What’s going on with Sherwood West?

A long-anticipated expansion area known as Sherwood West is moving forward after regional approval to expand the urban growth boundary, but city officials say the project is still several years away from any construction as detailed planning and infrastructure work continues.

City leaders say the effort, which has been discussed for more than a decade, is intended to create a walkable, mixed-use area with housing, jobs, parks and schools, while emphasizing infrastructure planning and public involvement before any land is annexed or developed.

The City’s master plan is still in the planning stages, but includes a cohesive, specific strategy for multiple types of usage.

“The next step for Sherwood West is for the City to start Comprehensive Planning,” said Eric Rutledge, community development director for the City of Sherwood. “With City Council approval we will start that process this year, and I suspect it will take up to three years to complete.”

Sherwood West

In 2024, regional government Metro approved a request to expand the urban growth boundary (UGB) to include roughly 1,200 acres west of Highway 99, allowing the city to move forward with long-range planning for Sherwood West.

The expansion was later appealed, but the Land Conservation and Development Commission upheld Metro’s decision in September 2025, with final written findings expected soon.

The concept envisions a community that balances growth with open space, including about 500 acres of natural areas and trails, roughly 350 acres for housing, 200 acres designated for employment uses, and about 60 acres for a tourism and hospitality district, as Sherwood is sometimes described as the gateway to wine country. Land is also set aside for future schools.

City officials say the plan aims to create a walkable area with a mix of housing types, parks, commercial uses and jobs. Plans include cottage clusters, single-family homes, and middle housing like duplexes and townhomes with custom residential zoning.

Sherwood West planning dates back to at least 2016, when the city council approved an early concept plan covering about 1,291 acres west of Highway 99. The 2016 Concept Plan for Sherwood West is being set aside and replaced with the newer 2024 Concept Plan, which proposes a broader mix of land use.

Timeline and planning process

According to Rutledge the project is still in an early phase and will require extensive planning before any development can occur.

“We have a concept plan approved for Sherwood West. Metro has added Sherwood West to the urban growth boundary,” Rutledge said, noting that the city still expects “another minimum two years of comprehensive planning,” with the process potentially taking up to three and a half years.

That work will include both a comprehensive plan, which sets zoning and broad policy, and more detailed master plans laying out roads, parks, utilities and neighborhood layouts.

Rutledge said infrastructure planning will be a major focus, with annexation agreements required to ensure services such as roads, sewer and water are adequate before properties come into the city.

“What we wanted to do was ensure that if a property came (into the) city that all public services and infrastructure were adequate,” Rutledge said, adding that agreements could require developers to address deficiencies before building permits are issued.

He emphasized that property in Sherwood West is not yet within city limits and must go through annexation before development proposals could move forward.

Rutledge also said there has been developer interest in the area for years, though no specific companies have been publicly identified.

“There has been development interest in Sherwood West for over a decade,” he said.

Role of voters and public input

City Councilor Renee Brouse said recent charter measures approved by voters are intended to strengthen public involvement as Sherwood West and other major projects move forward.

“Growth will continue, but these measures ensure that how we grow reflects the voices of the people who live here,” Brouse said.

She said the framework reinforces transparency and accountability while giving residents clearer opportunities to weigh in on major development proposals.

“For Sherwood West, where large-scale planning will influence the city’s long-term housing and economic landscape, this voter-approved framework means residents will be engaged earlier and more consistently as decisions unfold,” Brouse said.

Brouse added that the measures are meant to guide growth rather than stop it, emphasizing collaboration between the city and community.

“Ultimately, these measures don’t stop growth — they guide it,” she said. “They affirm that Sherwood’s future should be built with its residents, not around them.”

What happens next

City officials say annexations would generally be initiated by property owners or developers, not forced by the city, and would follow completion of planning work.

Rutledge said annexation agreements are intended to address long-term infrastructure needs early, whether through developer-funded improvements or partnerships with the city for larger projects.

The approach, he said, helps the city plan beyond individual projects and consider the needs of the entire area as it grows.

Over the next several years, the city expects to complete comprehensive and master planning, followed by annexations as property owners seek to bring land into city limits.

Only after zoning is established and infrastructure plans are in place would individual development proposals move through the standard land-use review process.

Once accepted by the Sherwood City Council, this Concept Plan will serve as a resource for future discussion about expanding the UGB and more detailed planning for growth and development in Sherwood West, according to the city.

City officials say that means visible changes on the ground are still years away, but the decisions being made now will shape how Sherwood grows for decades. Development in Sherwood West is not expected to occur for at least five or six years after being brought into the UGB, and full buildout is anticipated to take several decades, according to the city.

Learn more about the Sherwood West Concept Plan here.