Title: Land Use Resources - Growth Management - Urban Growth Boundaries
Headings: Montana Transportation and Land Use
COVID-19
Montana Transportation and Land Use
Growth Management - Urban Growth Boundaries
What is an Urban Growth Boundary?
Who can implement an Urban Growth Boundary?
What are the keys to success and potential pitfalls?
Where has this strategy been applied?
Case studies
How can I get started?
Where can I get more information?

Content: In the 1970's, the State of Oregon passed laws requiring every city and metropolitan area to designate an urban growth boundary. Though controversial, many have cited the urban growth boundary as a significant reason behind Portland's increases in housing density, transit and bicycle use, and air quality, while significantly limiting the expansion of sprawl into rural lands. Much of the controversy surrounds the issues of housing affordability and the impact on landowners outside of the boundary. The Boulder, Colorado, area has sought to control sprawl through a comparable "community service area concept". Lexington, KY: Kentucky's growth boundary has preserved the Bluegrass Country around Lexington since 1958. Case studies
Missoula Urban Fringe Development Area (UFDA) Project, MT
How can I get started? Urban growth boundaries involve a balance of rural preservation and contained urban development. A first step toward in containing urban development would be to identify and adopt general boundaries in the local Growth Policy, followed by the development of regulatory tools and financing tools such as concurrency requirements. Where can I get more information?