Design Overlay Zone Amendments

Portland’s d-overlay gets an update with the Design Overlay Zone Amendments package.
The Design Overlay zone will encourage development that builds on context, contributes to the public realm, and encourages quality and long-term resilience.
The package will implement recommendations from the Design Overlay Zone Assessment.

Portland has received national and international acclaim for supporting a high-quality built environment through planning and urban design. In part, this is due to its long-standing tradition of design review, which occurs within the design overlay zone (or d-overlay).

By 2035, the City is expected to grow by 123,000 households. Most of this growth will occur within the Central City and Portland’s neighborhood centers and corridors. The d-overlay aims to support the city’s evolution within these urbanizing areas.

Together, the Bureau of Planning and Sustainability (BPS) and Bureau of Development Services (BDS) are working on a Design Overlay Zone Amendments (DOZA) package of proposals to update and improve both the process and the tools used in design review. The DOZA Process Discussion Draft will be ready for public review in April 2018; the DOZA Tools Discussion Draft is scheduled to be released in the fall of 2018.

For information on ongoing process improvements, visit BDS’ DOZA project page.

Contact:
Kathryn Hartinger, DOZA Coordinator, (503) 823-9714, kathryn.hartinger@portlandoregon.gov