Portland advances urban planning projects and commercial building permits

The City of Portland is advancing several long-range planning and zoning initiatives. Key updates include the Reconnecting Albina Planning Project, which focuses on community values in physical spaces, and a legislative package for the Critical Energy Infrastructure (CEI) Hub Policy Project scheduled for a public hearing in September. Additionally, a proposal to temporarily suspend required design reviews in most cases is moving toward a Planning Commission hearing on September 22.

Other regulatory updates include the adoption of Regulatory Improvement Code Amendment Package 11, set to take effect on November 1, and ongoing work regarding the Inner Eastside Zoning Project. The Planning Commission is also seeking five community members to fill vacancies for next year.

In commercial development, recent building permits in Portland include a $1,000,000 project for steel roof joists at a Prologis facility on NE Columbia Blvd and a $562,056 interior remodel for an outpatient kidney dialysis clinic on NE Sandy Blvd. Other notable permits involve HVAC and electrical upgrades at Powell Butte Elementary School and structural modifications for a UPS facility on N. Basin Ave.