Land
use planning enhances Portland’s livability.
In this section, Portlanders discuss the role that
land use planning plays in making Portland a livable
city. Portlanders are proud of the city’s history
of progressive planning and want to see that tradition
upheld over the coming years. They imagine Portland
as a beacon of good planning, providing inspiration
to cities across the country and around the world.
They want land use planners to implement the people’s
vision for the city and help Portland retain its unique
flavor and identity well into the future. They also
want “land use planning laws to benefit all,” as opposed
to specific segments of the population.
Many Portlanders look to planners to provide a counter-balance
to developers and others who have their own agenda
for how the land should be used. People express their
concerns over the extent to which developers influence
land use planning decisions as well as the character
of the developments being created, which many feel
do not reflect their vision for the city. In the face
of population growth and market pressures, Portlanders
urge the City to remain true to its reputation as
a leader in forward thinking, community-oriented land
use planning.
Note:
This section contains significant overlap with Government:
Long Term Planning and Urban
Livability: City Appearance.
-
Prior land use planning efforts have helped make
Portland livable.
-
Current land use planning decisions seem developer-driven.
- Portland should stay
true to its legacy of forward-thinking land use
planning.
- What do recent land
use/development decisions say about Portland’s future
direction?
- Should height restrictions
be maintained or eased?
- Prior
land use planning efforts have helped make
Portland livable.
- A large number of respondents are proud
of Portland’s reputation as a leader in
progressive land use planning practices.
- Respondents value what they perceive to
be the thoughtfulness of prior planning
efforts.
- Many credit past planning efforts with
improving Portland’s livability in the following
ways:
- Preserving cherished greenspace;
- Maintaining farmland close to the
city, which allows Portlanders to access
fresh, local food;
- Creating walkable, “human-scale” commercial
hubs within residential districts (see
Urban
Livability: Neighborhood Livability);
- Supporting the development of small,
locally-owned businesses;
- Fostering a sense of local identity;
and
- Contributing to a strong sense of
community within the city.
| “It
is very important to me to feel connected
to my immediate community, and Portland’s
land use planning and emphasis on community
development helps make this happen.” |
| “[I
value] a widespread commitment to livability
and sustainability expressed in support
for urban growth boundaries – planning
and land-use regulation to prevent sprawl
and preserve greenspace, farmland, and
communities (neighborhoods).” |
| “Urban
planning has been gotten right. Most
areas are mixed-use heavy such that
you don’t need to drive to get things
done, and lots of people are taking
advantage by actually living in those
areas.” |
- Create more mixed-use buildings,
particularly in and around neighborhood
shopping hubs.
- Renovate and use old buildings in downtown
and the neighborhoods to provide space for
small businesses, artists, non-profits and
other groups that benefit the community.
- Current
land use planning decisions seem developer-driven.
- Many respondents state their concern
that developers have undue influence over
current land use planning decisions.
- Many Portlanders feel that developers
are naturally focused on short-term profits
rather than long-term community benefit.
They therefore look to planners to keep
developers oriented towards the long-term
good of the community.
- There are many concerns expressed over
the rapid conversion of empty lots across
the city into multi-family living, especially
condominiums. Many would prefer to see these
lots turned into community gardens or greenspace.
| “I
would like to see the development that
is happening to be more progressive
and sustainable. I feel a lot of the
development happening in Portland right
now is developer driven. This usually
results in the construction being cheaper.
The buildings also lack a strong vision
which then affects the user and the
longevity of the building.” |
| “Leave
places open! Slow development; stop
land/house speculation. Deal with poverty
and hunger. We can leave land for new
houses in 20 years—we don’t have to
fill it all now.” |
- Increase public involvement
in land use decisions/planning.
- Implement a zoning overhaul to streamline
practices and mandate more green building
that reflects the community’s vision around
design and materials.
- Portland
should stay true to its legacy of forward-thinking
land use planning.
- In the face of concerns about current
land use decisions, many respondents call
for Portland to stay true to its legacy
of forward-looking, community-oriented planning.
- Respondents imagine Portland planners
holding their ground in the face of pressures
from different groups to over-develop the
city.
| "[In
2030] Portland will be a jewel of the
West Coast – while other cities grew
without regulation and did not cherish
the character of the past, Portland
will have a mix of old and new—Portland
will be varied and textured in terms
of architecture, people, and uses. Public
transportation will be even better allowing
people to use single passenger vehicles
less. The air will be clean and fresh
and people will flock to the public
spaces.” |
| “Encourage
housing near jobs. Save natural open
space. Encourage eco-roofs and bioswales
–natural treatment of runoff. Encourage
civic engagement, including volunteering.
Teach new Oregonians about ‘why’ we
plan land uses.” |
- Planning that meets community
need occurs when “planners think like users”
and incorporate essential services and infrastructure
needs into new developments/re-developments.
- Plan like a parent: think about what
families and children need to be happy,
such as greenspace, parking and access to
clean bathrooms.
|
- What
do recent land use/development decisions say about
Portland’s future direction?
Some people praise the development currently taking
place in the South Waterfront and the Pearl district.
These Portlanders see such developments as a sign
that Portland is evolving into a “world-class city”
and they hope to see more such developments occuring
in the future.
The majority of respondents, however, have a
different interpretation, seeing these developments
as signs that “the wealthy” are taking over. They
cite developments such as the South Waterfront
as evidence that land use planners and policymakers
have sacrificed the people’s needs and vision
to the needs and visions of developers and out-of-state
residents.
- Should
height restrictions be maintained or eased?
An area of disagreement in this section relates
to building heights both downtown and in neighborhoods.
Some individuals would like to see buildings become
taller and advocate for more skyscrapers on the
Eastside as well as in downtown. These individuals
feel that “building up” is the only way to accommodate
new residents while preserving greenspace and
preventing urban sprawl (this viewpoint is expressed
in Urban
Livability: Growth Management as well).
Other residents are strongly opposed to easing
height restrictions, particularly on the Eastside.
These individuals praise the current “human scale”
of Portland, which they attribute to buildings
that do not block the sky or views of trees, mountains
or the river. Some of these individuals support
denser development, but do not think skyscrapers
are the answer. These viewpoints are expressed
throughout a number of sections, including Urban
Livability: City Appearance, Urban
Livability: Neighborhood Livability and Urban
Livability: Small-Town Feeling.
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