Members of the public needed to enhance Portland’s cultural and historic legacies; apply by April 15

News Article
This is a photo of the Ladd Carriage House, which is located in downtown Portland and is on the National Register of Historic Places.
The City of Portland is seeking applications for an at-large member of the public to serve a four-year term on the Historic Landmarks Commission. The deadline to apply is Thursday, April 15.
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Purpose and Role of the Advisory Body

The Historic Landmarks Commission provides leadership and expertise on maintaining and enhancing Portland's historic and architectural heritage. The Commission identifies and protects buildings and other properties that have historic or cultural significance or special architectural merit. It provides advice on historic preservation matters and coordinates historic preservation programs in the City. It is also involved in the development of design guidelines for historic districts.

Commission activities include:

1.   Establishing or removing Historic Landmark and Conservation Landmark designations for specific buildings or sites;

2.   Recommending the establishment or removal of Historic Landmark and Conservation Landmark designations to the City Council;

3.   Recommending the establishment, amendment, or removal of Historic Districts and Conservation Districts to the Planning and Sustainability Commission and the City Council;

4.  Developing and recommending design guidelines for Historic Districts and Conservation Districts to the City Council;

5.   Reviewing development proposals for Historic Landmarks and Conservation Landmarks and in Historic Districts and Conservation Districts;

6.   Reviewing demolition and relocation requests for certain Historic Landmarks and buildings in Historic Districts;

7.   Providing advice on historic preservation matters to the Hearings Officer, Design Commission, Planning and Sustainability Commission, Prosper Portland Board of Commissioners, other City commissions and committees, and City Council; and

8.   Initiating and coordinating historic preservation and public outreach programs in the City, including reviewing recommendations for placement on the National Register of Historic Places and making recommendations to other governmental agencies regarding historic preservation programs and issues.

Eligibility

To be eligible for the Historic Landmarks Commission, members must live, play, worship, work or do business in the City of Portland.

The Historic Landmarks Commission consists of seven members, none of whom may hold public elective office. The Commission must include a historian with knowledge of local history; an architectural historian; an architect; two members from the following: landscape architecture, real estate, construction, community development, urban planning, archeology, law, finance, cultural geography, cultural anthropology, or related disciplines; and two members at-large. All members must have demonstrated interest, competence, or knowledge of historic preservation. Members are appointed by the Mayor and confirmed by the City Council.


The City of Portland is actively seeking a Public-At-Large member. The City will also accept applications from individuals in any of the other categories noted above and retain those applications for consideration in future vacancies.

Desired Attributes

  • You believe in the value of public participation in government process.
  • You are an advocate for racial equity.
  • You are available to attend all meetings and participate in the discussions.

Terms and Time Commitment

  • The commission traditionally meets on the second and fourth Monday of each month, beginning at 1:30 p.m., at 1900 SW 4th Avenue. Most meetings last between three and four hours. Since March 2020, all meetings are held online via Zoom.
  • Members serve a term of four years.
  • Members are expected to prepare for meetings on their own time and arrive ready to discuss meeting materials and agenda items. Meeting materials for review are typically sent one week in advance.

Public Official Conflict of Interest Notice

Those selected to serve on this body will be legally considered public officials for the duration of their service. As such, they will be required to publicly disclose potential conflicts of interest. Having potential conflicts of interest does not preclude you from serving on this body and may not impact your ability to participate fully on this body. Stakeholders often have potential conflicts of interest by the nature of having interest in the work. The Conflict of Interest Disclosure is included in the application. Please fill all conflicts of interest on your application.

Application Process

Applications are due no later than April 15, 2021.

Application information and materials are available here.

To talk with someone about this opportunity or to receive assistance completing the application, please contact the staff liaison Hillary Adam at hillary.adam@portlandoregon.gov or 503-823-8953.

Voluntary and Confidential Demographic Information

The City is committed to diversity, inclusion, and equity and uses provided demographic information to help ensure that advisory body appointments represent a broad cross-section of community. Your information will not be used during the recruitment nor the selection process. State and federal law prohibit use of this information to discriminate against you. The City will treat this information as confidential to the fullest extent allowed by law. Questions about this may be sent to AdvisoryBodies@Portlandoregon.gov.

General Questions

For general questions about the Advisory Bodies program, the recruitment process, or other upcoming advisory body opportunities, please email AdvisoryBodies@Portlandoregon.gov.

We Encourage You to Apply

For more information about the Historic Landmarks Commission, please visit its website.