River Plan / South Reach
After two public hearings and four work sessions about the draft River Plan / South Reach Plan, the Planning and Sustainability Commission (PSC) voted in June to recommend the plan, as amended, to City Council.
The PSC’s amendments included the following:
- Expand the minimum width of the River Environmental overlay zone to 100 ft.
- Increase enforcement of tree planting and mitigation requirements.
- Reduce the River Environmental tree replacement threshold to three inches for trees not in the setback.
- Add new standards for new residential docks and existing docks undergoing significant repair or replacement.
- Add Washington tribal and historic resources representatives to the contact list for archaeological resources protection.
- Add regional trail design guidelines for making trail system improvements.
- Repeal the Macadam Corridor Design Guidelines and recommend a new Macadam Character Statement to be applied with theDOZA Citywide Design Guidelines.
- Add a new action for City Council to petition the Oregon State Marine Board (OSMB) to establish a slow-no wake zone from the Hawthorne to Sellwood bridges, adjacent to Powers Marine Park and Elk Island.
The Design Commission also weighed in with their recommendations to:
- Repeal the Macadam Corridor Design Guidelines and replace them with the DOZA Citywide Design Guidelines and a Macadam Character Statement.
- Amend the Macadam Character Statement to provide stronger direction for development along the Willamette riverfront and South Macadam Avenue, as well as more clarity on the purpose of the background section.
Willamette River Greenway Inventory
On March 26, 2019, the Planning and Sustainability Commission held a public hearing on the Proposed Draft of the Willamette River Greenway Inventory - An Update to Portland’s Statewide Planning Goal 15 Inventory and voted unanimously to recommend the inventory to the Portland City Council for adoption.
The inventory, last updated in October 2014, includes maps and descriptions related to zoning, land uses, property ownership, natural resources, recreation, and historical and cultural resources for the North, Central and South Reaches of the Willamette River.
Because the Greenway Inventory and the South Reach Plan are related, project staff are taking the inventory to City Council along with the River Plan / South Reach.
Review the River Plan / South Reach Recommended Draft volumes and the Willamette River Greenway Inventory
River Plan / South Reach documents
- Volume 1, Policies, Objectives and Recommendations – Includes amendments to Title 33, Planning and Zoning, and the official zoning maps as well as amendments to Comprehensive Plan Policies and Maps. Document also includes a vision statement, urban design concept diagrams and other actions to implement the plan that are not adopted as policy.
- Volume 2. Scenic Resources Protection Plan – Includes an inventory of views, viewpoints, view streets; scenic corridors; an Economic, Social, Environmental and Energy (ESEE) analysis; and a description of the Zoning Code changes and maps that implement the Scenic Resources Protection Plan.
- Volume 3, Willamette River South Reach Natural Resources Protection Plan – An overview of the regulatory context for the river, inventory approach and methodology, analysis of protection options and recommendations, inventory results, and implementation tools.
- Volume 4, Background Materials – References various documents used to develop the River Plan /South Reach.
Willamette River Greenway Inventory documents
- Recommended Draft – Contains handy maps and tables that describe some existing conditions along the Willamette River.
Testify to City Council
City Council will hold a public hearing on the River Plan / South Reach and theWillamette River Greenway Inventoryon Nov. 4, 2020, beginning at 2 pm.
To testify via Zoom:
Register by November 3 at 4 p.m. using the registration link in the Nov. 4 City Council Hearing.
To testify in writing:
- Use the Map App:
- Send an email:CCTestimony@portlandoregon.gov
Two additional City Council meetings are tentatively scheduled for December 2 and 9. Check back on the project websites for updates.