ARTICLE
Last week, directors and managers of City of Portland Bureaus involved in development and permit review were made aware of a proposal to install an inter-bureau governance structure over them, with the view toward more timely land use decisions and issued permits. This proposal is being drafted for City Council consideration, which will include a budget discussion on funding for the proposal. The HBA’s Portland Infill and Urban Development (PBUD) Council discussed the concept during a meeting with Mayor Wheeler and Bureau of Development Services Director Esau on January 11th. To help prepare for City Council hearings, the HBA will draft ‘problem statements’, i.e. specific issues that come up repeatedly, resulting from development review and permitting functions being spread across multiple bureaus. These bureaus include Development Services, Transportation, Environmental Services, Water, Fire, Parks and Urban Forestry. There is no one person or entity overseeing these functions and services, and land use and permitting review timelines have grown significantly in the City of Portland over the years. While there are multiple factors, many of which the City is already addressing, a notable difference between Portland and other jurisdictions is that there is no one person or department overseeing the review bureaus. This has led not only to isolation of bureaus, but conflicts and delays as each bureau, with its own mission and priorities, seeks to enforce its own codes, rules, standards and policies. The HBA supports the move toward an inter-agency governance structure that will decrease delays and resolve conflicting priorities and codes.