In response to ongoing noise concerns within North Portland, the City of Portland’s Bureau of Development Services contracted with an acoustical consulting firm to conduct a two-year study of community noise in the North Portland area.  The study, conducted by The Greenbush Group, Inc., involved collecting sound measurements of noise in North Portland to document the dominant sources of sound and quantify the levels of sound in the North Portland neighborhood.

The initial North Portland Noise Study Draft Final Report was presented to the City of Portland Noise Review Board during their May 14, 2008 meeting.  The second draft report was presented at the June 16, 2008 meeting. The Noise Review Board provided comments on the draft reports at the May 14 and June 16, 2008 meetings and accepted public comments on the draft reports.  The Noise Review Board is in the process of finalizing the study in preparation for a presentation to the Portland City Council.

The public is invited to comment on the second draft report. Written comments by the public will be forwarded to the Noise Review Board and can be submitted in the following manner: 

1. If you wish to submit comments via e-mail, please e-mail comments to noise@portlandoregon.gov. If you wish to submit comments via fax, please fax comments to (503) 823-7915, Attn: Noise Review Board.
2. If you wish to submit comments via mail, please mail comments to:
   
   Bureau of Development Services
   Attn: Noise Review Board
   1900 SW 4th Avenue, Suite 5000
   Portland OR 97201
   
   
3. If you wish to submit written comments in person, you may deliver written comments at the 5th floor reception area of the 1900 SW 4th Avenue building.
4. Public testimony may be given on the final report when it is completed. A future Noise Review Board meeting will be scheduled to accept the final report and take public testimony.
5. Public testimony can also be given at a future City Council meeting. At this time the date is undetermined, but would most likely be in the City Council Chambers. Please continue to check the BDS website as the scheduled City Council presentation date will be posted once it is confirmed.

TO OBTAIN/VIEW A COPY OF THE DRAFT REPORT 

• The draft report is available on the web for viewing or downloading at http://www.portlandonline.com/shared/cfm/image.cfm?id=197375. Please note that this file is very large and may take time to download.  If you would like to have a copy that does not include the appendix, then use this report link at http://www.portlandonline.com/shared/cfm/image.cfm?id=200907.
• A hard copy is available for viewing at our offices, 1900 SW 4th Avenue, 5th Floor reception.
• A hard copy is available for viewing at North Portland Neighborhood Services, The Historic Kenton Firehouse, 2209 N Schofield, Portland OR 97217.  Typically, the office is open from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. during the week.  However, you may wish to call Ronna Seavey at (503) 823-0215 before going to the office.
• A copy may be purchased in our building at the P & D (Printing and Distribution) Office, 1900 SW 4th, 1st floor.  A color copy will cost $117.75.  A black and white copy will cost $7.90.  Please ask for the “North Portland Noise Study Report.”
• A copy of the Powerpoint presentation from the May 14, 2008 Noise Review Board meeting is also available on the web at http://www.portlandonline.com/shared/cfm/image.cfm?id=197376. We do not have physical copies available. 

When the final report has been completed, it will be made available in the above mentioned ways.  If you have any questions, please call the Noise Control Office at (503) 823-7350.

Additionally, if you would like to be added to the mailing list for the Noise Review Board mailings, please e-mail, fax, call or mail us your mailing address. Currently, the mailing list is via US Postal Service.