City Council gives RIP project staff direction on amendment concepts

 On January 29, City Council reviewed four mostly technical amendment proposals and directed staff to prepare specific implementing code for their review in March. At a second work session on February 12, Commissioners considered ideas for 13 more amendments and identified three that should be developed into formal code changes.

These amendments include:

1. Technical changes to align proposals with recently adopted projects for consistency.
2. Changes to align duplex allowances with state mandates in HB2001.
3. Changes to respond to the SB 534 requirement to recognize certain substandard platted lots.
4. Creating a combined process for lot consolidations and property line adjustments.
5. Tools to address unimproved and underimproved local streets.
6. Provisions for a “Deeper Affordability Bonus.”
7. A historic resource demolition disincentive.

Read more about these amendment concepts.

Public hearing on amendments only

Community members can testify on the amendments at a public hearing on March 12 at 2 p.m. Council will then vote to determine which amendments should be included in the “As-Amended” report, followed by a vote on the entire RIP package at a subsequent meeting. Staff will prepare code revisions and post those on the project website a week prior to the Council hearing.

Written testimony on amendments accepted as well

The record has been reopened to accept written testimony on the amendments now through the March 12 hearing. Mayor Wheeler clarified that any correspondence sent to Council or project staff between January 17 and February 12 is not part of the record nor considered testimony. Therefore, he urged that any such correspondence be resubmitted in order to be considered.

The Mayor also stressed the importance of submitting testimony in writing, as time may be limited for oral testimony on March 12.

Submit written testimony to City Council. Written testimony must be received by the time of the hearing on March 12 and must include your name and address.

Map App:

• www.portlandoregon.gov/bps/infill/mapapp
  Click on the "Testify" button. Testifying in the Map App is as easy as sending an email.

U.S. Mail:

City Council
Residential Infill Project Testimony
1221 SW Fourth Avenue, Room 130
Portland, OR 97204

More details about the March 12 hearing and links to the proposed code amendment language will follow at the beginning of March.

For other information about the project

• Use the Map App to learn more about how the proposals affect particular properties.
• Additional map resources are also available through the project website documents and resources.
• Or call or email Morgan Tracy, Project Manager, 503-823-6879.