What’s new this month?
- Lower SE Rising to release Discussion Draft in May; online open house and info session planned
- Vehicular parking code updates heading to City Council on June 7
- Nominations sought for LGBTQ+ historic sites
- Columbia-Industrial Ezone Project offering free wetland determinations
Useful resources
Planning Commission
- View tentative agendas and upcoming meeting schedules.
- Planning Commission meetings are held in hybrid format. Meetings are open to the public to attend in person, live-streamed and available on-demand, and broadcast tape-delayed on Channel 30.
- Check individual project pages or the meeting schedule for details on testifying.
City Council
- View upcoming City Council agendas or subscribe to receive agenda notifications.
- City Council meetings are held in hybrid format, broadcast live, and past meetings are available on-demand.
Map App
Look at interactive maps, submit testimony during testimony periods, and read submitted testimony through the BPS Map App interactive tool.
PortlandMaps
Zoning, building permit, transportation, natural resource information, and more is available on PortlandMaps.com.
Sign up for BPS email updates
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Anti-Displacement Action Plan
What: The Anti-Displacement Action Plan (ADAP) aims to increase the resiliency of the city and our communities to deal with racial and economic disparities that contribute to displacement.
Status: A cross-bureau team of City staff continues to work internally to develop tools that better align City bureau strategies and actions to combat displacement and produce more equitable outcomes for communities. Staff is also working with the Anti-Displacement Coalition to support development of a civic leadership curriculum to identify community priorities.
Next opportunity to engage: None currently. Those interested can always sign up for project updates.
Columbia Corridor Industrial Lands Ezones Project
What: Correcting the location of environmental overlay zones (Ezones) in the Columbia Corridor and other industrial areas to better align with rivers, streams, sloughs, wetlands, floodplains, forests, and wildlife habitat.
Status: Project staff have published an interactive online map of preliminary draft Ezones that is based on the Natural Resource Inventory. The natural resource mapping is subject to onsite verification at the request of property owners, and the draft Ezones mapping may change as the project progresses. Project staff will coordinate their work with the upcoming citywide economic opportunity analysis to provide adequate protection for natural resources and sufficient industrial and employment land to meet future needs.
Next opportunity to engage: Project staff continue to offer free site visits by request to confirm or correct natural resource mapping. Learn more about draft wetland mapping and see if your site qualifies for a free wetland determination. Those interested can always sign up for email updates.
Economic Opportunities Analysis (EOA)
What: The purpose of the Economic Opportunities Analysis (EOA) is to analyze and forecast growth in Portland’s industrial and other business districts, then designate an adequate 20-year supply of developable land for businesses and jobs.
Status: Last year, BPS released an economic report detailing market trends for job growth in Portland. The report details economic growth and prosperity trends, local business specializations and competitiveness, as well as marine industrial forecasts and land needs.
Next opportunity to engage: None currently. Those interested can always sign up for email updates.
Floodplain Resilience Plan
What: The plan updates floodplain regulations throughout the city to ensure that new development in the floodplain addresses flood risk from a changing climate, does not jeopardize threatened and endangered species, and allows Portlanders to continue to obtain federally-backed flood insurance.
Status: On November 22, the Planning and Sustainability Commission (PSC) voted unanimously to recommend the Floodplain Resilience Plan to City Council with a small number of targeted technical map and Zoning Code amendments. The recommendation followed a public hearing in September and a work session in October 2022. Staff will incorporate the PSC recommendations into the Recommended Draft and develop the ordinance and findings prior to the City Council hearing. The Recommended Draft is expected to have a public hearing at City Council later in 2023.
Next opportunity to engage: None currently. The PSC's Recommended Draft of the Floodplain Resilience Plan is expected to head to City Council later in 2023. Check the project website for the hearing date and other updates as it moves forward. Those interested can always sign up for email updates.
Fossil Fuel Terminal Zoning Project
What: This ordinance readopts the remanded zoning code amendments to restrict bulk fossil fuel terminals to address the policies identified by the Land Use Board of Appeals (LUBA) that require additional findings.
Status: The City Council adopted the ordinance in August 2022. The ordinance has been appealed to the state Land Use Board of Appeals (LUBA) by the Portland Business Alliance, the Working Waterfront Coalition, the Western States Petroleum Association, Oregon Business and Industry, and the Columbia Pacific Building and Construction Trades Council. A LUBA decision is expected in summer 2023. The ordinance also has been challenged in federal court by the State of Montana, Western Energy Alliance, Pacific Propane Gas Association, Idaho Petroleum Marketers and Convenience Store Association, and Christensen, Inc.
Next opportunity to engage: None currently.
LGBTQ+ Historic Sites Project
What: Portland’s LGBTQ+ Historic Sites Project seeks to identify, document, and preserve historic resources associated with lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer+ histories.
Status: Portlanders are invited to submit information about older buildings with historical ties and significance to the LGBTQ+ community. The project team is conducting archival research, meeting with key informants, and surveying potentially significant historic places. Multiple individual National Register of Historic Places nominations are in progress and will be available for public review in the fall.
Next opportunity to engage: An online questionnaire is available on the project webpage for members of the public to assist in the identification of LGBTQ+ historic sites. The questionnaire will remain open until July 2023. Project staff are planning additional events, including attending Portland Pride on July 15 and 16. The public is invited to visit Booth A75 at Waterfront Park to share memories and learn more about the project.
Lower SE Rising Area Plan
What: The Lower SE Rising Area Plan aims to address the historic lack of neighborhood commercial services, diverse housing options, and infrastructure investment in the Brentwood-Darlington Neighborhood and nearby areas, including parts of the Mt Scott-Arleta, Woodstock and Lents neighborhoods. Project staff have been working with the community on identifying land use changes and transportation improvements to address these issues and support healthy community development.
Status: In mid-May, project staff will release the Discussion Draft of the Lower SE Rising Area Plan for public review and feedback. The Discussion Draft includes proposed zoning map changes and recommendations for transportation projects to implement the community’s aspirations for more neighborhood businesses and housing options, supported by transportation improvements, to make it easier to meet daily needs locally and help address affordability. The Project Advisory Committee discussed refinements to the plan during their meeting on April 4, materials for which are available for review.
Next opportunity to engage: When the Discussion Draft is released around May 12, an online open house will also be available for the public to review and provide feedback on the Draft Plan’s proposals. Staff are planning an online information session on May 24 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. for the public to learn about the Draft Plan and ask questions. Check the project website for updates on the Draft Plan, open house, and information session. Those interested can always sign up for email updates.
Montgomery Park to Hollywood Transit and Land Use Development Strategy (MP2H)
What: Exploring options for a successful land use and transit system, including potential future streetcar links to Montgomery Park in Northwest Portland and the Hollywood Town Center in Northeast Portland. The project is a joint effort between BPS and PBOT. The project will assess land use and transportation issues and options, including affordable housing, economic development and business stabilization opportunities associated with potential transit investments, including possible extension of the Portland Streetcar.
Status: The MP2H-NW Plan Discussion Draft, published in December 2021, suggests a new long-range land use vision for the area near Montgomery Park in Northwest Portland, served by an extension of the Portland Streetcar. The draft proposal presents an opportunity to create more affordable housing, more affordable commercial space, and other public benefits. A compilation of public comments on the Discussion Draft has been posted. City staff are reviewing the comments and working through issues, which is anticipated to lead to a Proposed Draft for future review by the Planning Commission.
Next opportunity to engage: None currently. Those interested can always sign up for email updates.
Parking Compliance Amendments Project
What: The Parking Compliance project will update the Zoning Code to align local regulations with recent state Climate Friendly and Equitable Communities (CFEC) rulemaking submitted by the Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD). These rules require cities to consider removing parking mandates throughout their jurisdictions. The project removes parking minimums and amends related parking regulations throughout the Zoning Code.
In July 2022, the state CFEC rules were approved. It should be noted that the CFEC rules require that cities exempt parking mandates for certain development types and near frequent transit routes and rail stations. These exemptions took effect on January 1, 2023. The Portland Bureau of Development Services has information on the waiver requirements from the State rules.
Status: On April 25, the Planning Commission voted to recommend the Proposed Draft to the City Council with one amendment. The amendment would close a loophole that allows lower bicycle parking rates for elderly and disabled housing projects to be used for other projects. Staff are now preparing the Recommended Draft on the proposal that will go to the City Council for a hearing. The Recommended Draft will be published by May 15.
Next opportunity to engage: On June 7 at 3:30 pm, the City Council will hold a public hearing on the Recommended Draft. Information on how to testify will be posted to the project website.