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Recent Articles from Brian Campbell
Blog: Climate change — Earth’s pandemic
The pandemic has caused us to make lightning-fast changes to the human environment in response to the serious threat to our health. Climate change is a slow-moving pandemic for the […]
Blog: Planning and the pandemic
The last month or two has been a unique time in modern world history, and its full impact is yet to be felt 鈥� especially in our cities. When the […]
Blog: A climate-smart and just urban transition
The solutions to the two biggest planning challenges of our time are intertwined. Climate change and affordability seem to be separate issues, but there are planning and urban design approaches […]
Blog: Changes coming to traditional neighborhoods
As mentioned in my previous post, the planning profession in the mid-20th century was not aware of some of the negative consequences of its zoning practices. Single-family housing was assumed […]
Blog: Planning and racism
In the past few years the planning profession has begun to actively confront the inherent racism (intentional or not) of past planning practices in this country. Community planning and its […]
Blog: Parking and the climate crisis
One of the most controversial consequences of Portland鈥檚 growth and subsequent redevelopment of many inner-city neighborhoods over the last 10 years has been the impact on parking. This is a […]
Blog: Residential Infill Project draft is ready to review
After several years of work, debate, state legislative action, extensive outreach and more work, the Residential Infill Project (RIP) is ready for final review and adoption by the Portland City […]
Blog: DOZA and the PDX Main Streets Design Initiative
In the last few years the city has spent a lot of time and resources to revise both its design review process and its design guidelines and standards. This has […]
Blog: Big zoning changes coming
The city of Portland is in the midst of significantly changing the zoning code to better implement ambitious policies for providing more affordable and better-designed housing choices. Last month the […]
Blog: Understanding planning, part 10
I wrote this series of blog posts to try and articulate for a non-professional audience some of the main planning concepts that should be guiding the long-term development of our […]
Blog: Understanding planning, part 9
In the fifth blog of this series I discussed how suburban development of the last half century was largely funded by a growth-based scheme that has turned out to be […]
Blog: Understanding planning, part 8
Last time, I discussed the walkable, compact, equitable communities that are the key land use element needed to put cities on a more sustainable path. A balanced transportation and circulation […]
News
- Multnomah County commits up to $101.6M for Moda Center
- Portland code changes to take effect in November
- Los Colibris project approved for Portland’s OMSI District
- Pacific Northwest projects totaling $9.9 million in top bidders | Aug. 7, 2026
- Oregon opens infrastructure grant program
- Ex-TV host claps back at Detroit officials in blight case
- 31-unit multifamily project in Portland land use review intakes | Aug. 3, 2026
- $2.4 million office renovation in Portland building permits | Aug. 3, 2026
- Transportation commission weighs ODOT budget cuts
- Lam Research planning $1.7 billion investment in Tualatin
- Pacific Northwest projects totaling $10.6 million in top bidders | July 31, 2026
- Many Oregon counties struggling to maintain their fairgrounds
Commentary
- Beware of when the debt collector comes calling | Opinion
- Assembly of a future workforce begins with an invitation | Opinion
- Beware of overlooking legal requirements for remote workers | Opinion
- Become a critical thinker and transform a workplace | Opinion
- Managing construction risks with international suppliers | Opinion
- A rally with many engines: the lesson of 2026’s first half | Opinion
- Oregon housing challenges persist despite sound and fury | Opinion
- When does an employee’s bullying become harassment? | Opinion
- Ditch disorganization 鈥� the cost of deferred decisions | Opinion
- Consider 10 common risks for healthcare construction projects | Opinion
- Clarifying the reach of a law regarding prevailing wage | Opinion
- Adjust to legal changes now to ensure compliance later | Opinion
