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Council advances Recap 11 code cleanup, removes proposed mechanical‑equipment definition and opens limited campus housing change
Summary
Council introduced and approved two amendments to 'Recap 11' — removing a proposed mechanical‑equipment definition after university concerns and allowing household living in the CI‑1 campus zone by right — and continued the ordinance to July 30 for final technical edits and adoption of findings.
Portland City Council advanced Recap 11, a package of zoning code clarifications and modest policy updates, after adopting two council‑sponsored amendments on July 9 and scheduling a continued hearing to finalize technical edits.
The package bundles roughly 50 technical changes across parking, exterior activity rules, temporary shelter definitions and sign code tweaks intended to make the city's zoning code more legible and reduce permitting delays. During the council session staff summarized the amendments and explained that the project is part of periodic “recap” maintenance of the zoning code.
Councilor Avalos introduced an amendment removing a newly proposed definition of “mechanical equipment” after institutions including Portland State University, OHSU and Warner Pacific raised concerns about unintended screening and setback costs. Staff said the definition was intended to clarify implementation but agreed that additional stakeholder review is appropriate; the amendment restores existing code language and directs staff to revisit the definition in a later code‑alignment project.
Council President Dunphy and committee members also introduced and passed 'Dunphy 1', a targeted change to allow household living in the Campus Institutional 1 (CI‑1) zone by right. Warner Pacific and other higher‑education representatives told council that the CI‑1 prohibition on household living left several existing, legally‑constructed housing units nonconforming and created financing and renovation challenges. Staff and councilors discussed alternatives (rezoning affected parcels, or allowing household living subject to RM‑1 development standards) and committed to work with council offices on technical details before final passage.
Public testimony was mixed but largely procedural: university representatives and health‑care institutions asked for more time to vet screening and setback language; Warner Pacific representatives argued the CI‑1 change is a narrow fix to allow legally existing housing to remain viable; neighborhood councilors urged clarity about the net effect of the changes. Council voted to approve the two amendments and continued the ordinance to a time certain (July 30) to allow staff to prepare revised findings and technical edits.
Council and staff framed Recap 11 as mostly non‑substantive 'clean up' intended to remove inconsistencies and make permitting easier — not as a forum for major policy shifts. Staff noted the package includes an appendix listing items not included so community members can review and propose future changes.
Attributions: staff summary from Claire Adamsonic; institutional testimony from OHSU and Portland State University; amendment text introduced by Councilor Avalos and Council President Dunphy.
