Since the summer of 2015, the Portland Bureau of Planning and Sustainability (BPS) has been examining the density, size, and type of housing allowable in Portland’s residential neighborhoods. This is in response to concerns about the number of viable houses being demolished and replaced by very large expensive houses. A draft proposal of residential code changes covering type, density, and size of housing has been produced by BPS and reviewed by the Planning and Sustainability Commission (PSC). In fall 2018, despite volumes of public input central in the crafting of the draft proposal, PSC made recommendations to alter the plan by increasing density and increasing the types of buildings allowed in residential zones.
Some of the changes in zones R2.5, R5 and R7 for which BPS is currently writing proposed code are:
- Allow for houses, duplexes, triplexes, and fourplexes anywhere in these zones depending on lot size (predicted to affect 92 percent of residential zoned areas).
- Allow two ADUs per house.
- Limit the size of residential buildings to less than the currently allowable large houses. The overall size of a project can increase depending on the number of units in the building.
- Rezone half of historically narrow lots in R5 to R2.5.
- Delete minimum parking requirements for residential uses in single-dwelling zones.
- Allow property line adjustments to create buildable small flag lots.
- Measure height from the lowest point near the house, not the highest.
- For developments of three or four units, one unit must be “visitable.”
- Other building forms could be allowed through a discretionary planned development review.
For a complete summary of recent proposals, go to the Residential Infill Project site https://www.portlandoregon.gov/bps/76569 (September 11, 2018, Work Session, Revised Summary of Proposals). Go online to this website and dig into the substantial information there. The results of these proposed code changes will affect you or your neighbors and have the potential to significantly transform all residential neighborhoods. It is unclear whether the proposed changes will result in more housing affordable to the majority of Portlanders, or whether options will decrease for those with less income and increase for those who can already afford housing. It is questionable whether these proposals will prevent the demolition of smaller, currently viable, relatively affordable houses, thus exacerbating the affordable housing crisis.
The code revisions recommended by the PSC are being written by BPS staff. A PSC briefing for review of the revised proposals is scheduled for February 19, 2019, and the next opportunity for Portlanders to provide input on the proposals will be when the finished product goes to City Council for a vote in the summer of 2019. Stay tuned and engaged.