Design Guidelines and Design and Historic Review
The Design overlay zone (d-overlay) is applied to higher density areas of growth to ensure that new development is designed for people, forwarding the goals of Portland’s Comprehensive Plan.
Designated historic areas (landmarks and districts) are subject to historic resource review to ensure significant historic and cultural elements are not lost during alteration, addition, and new construction projects.
As new buildings are proposed, City code requires design and historic review for areas and individual buildings that are important to the city’s growth and character. Design and historic design review evaluate proposals against the design guidelines applicable to the relevant area and type of proposal.
Fundamental Design Guidelines: Approval criteria for areas within the Central City
All areas in the Central City Plan District (except industrial zones) are subject to design review or historic resource review. The approval criteria are the Central City Fundamental Design Guidelines and applicable Subdistrict or Historic District Design Guidelines, depending on the geography.
Overall guidelines for the Central City
Subdistrict design guidelines for design overlay
Design guidelines for historic districts
Approval criteria for areas outside the Central City
The approval criteria for sites in the design overlay zone are the Portland Citywide Design Guidelines, unless the sites are located in the Central City or within the following areas: Gateway Regional Center, Marquam Hill Design District, or Terwilliger Parkway Design District.
Design guidelines for design overlay outside of the Central City
Design guidelines for conservation and historic districts outside of the Central City
The Community Design Guidelines apply in designated Conservation Districts. Certain historic districts outside of the Central City have district-specific design guidelines that apply to alteration, addition, and new construction proposals: