Portland Council set to vote on RICAP 11 zoning-code package
Portland City Council is scheduled to consider RICAP 11 on July 30, a pending zoning-code package involving parking, businesses, shelters and permits.
Portland City Council is scheduled to consider final adoption Thursday, July 30, of a zoning-code package that could affect how some parking areas, bike facilities, exterior business activities, rooftop equipment, signs, historic-resource work and outdoor shelters are reviewed.
The Regulatory Improvement Code Amendment Package 11, or RICAP 11, has not been finally adopted. The item is set for a time-certain hearing at 2 p.m., and the verbal and written record is closed.
What RICAP 11 would change
The city describes RICAP 11 as a code-maintenance package rather than a broad rezoning or new housing-policy plan. The proposal contains 57 zoning-code amendments and seven sign-code amendments intended to clarify existing rules, correct inconsistencies and make permitting and land-use reviews more predictable.
For property owners and permit applicants, the subjects are practical. Proposed changes address how certain parking areas are regulated, when bicycle-parking upgrades are required and how long-term bike parking must be accessible to tenants. Other provisions clarify the treatment of exterior display, storage, outdoor eating, markets and related business activities in specific zones.
The draft also addresses mechanical and rooftop equipment, including definitions, screening and height-limit questions. The council record shows that one proposed mechanical-equipment amendment, identified as MP7, was removed in a July 8 amendment. Other equipment-related provisions remain part of the amended package under consideration.
Additional sections concern outdoor shelters, historic-resource review and sign regulations. The shelter provisions would set or clarify allowances for individual shelters in specified zoning districts and address certain existing or expanded facilities. Historic-resource amendments would refine exemptions and review language, while sign-code changes include rules for changing-image sign features in particular settings.
Where the process stands
The Council continued the matter after approving two amendments on July 8. One removed MP7, and another added an allowance for residential uses in the Campus Institutional 1 zone. The amended item was continued to July 30 at 2 p.m.
That scheduled hearing is not proof that adoption has occurred. The Council could adopt the package, amend it again or take another action. Effective dates and implementation details depend on the final ordinance and any action taken at the hearing.
Who should watch the vote
People with pending or future permits may want to review the package if their projects involve parking, bike facilities, outdoor business areas, rooftop equipment, signs, historic properties or shelters. The same is true for developers, small businesses, property owners, neighbors and shelter operators who may be affected by more specific review standards.
RICAP 11 should not be confused with Portland’s separate State Land Use Compliance Project. That later effort responds to Oregon land-use requirements involving middle housing and review procedures. It includes proposals dealing with middle-housing standards, application timing, public notice and appeal rights, making it a broader state-law compliance effort than the targeted RICAP 11 maintenance package.
The next major checkpoint is the July 30 Council hearing. Until the Council takes final action, the RICAP 11 changes remain proposed rather than enforceable code.
Sources
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