What’s in it?

The River Plan / South Reach is an update to the Willamette Greenway Plan for the south reach of the Willamette River. The Discussion Draft includes the following early recommendations:

Watershed Health and Resilience

• Apply new River Overlay zones, which include a 50-foot river setback and new bird-safe glazing, exterior lighting and landscaping requirements.
• Update floodplain development regulations to reduce flood risk and expand salmon and steelhead habitat.
• Identify habitat restoration opportunities in key river and upland areas. 

Recreation and Scenic Resources

• Increase access to in the Willamette Greenway Trail network.
• Complete planning and identify implementation funding for the Ross Island/Oaks Bottom/Sellwood Riverfront Park complex and the former Staff Jennings site. 
• Develop culturally specific City programming and activities.
• Allow a small amount of river recreation-supportive retail in three South Reach parks.
• Expand partnerships that address boater education, safety and enforcement.
• Designate and protect the unique views of the South Reach.

Tribal Engagement and Collaboration

• Work with tribal nations and the urban native community to identify culturally significant locations, natural resources and practices that honor and perpetuate tribal customs, traditions and culture. 

Riverfront Communities

• Ensure all nearby neighborhoods have safe and convenient access to the riverfront.
• Improve coordination and services to the houseless communities, while reducing impacts on natural resources.  

Review the Discussion Draft.

Learn more at an open house

Project staff are hosting an open house to share information about the discussion draft and hear what community members have to say about it. Refreshments will be provided.

River Plan / South Reach Discussion Draft Open House
Saturday, Nov. 2, 2019
9 - 11:30 a.m.
Center for Equity and Inclusion
5757 SW Macadam Avenue
Portland, OR
TriMet: #35

The February 2019 proposed draft of the inventory meets Statewide Planning Goal 15 requirements and includes updated information from the 2035 Comprehensive Plan (2016) and the Central City 2035 Plan (2018).

Community members may comment on the inventory at a public hearing on March 26:

Public Hearing: Willamette River Greenway Inventory

Portland Planning and Sustainability Commission
Tuesday, March 26, 2019, 5 p.m.*
1900 SW 4^th Avenue, Room 2500A

*Check the PSC agenda one week prior to the meeting for the actual hearing time.

You may also submit testimony to the Planning and Sustainability Commission in writing by March 26 at 5 p.m. to:

Portland Planning and Sustainability Commission
1900 SW 4th Ave, Suite 7100
Portland, OR 97201-5380
Attn: Willamette Greenway Inventory testimony

For more information, contact Debbie Bischoff at Debbie.bischoff@portlandoregon.gov or 503-823-6946.

They presented initial concepts and described them through illustrations, code concepts and action items. Participants offered feedback and explored ideas with one another.

View the materials displayed at the open house and a summary of what we heard.

Project staff will consider all the feedback as they develop the first draft of the River Plan / South Reach this winter. Community members will have an opportunity to review and comment on the first draft of the plan in early Spring 2019.

The River Plan / South Reach project will update the Willamette Greenway Plan (1987). It will establish a renewed vision for the area, update existing policies and regulations, identify implementation actions, and prioritize future investments for the South Reach of the Willamette.

What did people say?

Here are a few examples of public input received at the open house:

• Set new development back from the river at least 50 feet.
• Require that upper stories of new buildings step back from the river setback.  
• Add bicycle traffic-calming features, roundabouts, bollards or other features to existing trails that force bicyclists to slow down.
• Improve and add crosswalks across SW Macadam Avenue to provide safe crossings.
• Conduct an evaluation of South Reach floodplains and prioritize opportunities to reclaim and restore them.

Miss the open house? Want to review event materials and provide your comments to City planners?

You can review open house materials and submit comments to City planners in an online comment card, or by emailing your comments to BPSRiverPlan@portlandoregon.gov.

A: That’s the work of environmental planners, who can’t create effective land use plans without knowing what the conditions on the ground (and water) are.

Inventory of natural resources for the South Reach in the works

As part of the River Plan / South Reach project, the City is updating existing environmental management tools and regulations for the South Reach of the Willamette River. The update will help protect and enhance natural resources in the South Reach and ensure the City's continued compliance with local, regional, state and federal regulations for river health and safety.

The first step in this effort is to produce an updated inventory of existing natural resources. The River Plan / South Reach Draft Natural Resources Inventory is now available for review. 

The inventory provides a useful and accessible “status report” on the location of existing natural resource features and their functions. The report includes descriptions and maps of the current condition of riparian corridors and wildlife habitat located within the South Reach, including the river, river banks, flood plains, tributary streams, wetlands and upland features. In the report, the overall River Plan / South Reach study area is broken into five smaller geographic areas for evaluation.  

Comment on the draft Natural Resource Inventory

Public comments on the River Plan / South Reach Natural Resources Inventory are welcome. Please send feedback to riverplan@portlandoregon.gov; comments accepted until February 1, 2019.

Questions or comments can also be sent to Jeff Caudill at jeff.caudill@portlandoregon.gov or 503-823-4572.