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Oregon cities are constrained by an Urban Growth Boundary.

https://www.oregonmetro.gov/urban-growth-boundary

I agree with your sprawl argument in general, but specifically for this article it does not apply.

The portland metro area is constrained by the UGB, and that constraint has yet to materialize in any sort of land shortages. And there is plenty of ways to sprawl within that boundary.

The Portland region has loads of underused land, and nearly all the other cities in Oregon are FAR from running into the UGB. And they just vote to extend it anyway whenever they want to grow into a specific place that's on the other side. (I'm looking at you, Bend!) It's nice that it's there, but it's mostly symbolic.

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