Regional Growth Management Regime: The Case of Portland, Oregon

ABSTRACT:

Students of regime politics have tacitly agreed that the geographic limits of the regime will be the city limits or, at most, the boundaries of the metropolitan area. This is understandable in light of the fact that much of the regime literature focuses on the politics of urban development, that is, the politics involved in the implementation of growth strategies. However, if a ruling political coalition pursues the objective of achieving a plan of growth management for an entire urban region, environmental, land use, and regulatory considerations come into play that have implications far beyond the city limits. In that case, it becomes essential for the regime to establish a regional political base. In this article, I consider the sources of support for such a regime by focusing on the case of Portland, Oregon. I also consider the implications for regime theory of an urban regime that accepts the daunting challenge of constructing a system of regional growth management, as well as a regime that is not confined to a particular urban area.