Committee backs sending SE Oak Street vacation near Laurelhurst Park to full council

The Transportation and Infrastructure Committee voted to send an ordinance to the full Portland City Council recommending approval of a city-initiated street vacation of a portion of Southeast Oak Street between Southeast 30th Avenue and Southeast Cesar Chavez Boulevard adjacent to Laurelhurst Park.

City staff said the vacated right-of-way would transfer to Portland Parks and Recreation and become part of Laurelhurst Park, where temporary recreational features already occupy the street area. PBOT and parks staff presented the proposal at the committee meeting and described existing site features and proposed permanent changes.

PBOT real property staff said the petition for the vacation was made by Portland Parks and Recreation following a directive from the mayor’s office and that the action was reviewed by the Portland Planning Commission last year, which approved it unanimously. PBOT staff said they followed the public-notification steps referenced in the meeting, including publishing notices and posting signs in the affected area in accordance with the street-vacation protocol noted in the transcript.

Portland Parks and Recreation described the activities now occupying the street area as an effort to “balance maximum activation for the area during the open park hours.” Lauren McGuire, parks asset-development division manager, said the department selected “the pickleball and skate park ramp and then the off road cycling features off the shelf” based on the bureau’s level-of-service analysis and what would activate the park quickly.

PBOT staff showed photos of two pump-track sections, a skate ramp and two pickleball courts already installed in the vacated street area. Staff said removable circular blockers were placed on the Southeast 30th side to allow maintenance access, while the Cesar Chavez side is being closed with curb and sidewalk work. PBOT staff also described a plan to widen the pedestrian/bike path north of the street-vacation area to 12 feet and to add a right-angle bike connector at the Southeast 30th side; staff said the park paths would allow 24/7 passage through the area.

One neighborhood representative testified in support. Steven Fisher, chair of the Laurelhurst Association Land Use and Transportation Committee, told the committee he supported transferring the portion of SE Oak Street to parks and noted the difficulty of finding new park space with facilities such as pickleball and off-road cycling in District 3. Fisher said a neighborhood letter in the meeting packet also expressed support.

Committee members asked about the decision process, public feedback and timeline. PBOT staff said the city-initiated vacation can move faster than some vacations and that, in this case, adjacent city ownership and utility management simplified the process. Staff said they had not received formal complaints or written opposition as part of the notification steps described in the presentation.

Committee action: a motion to send the ordinance (document number stated in the meeting materials as 2025-247) to the full council with a due-pass recommendation was moved and seconded at the committee meeting. The clerk’s roll call recorded votes of Aye from Koyama Layne; Murillo; Green; and Clark, for a 4–0 recorded committee recommendation to refer the ordinance to the full council with a due-pass recommendation. Councilor Smith was online but the roll call indicated four recorded ayes.

What happens next: The ordinance will be considered by the full City Council at its upcoming hearing, at which time council members will decide whether to adopt the street vacation and transfer the right-of-way to Portland Parks and Recreation. The committee’s referral is a recommendation, not final council action.