2035 Comprehensive Plan is Portland’s Future

Portland’s 2035 Comprehensive Plan is moving into its final phase—review and adoption by City Council.

Depending where you live in east Portland, significant changes may be coming to your neighborhood—or possibly, there are things about your neighborhood you would like to change. The 2035 Comprehensive Plan process, or Comp Plan as most people call it, gives citizens the chance to make those changes, but time is running out.

This is citizens’ last chance to let the city know what you want for your neighborhood for the next 20 years and beyond.

The Comp Plan specifies each property’s use, and guides planners as to the zoning applied to each property. If it’s in the Comp Plan, an apartment building over your back fence, a machine shop down the street, a gas station at the corner can become your reality.

With more than 620,000 residents, 95 identified neighborhoods, and 145 square miles of area, it’s careless to assume people making these decisions know your neighborhood, know how your neighborhood works, or what you and your neighbors want.

You have to let them know.

Planners may have never seen the area. In addition, they may have not heard a word from the people who live there.

At times, residents disagree with planning decisions. When that occurs, planners may agree with residents and change their decision given new information and asked to take a second look. What makes the difference is citizen involvement.

For two years, the city has done outreach, asking for comments via the Plan website, email, regular mail, at neighborhood workshops and at public hearings. Despite these efforts, the number of comments submitted on the cumbersome website is relatively few, not many email and regular mail comments were received. Moreover, workshops are poorly attended, which has left the planning staff trying to do their best to guess what neighbors might want. State law, Metro regulations, Multnomah County ordinances, existing city codes, availability of utility services, adequacy of roads and streets, traffic patterns and long-established uses that no longer fit with the neighborhood that grew up around them all have to be considered. To arrive at what they believe are the best decisions, planners weigh these factors along with good planning practices. Too often, the missing component is on-the-ground knowledge.

Most of the changes in the proposed Comp Plan are more technical adjustments than physical changes. Some redesignations just recognize the actual uses that exist. Examples are a set of light industrial buildings near 97th Avenue between Southeast Stark and East Burnside streets that are redesignated “Mixed Employment.” The Summerplace community is redesignated from apartments to single family. The 20-acre Wilkes Natural Area goes from residential to “Open Space.”

In some cases, it is mostly a name change. Designations have been developed that rename and, in many cases, expand or limit the uses allowed for a specific property, but in reality, it makes little difference in the actual use of the property. As an example, properties in the Parkrose business district along Northeast Sandy Boulevard, now zoned “commercial,” may be designated “Mixed Use—Civic Corridor” and eventually be zoned as “Commercial Mixed Use,” but few of the actual uses are changed: offices, retail, and even apartments are allowed. The same situation exists along most major arterials: Glisan and Halsey streets, 122nd, 102nd, and 162nd avenues. There is a new name and a new color on a map, but not a major change that affects citizens.

However, say that the same area is redesignated from “Commercial” to “Mixed Employment”. That doesn’t seem different, but it is. Retail uses are restricted, apartments cannot be built, but office buildings and even light industrial and warehouses are encouraged, which puts undesirable uses in the path of future expansion of a residential neighborhood, which is the Argay Terrace neighborhood’s circumstance.

 

Argay Terrace meets the Comp Plan

Argay Terrace, a residential neighborhood of about 1,500 single-family homes and 800 apartments from I-84 to Sandy Boulevard and from Northeast 122nd to 148th avenues—is an example how the 2035 Comprehensive Plan can change the future of a neighborhood. Furthermore, it’s an example of where planned changes could damage the neighborhood and where other changes in the Comp Plan can make the neighborhood even better in the future.

In the 1970s, Multnomah County rezoned nearly all farmland still in use in the Argay Terrace neighborhood to R3 (Residential, 3,000 sq. ft. minimum lot), a zone that allows small-lot single-family homes, but is usually developed for apartments. As in most neighborhoods, nobody noticed in Argay Terrace, or if they did, nothing was done, and the zoning was forgotten.

However, two years ago, Argay Terrace got a wake-up call when a developer bought one of those R3 zoned properties. Over the last two years, the neighborhood has tried to work with the developer to have him build a quality complex, those matching neighborhood standards. Moreover, Argay Terrace neighbors realized the only way to ensure this issue doesn’t reoccur, is to have the remaining R3 zoned farm areas transition to quality single-family use, or the R5 zone (one home every 5,000 sq. ft. minimum lot size), the city’s current single-family home designation. The R5 zone is the modern equivalent of the R7 zone (one home every 7,000 sq. ft.) found in the surrounding neighborhood. Despite that transition possibly being decades off, when it happens, not only does the R5 single-family zoning have to be in place, but the Comp Plan designation must also change before the area can be re-zoned.

The areas of farmland now zoned R3 are located between Northeast 148th Avenue and the developed area of Argay Terrace at 145th avenues (Giusto Farms) and at the southeast corner of Northeast 122nd and Shaver Street (Rossi/Giusto and Garre Farms).

In the Comp Plan’s first version, they remained R3. The neighborhood set about trying to get that changed through the combined efforts of Argay residents acting independently and help from the re-constituted Argay Neighborhood Association board. “This wasn’t a matter of demanding a change or making angry phone calls or yelling at a meeting,” said ANA Land-Use Chair Al Brown. “That doesn’t work. Planners are trained professionals; they have carefully made these decisions, they need new information, new facts and reasons to re-examine the original decision and possibly come around to our point of view.”

When the Castlegate Apartments development was first proposed in November 2013 (“Argay angry over farmland development” MCM January 2014) Brown, a long time Argay Terrace resident—he moved to Argay Terrace more than two decades ago—volunteered to be the neighborhood association’s president, transitioning to land-use chair. A Portland native, the phlegmatic and avuncular Brown, 68, was raised in Irvington, attending Grant High School. His career as a real estate broker, appraiser, analyst, and consultant spans 45 years.

Brown describes himself as active in his neighborhood, but not involved in neighborhood politics until Castlegate. “I looked carefully at the [farmland] zoning and how the area worked within the community,” he said. “An initial discussion with planners and a letter from the association resulted in planners agreeing to some of the changes we asked for. We then took that information to residents in flyers, notices and meetings so they knew what was planned, and how to make their voices heard.” He added, “In addition, the association submitted formal testimony [to the Planning and Sustainability Commission] giving our objections, suggestions and reasons.”

Brown said Argay Terrace’s lobbying produced 264 comments. “The planning staff did as we asked; they reviewed the new data and agreed with us in the case of one area,” Brown said. Nevertheless, it’s not all hearts and flowers. “In the other area where we had sought a similar change, they decided against us. We are still of the opinion that a more careful review is needed in that case, and we are taking this new opportunity to make a second appeal with additional new information.”

Argay Terrace is also an example of where a proposed new use could be harmful to the neighborhood. Areas of mixed employment—a zone for offices and light industrial uses—is proposed on the edges of this residential neighborhood along Northeast 148th Avenue. Since city planners are charged with finding new areas where businesses can locate so more jobs can be provided within the city, mixed-employment areas do that. Three of those four areas east of I-205 are within Argay Terrace boundaries. “We understand that need. We aren’t a ‘NIMBY’ neighborhood,” Brown said. “We want to do our part, as long as those areas are on the edge of the neighborhood where they don’t interfere with homes and families, and two of the three are in outlying areas.”

One small area of mixed-employment is located adjacent to residential zoned property and less than two blocks from Parkrose Middle and High schools and the soon-to-be-built 16-acre Beech Park. “It’s one of those things that look good on paper today,” Brown said. “But, when you stand at that location watching the kids walk to school and think, ‘how many more people will be walking down that street and biking on the future bike route once the park is finished’ … anything but single-family homes creates too much hazardous traffic for it to make sense.”

Brown says that area and the area adjacent to it—Rossi and Garre farms—now zoned to allow higher-density apartment projects, needs to be rezoned to allow only moderate-density single-family homes (R5), a use that will produce the least traffic and provide much-needed new homes for families using the parks and schools that are practically next door. “To use it for anything other than new single-family homes just does not make sense,” he said.

However, Parkrose School District Superintendent Karen Fischer Gray, until recently a Planning and Sustainability Commission member, doesn’t agree with her Argay Terrace neighbors. “I do support the current zoning of mixed use/commercial,” Fischer Gray said in an email. “If anything, we could use better designed multi-family affordable housing for the families currently attending our district. I am unsure how continuing our history of building more single-family dwellings in an area that clearly needs growth, innovation and the ability to allow for new things to be built for the community can be served by changing to single-family homes.”

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 2035 Comp Plan 101
Not only is Argay Terrace’s future look up to its residents, but also every neighborhood in the city.

To make your voice heard, look at your neighborhood on the 2035 Comprehensive Plan website: www.portlandoregon.gov/BPS/57352 (You’ll find the vaunted map app here.)

It’s soaked with dense planning language and neither easy to navigate nor decipher. For professional help, call the Bureau of Planning and Sustainability Help Line: 503-823-0195, Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

What changes are planned in your neighborhood? Are there changes you don’t like? Are there changes you think should be made, but aren’t?
Once you know what is planned, you can decide whether changes are needed. Here is how to submit comments.

Email: cputestimony@portlandoregon.gov

Regular mail: Comprehensive Plan Testimony c/o Council Clerk
1221 SW 4th Avenue, Room 130
Portland, OR 97214

In person:
Thursday, Nov. 19, 2015, 2 p.m.
(other dates follow)
City Hall—Council Chambers
1221 S.W. 4th Ave.
Portland, OR 97214
2035 Comprehensive Plan public timeline is set

With the publication of the Recommended Draft and launch of the map app, City Council’s official record opens. To give Council and the public time to review and understand the recommendations in the draft 2035 Plan, commissioners hold their own work sessions with staff on key topics from September through November.

The first public hearing is at City Council Thursday, Nov. 19 with other hearings scheduled soon after. Council will then hold additional work sessions to consider amendments to the Recommended Draft. A City Council vote to adopt Portland’s new Comprehensive Plan is anticipated in February 2016. Once the Plan has been adopted, it then goes to the State Land Conservation and Development Commission for acknowledgement.

• September–December 2015: City Council staff work sessions
• Thursday, Nov. 19, 2015: City Council hearing at 2 p.m.
• November–December 2015: Additional City Council hearings
• January 2016: Additional work sessions to consider amendments
• February 2016: Anticipated City Council vote to adopt the 2035 Comprehensive Plan

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2035 Comprehensive Plan Designation Definition Summaries

Editor’s note: The definitions, which are from the Comprehensive Plan Website, were edited to fit the available space and for clarity while retaining the basic content and meaning.

Full definitions are available on the Comprehensive Plan website: http://www.portlandoregon.gov/BPS/57352).

Unchanged Areas (light gray)
The 2035 Comprehensive Plan follows current zoning and these areas remain unchanged.

Mixed Use—Urban Center
This designation is intended for areas that are close to the central city and within town centers where urban public services are available or planned including access to high-capacity transit, very frequent bus service or streetcar service. The designation allows a broad range of commercial and employment uses, public services and a wide range of housing options. Areas within this designation are generally mixed-use and urban in character.

Central Commercial
This designation is intended to provide for commercial development within Portland’s central city and Gateway Regional Center. Development is intended to be very intense with high building coverage, large buildings and buildings placed close together along a pedestrian-oriented, safe and attractive streetscape.

Mixed Use—Civic Corridor
This designation allows for transit-supportive densities of commercial, residential and employment uses, including a full range of housing, retail and service businesses with a local or regional market. This designation is intended for areas along major corridors where urban public services are available or planned including access to high-capacity transit, frequent bus service or streetcar service.

Mixed Use—Neighborhood
This designation is intended for areas where urban public services, generally including complete local street networks and access to frequent transit, are available or planned, and development constraints do not exist. Areas within this designation are generally pedestrian-oriented and are predominantly built at low- to mid-rise scale, often with buildings close to and oriented toward the sidewalk.

Mixed Use—Dispersed
This designation allows mixed-use, multi-dwelling or commercial development that is small in scale, has little impact and provides services for the nearby residential areas. Development will be similar in scale to nearby residential development to promote compatibility with the surrounding area.

Mixed Employment
This designation encourages a wide variety of office, creative services, manufacturing, distribution, traded sector, and other light industrial employment opportunities, typically in a low-rise, flex-space development pattern. Most employment uses are allowed but limited in size.

Institutional Campus
This designation includes medical centers, colleges, schools and universities. Varieties of other uses are allowed that support the mission of the campus, such as residences for students, staff or faculty. Neighborhood-serving commercial uses and other services are also encouraged.

Multi-Dwelling 1,000
This designation allows medium-density multi-dwelling development. The scale of development is intended to reflect the allowed densities while being compatible with nearby single-dwelling residential zones. The designation is intended for areas near, in and along centers, corridors and transit station areas, where urban public services, generally including complete local street networks and access to frequent transit, are available or planned.

Multi-Dwelling 2,000
This designation allows multi-dwelling development mixed with single-dwelling housing types, but at a scale greater than for single dwelling residential. This designation is intended for areas near, in and along centers, corridors and transit station areas, where urban public services, generally including complete local street networks and access to frequent transit, are available or planned.

Townhouse Multi-Dwelling
This designation is intended for areas with good public services, no development constraints and larger development sites. It permits a mixture of housing types of a single-dwelling character, including multi-dwelling structures, which also have this character. The maximum density is generally 14.5 units per acre but may go up to 21 units per acre in some situations. The allowed scale of development is similar to that for attached single-dwelling housing. The corresponding zone is R3.

Single Dwelling 7,000
This designation is intended for areas that are not adjacent to centers and corridors where urban public services are available or planned, but complete local street networks or transit service is limited. Single dwelling residential will be the primary use. The maximum density is generally 6.2 units per acre. The corresponding zone is R7.

Single Dwelling 5,000
This designation is Portland’s most common pattern of single-dwelling development, particularly in the city’s inner neighborhoods. It is intended for areas where urban public services, generally including complete local street networks and access to frequent transit, are available or planned. Areas within this designation generally have few or very minor development constraints. Single dwelling residential will be the primary use. The maximum density is generally 8.7 units per acre. The corresponding zone is R5.

Open Space
This designation is intended for lands that provide visual relief or serve a recreational, public open space or ecological function. Lands in this designation are primarily publicly owned but can be in private ownership. Lands intended for the open space designation include parks, public plazas, natural areas, scenic lands, golf courses, cemeteries, open space buffers along freeway margins, railroads or abutting industrial areas and large water bodies. The corresponding zone is OS.