Current Bridlemile Land Use Reviews (LURs)
All proposal notices, hearing notices, and notices of final plat submittals are posted on the
BDS Land Use & Zoning Public Notices page
Notices are posted on the postmark date of the snail mail notice or the day after. Proposal notices are taken down on the deadline date for comment. Hearing notices are taken down on the date of the hearing. Occasionally, they will post a decision if they think it is of great interest.
Building permits and cases (including landuse reviews) for a given property can be found at Portland Maps. Enter the project address, then click on the "Permits/Cases" link to see a list of permits and cases filed for the project.
About Land Use Reviews (LURs)
When a individual property owner or developer wants to build or subdivide a lot in a non-standard way, a Land Use Review is filed. The city notifies the neighbors and neighborhood association of the proposal, the cities initial analysis, one or more hearings, and a deadline for comments.
When you get a notice, read it right away; the deadline for when your comments are due is often very short. For more information about the LUR, and to get answers to your questions use one or more of the following resources:
1. The LUR planning representative listed on the LUR
2. The Applicant(s) Representative listed on the LUR
3. Leonard Gard SWNI Land Use Specialist 503-823-4592
4. Karen Tabata, ktabatas@comcast.net, 503-292-4377, BNA Land Use Chair pro tem
5. Other neighbors of the property in question.
6. Title 33 and other sections of the Portland Zoning Code.
A. Carefully read the proposal and review any sections of the Zoning Code referenced on the LUR.
B1. Check that zoning, setbacks (both of the proposed and surrounding properties), and other sections of the planning code are met correctly by the proposal. E.g. in one case involving a substandard lot, the planner had missed the fact neighboring houses were built on the property line, and under the substandard lot code the proposed house had to accomodate for the missing setbacks of its neighbors in addition to meeting its own setback requirements.
B2. Sometimes the LUR planning representative will NOT have visited the site of the proposal. And therefore may not be aware of errors in the application submitted. It is therefore in your best interest to verify the facts are as they appear on the LUR notice; and to immediately bring any descrepancies to the attention of the LUR planning representative. E.g. Locations and sizes of trees. The locations and heights of buildings on the neighboring properties; they may have made additions not noted on the plans submitted. Any other variances that have already occured on the neighboring properties.
C. Find out how the other neighbors of the property feel about the proposal.
D. Talk with applicant and or their representative regarding why they are asking for the variances and what other options they may have already considered and or rejected.
E. Put yourself in their place, and think how you might solve their problem differently if possible.
You have basically two avenues of responding to the proposals in the LUR:
1. The LUR planning representative has to weigh whether or not the variance(s) asked for still meet the "intent" of the code(s) involved. It is therefore very important in your comments to the LUR planning that you point out how the asked for variances are or are NOT meeting the intention of the codes. Simply saying you are against or for the proposal will NOT help your case, you must show how it meets or violates the intent of the applicable codes.
2. Negotiating with the Applicant and or their Representative. Always strive to keep on good and cordial terms with the applicant and their representative. There are many possible avenues of negotiating with them that could lead to a proposal that will meet both your and their needs and desires. This especially true when the LUR is decided in their favor.
An example: A developer wanted to put some row houses on a piece of property, after talking with the neighbors, some of the neighbors banded together and bought part of the property, and the developer built fewer detached homes instead (the developer got the profits he sought and the neighbors got the setbacks and housing type they desired).
This is why putting yourself in their place, and looking for solutions that will meet both your needs is so very important. You may come up with solutions that they did not see. If the proposed solution invovles more expense consider offering to pay part of the cost or services, and be sure to have a written contract! Think outside the box!
Although all the above is about "fighting" a LUR, the inverse of most of the above also applies when you are trying to get an LUR passed by the city and your neighbors.
Finally never underestimate the value of having and being good neighbors!
For help in understanding and analyzing LUR notices contact:
Leonard Gard, leonard@swni.org, Land Use Specialist at the SWNI Office, 503-823-4592
If you would like the Bridlemile Neighborhood Association to comment and/or write a letter regarding a particular LUR please contact:
Karen Tabata, ktabatas@comcast.net,
503-292-4377