Oregon Public Broadcasting

Portland-area farm and conservation groups joined forces Monday to call for greater protection of open space. As Rob Manning reports, the proposed map comes as area officials approach final decisions on where the region will grow.

The Metro regional government and area counties begin public meetings this week before making final decisions on where future urban development – or urban reserves – should go, and where farming and wildlife should be conserved – as rural reserves.

Metro’s draft map allots 24,000 to 31,000 acres for future urban development.

But farm and environmental groups united to say that’s about 10,000 acres more than what’s needed, and proposed their own map.

Dave VanAshe is with the Washington County Farm Bureau.

Dave VanAshe: “We can’t afford to lose any more land in the metropolitan area, or our critical mass will disappear, and we’ll lose our suppliers and our ag infrastructure. We’re at the point of no return here.”

On the other hand, some business groups say there’s not enough land for urban development.