger than 60,000 square feet in Industrial and regulate development of such retail in Employment areas.

Local Option: Exempt uses that are low traffic generating, land-consumptive uses with low parking demand and exempt areas that already have a substantial amount of retail.

This section of the functional plan directs Metro to work with its neighbor cities to protect common locations for green corridors along transportation corridors connecting the Metro region and each neighboring city. The intent is to protect the land along these corridors from continuous strip development to maintain their rural character and agricultural economy. The neighboring cities are Canby, Sandy and North Plains.

Implementation Choices: Implementation only through joint agreements of neighboring cities such as Canby, Sandy, North Plains and others.

Title 6: (Metro code 3.07.610-3.07.640) Regional Accessibility (Regional Transportation Plan)

This title addresses the coordination of transportation with land use. It includes improving the street grid, establishing mode split targets in the Central City, regional centers and station communities and revising level of service standards. These policies are "early implementation" of some of the new Regional Transportation Plan policies, as well as implementing the 2040 Growth Concept. The level of service standards allow Metro land use developments that create traffic congestion where multi-modal options are planned in centers, main streets and station areas.

The intent is to manage accessibility in the region by ensuring that local road systems are provided in sufficient frequency to ensure that regional roads continue to serve regional trips. Also to better manage scarce public funds, revise level of service standards and to focus on truly congested roads and intersections. In the key mixed use areas, the Central City, regional centers and station communities, mode split goals have been set to clarify transportation performance expectations.

IMPLEMENTATION CHOICES:
Standard Option: For new development on vacant lands develop a street connection every 660 feet or less, maximum 200-foot cul-de-sac depth, maximum 28-foot curb-to-curb width. (No requirement to retrofit existing neighborhoods). Ensure that arterials in centers (not freeways or highways) consider pedestrian, transit and bicycle accessibility. Revise level of service standards to focus on the most problematic streets and intersections.

Local Option: Street interval spacing at intervals of 8 per mile or more, with performance standards that limit local trips to no more than 25% of total trips on regional facilities; and establish acceptable levels of out-of-direction travel within local networks.

A series of tools and approaches to encourage more affordable housing is recommended, but not required. This title addresses the policy within RUGGO Objective 17 to promote strategies that ensure sufficient and affordable housing.

The intent of this title is not to require local government changes, but to suggest tools and approaches that could be used, at local government discretion, to provide additional affordable housing.

IMPLEMENTATION CHOICES
Local Option: Cities or counties may consider using one or more of the eight tools and approaches listed. These could include donating tax-foreclosed properties, fee waivers for affordable housing projects, inclusionary zoning, etc.

This title ensures that all cities and counties in the region are fairly and equitably held to the same standards and that the Metro 2040 Growth Concept is implemented. Local jurisdictions will have 24 months from the Effective date (2/19/97) to change local regulations. Cities and counties will need to transmit modified plans and findings showing how they have complied on or before six months prior to the 24 month deadline. Local jurisdictions can request exemptions from any or all titles from the Metro Council after Metro Policy Advisory Committee (MPAC) review. Jurisdictions may request a detailed plan for implementation from Metro for consideration.

This title will ensure that progress is measured and managed. All cities and counties in the region will participate with Metro in measuring, on a biennial basis for the next six years, advancements toward the goals of each of the above titles.

Progress measurements will be developed once the functional plan is adopted. The public, cities and counties will have the opportunity to help formulate the benchmarks. Each biennium, local jurisdictions and Metro will gather and analyze data and determine the amount of progress on a regional, as well as local basis.

This title defines the words and terms used in the document.