Portland’s latest code amendment package to improve land use regulations received the City Council‘s approval on Thursday. The Regulatory Improvement Code Amendment Package (RICAP) 11 is intended to streamline zoning across the city. The changes will take effect Nov. 1.

“RICAP projects are intended to identify technical corrections, clarify existing regulations, remove unnecessary barriers and improve the overall functionality of our code,” Housing and Permitting Committee Chair Candace Avalos said during a committee meeting in June. “The package includes dozens of relatively small amendments, but together they create a more predictable, efficient and user-friendly system.”

RICAP 11 is part of an ongoing series of code amendment projects. The previous one, RICAP 10, was adopted by the city council in June 2024 and took effect that October. Its amendments focused on housing production, economic development and regulatory reduction.

In the next year or so, other projects will be presented to the committee and the City Council, Bureau of Planning and Sustainability Director Eric Engstrom said. They include possible reform of the design review process, a Central City-focused package, and the Code Alignment Project (CAP) 2.

“Collectively, we’ll be looking at things like parking and frontage issues, repurposing existing buildings, elements of the tree code, continued work on middle housing codes and a lot more,” Engstrom said during the June committee meeting.

Thursday’s direction amends Title 32 (signs and related regulations) and Title 33 (planning and zoning). RICAP 11 includes 56 zoning code amendments focused on minor parking updates including access to bike parking areas, rules for setbacks and screening for mechanical equipment, regulations for outdoor shelters to align with what the city has allowed through its housing emergency, and allowances for larger signs in parks and open spaces, among others.

The council passed several amendments to the package late last month. These include allowing residential use in the Campus Institutional 1 zone and removing screening requirements for detached mechanical equipment.

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The Portland Planning Commission on Tuesday agreed to recommend the Portland City Council approve proposed code changes that would pause some requirements for building additions and alterations until Jan. 1, 2029. The would include changes to Title 11, Title 33, Title 17 and Title 24.

The suspensions would align with the ‘s temporary regulatory suspensions for residential development.

During Tuesday’s meeting, the city’s permit improvement project manager, Mieke Keenan, said the city needs to address its code barriers to improve permitting, as regulations for the built environment often overlap or conflict. These obstacles can lead to unexpected costs or permitting delays.

The Code Alignment Project was launched in November 2024 with the goal of creating city code consistency. The project team consists of both policy and implementation staff from transportation, water, environmental services, permitting & development, urban forestry, and housing bureaus. The team focused on outcomes affecting small businesses and small projects.

Title 33 is related to site upgrades. City code section 33.258.070 requires that building addition and alteration projects with a value greater than $356,300 must upgrade certain elements of their sites as needed to comply with minimum landscaping, tree planting, on-site pedestrian pathway connections, short and long-term bicycle parking, screening, and paving of parking and storage areas, the project’s website states.

These requirements were previously suspended for projects that included residential use until Jan. 1, 2029. The Code Alignment Project proposal would extend that same suspension to all addition and alteration projects. New construction would continue to be required to meet current zoning code rules.

Title 11 is related to street tree planting. Currently, street trees must be planted for all development projects (new construction, additions, and alterations) when the value of a project is at least $25,000 and there is available space within the right of way to plant additional street trees.

The Code Alignment Project proposal would suspend the street tree planting requirements tied to building additions and other alterations to the building or site. Planting street trees would still be required for new construction and when street improvements are built. The proposal would also remove the tree plan application submittal requirement when trees would not be planted or otherwise be impacted by a proposed building alteration.

Title 17 is related to street improvements. Currently, they’re required for all developments with a value greater than 35 percent of the assessed improvement value for the site. The Code Alignment Project proposal would suspend requirements for some street improvements.

Title 24 is related to seismic evaluation reports. Currently, the requirement applies to additions and alterations with a project value greater than $362,000. The Code Alignment Project proposal would suspend the requirement for some older buildings.

During the hearing, three people offered testimony. One expressed concern about a proposed reduction in bike parking, while others asked for amendments related to public roads and changes to floor area ratio (FAR) standards.

A senior planner with the Bureau of Planning and Sustainability, Morgan Tracy, said that although the current Code Alignment Project proposal applies only to new projects, a change is anticipated so that it would also apply to projects currently in the permitting process.

The Planning Commission voted unanimously to recommend the City Council adopt the Code Alignment Project proposed draft, amend Title 33, and recommend the Urban Forestry Commission support an amendment of Title 11. A city council hearing date has not been scheduled yet.

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