An Oregon Revelation

Living in town conserves land, creates community.

by Bill Williams

Like many people who move to Oregon from places that lack the incredible beauty of the Pacific Northwest, Brenda and I were overwhelmed by the decisions we faced when looking for a home. Although I was in favor of living on "acreage" out of town, Brenda thought it was impractical, with two young children and another on the way, to live so far from schools, shopping, doctors, and recreational opportunities. So we bought a house in town, while still harboring the desire to move out of town at the first opportunity.

That was over ten years ago. We're now at a time of our lives that it's practical to build the home we wished for a decade ago, on a rural site with both views and surrounding acreage. But an interesting thing has happened to us over the course of that decade: we've changed our minds. We've experienced what I can only call our "Oregon Revelation."

Psychic Distance
A part of our change of heart may have been due to learning what living "out of town" means in Oregon. We learned that the lack of municipal utilities results in dependence on wells, septic systems, and finding a way to dispose of one's own trash and garbage. The potential for delays in fire, ambulance and police emergency assistance was important to many we spoke to, and also to us.

We also found that the distance from schools, shopping, work, friends, children's playmates, doctors, athletic events, concerts, and many other necessities and social attractions is measured not only physically but psychologically. The threshold for activity becomes higher, creating a "psychic distance" which over time can become an important barrier to participation in community and social events.

Over the course of our search for the site we envisioned, we were introduced to the laws that created urban growth boundaries and placed other limitations on land use in Oregon. At first, this legislation seemed an unwarranted restriction of individual choice, but over time its wisdom became obvious. Our acceptance, and eventual support, of the intent of these laws has become deeper the longer we've lived in Oregon.

A Delicate Balance
Like most Oregonians, we feel that the successful balancing of natural landscape, native fish and wildlife, agriculture, and people is a delicate undertaking. Anything that deprives future generations of a chance to experience and enjoy the Oregon that we've come to love would be unconscionable. We ultimately decided that we would minimize the natural resource impact of our home siting decision as much as possible. We intend to remain within the spirit, as well as the letter, of the land-use laws.

As important as all of this knowledge was to making an informed decision, it wasn't logic that ultimately reversed our thinking about living out of town. What we discovered, after years of searching for great views, acreage, and the best building site, was more basic: we really enjoy living in town. We seek the company of our neighbors and friends on a daily basis, which has created a sense of community that energizes us far more than the more solitary experience of living out of town.

We've found that for us there is something unique and subtle about Oregon that enhances the natural beauty that surrounds us. Enjoying that beauty with friends, sharing a sense of common purpose in a community, and doing our part to protect and conserve the Oregon we love has made staying inside the urban growth boundary the best decision for us. We have gained by being not only "in" but "of" our community. We have had, indeed, an Oregon Revelation.