TRN-5.01 - Northwest Transportation Fund Administrative Procedures Guide

The purpose of this guide is to provide procedures for implementing the Northwest Transportation Fund in the City of Portland . The guide explains the reasons for creating the Northwest Transportation Fund, their applicability to individual developments and how the fees are calculated, collected, and used.

This guide is based on, and implements, Chapter 17.19 of Title 17, Public Improvements, of the Code of the City of Portland. Chapter 17.19 was adopted by City Council of October 22, 2003 (Ordinance No. 177993), effective date November 21, 2003.

The Northwest Transportation Fund was created as a bonus option in Title 33, Planning and Zoning, in both the Northwest Plan District and the Guild’s Lake Industrial Sanctuary Plan District as part of the Northwest District Plan adopted by City Council on September 24, 2003.

Non-residential uses such as retail sales and services, offices, commercial parking and major event entertainment, among others, can generate a substantial amount of traffic. The transportation system will likely experience additional congestion, particularly at the peak traffic hours if the development potential in the Northwest District Plan District and in Subdistrict B of the Guild’s Lake Industrial Sanctuary Plan District is realized. The Northwest Transportation Fund is intended to ensure that there is a source of funding for transportation improvements in a specific area of the Northwest Portland Plan District and in Subdistrict B of the Guild’s Lake Industrial Sanctuary Plan District. The improvements will mitigate for transportation impacts associated with new development in that area.

The Northwest Transportation Fund bonus option is not a systems development charge because it can be used to address both existing deficiencies and mitigate for the transportation impacts of growth. System development charges will apply independently of any fees collected as part of the Northwest Transportation Fund bonus option.