It will be during these years that innovations in regional and local planning will contribute to Portland’s world renowned reputation as a livable city. Portland saw drastic changes in local and state land use policies during the seventies. These policies laid the foundation for the demographically diverse, economically stable, and beautiful civic landscapes that can still be seen today (2). Mandates at the state level are ultimately what established the framework for the ideals of smart growth planning.
1957-1972
These were exciting times for the City of Portland as the State began realistic bills and the City really began to take an integrated and comprehensive approach to long-term planning in Portland. It took the Portland Planning Commission over 30 years to finally amend and rectify some of the major issues of the 1924 Portland Zoning Code.
In mid-1959, the Commission finally passed the 1959 Zoning Code which had been in the works and protested for over a 3 decade span (5). The largest impacts of the new code allowed for population density control in single-family and apartment zones, and what had been only two zones previously, were now split up into a total of seven zones (5).
Industrial and commercial zones were split up and the overall land use map was redrawn to look at these new specifications from a more realistic and relevant view (5). For more information on the specifics of these changes, see the History of Zoning in Portland by Lloyd Keefe.
In mid-1959, the Commission finally passed the 1959 Zoning Code which had been in the works and protested for over a 3 decade span (5). The largest impacts of the new code allowed for population density control in single-family and apartment zones, and what had been only two zones previously, were now split up into a total of seven zones (5).
Industrial and commercial zones were split up and the overall land use map was redrawn to look at these new specifications from a more realistic and relevant view (5). For more information on the specifics of these changes, see the History of Zoning in Portland by Lloyd Keefe.
(6) circa 1970 Downtown Portland
In 1969, the State of Oregon Enacted Senate Bill 10 which required all cities and counties to develop a comprehensive plan; however, the City already adopted the 1966 Comprehensive Development Plan which really began to shape the City of Portland as we know it today (4).
In 1972 The City adopted the Downtown Plan which was another type of specialized Comprehensive Plan that really focused on the urban areas. All and all, it was during the early 70s that the City of Portland as well as the State of Oregon really became known as the “Capital of Good Planning” (5).
In 1972 The City adopted the Downtown Plan which was another type of specialized Comprehensive Plan that really focused on the urban areas. All and all, it was during the early 70s that the City of Portland as well as the State of Oregon really became known as the “Capital of Good Planning” (5).
1973-1979
Through a series of State mandated Bills, these will be known as the years that Oregon develops a name for itself in the international Planning world. Up until the seventies, Portland Planning has been a series of haphazard attempts to develop portions of the City and thanks to major developments in Portland Land Use Policies in the late sixties; Portland will begin to become one of the most internationally renowned Cities for “Good Planning”.
In 1973 The State passed Senate Bill 100 which created A Statewide Planning Program and both the Land Conservation and Development Commission (LCDC) and The Department of land Conservation and Development (DLCD) (7). And although this Bill was at the State level, it was the first attempt by the State to develop regional Planning goals which Portland would play a large role in (8).
During the same year, the State also passed a historic Bill that preserved existing farmland. Senate Bill 101 was instrumental to keeping the agricultural regions of Portland rural, and preserved them from becoming one large urban manifest (9).
In 1973 The State passed Senate Bill 100 which created A Statewide Planning Program and both the Land Conservation and Development Commission (LCDC) and The Department of land Conservation and Development (DLCD) (7). And although this Bill was at the State level, it was the first attempt by the State to develop regional Planning goals which Portland would play a large role in (8).
During the same year, the State also passed a historic Bill that preserved existing farmland. Senate Bill 101 was instrumental to keeping the agricultural regions of Portland rural, and preserved them from becoming one large urban manifest (9).
In 1974, a major breakthrough in Transportation Planning would leave it’s mark (or lack thereof) on Portland as the Planning Commission would decide to abandon all future highway construction projects and introduce a large scale public transportation infrastructure known as TriMet (10). TriMet served as a major relief for the need to bring less cars and highways into the region and allowed land use planning more flexibility with transit oriented development (11). For more on TriMet, see our Pedestrian Priority Transportation Page.
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Finally, in 1979 Metro was establish to serve as the region’s Metropolitan Planning Organization to serve a total of 25 cities, and Portland being its major focus (12). Together, these mandates set Portland’s urban growth boundaries and helped to get residents interested in city life, as opposed to the typical post war suburb style of living.
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1980-1989
The local economy of Portland took quite a downturn in the eighties. Although development and overall growth was slow, light rail transportation continued to expand and construction in the Central City continued (13). In 1988 The Central City Plan was introduced. This Plan was really just an expansion of the 1972 Downtown Plan. But it created the Transit Mall, and higher density retail and office spaces. The plan also introduced housing and expanded the urban core to the south and east (14).
1. (Image) "Want to Move Here? Watch Modern Portland |Mac's List." http://www.macslist.org/want-to-move-here-watch-modern-portland/ (accessed March 5, 2013).
2. Ozawa, Connie P.. "The Portland Edge in Context." In The Portland edge challenges and successes in growing communities. Washington, DC: Island Press, 2004. 17.
3. Keefe, Lloyd. "History of Zoning in Portland 1918-1959." www.portlandoregon.gov/bps/article/147441 (accessed February 16, 2013).
4. Oregon Legislative Assembly.Senate Bill 10. 1969 Regular Session. March 6 1969. http://www.oregon.gov/LCD/docs/bills/sb10.pdf (accessed February 14, 2013).
5. Abbott, Carl. 2000. The Capital of Good Planning: Metropolitan Oregon since 1970. In The American Planning Tradition: Culture and Policy. Pp. 241-262. Ed. By Robert Fishman. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins.
6. (Image) HANECKOW, DAN. "Portland Architecture: Planning." BRIAN LIBBY. http://chatterbox.typepad.com/portlandarchitecture/planning/ (accessed March 5, 2013).
7. Oregon Legislative Assembly.Senate Bill 10. 1969 Regular Session. 1973. http://www.oregon.gov/LCD/docs/bills/sb100.pdf (accessed February 14, 2013).
8. Abbott, Carl. Portland: planning, politics, and growth in a twentieth-century city. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1983.
9. Oregon Legislative Assembly.Senate Bill 101. 1969 Regular Session. 1973. http://www.oregon.gov/LCD/docs/bills/sb101.pdf (accessed February 14, 2013).
10. Ozawa, Connie. Adler, Sy. Dill, Jennifer. "The Evolution of Transportation Planning in the Portland Metropolitan Area." In The Portland edge challenges and successes in growing communities. Washington, DC: Island Press, 2004. 245-250.
11. "TriMet: Public Transit in the Portland Area." TriMet: Public Transit in the Portland Area. http://trimet.org/ (accessed March 5, 2013).
12. "Metro: Mission, charter and code." Metro: Welcome to Metro. http://www.oregonmetro.gov/index.cfm/go/by.web/id=24270 (accessed March 3, 2013).
13. Ozawa, Connie. Seltzer, Ethan. "It’s Not an Experiment: Regional Planning at Metro, 1990 to the Present." In The Portland edge challenges and successes in growing communities. Washington, DC: Island Press, 2004. 35-40.
14. "Chapter 6: Planning—The evolution of planning practice in Portland | Comp Plan Context: 1980–Today | The City of Portland, Oregon." City of Portland, Oregon. http://www.portlandoregon.gov/bps/article/122767 (accessed March 3, 2013).
2. Ozawa, Connie P.. "The Portland Edge in Context." In The Portland edge challenges and successes in growing communities. Washington, DC: Island Press, 2004. 17.
3. Keefe, Lloyd. "History of Zoning in Portland 1918-1959." www.portlandoregon.gov/bps/article/147441 (accessed February 16, 2013).
4. Oregon Legislative Assembly.Senate Bill 10. 1969 Regular Session. March 6 1969. http://www.oregon.gov/LCD/docs/bills/sb10.pdf (accessed February 14, 2013).
5. Abbott, Carl. 2000. The Capital of Good Planning: Metropolitan Oregon since 1970. In The American Planning Tradition: Culture and Policy. Pp. 241-262. Ed. By Robert Fishman. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins.
6. (Image) HANECKOW, DAN. "Portland Architecture: Planning." BRIAN LIBBY. http://chatterbox.typepad.com/portlandarchitecture/planning/ (accessed March 5, 2013).
7. Oregon Legislative Assembly.Senate Bill 10. 1969 Regular Session. 1973. http://www.oregon.gov/LCD/docs/bills/sb100.pdf (accessed February 14, 2013).
8. Abbott, Carl. Portland: planning, politics, and growth in a twentieth-century city. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1983.
9. Oregon Legislative Assembly.Senate Bill 101. 1969 Regular Session. 1973. http://www.oregon.gov/LCD/docs/bills/sb101.pdf (accessed February 14, 2013).
10. Ozawa, Connie. Adler, Sy. Dill, Jennifer. "The Evolution of Transportation Planning in the Portland Metropolitan Area." In The Portland edge challenges and successes in growing communities. Washington, DC: Island Press, 2004. 245-250.
11. "TriMet: Public Transit in the Portland Area." TriMet: Public Transit in the Portland Area. http://trimet.org/ (accessed March 5, 2013).
12. "Metro: Mission, charter and code." Metro: Welcome to Metro. http://www.oregonmetro.gov/index.cfm/go/by.web/id=24270 (accessed March 3, 2013).
13. Ozawa, Connie. Seltzer, Ethan. "It’s Not an Experiment: Regional Planning at Metro, 1990 to the Present." In The Portland edge challenges and successes in growing communities. Washington, DC: Island Press, 2004. 35-40.
14. "Chapter 6: Planning—The evolution of planning practice in Portland | Comp Plan Context: 1980–Today | The City of Portland, Oregon." City of Portland, Oregon. http://www.portlandoregon.gov/bps/article/122767 (accessed March 3, 2013).
Jesse Ellison