According to OregonLive.com the Portland city has announced plans to accommodate another 1 million people by increasing the density of the existing urban areas. The Portland plans to encourage developers to build up not out to increase density and reduce the dependence on cars. By redeveloping of existing buildings and industrial zones to increase the city’s density will protect existing prime farmland and key natural areas. Although development groups see the plan as unrealistic as it doesn’t allow for industrial zones for job creation and the groups also question the costs of use of existing infrastructure.
However, I have to wonder whether these development groups are more worried about the higher cost of developing existing built areas rather than green field developments.