Metro study ponders price of adding commercial lands.

Developers argue commercial projects may feel the squeeze

A team of consultants anti business leaders poked holes in Metro's Region 2040 plan this week, warning of dire shortages of area retail and industrial land if the urban growth boundary is frozen.

Portland's tri-county area could run out of retail sites in three to five years and industrial sites in 10 years, warned Portland consultants Wally Hobson and Jerry Johnson, who were hired to conduct market research for Metro's 2040 Means Business Committee.

Hobson and Johnson told the blue ribbon committee that could mean fewer new stores, higher retail prices and difficulties in recruiting new industrial companies.

"It's going to be almost impossible to build new retail in this town," complained Barry Cain, a prominent shopping center developer and committee member.

"Where are all these future jobs going to locate?" asked industrial developer Greg Specht, another skeptic on …