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public hearings in most other neigh-

Between 1990 and 2000, Portland grew by

borhoods slated for densification.

21 percent, while its Oregon suburbs such as

Instead, plans were written by commit-

Beaverton and Gresham grew by 30 to 40 per-

tees consisting of a few neighborhood

cent. Meanwhile, Vancouver, Washington--

residents who were prescreened to

directly across the Columbia River from

insure they supported Portland's densi-

Portland but beyond the reach of Portland

planners--grew by 210 percent.53 Though

fication, along with many more nonres-

idents, such as officials representing

Vancouver started the decade with barely 10

TriMet and other government agencies.

percent of Portland's population, it actually

· In 1997 voters in the Portland suburb

gained more new residents during the 1990s

than the city of Portland.

of Milwaukie recalled their mayor and

Meanwhile, 45 miles south of Portland,

a majority of their city council from

Salem grew fast enough to overtake Eugene as

office because the council had

Oregon's second-largest city in 2001. Like all

approved a plan to rezone part of the

city for higher densities.57 Planners

Oregon cities, Salem has an urban-growth

boundary, but planners there were less aggres-

were greatly relieved when no other city

sive than in Portland and so Salem's housing

followed the suburb's example.

· Public hearings held in 1998 on light-

market has remained more affordable.54

rail expansion plans revealed planners'

Rather than preventing sprawl, Portland's

lack of commitment to the democratic

planning has to some degree accelerated it.

process. At the first few hearings, plan-

Instead of leading people to drive less, the

ners intimidated anyone who attempt-

plans are forcing people to commute long

ed to distribute anti-light-rail litera-

distances to find affordable housing.

ture, even just copies of their testimo-

ny, by threatening them with arrest for

Myth #5:

"criminal trespass."58 Metro changed

Portlanders Love Planning

this policy after it realized that the First

Amendment allowed people to express

their opinions at public hearings.

Portland's planning represents "true

· In November, 1998, Portland-area vot-

direct democracy in action," says the BBC.55

ers rejected, by 47-to-53, the proposed

Hardly: Several recent elections and other

expansion to the light-rail system. Yet

events have seen defeats for the planners, but

TriMet is expanding anyway, using tax-

they continue to plan anyway.

increment financing--the only way

· In

local officials in Oregon can use prop-

1995, planners began rezoning

erty taxes without a public vote--to

neighborhoods to higher densities. The

finance the new lines.

first neighborhood targeted for densifi-

Thanks to

· In 2002 planning opponents put a mea-

cation was Oak Grove, where I lived at

planning-induced

the time. When planners held public

sure on the ballot that would forbid

hearings to find out how residents felt

Metro, Portland's regional planning

housing

about the plan, they were confronted by

agency, from requiring that more neigh-

shortages, the

hundreds of angry homeowners. Local

borhoods be rezoned to higher densities.

fastest growing

government officials reluctantly asked

Having already densified dozens of

Metro, Portland's regional planning

neighborhoods, Metro responded with

city in the

agency, to take Oak Grove off the list of

its own measure that put a moratorium

Portland area is

neighborhoods slated for rezoning, say-

on  densification  through  2015.

ing "there is no community support"

Planning advocates claimed victory

Vancouver,

for the plan.56 Metro and other local

when Metro's measure won--but if they

Washington.

had really believed that voters supported

governments responded by not holding

10