324-2023

As Mayor, I request Council confirmation of the following appointments to the Design Commission and adjusting the membership category of one existing member.

The Design Commission provides leadership and expertise on urban design and architecture and advances the purpose of the Design overlay zone. The Design overlay zone ensures that Portland is both a city designed for people and a city in harmony with nature. The Design overlay zone supports the city’s evolution within current and emerging centers of civic life. The overlay promotes design excellence in the built environment through the application of additional design standards and design guidelines. The Portland Design Commission hears Land Use applications for proposals within design districts (Type III applications and Type II appeal applications).

Three actions are currently needed. I am recommending two candidates for appointment on the Design Commission for 4-year terms. One appointee will replace a member whose second term ends on 5/6/23 and the other who is stepping down from their 2^nd term early on 5/6/23.  

I am also recommending that one existing member category for Sam Rodriguez change from Public-at-Large to Developer to best represent Sam’s expertise, and to open the Public-at-Large category to best represent one of the new appointees.

Two New Candidates:

One Category Change:

Tina Bue bio:

Tina has many years of experience working in diverse groups, which requires a lot of open mindedness and willingness to have empathy, understanding, and appreciation for the diversity of the individuals within a group or team. Tina is a keen observer to ensure that every voice is heard. Tina’s leadership on design teams has focused on this to help lift other voices up as well as give individuals on a team more experience listening and making space for voices that do not sound like their own. Tina’s experience in design leadership has given her opportunities to work collaboratively and learn from others' experiences that are different from her own. The current team Tina manages is diverse in culture, race, gender, and age. It has been a commitment of Tina’s to only work in spaces that are accepting of all people and backgrounds.

Statement from Tina Bue:

Since moving to Portland from NYC in 2008 I am excited to finally be able to make space for civic engagement.  I have worked as a designer my entire adult life and I believe that public design is a powerful tool to engage communities. While I'm not an architect or builder, I'm a color designer passionate about the ability of color to transform spaces and the people who use them. My curiosity and interest in how the design of public spaces affect the communities who encounter them has brought me to learn more about the Portland Design Commission’s work. 

As a small business owner and more specifically, Color Material and Finish designer for consumer goods, my interests are in elevating the people’s experiences and the specific touchpoints that can potentially add or take away meaning. I hope to contribute a point of view on community care-centered design that can add value to Portland Design Commission and vision for Portland’s future. As an active member of the community who uses public spaces, as well as a woman of color, I would like to bring another point of view to help diversify the Portland Design Commission.

Joe Swank bio:

Joe’s work has been targeted toward increasing diversity in the architectural and related professions by targeting opportunities for BIPoC students. These experiences have provided much inspiration and a lens into how young residents of the city want to see Portland in the future. The Portland Design Commission would be an opportunity to help play a role in building that future Portland. Most recently Joe’s work as a real estate development manager has proved insight as to what it takes to get a project to fruition. Joe demonstrates an inherent appreciation for the costs, time, and effort that goes into this process. This appointment will help to ensure the continuation of the good work of the Design Commission on behalf of BDS and other City bureaus, the development industry, and the community.

Statement from Joe Swank:

I care about Portland. I care about the city's policies and uniqueness that makes the public realm in Portland so special. I have worked in multiple facets of the design and construction industry as an architect, a general contractor, and currently a development manager for an equity centered real-estate developer. These experiences yield an understanding of projects from multiple perspectives and at multiple scales. I want to bring that experience to the commission; to partner with project teams and community input to produce the best project outcomes. I would hope to continue and champion a transparent and predictable approach to reviews that will provide the industry and community at-large confidence in project outcomes.

My strength as an architect is related to details and materials and how buildings cohesively come together. I have a depth of understanding how these elements can affect buildings over time. My hope is to bring this expertise to the commission in order to guide buildings to endure as lasting additions to the public realm.

With this appointment, all positions on the Design Commission will remain filled.

I recommend that Tina Bue – Public at Large, and Joe Swank – Developer, be appointed to the Design Commission for a first terms and that Sam Rodriguez’s membership category be adjusted fromPublic-at-Large to Developer.