What is the Urban Growth Boundary (UGB)?
The urban growth boundary (UGB) is a legal boundary separating urban land from rural land. The latest change to Bend’s UGB occurred in 2005 when the City added 500 acres to the boundary to address the need for additional industrial lands. Under Oregon law, each city or metropolitan area in the state has an urban growth boundary. The boundary controls urban expansion onto farms and forest lands. Land inside the UGB is intended for urban levels of housing, employment, public facilities, and other uses. These uses are supported by urban services such as roads, water and sewer systems, storm drainage, parks, schools, and fire and police protection that create thriving places to live, work and play.
The UGB is a perimeter that separates urban uses the Urban Growth Area from rural and conservation uses. Similar methods have been used for many decades by the cities of Lexington, Kentucky and Portland, Oregon. Osceola County’s previous comprehensive plans have contained urban service area concepts, but the UGB is new to the Osceola County Comprehensive Plan.
