Overlay Zone or Plan District for Tree Permits

Information
Screenshot of portlandmaps.com website, clicking on Zoning & Districts.
Determine if your tree is in a specially regulated Overlay Zone or Plan District. If your property falls into one of the overlay zones or plan districts listed below, call 503-823-TREE (8733) to find out tree requirements for that area.

Overlay Zones and Plan Districts

Overlay zones consist of regulations that address specific subjects in particular areas in the City. Several overlay zones have different tree requirements than regulations of the base zones. 

Some sites within the City of Portland are located within plan districts. Some plan districts have alternative tree requirements to the base zone or overlay zone.

Why are these overlay zones and plan districts special?

Certain areas of the city have significant natural resources or environmentally or culturally sensitive features, such as floodplains, wetlands, scenic views, steep slopes, native vegetation, or historic elements. The City acknowledges these sensitive areas by restricting certain activities in order to protect resources that provide benefits to the public. These benefits include reducing stormwater runoff and erosion, enhancing water quality, retaining native vegetation, and preserving historic elements and scenic views.

In certain environmental overlay zones and plan districts, private property trees of any size may require a permit for removal. These areas include:

Overlay Zones

  • Environmental overlay zones: c, p (Chapter 33.430)
    • Environmental overlay zones require protection of some resources and functional values that have been identified by the City as providing benefits to the public.
  • Greenway overlay zones: n, q, g, i, r (Chapter 33.440)
    • The greenway overlay zones affect some property located along the Willamette River
  • Pleasant Valley Natural Resources overlay zone: v (Chapter 33.465)
    • The pleasant valley natural resources overlay zone integrates the significant natural resources into a new urban community in Pleasant Valley.
  • Scenic resource overlay zone: s (Chapter 33.480)
    • The scenic resource overlay zone establishes height limits within view corridors to protect significant views and establishes additional landscaping and screening standards to preserve and enhance identified scenic resources.
  • Aircraft landing zone: h (Chapter 33.400)

Plan Districts

These plan districts have special tree regulations:

  • Cascade Station/Portland International Center Plan District
  • Columbia South Shore Plan District
  • Johnson Creek Basin Plan District
  • Portland International Airport Plan District
  • Rocky Butte Plan District
  • South Auditorium Plan District

Find Out If Your Tree is in a Special Overlay Zone or Plan District

  1. Go to Portland Maps (Zoning) at https://www.portlandmaps.com/bps/zoning/#/map/
  2. Type in the address of the property and hitEnter key
    • You may have to click on the correct address if you are given a list of matching addresses
  3. Understand the symbols:  
    • Base Zone ( ex. R5 or R2.5 ) are the first and sometimes only zoning info that will be provided
    • Overlay Zones represented by a letter ( ex.  c, g, h, i, n, p, q, r, s, v) follow the base zone ID ( circled letter) 
      image from zoning and portlandmaps.com
    • Plan districts  ( ex. JC = Johnson Creek ) may not be visible until you scroll down and read the provided information
      • *Note:  not all address have any overlays or Plan districts, thus no letters following the base zone
  4. Scroll down and Look for following "Overlay" and "Plan District" designations:
Using portlandmaps.com visual
Using Portlandmaps.com image

Overlay Zones: c, g, h, i, n, p, q, r, s, v

and

Plan Districts:

  • Cascade Station/Portland International Center Plan District
  • Columbia South Shore Plan District
  • Johnson Creek Basin Plan District
  • Portland International Airport Plan District
  • Rocky Butte Plan District
  • South Auditorium Plan District

More details on Base Zones, Overlay Zones, Plan Districts, Historic / Conservation districts, Natural Resource Management Plans

Other Resources for Finding Zoning Regulations and Zone Maps 

Another page through Planning and Zoning in Development Services that includes other search options. 


If you wish to remove a street tree or a private tree in a special overlay zone or plan district, call 503-823-TREE (8733) before tree removal.

Have the following information available when you call:

  • Your name, phone number, and relationship to the property
  • The address of the lot
  • The overlay zone and/or plan district designation
  • The number of trees you wish to remove
  • The location of the tree(s) on the lot
  • If the tree(s) is(are) a nuisance species or not
  • The diameter of the tree(s)
  • The condition of the tree(s) (if the trees are healthy or dead, dying, or dangerous, etc.)

Environmental Review

Click here to learn about when an environmental review is triggered and the environmental review procedure.