Neighborhood Notes

What is the North Pearl District Plan?

The North Pearl District Plan (NPDP) is a comprehensive planning project that is considering the urban form and type of community that will emerge in the northern portion of the Pearl District. This plan is not intended to result in the creation of a new district but rather provide a blue print for how development in this area will continue the expansion of the Pearl District northward and better connect with the Willamette River and adjacent neighborhoods to the north and west of the Pearl.

Background

In March 2005, the Portland City Council adopted a series of Zoning Code and Comprehensive Plan Map amendments proposed as part of the North of Lovejoy Plan. This planning effort focused on future development immediately surrounding two of the three parks identified in the park network identified by the 2001 River District Park System Urban Design Framework (also known as the Peter Walker Master Plan).

The primary changes emerging from this effort were:

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Parks Zoning and Comprehensive Map Amendments: The zoning and comprehensive plan designations of three parks identified by the Walker Master Plan were amended from the Central Employment (CX) to Open Space (OS) with the intent of recognizing the long term use and ownership of these facilities.
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Height Changes: The maximum building height provisions around the parks edges to the South, Southwest and West were modified such that the portions of the sites closest to the edge of the park are capped at 100'; however, the portions of these sites located further from the parks are allowed to obtain a maximum height of 225'. This creates a "step down" to the parks designed to ensure greater of access to sunlight within the parks.
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Additional Development Capacity: Building mass and density within the Central City Plan District is regulated by floor area ratio (FAR) standards. Within the project area the maximum FAR was previously capped at 2:1. The amendments adopted by Council increased maximum FAR to 4:1 allowing for increased housing densities and overall development potential in the project area.

In addition to these regulatory amendments, a design charrette was conducted to analyze the urban design and development potential of the project area and adjacent areas. Beyond the confines of the project area, the charrette identify a need to further investigate the overall urban design and development framework affecting the greater geography of the Central City located north of NW Lovejoy. The charrette findings proposed a transportation analysis, improved connections to the river, the rehabilitation / redevelopment of Centennial Mills, and the need for addition waterfront parks and open space. The North of Lovejoy project also concluded that there is a desire to see that new River/Pearl District development maximizes ongoing community building efforts. Thus, a follow-up project addressing the future of the northern end of the Pearl District was proposed.

The entire project can be viewed at the Bureau of Planning on the City of Portland's website...