Legal battle brewing over Oregon urban growth boundary ballot initiative
A legal battle over citizen participation in Oregon’s land use system is brewing due to the urban growth boundary expansion of the City of North Plains.
Last year, city officials voted to double the town’s size by adding 855 acres of developable land to the boundary, spurring opponents to collect enough signatures for a ballot initiative to overturn that decision.
However, lawmakers have since passed a bill prohibiting UGB expansions from being referred to voters, not only in North Plains but across the state.
Supporters of House Bill 4026, which passed the House and Senate with broad bipartisan majorities, claim such referenda would amount to “ballot box planning” that throws the state’s land use system into disarray.
https://www.capitalpress.com/state/oregon/legal-battle-brewing-over-oregon-urban-growth-boundary-ballot-initiative/article_db934934-e579-11ee-940d-17c8598e2249.html