Sprawl or Smart Growth?
We have a choice.
NORTH PLAINS BALLOT REFERENDUM
Friends of North Plains Smart Growth (a separate organization from Farmland First) filed a ballot referendum on September 19th to recall the North Plains’ Urban Growth Boundary expansion vote by the city.
On Friday, October 20th, Washington County verified 278 of their petition signatures—more than enough signatures to get the Urban Growth Boundary expansion on the May 2024 ballot for North Plains citizens! If the voters "vote no" in May, it recalls the city's passing of Ordinance 490, sending it back to the city to hopefully make the expansion plan smaller.
This is big! The people of the North Plains can now tell city officials that we don’t want to more than double in size!
This sprawl would permanently destroy 855.2 acres of the best farmland in the world, threatening our food security, elk habitat, and rural economy.
What do you get in exchange? Hillsboro-style big-box tech, a semiconductor factory (even though no company has expressed interest) and big unaffordable houses. The City has failed to follow notice requirements and discouraged public comment. The seats at the table seem to have been reserved for the developers and landowners who stand to make tens of millions of dollars.
Find out more on the Friends of North Plains Smart Growth’s website.
TAKE ACTION
North Plains is barreling toward unprecedented expansion, but it’s not too late to build a right-sized plan for a compact, rural city with services that work. Join us in demanding a well considered plan for North Plains. There are lots of ways to help!
MEET US
Farmland First is a group of farmers and supporters of growing smart, not huge, who are dedicated to taking the long view and protecting the land we need to farm and feed ourselves for the long term. We welcome you to join our newsletter (below), and to donate to support our work protecting agriculture and livable cities in Washington County.