Land Use Review types and fees

Land use review applications and forms 

Here are some quick links to forms:

Visit Land Use and Final Plat Applications for instructions on how to apply for a Land Use Review.

How long does a land use review take?

The timeline for each land use review depends on the procedure type. It also depends on whether or not the initial application contains all the required materials and other factors.

In general, a land use review will take from two to six months. Delays may occur when additional materials must be submitted, when a review is placed on hold to address various issues, or when a review is appealed.

Land use review types

Step-by-step processing requirements are found in the Zoning Code Chapter 33.730 - Quasi-Judicial Procedures.

Expedited Land Division (ELD) procedure

Type I procedure

This review procedure is required for some historic resource reviews that are small in scope or impact.

• Early Assistance - Optional. More: Early Assistance
• Submittal & Completeness - Staff notifies applicant of any missing information or materials within 14 days of submittal
• Public Notice - Upon receipt of a complete application, staff mails public notice to all property owners within 100 feet and to the recognized organizations in which the site is located. At least 14 days are allowed for public comment.
• Decision - Made administratively by staff within 21 days after the application is determined to be complete.
• Appeal - To the State Land Use Board of Appeals (LUBA)

Type Ix procedure

This review procedure is required for environmental resource enhancement, the simplest design reviews, and the simplest land division preliminary plan reviews.

• Early Assistance - Optional. More: Early Assistance
• Submittal & Completeness - Staff notifies applicant of any missing information or materials within 21 days of submittal
• Public Notice - Upon receipt of a complete application, staff mails public notice to all property owners within 100 feet and to the recognized organizations in which the site is located. At least 30 days are allowed for public comment.
• Decision - Made administratively by staff within 45 days after the application is determined to be complete.
• Appeal - To the State Land Use Board of Appeals (LUBA)

Type II procedure

This review procedure is required for adjustments (similar to variances), most environmental reviews, some conditional uses, and some design reviews.

• Early Assistance - Optional. More: Early Assistance
• Submittal & Completeness - Staff notifies applicant of any missing information or materials within 14 days of submittal
• Public Notice - Upon receipt of a complete application, staff mails public notice to all property owners within 150 feet and to the recognized organizations within 400 feet of the site. At least 21 days are allowed for public comment
• Decision - Made administratively by staff within 28 days after the application is determined to be complete
• Appeal - To local hearing bodies such as the Adjustment Committee or the Hearings Officer, depending on the land use review

Type IIx procedure

This review procedure is required for large land divisions, land divisions on sensitive lands, or when requesting 4 or more land use reviews in one application.

• Early Assistance - Optional. More: Early Assistance
• Submittal & Completeness - Staff notifies applicant of any missing information or materials within 21 days of submittal
• Public Notice - Upon receipt of a complete application, staff mails public notice to all property owners within 150 feet and to the recognized organizations in which the site is located. At least 14 days are allowed for public comment
• Decision - Made administratively by staff within 42 days after the application is determined to be complete
• Appeal - To local hearing bodies such as the Adjustment Committee or the Hearings Officer, depending on the land use review

Type III procedure

This review procedure is required for more complex reviews, such as some land divisions, conditional uses, zoning map amendments, comprehensive plan map amendments, environmental violations, and design reviews.

• Pre-Application Conference - Required before submittal of the land use review. More: Pre-Application Conferences
• Submittal & Completeness - Staff notifies applicant of any missing information or materials within 21 days of submittal
• Posting - The applicant must post the site at least 30 days before the hearing.
• Public Notice - Upon receipt of a complete application, staff mails public notice to all property owners within 400 feet and to the recognized organizations within 1,000 feet of the site. The notice is mailed at least 20 days before the hearing.
• Hearing - Occurs within 51 days after the application is determined to be complete. In cases of comprehensive plan map amendments and statewide planning goal exceptions, a second hearing is held before City Council.
• Decision - Made by the review body following the public hearing
• Appeal - To City Council. Appeal of a Type III decision made by the City Council is appealed to the State Land Use Board of Appeals (LUBA).

Type IV procedure

This review procedure is required for demolition reviews.

• Pre-Application Conference - Required before submittal of the land use review. More: Pre-Application Conferences
• Submittal & Completeness - Staff notifies applicant of any missing information or materials within 21 days of submittal
• Posting - The applicant must post the site at least 30 days before the hearing
• Public Notice - Upon receipt of a complete application, staff mails public notice to all property owners within 400 feet and to the recognized organizations within 1,000 feet of the site. The notice is mailed at least 20 days before the hearing.
• Public Meeting - Held before the Historic Landmarks Commission
• Hearing - Occurs before City Council within 71 days after the application is determined to be complete
• Decision - Made by City Council following the public hearing
• Appeal - To the State Land Use Board of Appeals (LUBA)

Qualified affordable housing projects: Expedited land use reviews

Fees

Costs vary depending on the review type and the specific bureaus involved.

A separate fee is charged for each type of land use review. The fee includes portions that are allocated to Portland Permitting & Development, Transportation, Water, Environmental Services, Fire, Parks, and the Hearings Officer.

Next steps

Please contact Land Use Services for more information about the next steps for a land use review. 

If you have questions after reviewing the information on this page, please schedule a free 15-minute appointment with a city planner or set up an Early Assistance meeting for a deeper discussion.