About the Columbia Corridor and Industrial Lands Environmental Overlay Zone Project (CCIL Ezone Project)
This project will update the environmental overlay zones, also known as ezones, in the Columbia Corridor and other industrial areas and correct the location of existing ezones using up-to-date data and technology. This effort will ensure protection of significant natural resources, while also considering economic development in the project area.
What are environmental overlay zones?
Environmental overlay zones (ezones) are a tool used by the City of Portland to protect important natural resources. Typically, ezones apply to portions of a site that contain natural resources such as rivers, streams, wetlands and forests or other areas that, if disturbed, would have a negative effect on nearby natural resources.
In the Columbia Corridor, there are two types of ezones – Environmental Conversation (c-zone) and Environmental Protection (p-zone). The c-zone is applied to natural resources that are important but where some environmentally sensitive development may be permitted. The p-zone is applied to the most critical resources, where development should be avoided except under special circumstances.
Natural resource protection scenarios
The CCIL Ezone Project will implement updates to existing natural resource protection policy in the Columbia Corridor and on other industrial lands. To determine the appropriate level of natural resource protection, the CCIL Ezone Project Discussion Draft includes three different natural resource protection “scenarios” to inform the final policy decision.
View the full Discussion Draft
The three scenarios under consideration include the following:
- Minimum Compliance, or “Low” Scenario – Intended to apply environmental overlays that are roughly consistent with existing ezones in the Columbia Corridor. In this scenario, the total ezone coverage within the project area remains roughly the same but the Environmental Protection overlay zone is applied in some areas where the more permissive Environmental Conservation overlay zone is currently applied.
- Climate Resilient, or “Medium” Scenario – Proposes a modest increase (around 5%) in taxlot area covered by ezones compared to existing ezones. In this scenario, Environmental Protection overlay zone buffers are applied to most wetlands and all water features. These Environmental Protection overlay zone buffers replace the existing application of the Environmental Conservation overlay zone in most cases.
- Maximum Resource Protection, or “High” Scenario – Proposes application of ezones that would result in roughly similar overall coverage area when compared to the Climate Resilient scenario, but this scenario proposes significantly larger Environmental Protection overlay zone buffers around water features.
These scenarios will be evaluated for the benefits of natural resource protection while also considering the potential implications of each scenario on industrial land capacity and the ability to accommodate future industrial land demand.
Learn more and give feedback
We want to hear from you! Each scenario strikes a different balance between natural resource protection and industrial land supply and the project team will rely on public feedback to refine these options.
- Submit written comments using the project’s Map App.
- Learn more about the project at one of the following virtual events:
- Virtual Information Session #1, October 8, 6-7 p.m.
- Virtual Information Session #2, October 9, 12-1 p.m.
Next steps
Following the public comment phase, project staff will release a Proposed Draft that will be considered by the Planning Commission. There will be future opportunities to give testimony to the Planning Commission and then to City Council – the final decision-making body.
Sign up to stay updated about future project milestones and opportunities to give testimony.
Job growth and natural resource protections
The Columbia Corridor Industrial Lands Ezones Project is being conducted in coordination with the Economic Opportunities Analysis to provide adequate protection for natural resources and sufficient industrial and employment land to meet future needs.
The Columbia Corridor Industrial Lands Ezone Project is part of a broader Citywide effort to balance job growth and natural resource protections.