Committee votes to send design review reform resolution to full council with 120-day study

The Climate Resilience and Land Use Committee voted Nov. 13 to refer a resolution to full council that directs the city administrator to prepare a report with recommendations to reform Portland's design review process.

Councilor Zimmerman, the resolution's co-sponsor, told the committee the measure is intended to catalog types of design review (discretionary and nondiscretionary), present a two-track process and associated fee structures, analyze five years of recent project timelines and economic impacts and present options to temporarily excuse some design review requirements where legally feasible. The resolution asks the administration to return proposed code changes and recommended legislative pathways within 120 days.

In public testimony, Heidi Hart (Portland Neighbors Welcome) urged safeguards to prevent historic-review-driven reductions in building size and unit counts, citing three project examples she said lost units during historic review. Michael Anderson of the Sightline Institute supported the resolution and recommended applying the design commission's restrictions on de facto downzoning to the Landmarks Commission to reduce project-killing uncertainty.

City planning staff briefed the committee on changes adopted in 2022 (the DOSA amendments) that reduced discretionary reviews and moved more projects to clear-and-objective permit tracks. Eric Kingstrom of the Bureau of Planning and Sustainability said staff can deliver the data requested by the resolution and that state law constraints (Title 33) will be considered when drafting proposed changes.

After discussion about geographic targeting (for example, whether downtown or certain centers should be treated differently) and how the proposal builds on the 2022 reforms, the committee moved the resolution to full council with a recommendation to adopt. Chair Murillo moved the resolution and Councilor Kunal seconded; the clerk called the roll and members present voted aye and the motion was approved.

What the resolution asks for: a catalog of design-review types and districts; analysis of fee structures and recent project timelines; consideration of temporary exemptions where legally feasible; proposed code changes and a 120-day timeline for administrative recommendations.

Next steps: the city administrator's office will prepare the requested report and return recommended proposals to council within the 120-day window, after which council may consider ordinances or code changes.

Sources: Presentation and testimony at the Climate Resilience and Land Use Committee, Nov. 13, 2025. Quotes are drawn from sponsor remarks, staff briefing, and public testimony.