Residential Infill Project

Your input is needed by August 15, 2016

The City of Portland’s Bureau of Planning and Sustainability (BPS) has developed a draft proposal for public review and feedback. Feedback received will inform the recommendation to City Council in fall 2016.

Visit the BPS Residential Infill Project website to learn more and read the draft proposal, then complete the online questionnaire to submit your feedback. As you visit the stations, you can take notes using the space at the bottom of the page. The information from this online open house will also be available at six in-person open houses (schedule below).

Updating Portland’s single-dwelling zoning rules

Portland is growing and our housing needs are changing. Nearly 123,000 new households are projected by 2035. About 20 percent of new housing units will be built in Portland’s single-dwelling residential zones. Increased cultural and racial diversity and an aging population will also affect housing needs. The average number of people per household is getting smaller and households with children are expected to decline to 25 percent over the next 20 years.

Portlanders have expressed concerns about the size of new houses, demolitions and the rising cost and lack of housing choices throughout the city. In response, BPS is taking a fresh look at the allowances for development in single-dwelling neighborhoods.

The Residential Infill Project proposes key code changes related to:

1. Scale of houses (height and size limits, building coverage and setbacks)
2. Housing types (internal conversions of existing homes, accessory dwelling units [ADUs], cottage cluster development and other arrangements of dwelling units)
3. Historically narrow lots (minimum lot dimensions for development, detached versus attached housing units and garages)