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The Portland City Council on Thursday agreed to adopt changes to zoning rules that will exempt some affordable housing projects from lengthy Design Commission reviews.

The changes to the zoning rules 鈥� Design Overlay Zone Amendments (DOZA) 鈥� are meant to accelerate projects through the city’s approval process at a time when city leaders and affordable housing advocates say the city continues to face a housing shortage.

Several affordable housing advocates testified in support of the changes.

鈥淲e believe DOZA is poised to greatly improve the design review process and encourage more abundant and more affordable housing that Portland desperately needs,鈥� said Johann Hannesson, a volunteer with Portland Neighbors Welcome, a group that advocates for easing restrictions on building housing.

Perhaps the most significant change is allowing affordable housing project teams to choose Type II or Type III design review. Type II reviews are handled by Bureau of Development Services staff, while Type III reviews go before the Design Commission, which often examines a project during several meetings 鈥� a process that can take months.

The new criteria would allow projects with at least 50 percent of units available to renters at or below 60 percent of median family income to choose a design review path.

鈥淭he more that we can do to create easy and straightforward paths for people who are trying to provide more of that affordable housing, the better,鈥� said David Binnig, a North Portland resident.

The changes were brought to commissioners by the Bureau of Planning and Sustainability as a package of eight zoning amendments. Commissioners on Thursday approved six of the amendments and withdrew two others.

One of the withdrawn amendments, Amendment 5, would have lowered the threshold for design review from 75 feet to 55 feet, except for projects meeting certain affordable housing criteria. Amendment 7 was also withdrawn; it would have required a ground-floor active use standard along a section of North Interstate Avenue.

Chandra Robinson, a member of the Design Commission and a principal at LEVER Architecture, criticized efforts to limit the scope of design review.

鈥淭he impact of a seven-story building 鈥� cannot be underestimated; it’s very great on a neighborhood,鈥� she said, adding that she was speaking only for herself. 聽鈥淒o you really want to see seven-story buildings spring up around Portland when the residents have not had the opportunity to come to a hearing and express their thoughts on how that building impacts the context, character and feel of their neighborhood?鈥�

The Arbor Lodge Neighborhood Association supported Amendment 7. Mark Wyman, a neighborhood association board member, said similar ground-floor active use requirements nearby had not deterred housing development.

鈥淵ou can see with your own eyes that there’s plenty of new housing coming online, including 100 percent affordable housing,鈥� he said.

Among the other amendments is one that adds optional design standards for main streets. Another tweaks the criteria of Design Commission membership, making natural resource management and sustainability expertise an option for five development-related positions (instead of reserving a separate position for each expertise).

Commissioners also approved Amendment 8, which directs BPS to create character statements for neighborhoods within the design overlay zone. Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty voted against Amendment 8, making it the only amendment to pass by a nonunanimous vote.

鈥淢y concern is: Whose character are we going to write into the standard?鈥� Hardesty asked. 鈥淚 am troubled by (Amendment 8) and not sure if I can support it today.鈥�

Hardesty said she’s open to further conversations about the amendment.

Mayor Ted Wheeler spoke in support of Amendment 8.

鈥淚 want to make it clear that these character statements help our city manage how it grows, adding a hyper-local context,鈥� he said.

Kristen Minor, chairwoman of the Planning Commission, said Amendment 8 would add some teeth to the city’s weak context standards.

鈥淒esign review cannot rely on zoning street classifications and weak standards alone,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hose standards are weak when it comes to context, and that’s what this amendment is about.鈥�

The zoning amendments will return to the council on June 23 for a vote on the amended findings and a draft ordinance.