Measure 34-327 will carefully expand our urban growth boundary to ensure that North Plains keeps the small-town livability we all love, while also ensuring enough land for jobs and housing, and preserving existing farm land and forests. Your YES vote on Measure 34-327 will prevent urban sprawl, and grow North Plains in a thoughtful way that works for our community.

By adopting Measure 34-327, North Plains will carefully expand its urban growth boundary to include areas designated for new housing, businesses, and public amenities. This expansion is planned to be strategic, ensuring that growth does not compromise our small-town charm or the integrity of surrounding natural areas. This development won’t happen right away – the urban growth boundary expansion provides enough land for the next twenty years (as required by state law). The public will have lots of opportunity to be engaged in the process of determining how North Plains grows with this UGB expansion.

North Plains will have more affordable housing, more jobs, growing community amenities (including hopefully a grocery store!) and more funding for public service.. It allows for a diversified economy and a richer community life by bringing in new businesses and recreational spaces. Furthermore, the expansion is designed to be done in a manner that preserves the area's natural beauty and agricultural lands, ensuring a balanced approach to urban and rural interests.

Measure 34-327 is crafted with a deep commitment to preserving the unique small-town feel of North Plains, even as it grows. An urban growth boundary does two things: 1) define where businesses and homes can be located, and 2) protect farm and forest land from sprawl. This new UGB defines where growth can be located, protecting the areas outside it. The community will be deeply engaged in deciding how housing and commercial uses are allowed in the new growth areas.

The cost of housing keeps going up. This makes it especially hard for young people that grow up in North Plains and can’t afford to stay. Measure 34-327 specifically targets the need for affordable housing by making it possible to develop new residential areas within the expanded urban growth boundary. This initiative aims to increase the housing supply, which is a fundamental step toward making homes more affordable for everyone.

Measure 34-327 is expected to significantly boost local employment opportunities by attracting a diverse array of new businesses to North Plains and supporting the expansion of existing ones. The measure's focus on balanced growth ensures that both commercial and industrial sectors can thrive, creating jobs across a range of industries. This economic development is crucial for our residents, providing more opportunities to work close to home.

North Plains has long struggled to find enough funding for parks, the library, and public safety. As a “bedroom community”, North Plains is heavily dependent on property taxes on homeowners. By adding more commercial space, North Plains can expand its tax base without raising taxes on North Plains families. That means better funding for public safety, the library, and parks and trails that we all enjoy.

Oregon’s urban growth boundary system protects farm and forest land by defining where growth can and can’t happen. The UGB expansion in North Plains is a careful, measured expansion that will protect the farm and forest land around North Plains for generations to come.

No. Measure 34-327 does not raise taxes. It will, however, expand our community’s tax base by adding more businesses – which will generate more funding for services that we all enjoy. In short, new residents and new businesses will pay the taxes that current residents and businesses pay – expanding the public amenities for current residents without raising taxes.

The expansion boundaries proposed in Measure 34-327 were determined through a meticulous planning process that involved community input, environmental assessments, and economic feasibility studies. This process aimed to identify areas where growth could occur in a way that supports our long-term goals for housing, business development, and open space preservation.

Extensive public outreach was conducted, including town hall meetings, surveys, and workshops. The city also utilized social media and local news outlets to disseminate information and gather feedback. This inclusive approach has been pivotal in crafting a measure that aligns with the values and aspirations of North Plains residents. And there are many more decisions left to come – about how new homes and businesses are located! Everyone in North Plains will continue to be invited to participate in the process.

North Plains and the Hillsboro School District have been planning for this growth for a long time. The new Atfalati Ridge Elementary School has room for hundreds more students without crowding. At this time, there are no plans for a middle school or high school in North Plains, but as our community grows, we will work with Hillsboro School District to identify the opportunity to site a new secondary school.

The process of expanding the UGB has involved years of public involvement through town hall meetings, surveys, and workshops. And the work of imagining the future of North Plains together and identifying how and where growth happens will continue for years to come. Everyone in North Plains is invited to join public forums, city council meetings, and community workshops. Staying informed and involved ensures that community voices continue to shape the measure’s implementation.

If Measure 34-327 does not pass, years of careful planning will go down the drain. The current urban growth boundary will remain unchanged, limiting the city’s ability to accommodate growth and address housing affordability. This could slow economic development and strain existing infrastructure and public services.