ABSTRACT
Within international planning educational circles, the Netherlands has long been held up as an exemplar of effective national and regional land use planning practices. The Dutch planning system is seen as a great example for other countries, just as Sullivan's Portland example. Dutch planning has been increasingly based on neoliberal idea waves, with the right-wing national government abandoning national planning in 2010 while handing over the complete control of spatial planning to the provincial authorities. The urban growth boundary (UGB) is often compared to national planning instruments in the Netherlands intent on enforcing a strict boundary between the urban and the rural. Although the regional UGB enjoys statutory status in Portland, regional coordination is considered an informal norm within the Netherlands. The regional focus of Portland's planning system is relevant for international planners as most land use issues tend to cross administrative borders in nature and involve more than a single government level.
