The purpose of this memorandum is to provide a brief description of the land use review recommendation which will be presented to you in a public hearing at 2:00 pm on January 16, 2025.
Site Location: 118 SW Porter St
PP&D Representative: Tanya Paglia, City Planner
Link to Case File (Efiles): https://efiles.portlandoregon.gov/record/17060982/
- Land Use Review Requested: Type IV Demolition Review of a contributing resource in the South Portland Historic District located at 118 SW Porter St.
Proposal: The applicant proposes to demolish a contributing (historically significant) house in the South Portland Historic District. The applicant, UKANDU, a non-profit serving families impacted by childhood and adolescent cancer, proposes to replace the house with an addition to the adjacent non-contributing building in order to create a campus at a site located at the intersection of SW 1st Ave and SW Porter St (118 SW Porter St / 3015 SW 1st Ave).
The total demolition of a contributing primary structure in a Historic District is subject to Demolition Review (per Portland Zoning Code 33.445.200.E1), and it is processed through a Type IV land use review procedure (per Portland Zoning Code 33.846.080.B.3). Demolition review ensures the historic value of a building is considered and that there is an opportunity for the owner and community to consider alternatives to demolition. The replacement of the demolished house (an addition to the adjacent non-contributing building) will be evaluated through a Historic Resource Review, which will be a Type III procedure decided by the Historic Landmarks Commission.
Staff and Historic Landmarks Commission Recommendation: The staff report and Recommendation to City Council is to approve the request. The Historic Landmarks Commission unanimously supported the proposal at a public advisory meeting held on November 25, 2024. The commission noted that their support was contingent on two recommended conditions of approval which are noted below under “Requested Council Action.” Following the meeting, a letter further explaining the Historic Landmarks Commission’s position was written and voted on by the commission during a public meeting on December 16, 2024. This letter is included in the Council Packet.
Requested Council Action: Accept the staff report and Historic Landmarks Commission recommendation of approval of demolition with the following recommended conditions of approval:
- The land use review for the replacement structure must be approved, and its appeal period must have passed, before a demolition permit is issued.
- The house must be deconstructed by a certified deconstruction contractor, and the materials must be salvaged, reused, recycled, or donated to entities involved in such activities consistent with the city’s deconstruction of buildings Code Chapter 17.106 with the goal of diverting most of the building materials from landfills.
- Alternatives Facing Council:
- Tentatively grant demolition review approval with PP&D staff recommended conditions and return at a future date to adopt final decision and findings.
- Tentatively grant demolition review approval, but with modified conditions, and return at a future date to adopt final decision and findings.
- Delay the final decision to a future date and request alternatives be explored.
- Deny demolition review approval and return at a future date to adopt final decision and findings.
Exhibits and Attachments
Impact Statement
Purpose of Proposed Legislation and Background Information
The applicant is requesting approval for demolition of a contributing resource in the South Portland Historic District. Portland Zoning Code Section 33.445.200.E.1 provides that total demolition of a contributing structure in a historic district is subject to demolition review, and Section 33.846.080.B.3 provides that the land use review procedure is a Type IV procedure with City Council as the decision body. A Type IV land use review is a quasi-judicial action.
Financial and Budgetary Impacts
This is a Type IV quasi-judicial land use review, not legislation. The City Council decision on this matter will not have financial or budgetary impacts on the city.
Land use reviews and appeals are fee supported. City costs associated with this appeal are for staff time to process the appeal.
Economic and Real Estate Development Impacts
As noted above, this is a Type IV quasi-judicial land use review, not legislation. It affects only one site within the city, rather than the city at large. The City Council decision on this matter will not have significant economic and real estate development impacts on the city beyond the specific site of the project.
If approved, the demolition will allow a larger addition to the site than what is currently feasible if retaining the 930 SF one-and-a-half-story bungalow style house built in 1908. The non-profit organization Ukandu will invest money in renovating and expanding an adjacent building to create a larger campus for their organization. The existing building at 3015 SW 1st Ave will be expanded by 9,564 SF from the current 8,956 SF to 18,520 SF.
The engagement process has included the Type IV notification procedures noted under the “community impacts and community involvement” section below. In addition, this project also completed a mandatory pre-application conference with city staff (EA 24-037799 PC) which followed the public notice requirements of the Portland Zoning Code. While a pre-application conference is not a public hearing and no land use decision is rendered at the conference, interested persons may attend the conference and obtain copies of all the written information that is submitted and prepared for it.
The project also undertook a voluntary Design Advice Request with the Historic Landmarks Commission (EA 24-056451 DA) which followed the public notice requirements of the Portland Zoning Code which includes a mailed public notice as well as the posting of signs notifying the public of the public meeting at the subject site. A number of comments were received from the public and were submitted to the Historic Landmarks Commission as both oral and written testimony as part of the Design Advice Request process.
Community Impacts and Community Involvement
The notification procedures for this Type IV land use review followed the public notice requirements contained within the Portland Zoning Code, as adopted by the City Council. For Type IV land use reviews, the Zoning Code requires public notice of the initial public hearing to be mailed to recognized neighborhood and business associations that are within 1,000 feet of the subject site and to neighbors within 400 feet of the site. In addition, signs notifying the public of the initial hearing were posted at the subject site. City Bureaus were also sent notice. Interested persons were encouraged to write and/or testify at the public advisory meeting before the Historic Landmarks Commission, and again at the Portland City Council hearing.
Multiple comments were received from the public and were submitted to the Historic Landmarks Commission as both oral and written testimony. The required public advisory meeting before the Landmarks Commission took place on November 25, 2024. The first Public Hearing is scheduled for Portland City Council on January 16, 2025.
The City Council decision on the proposed demolition will be the final decision of the City, per Zoning Code Section 33.730.030. However, the City Council’s decision may be appealed to the Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals (LUBA).
100% Renewable Goal
Not applicable
Financial and Budget Analysis
This appeal will not have significant impact on the city’s budget. Any costs associated with the appeal will be limited to staff time required to review, evaluate, and process it, which are covered by fees paid by the applicant.