Over the past few months, the Residential Infill Project team has been revising the Proposed Draft to reflect the Planning and Sustainability Commission’s (PSC) possible amendments and preparing materials to answer questions about how the proposed new rules will affect Portland's single-dwelling neighborhoods:

• What is the economic feasibility of the proposal?
• How much more housing will be created under these new rules?
• What will these units cost?
• Who will benefit?
• What will be the effect of these proposals on vulnerable populations?
• Will more or fewer households be displaced?

Now the highlights of the Revised Proposed Draft will be presented to the PSC on Tuesday, February 12, starting around 2 p.m. You can watch the briefing live on the Bureau of Planning and Sustainability YouTube channel.

Key Changes from the Proposed Draft

After hearing public testimony on the initial proposals to "right size" the scale of new development and increase housing options in single-dwelling zones, commissioners requested changes to:

• Increase additional housing options to include up to four units (fourplexes) on both corner and non-corner lots.
• Allow additional housing options in all R2.5, R5 and R7 (single-dwelling) zones except:

• Areas with flood or landslide hazards or significant natural resources. These areas, designated by a new “z” Constrained Sites overlay zone, will retain existing regulations for corner duplexes or one accessory dwelling unit with a house.
• Lots that do not meet minimum lot sizes for three or four units (R2.5 = 3,200 sq ft; R5 = 4,500 sq ft; R7 = 5,000 sq ft)
• Infrastructure constraints, including lack of paved streets, sewer or water service.

• Increase the allowed size (FAR) for duplexes and triplexes (no increase for a fourplex). Examples on an R5 (5,000 sq ft lot):

• 2,500 sq ft – one house (same as Proposed Draft)
• 3,000 sq ft – one building with two units
• 3,500 sq ft – one building with three or four units

• Provide a bonus FAR for keeping an existing house or for providing one affordable unit at 80 percent MFI.
• Allow historically narrow lots in R5 to be built with a pair of attached houses.
• Eliminate minimum parking requirements.  

Review the documents and maps

The following Revised Proposed Draft reports have been posted on the project website.

• Project Summary | 8-page summary of the 12 key proposals
• Volume 1: Staff Report and Map Amendments | Report includes introduction, analysis of 12 key proposals and map amendments
• Volume 2: Zoning Code and Comprehensive Plan Amendments | Report includes amendments to Zoning Code and Portland Comprehensive Plan
• Appendix B: Revised Economic Analysis on the Proposed Changes to the Single-Dwelling Zone Development Standards | Memorandum, Dec. 5, 2018, from Johnson Economics LLC describes economic analysis methodology and findings for the Revised Proposed Draft. You can watch the December 11 PSC briefing on the Revised Economic Analysis here (RIP starts at 2:25:00).
• Updated Appendix F: R2.5 Zone Changes by District | Maps and rationale for selecting areas with concentrations of historically narrow lots to rezone from R5 to R2.5 reflect PSC’s possible amendments. (Update reflects R5 lots that were rezoned through other projects.)
• New Appendix H: Displacement Risk and Mitigation Analysis | BPS analysis of the displacement impacts of PSC’s possible amendments on affected vulnerable communities and potential mitigation strategies.

Appendices that have not been revised can be found here.

Explore the Map App. Parcel-specific information is available through an updated Map App that reflects the revised mapping proposals.

Upcoming PSC meetings on the Revised Proposed Draft

• Tuesday, February 12 – Briefing: Revised Proposed Draft (RIP is on agenda from 2 to 4 p.m.). Staff will walk the Commission through their revised proposals to see how their tentative amendments work together as a package.
• Tuesday, February 26 and Tuesday, March 12: Work Sessions and Possible Vote

(Please confirm the date and time on the agenda one week prior by visiting the PSC calendar)

When will the public get to weigh in on these amendments?

The PSC’s possible amendments took into consideration the public testimony they received last spring on the Proposed Draft of the Residential Infill Project. They are anticipating making their recommendations to the City Council in March. The public will be able to provide testimony on these recommendations to City Council as part of their review — anticipated in summer 2019.

Want more information on the PSC’s work sessions and proposed changes?

The dates of the eight PSC work sessions and accompanying materials are posted on the project website under Planning and Sustainability Commission Materials. All PSC meetings are streamed live, and past meetings may be viewed at Portland BPS YouTube channel.

For general information about the project

Visit the website: www.portlandoregon.gov/bps/infill.

Or give us a call:

• Morgan Tracy, Project Manager, 503-823-6879
• Julia Gisler, Public Involvement, 503-823-7624

The Bureau of Planning and Sustainability is committed to providing meaningful access. For accommodations, modifications, translation, interpretation or other services, please call 503-823-7700 or use City TTY 503-823-6868, or Oregon Relay Service 711. 503-823-7700.