ENB-11.45 - West End Action Chart

NCP-ENB-11.45

The complete text of the West End Action Chartis available for download as a PDF document.

WHEREAS, in December 1997, the Association for Portland Progress (APP) invited West End business and property owners, the Downtown Community Association, and public agencies to meet an discuss whether the West End was fulfilling its potential. This group defined the West End district as bounded by SW Ninth Avenue, the Stadium Freeway (I-405), SW Market Street and NW Couch Street.

WHEREAS, the consensus of those invited to meet by the APP was that the area was not fulfilling its potential. As a result, the APP formed the West End Working Group and Steering Committee (WESC), with the mission of developing a revitalization plan. The West End Working Group and WESC were composed of interested business and property owners, representatives of public agencies, and other members of the Downtown community. Over the next eighteen months, these groups developed the West End Vision Plan (WEVP), which was published in July 1999.

WHEREAS, the West End Vision Plan identified a number of actions to attract new private investment to the West End, which would build on the recent public investment in library and museum renovations and the construction of the Portland Streetcar. The proposed WEVP actions include projects, programs and regulatory actions to be undertaken, by both the public and private sectors, to develop the West End, a district of exceptional assets, into a "cohesive community in the city's core" that "exhibits and sustains the urban culture to which Portland aspires."

WHEREAS, in October 1999, City Council accepted the West End Vision Plan by adopting Resolution 35834 to acknowledge and applaud the work of the West End Working Group and Steering Committee and to support the plan's concepts. This resolution also directed the Bureau of Planning (BOP), the Office of Transportation (PDOT), the Office of Planning and Development Review (OPDR), and the Portland Development Commission (PDC) to develop a comprehensive evaluation and response to the actions proposed.

WHEREAS, the City Council directed the BOP to take the lead, in consultation with PDOT, OPDR, PDC, and other interested city agencies to report to the Planning Commission no later than July 2000 with recommendations for action. To assist the BOP and other city bureaus in evaluating WEVP proposals, the Council adopted Resolution 35834 to establish a West End Advisory Committee (WEAC). Steve Abel, President of the Planning Commission, chaired the WEAC, which included members of the WESC, the APP Housing Committee, Portland State University, Innovative Housing Inc., the Association of Downtown Churches, the Downtown Community Association, Coalition for a Livable Future, and the American Institute of Architects Urban Design Committee. The resolution also named staff from PDOT, OPDR, PDC and Office of the Mayor to serve on the committee.

WHEREAS, the WEAC met from Fall 1999 into Summer 2000 to review the WEVP and discuss other possible proposals for action in a series of public meetings. During this process, WEAC members and others involved in public meetings and workshops suggested ideas for inclusion in the BOP's proposals.

WHEREAS, in July 2000, the BOP drafted the Tentative Proposal for the West End that includes a new West End Action Charts, and an Urban Design Plan, to be added to the Central City Plan to implement the proposed West End policy. This policy calls for fostering the development of the West End as a vibrant urban neighborhood. The proposed West End Action chart and Urban Design Plan also allowed WEVP's proposals, and other proposals for action by those participating in this planning process, to be incorporated into an adopted city plan.

WHEREAS, the new Urban Design Plan is a map that illustrates urban design proposal mentioned in the West End policy objectives and action items. The West End Subarea has the same boundaries as the WEVP's study area, except that the blocks north of Burnside Street have not been included.

WHEREAS, the proposal also included action items to be added to the Central City Plan's Functional Policy Action Charts (Economic Development and Transportation) that address issues in the West End as well as the larger Central City.

WHEREAS, the WEAC, City bureaus, and others listed as implementors of actions in the action chart reviewed the proposed actions in the tentative proposal and made some changes and additions.

WHEREAS, in September 2000, the BOP published the West End Proposal, which contained a revised action chart, the urban design concept, and the proposed change to the Central City Plan Culture and Entertainment map. The BOP proposed the designation of the area known as the "Burnside Triangle" as an "entertainment district" on the Culture and Entertainment map that accompanies Policy 9 of the Central City Plan, in response to requests from the public that the special character of this area be recognized and be the focus of additional planning efforts in the future.

WHEREAS, the Planning Commission held a hearing on the West End Proposal on October 24, 2000. Some of the oral and written public testimony addressed proposed action items. This included testimony from the WESC, PDC and PDOT. The hearing's record was kept open for additional written testimony through October 27, 2000.

WHEREAS, on March 27, 2001, the Planning Commission voted 6 to 2 to recommend the West End Proposal to City Council with significant changes. This included the recommendation that the City Council adopt and implement the West End Policy, as amended by Planning commission, as an element within the Central City Plan, which itself is incorporated into the Comprehensive Plan. They also recommended adoption of the West End Action Chart and several actions to be added to the action charts of the Functional Policies of the Central City Plan. The West End Action chart and other action items implement this policy along with the recommended changes to the Zoning Code and map. BOP staff made changes to the West End Action Chart as directed by the Planning Commission. BOP staff made findings to support the inclusion of the West End Action Chart and other Central City Plan Functional Policy Action Charts.

WHEREAS, on June 21, 2001, the Portland City Council held a public hearing on the Planning Commission's West End Recommendation. Testimony came from diverse interests and continued beyond the normal scheduled time for adjournment of the City Council. The hearing was continued until July 18, 2001. Subsequent meetings with City Council were held on September 26, and October 18, 2001 to give direction to BOP staff to come back with a new proposal for the portion of the West End Subarea north of Salmon Street and west of SW 11th Avenue.

WHEREAS, in the course of these hearings some changes were requested to the recommended West End Action Chart in oral and written testimony including some requests for changes by members of City Council. These included changes and additions to the action chart requested by Commission Saltzman intended to support small businesses and establish a Burnside Triangle Advisory Committee.

WHEREAS, the BOP published an amendments report which included these requested changes to the recommended action chart along with the BOP's recommendations to City Council on them. In this document, the BOP recommended revising one of the requested actions and adding it to the Action Chart of the Central City Plan Housing Policy (a Functional Policy) instead of the West End Action Chart.

WHEREAS, on November 21, 2001, the City Council held a public hearing on a new proposal for the area north of SW Salmon Street and the remaining Planning Commission recommendations and the amendments to them.

WHEREAS, the City Council adopted the West End Action Chart as amended by their decisions on the requests for amendments. They also adopted several actions to be added to the Functional Policy Action Charts of Central City Plan; the West End Urban Design Plan; and the change to the Culture and Entertainment that accompanies Policy 9 of the Central City Plan.

WHEREAS, the West End Action Chart and the additions to Functional Policy Action Charts contain projects, programs, and regulatory actions necessary for the implementation of the new West End policy of the Central City Plan. (The regulatory actions listed in the action chart are adopted separately by Ordinance.)

WHEREAS, the success of creating a vibrant urban neighborhood in the West End will depend on the coordination of independent actions carried out by private interests, nonprofit organizations, area institutions, public service providers, and community based organizations in the 20-year period covered by this update on the Central City Plan.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the City of Portland, a municipal corporation of the State of Oregon that the City Council of the City of Portland adopt the new implementation actions as described in the Planning Commission's West End Recommendation as amended by City Council. These include the West End Action Chart , actions added to the Economic Development, Housing, and Transportation Action Charts of the Central City Plan, the West End Urban Design Plan, and the change to the Central City Plan Culture and Entertainment map and that:

a. The various City agencies identified in the action charts as possible implementing agencies are authorized to engage in activities aimed at implementation projects and programs called for in the Action Charts.

b. Proposals for projects and programs approved by this resolution are understood to be a starting place. As studies are undertaken, projects and programs may need to be refined or replaced by alternative actions found to be better able to implement the West End policy of the Central City Plan.

c. The West End Urban Design Plan is adopted by City Council to illustrate various action chart proposals and urban design concepts for the new West End Subarea.

d. The designation of the area between NW Couch and SW Washington west of Ninth Avenue as an entertainment district on the Culture and Entertainment Map that accompanies Central City Plan Policy 9 is intended to recognize the unique character of the area know as the Burnside Triangle. This section of the West End and the blocks just to the north contain a mixture of housing, hotels, restaurants, bars, bookstores, independent retail shops and entertainment venues that have a regional draw.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED by the Council of the City of Portland, a municipal corporation of the State of Oregon that the City Council authorizes and directs the Bureau of Planning to make corrections to the Action Charts to correct typographical errors and to ensure parallel construction.

Resolution No. 36051 adopted by Council January 10, 2002.

Filed for inclusion in PPD September 30, 2004.