With little discussion of the matter, the Hillsboro City Council unanimously approved plans for about 450 new homes in South Hillsboro as part of the next phase of development for Reed’s Crossing.

Though some of the development already underway in Reed’s Crossing is for a mix of residential and commercial use, the plans approved during the council’s business meeting Tuesday, Dec. 5, include only new homes, roadways and park spaces.

The footprint of this development phase is approximately 54 acres, bordered by Cornelius Pass Road, Century Boulevard, McInnis Street and Kinnaman Street. It includes the 10-acre McCoun property recently purchased by the city of Hillsboro.

Using small lot sizes and zero-lot-line units (homes that reach or nearly reach the edge of the property line), developers hope to achieve a higher density of homes while not sacrificing shared open space.

The shared open spaces are intended to be community gathering spots, according to the application, and include fire pits, seating areas, overhead lighting, and open lawn areas.

This phase of development will also include the continuation of the North-South Community trail, running through previous portions of the project, from Gordon Creek Greenway to the Butternut Creek Corridor.

Reeds Crossing, which as a whole has been in the works for more than a decade, is thought to be one of the biggest planned communities in the state. Once complete, the city expects it to include about 8,000 homes and as many as 20,000 residents in the fast-growing area of South Hillsboro.

A 118,000-square foot medical facility run by Providence Health & Services opened in the neighborhood last year, and plans are in the works for a senior living facility and apartment complex.

According to Hillsboro’s 2023 draft housing analysis, the city will need about 14,000 more housing units by 2043.