In Oregon we have had in place land use laws for almost a generation now, under the Urban Growth Boundary umbrella.  You can research some of this at Metro, the regional government site @ http://www.metro-region.org/pssp.cfm?ProgServID=3.  Most recently, it was decided to set aside 80,000 acres for future development over 15 years instead of piecemeal 5,000 over 5 years as before, so that developers and property owners could see a longer range picture.  - KWC

 

Elsewhere in today’s news

Six groups join forces for a war on sprawl

Alliance vows to press Romney to guide growth

By Anthony Flint, Globe Staff, 6/11/2003

Housing advocates and environmentalists have banded together to form a sweeping new political alliance to pressure the Romney administration to do something about sprawl in Massachusetts, promising to hold the governor's ''feet to the fire'' on his campaign promises to change the rules on development.

The Massachusetts Smart Growth Alliance is made up of six separate advocacy groups that have agreed to work together on the sprawl issue. Similar alliances have organized in states that have overhauled development rules, including Oregon, Maryland, and New Jersey.

The ''smart growth'' movement has gathered momentum around the country over the past 10 years, promoting the redevelopment of existing urban areas and transit-oriented planning to avoid the urban sprawl that comes from building on undeveloped land in suburban and rural areas accessible only by car.

http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/162/metro/Six_groups_join_forces_for_a_war_on_sprawl+.shtml

First rule on Romney list -- redevelop in built-up places

By Anthony Flint, Boston Globe, 6/11/2003.   

The Romney administration is quietly circulating a set of guidelines for future development in the state, which are likely to become the basis for new rules on the location and style of residential and commercial projects.

The principles also provide a glimpse of how the administration favors transit, biking, and walking over building roads, and how it intends to conserve open space, historic sites, and water supplies.

Conventional development, such as office parks off major highways, is not endorsed.

The first rule is to ''redevelop first'' -- that is, to direct growth to already built-up places. The administration also intends to support concentrated development where people can walk and that ''fosters a sense of place.''

The Office of Commonwealth Development, which is circulating the guidelines, also wants to:

*Spread the burdens and benefits of development in an ''equitable'' fashion to ''ensure social, economic, and environmental justice.''

*Increase the quality and quantity of open space.

*Expand the use of renewable energy and support environmentally sensitive construction methods, or ''green building.''

*Coordinate construction and rehabilitation of new housing.

*Emphasize transit, walking, and biking, and encourage development where ''a variety of transportation modes are available.''

*Encourage regional planning for development that considers ''the long-term costs and benefits to the larger Commonwealth.''

http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/162/metro/First_rule_on_Romney_list_redevelop_in_built_up_places+.shtml

 

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