From Portland’s Bureau of Planning & Sustainability:

Better Housing by Design draft Zoning Code amendments now available for review

How can Portland’s multi-dwelling zones be improved to ensure more people live in safe and healthy housing that meets their needs?

The Better Housing by Design project team has been addressing that question for the past year. With the help of community members, multi-family housing developers, renter advocates and others, the team developed the Better Housing by Design Concept Report.

Now proposed zoning code and map amendments to implement the concepts for Portland’s multi-dwelling zones are available for public review in the BHD Discussion Draft.

Read the Better Housing by Design Discussion Draft.

WHAT’S IN THE DISCUSSION DRAFT?

The proposed code changes will help ensure that new development in Portland’s multi-dwelling zones better meets the needs of current and future residents as well as contributes positive qualities to the places where they are built.

The Discussion Draft proposals will shape new development in the multi-dwelling zones by:

• Revising the multi-dwelling zones so they relate to different types of places.
• Regulating development intensity by the size of buildings, instead of the number of units in the building.
• Adding incentives for affordable housing.
• Requiring shared outdoor spaces like courtyards for larger projects.
• Encouraging innovative green features and tree preservation.
• Limiting front garages and surface parking.
• Shaping building scale and setbacks to integrate development with neighborhoods.
• Applying standards for East Portland for better design suited to the area’s characteristics.

Learn more and comment

Portlanders are invited to learn more about the Discussion Draft and give their feedback in the coming weeks. This public outreach period is focused on familiarizing community members with the detailed code amendments in preparation for the Planning and Sustainability Commission and subsequent City Council hearings later this year.

Comments on the Discussion Draft are due by March 19, 2018.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Two open houses will give community members a chance to review the proposals and talk to staff. The project team will provide a presentation summarizing the proposals and be available to answer questions.

Central Portland

Wednesday, January 31, 2018, 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.
1900 SW 4^th Avenue, Room 2500 (2^nd floor)
TriMet:  Multiple bus, MAX and streetcar lines

Eastern Portland

Thursday, February 8, 2018, 6 – 8 p.m.
9955 NE Glisan Street (Ride Connection Office)
TriMet: Bus #15 and 19; MAX Blue, Green, Red lines

HOW TO COMMENT

Comments are due by Monday, March 19, 2018. Send your comments to:

E-mail: betterhousing@portlandoregon.gov

Mail:
City of Portland Bureau of Planning and Sustainability
Attn: Better Housing by Design Project
1900 SW 4^th Avenue, Suite 7100
Portland, OR  97201