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The Portland Design Commission‘s role has grown as development has boomed in the city center.

In 2017, the commission approved 37 Type III cases, up from eight in 2010.

Type III cases are generally larger buildings where the Design Commission approves or denies the proposal. Type II cases are decided by staff in the Bureau of Development Services.

Design advice requests, where commissioners critique architectural plans but do not issue a decision, rose to 23 in 2017, up from five in 2010.

The Design Commission, composed of volunteers who are typically architects or developers, meets most Thursdays. The commission met on 42 days in 2018.

Commission Chairwoman Julie Livingston presented an annual report to the City Council on Wednesday.

The commission’s workload prompted Bert Gregory, an architect at Seattle design firm Mithun, to suggest the city consider splitting the workload with a neighborhood design review commission that would review projects outside the Central City.

The Design Commission’s decisions can be appealed to the City Council. That happened in seven cases in 2017. Of those, only the denial of the Ankeny Apartments proposal was reversed by the council. In three cases 鈥� the Next Hotel, Vibrant! Apartments and the Studio and Guild Theatre buildings 鈥� conditions of approval were removed or modified by the council.

In three cases, neighborhood associations’ appeals of projects approved by the Design Commission were denied. Those were the Press Blocks tower, the Fremont Place Apartments and the Block 290 apartments.

Livingston warned the council to expect more appeals.

鈥淎ppeals are commensurate with our workload,鈥� she said. 鈥淲hen we hear more cases, there is more risk of appeal.鈥�

BDS makes a greater effort to reach neighbors than in the past, she added.

鈥淚t’s not unreasonable to assume that moving forward there may be more appeals because there is more public participation in the process,鈥� she said.

Design review has improved over time, said Anyeley Hallova, a partner at Portland developer Project^. She asked city officials to give staff members more discretion to grant changes after design review approval to account for fluctuations in materials’ costs and availability.

Commissioner Nick Fish said the Design Commission’s work helps ensure quality architecture and permanent building quality.

鈥淲e have our critics,鈥� he said, 鈥渂ut thank you for reminding us we’re building a city for future generations.鈥�

The Design Commission currently has a vacancy. Tad Savinar’s term expired Sept. 30. He is not being reappointed, Sophia June, spokeswoman for Mayor Ted Wheeler, stated in an email.

The city is accepting submissions expressing interest in the vacancy. Forms can be submitted at the Office of Community and Civic Life.