Provide testimony on a proposal to increase natural area protections in the Columbia Corridor and other areas in the City

About the Columbia Corridor Industrial Lands Environmental Overlay Zone Project

Improved technology and onsite ground-truthing has led to more detailed and accurate mapping of natural areas in the Columbia Corridor and other locations throughout the city. As a result, there is a need to update the protections to those areas.

This Columbia Corridor Industrial Lands Environmental Overlay Zone Project (CCIL) proposes modifications to the application of environmental overlay zones, also known as ezones, in the Columbia Corridor and other industrial areas. This effort will ensure the protection of significant natural features in the project area, while also considering economic development in the project area.

What are environmental overlay zones?

Environmental overlay zones (ezones) are a tool used by the City of Portland to protect important natural features such as rivers, streams, wetlands and vegetation. These features provide important benefits such as water quality improvements, stormwater management, and wildlife habitat.

In the Columbia Corridor, there are two types of ezones - Environmental Conversation (c zone) and Environmental Protection (p zone). The c zone is applied to natural features that are important but where some environmentally sensitive development may be permitted. The p zone is applied to the most critical features, where development should be avoided except under special circumstances.

About the Proposed Draft

The project's Proposed Draft includes the policy choices, zoning code amendments and other supporting documents that aim to increase natural area protection and more accurately identify the location of streams, wetlands, vegetation, and floodplains.

The proposal builds off public feedback on three protection scenarios presented in the Discussion Draft - low, medium, and high. Each scenario offered different options for the level of c zone and p zone protections and the size of the protection buffer around important natural features. Project staff received strong support for the high scenario, as well as concerns from property owners about the impacts that ezone expansion could have on potential development.

Ultimately, the proposed amendments fall in between the medium and high scenarios, and include the following:

• The Protection Zone (p zone) would apply to all streams and sloughs, as well as wetlands located less than 50 feet from streams. These features would be protected by an additional 50-foot buffer.
• The Conservation Zone (c zone) would apply to other important areas near steams, wetlands and waterbodies, as well as wetlands located greater than 50 feet from streams. The c zone would also apply to floodplains within 170 feet of high-water areas along the Columbia River and Columbia Slough.

Overall, these changes increase ezone coverage in the project area from 27.3 percent to 31.6 percent.

Learn more about the Proposed Draft

How to submit testimony

The Proposed Draft will be considered by the Portland Planning Commission during an upcoming hearing on Jan. 13. There are two ways to submit testimony to the Planning Commission:

1. Submit written testimony through the project's Map App by Tuesday, Jan. 13 at 4 p.m. or by U.S. mail.
   Mail testimony to:
   Portland Planning Commission
   CEI Hub Policy Project Testimony
   1810 SW 5th Ave, Suite 710
   Portland, OR 97201
2. Give oral testimony at the hearing. To submit verbal testimony, pre-register for the meeting by Monday, Jan. 12 at 5 p.m.

Learn more and sign up for updates

More information about the project is available on the project website. You can also contact project staff with comments or questions by email at [email protected].

Sign up for project updates

Balancing job growth and environmental protections

The Columbia Corridor Industrial Lands Ezones Project is being conducted in coordination with the Economic Opportunities Analysis to provide adequate protection for natural resources and sufficient industrial and employment land to meet future needs.

The Proposed Draft for each project has been released. Together, these proposals demonstrate how Portland can support industrial job growth while also making strong commitments to environmental protection.

The Columbia Corridor Industrial Lands Ezone Project is part of a broader Citywide effort to balance job growth and natural resource protections.