North Plains Leaders Already Pushing Ahead Despite Crushing Loss On Growth Vote

Here is the City of North Plains Growth Map from the City slide shows, with a Red arrow pointing to the location where the two cities (Hillsboro-North Plains) will likely connect in the future. Will the City of North Plains leaders really listen or will they double down and force growth?

Editors Note: To all our readers, especially those in North Plains and Hillsboro. This has been one of the most divisive years in Washington County History. What we have seen happening is unprecedented. Leaders from North Plains, Hillsboro, Washington County, and the State of Oregon have pushed several very aggressive agenda items so hard that people finally woke up and became enraged. And they should be. As the leaders in North Plains openly misrepresented that they “have to grow” touching off a dividing community battle, leaders in North Hillsboro took the opposite path. Hillsboro leadership has been working on land agreements privately at Jackson School and Meek Road, where thousands of acres of pristine farmland still produce a bounty. Behind all of this is the CHIPS ACT and the Oregon CHIPS ACT. Billions of dollars are lined up, and so are all the players. Governor Kotek and Senator Janeen Sollman are licking their chops, as are many landowners looking at a 10X to 20X value increase. The pieces are all on the board, and the moves that are taking place are only partly visible. As all of this happens, Washington County is rushing through aggressive new rules aimed at allowing them to authorize roads, sewers, and other public infrastructure in sensitive habitat zones with an exemption from the typical rules. Many emails, phone calls, code reviews, and more have helped me obtain this information.

That old saying, where there is smoke, there is fire, is very appropriate right now. The people of North Plains are discovering that their leaders are determined to push this growth. If they focus on the area on the bottom right of the Map above (290.8 acres), then we know this is really about connecting with the proposed tech growth and utilities in North Hillsboro and cashing in on it. We all need to watch and, by all means, speak up. This is going to really be something to see play out. The timelines are compressed now- the Oregon Chips Act runs out at the end of this year in terms of identifying new lands for inclusion. Information I have been given at the highest levels indicates that something big is coming. Please email us at hillsboroherald@gmail.com in confidence if you have additional information.

Now, on the news of the day!

North Plains Revisits UGB Expansion Plan After Community Vote

The North Plains City Council is proposing a revised approach to expanding the Urban Growth Boundary (UGB) following a decisive public vote against the previous plan in May 2024.

The new proposal emphasizes increased community engagement, but some residents remain concerned about the timeline and the makeup of the committee tasked with developing the plan.

Key Points:

Community Input: The city council acknowledges the need for greater public involvement. However, critics argue the timeframe is too short for meaningful engagement. They suggest the city utilize the time afforded by the Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD) to conduct a comprehensive visioning process with residents.
Data-Driven Decisions: Concerns exist regarding the data used to justify the UGB expansion. Residents urge the city to consider recent population projections from Portland State University, which show lower growth estimates than previously used. They also call for a reevaluation of existing documents, such as the housing needs analysis.
Inclusive Committee: The proposed Policy Advisory Committee (PAC) is a point of contention. Residents advocate for wider representation within the PAC, including those who opposed the initial UGB expansion plan and community members from surrounding areas potentially impacted by the expansion.

How to Get Involved:

Attend the city council meeting on July 15th at 7:00 PM at the Jessie Mays Community Center and provide public testimony.
Submit written comments to info@northplains.org .
Mark your calendars for the next city council meeting on August 1st, where the revised plan will be voted on.

Residents are encouraged to personalize their feedback and emphasize what they envision for the future of North Plains. The goal is to achieve a UGB expansion plan with broad community support grounded in a clear vision for the city’s long-term development.