For the past five years, the Metro Council and staff members have communicated with tens of thousands of residents through mailings, public meetings, hearings, school activities, a telephone hotline and a website. Since May 1997, cities and counties in Metro's jurisdiction have worked together through the Metro Policy Advisory Committee to help focus the discussion on key policy issues and to make policy recommendations to the Metro Council. Throughout the summer and fall, some 12,000 residents responded to a growth management survey. The Regional Framework Plan signals the 24 cities and three counties within Metro's boundaries about the direction they need to pursue to make policy decisions that will benefit both the region and their local area. It allows them to anticipate future requirements from Metro and to set priorities accordingly.
Functional plans are the next step.
There are several functional plans under consideration, including the Regional Transportation Plan and plans that deal with issues of affordable housing, school facilities and parks. These plans will be developed, refined and adopted by Metro in the next six to 18 months. In the meantime, Metro officials and staff will continue to support ongoing implementation of land-use policies that have already been adopted in the Urban Growth Management Functional Plan at the local level. They will also start evaluating plans to bring some urban reserve lands inside the urban growth boundary. The plan will guide how this region grows into the 21st century.