Why is Metro issuing 20- and 50-year population and employment forecasts?
1. The 2030 forecasts will inform Metro’s analysis of the capacity of the current urban growth boundary to accommodate anticipated housing and employment growth over the next 20 years, as required by state law. 2. The 2060 forecasts will inform a process, led by Metro and Clackamas, Multnomah and Washington counties, to designate urban and rural reserves outside of the current urban growth boundary. Urban reserves will be areas outside of the current urban growth boundary that will be set aside to accommodate future population and employment growth over the next 40 to 50 years. Rural reserves will be areas outside of the urban growth boundary that will be off-limits to urbanization during the same period. The process to study and designate urban and rural reserve areas is underway and will be completed by the end of 2009. Q: Why is Metro using range forecasts? A: A range forecast allows for us to consider of a number of possible outcomes, rather than plan for only one future. Any forec
