On December 1, 2022, Portland City Council formally adopted a new plan for the future of West Portland Town Center (WPTC) in far southwest Portland. Located near Barbur Blvd, Interstate 5 and Capitol Highway (“The Crossroads”), the town center is home to approximately 4,000 people and has the most diverse population in the southwest quadrant of the city. The area is one of the last town centers in the city to receive a long-range plan for growth and development.
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“Town centers” (think Hollywood and St Johns) provide a full range of commercial and community services, high-density housing, as well as mid-rise commercial and mixed use buildings. Usually served by high-capacity transit (light rail or frequent service buses), they include a robust employment sector and provide enough housing for residents to support a full-service business district.
The WPTC area has not experienced the investments that other parts of Portland have. Sidewalks are lacking, housing is aging, the stormwater system is inadequate, commercial and business development lags behind other parts of the city, and public transit options are limited. But with a proposed new light rail line “on the map,” investments in infrastructure, new businesses and housing will inevitably follow — along with gentrification and displacement of lower income households.
Thus the need for a long-range plan for the area.
“The adoption of this Plan for the future of WPTC is a testament to the efforts by the Bureau of Planning and Sustainability and partners of the SW Equity Coalition (SWEC),” said Mohanad Alnajjar, SWEC Manager. “Over the past few years, they engaged historically underserved communities in shaping a plan that addresses some of the most pressing issues in SW Portland, including residential and business displacement risks, community safety, and advancing social connectedness between culturally diverse communities. It also reflects the Council’s commitment to racial justice and equitable development in this area, and we hope that adequate resources and coordinated efforts will be put forth to ensure that the implementation of this plan is as equitable as its development was.”
The WPTC Plan creates a policy and regulatory framework for the town center to guide growth, development, public improvements, and community benefit approaches. The Plan will be implemented through amendments to the Comprehensive Plan and Map and to the Zoning Code and Zoning Map. This includes creation of a new Zoning Code plan district (the West Portland Multicultural plan district), which will apply within the West Portland Town Center.
The WPTC Plan is a land use plan, not an economic development initiative or a master plan for housing development. But to the extent that the planning “toolbox” (i.e., the zoning code and map) can be maximized to achieve more equitable results for Portland’s residents, this plan has done that. The Zoning Code and Map amendments are intended to:
Accommodate additional housing and additional commercial, office, and recreational amenities and services at a level similar to other town centers in the city;
Support opportunities for under-represented people and communities to inform new development;
Promote equitable development that benefits rather than displaces households most at risk of displacement;
Encourage new affordable and market rate multi-dwelling housing in formerly single dwelling areas to promote economic and racial integration.
Promote heathy outcomes through development of open areas and green infrastructure for more recreational and physical activity;
Discourage auto-oriented uses and prioritize the pedestrian experience over automobiles;
Promote equitable opportunities for businesses, including immigrant, minority, and women-owned small businesses;
Create defined commercial main streets and hubs that enhance conditions for more varied commercial and business services;
Encourage the growth of quality jobs; and
Promote development of spaces for community and cultural events and services.
Centering community priorities and concerns
Parts of WPTC are considerably more diverse than the broader SW Portland community; nearly 30% of the West Portland Park neighborhood are people of color, including a significant number of African and other immigrants. Residents of this portion of the town center, many of whom live in the area’s older apartment buildings, are also disproportionately lower-income.
The core elements of the WPTC Plan’s amendments address concerns and priorities raised during the community engagement process, including the need for housing stability and access to economic opportunity and services. These are covered by a “housing preservation subdistrict” that prioritizes the preservation of existing low-cost apartments, a development bonus structure that incentivizes the provision of affordable housing units, creation of an Employment Focus Area to expand opportunities for living-wage jobs, and by linking the provision of community benefits – such as community services and daycares – to allowances for greater development scale.
The WPTC Plan will become effective on March 31, 2023.