Page 20 - TransportationPlanUsetsGuide

Local Jurisdiction Documents
Sixteen cities are wholly or partially located in Washington County: Banks, Beaverton, Cornelius, Durham, Forest Grove,
Gaston, Hillsboro, King City, Lake Oswego, North Plains, Portland, River Grove, Sherwood, Tigard, Tualatin, and Wilsonville.
Cities are responsible for the transportation system within their boundaries, with the exception of transportation facilities
under the jurisdiction of the state or county. Given the interdependence of city, county and state transportation facilities
and services, coordination of system design, improvements, and management policies and practices is important. Wash-
ington County coordinates with cities, adjacent counties, and state and regional agencies on a continuous basis. Formal
coordination is accomplished through Urban Planning Area Agreements (UPAAs) or other intergovernmental agreements
that specifically define local government relationships and responsibilities. Ongoing coordination occurs through the
Washington County Coordinating Committee (WCCC) and the WCCC Transportation Advisory Committee; project Technical
Advisory Committees established by the County, cities or other agencies; and the ongoing work conducted by these agen-
cies. TriMet, the regional public transit provider, also develops plans that affect transportation in Washington County. Key
TriMet documents include the Westside Service Enhancement Plan and the Southwest Service Enhancement Plan.

Washington County Population and Employment Trends
Washington County is one of the fastest-growing counties in the Pacific Northwest. The following section documents
changes in population, employment, travel demand, and land use over the past decade and forecasts those trends
into the future. Since 1973, Washington County’s urban growth and rural preservation have taken place in an efficient
pattern consistent with requirements of Oregon’s Urban Growth Management Program. Requirements that guide de-
velopment in Washington County were further refined in 1994 through the Metro 2040 Growth Concept, which called
for dense, active centers connected by multimodal transportation corridors. These planning requirements have helped
contain and focus urban growth, protect industrial and employment areas, and protect the rural areas outside of the
Urban Growth Boundary.

Metro’s 2040 Growth Concept
Metro’s 2040 Growth Concept describes development in the Portland metropolitan region through the year 2040. The
2040 Growth Concept:
• Encourages efficient land use, directing most development to existing urban centers and along existing
major transportation corridors;
• Promotes a balanced transportation system within the region that accommodates a variety of transporta-
tion options such as bicycling, walking, driving and public transit; and
• Supports the region’s goal of building complete communities by providing jobs and shopping close to
where people live.

Urban and Rural Reserves
In 2011, Clackamas, Multnomah, and Washington counties and Metro collaborated on a regional effort to determine
growth trends in the region for the next 40 to 50 years. Urban and Rural Reserves are intended to provide greater pre-
dictability for the region regarding where future growth may take place, while protecting important farmland and natural
areas from urbanization.

Urban Growth Boundary
Several amendments to the Urban Growth Boundary (UGB) have occurred since the completion of the Washington
County Transportation System Plan. In 2002, 18,867 acres were added to the UGB to provide for 38,657 housing units,
and 2,671 acres were added for additional jobs. This action also included important regional policies to support neigh-
borhoods, protect industrial areas, and enhance regional and town centers. In 2004, an additional 1,956 acres were
added to the UGB to address the need for industrial lands identified as part of the 2002 planning process. In 2005, the
Metro Council added 345 acres of land for industrial purposes, which completed the 2002 planning process. In 2011,
the Metro Council added 1,985 acres to the UGB to address the anticipated 20-year need for new housing and jobs.

10 PART 1: BACKGROUND
Effective November 27, 2015 • Updated December, 15 2016