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A public hearing on the recommended draft of the is scheduled to take place before the Portland City Council on Jan. 10. The city released the recommended draft on Wednesday.

In November, Portland鈥檚 Planning Commission voted to recommend the Housing Regulatory Relief package to the city council, with some amendments, after receiving nearly 220 pieces of written testimony and receiving testimony from 30 hearing attendees. Much of the testimony indicated public concern about removing requirements grounded in policy, even if the suspensions would be temporary, according to the recommended draft. Other testimony expressed support for these suspensions to reduce barriers 鈥� specifically related to time and money 鈥� slowing housing development.

The Housing Regulatory Relief Project aims to increase housing production by providing relief for developers and builders of apartments and mixed-use developments. The proposal would create temporary waivers and permanent changes to zoning regulations. It would address several issues identified in the housing production survey conducted by the Bureau of Development Services earlier this year.

The temporary waivers and reductions would last five years and apply to development that includes residential units, unless otherwise stated, a city press release states.

There are now 15 issues being addressed, including bike parking, ground-floor active use/height, nonconforming upgrades, eco-roof standards, design review, neighborhood contact, and more.

The Planning Commission voted to recommend the package of amendments in the Housing Regulatory Relief Project, with three changes: rejecting the temporary suspension of bird-safe glazing requirements, largely maintaining the existing eco-roof requirement but allowing greater flexibility by permitting solar panels as an alternative to eco-roofs, and amending the temporary suspension of the neighborhood contact requirement by still requiring posted notices on the site and notification in advance of a permit or land use submission, while suspending the need for a meeting.

鈥淭he (Housing Regulatory Relief Project) amendments include an allowance for existing land use reviews to take advantage of the five-year period to get their building permit before it expires,鈥� Bureau of Planning and Sustainability spokeswoman Eden Dabbs stated in an email last week.

鈥淩eading that BPS was making real efforts to lower barriers for housing development was initially refreshing to hear,鈥� Annie Carlton, development manager at Deacon Development, stated in an email. 鈥淎lthough the approval process for the (Housing Regulatory Relief Project) amended (several) beneficial items, we were optimistic that our 150-unit project could benefit from what remained in the proposal. However, our optimism dwindled upon realizing that projects currently in the permitting process were not being prioritized or possibly even considered.鈥�

Dabbs stated that BPS is exploring options to allow flexibility for permits already in the queue.

Following the hearing on Jan. 10, a vote on the amendments will likely take place later in the month, with a final vote to follow at the end of the month.

Following adoption, the Housing Regulatory Relief Project would take effect March 1, 2024.