Ordinance No. 18686 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

i8b86 The compact urban growth form concentrates urban development and activities, thus protecting valuable resource lands on the urban fringe. But concentra- ting development increases pressures for development within the urban growth boundary, making planning for open space and resource protection a critical concern within that boundary. Planning can ensure the coexistence of city and nature; one example is the Willamette River Greenway. The Environmental Resources Element provides broad direction for maintain- ing and improving our natural urban environment. other elements dealing in more detail with particular aspects of the natural environment include Parks and Recreation Facilities and Environmental Design (scenic). With particular respect to waterways, the emphasis in this element is on their protection as a valuable and irreplaceable component of the overall natural resource system important to the metropolitan area. Waterways are also the subject of Section D, the Willamette River Greenway, River Corridors, and Waterways, While some repetition is unavoidable, in that-section the emphasis is - on their intrinsic value for enjoyment, active and passive use by residents of the area. The inventories conducted as the basis for this element and the goals, ob j ec- tives, and policies contained herein address numerous statewide planning goals and interpret those goals in the context of the needs and circum- stances of the metropolitan area. Findinas l . The high value placed on clean air and water by local residents is reflected in local commitments to plans and programs directed toward reducing air and water pollution. 2. The potential for air pollution in the Upper Willamette Valley. is considerable due to prevailing winds, to surrounding mountains which trap the air, and to the natural conditions caused by temperature inversions. 3. Some pollutants affecting metropolitan air and water quality originate outside the metropolitan area. 4. The metropolitan area violates - -state ' and federal air quality .standards for suspended particulates (solid and liquid par - ticles of soot, dust, aerosols and furies) , carbon monoxide (a colorl -ess, odorless toxic gas mostly resulting from incom- pTete combustion from automobile. engines). and state standards for ozone (odorl-ess, toxic gasses produced by reaction between - ox i des of nitrogen and hydrocarbons in the presence of sun- light). Suspended particulates represent the most severe air quality problem facing the Metropolitan area* 5. Existing suspended particulate air quality standards and monitoring - techniques, which are based on weight, do not adequately account for air poll - ution impacts of the finer particulates, Recent III -C -2