Zoning and Comprehensive Plan Maps

Information
A 2D map with colored zones
The Zoning Map, in an interactive format, with address search functions. Comprehensive Plan designations are also displayed when a property is selected. Also learn how the Comp Plan and Zoning maps relate to each other.

View the interactive map

About the Comprehensive Plan and Zoning maps

The Comprehensive Plan Map establishes the land use designations for all land within Portland’s Urban Services Boundary:

Both depict how land can be used and developed over time, using a set of “designations” and “zones” (shown as colors on the maps). Both show broad categories of uses, such as residential, mixed use, industrial, employment and open space. They also convey information about the scale of future development (the type and size of buildings).

The Comprehensive Plan Map is about the future…

The Comprehensive Plan Map depicts a long-term vision of how and where the city will grow and change over the next 20 years (through 2035) to accommodate expected population and job growth.

View a printable version of the Comprehensive Plan Map:

The Zoning Map is about what is allowed today…

Decisions about Comprehensive Plan designations directly guide subsequent decisions about zoning. Chapter 10 (linked above) of the Comprehensive Plan includes a list of zoning designations that correspond to each of the land use designations in the plan. 

The City’s Zoning Map tells us how land can be used and what can be built on any given property today. Zones are more specific than the Comprehensive Plan designations and come with a set of rules (included in the City’s Zoning Code) that clarify what uses are allowed (e.g., residences, businesses, manufacturing), and how buildings may be developed or changed (e.g., maximum heights and required setbacks from property lines).

The Comp Plan Map and the Zoning Map are like a leader and a follower. The plan map is the leading map and the zone map is the following map. The zone map can “catch up” to the plan map, but it can’t go past it.

View a printable version of the Zoning Map:

Comprehensive Plan Map Amendments

Comprehensive Plan Map Amendments can occur in two ways.

  • Legislative changes. The Planning and Sustainability Commission can recommend changes as part of a large-scale citywide or area-specific plan or study. Legislative changes are managed by the Bureau of Planning and Sustainability.
  • Quasi-judicial changes. Changes to individual properties can be requested through the Bureau of Development Services.

City Council is the decision-maker for both kinds of changes.