Provide testimony on strategies to promote job growth and economic prosperity in Portland

About the Economic Opportunities Analysis and the Proposed Draft

The Economic Opportunities Analysis provides the foundation for how Portland plans for job growth over the next 20 years. It outlines where Portland's job growth is expected to occur, which industries are poised to grow, and how much land and infrastructure will be needed to support them.

The Proposed Draft is the latest version of the Economic Opportunities Analysis, which will be considered by the Portland Planning Commission. It proposes refined policies based on public feedback - including strategies to balance natural area protections and industrial job growth.

The Planning Commission will hear public testimony on the topic and will vote on a recommendation to City Council - the final decision-maker.

Read the Proposed Draft and learn more

Different strategies for different areas of Portland

Portland's economy depends on a diverse set of business districts and employment areas, each with a distinct role in supporting the city's prosperity. The Proposed Draft sets high-level policy for each geography based on employment trends, development patterns and key opportunities.

• Portland's Central City is the region's largest and most diverse employment hub. It also faces post-pandemic trends of high office vacancy rates and shifts in work patterns.

  Key strategies to strengthen the Central City include allowing for a greater diversity of uses in historically office- and retail-dominated areas and vacant spaces, promoting adaptive reuse, and expanding housing opportunities.

• Neighborhood business districts support small businesses, provide everyday services, and create jobs close to where people live. These districts face challenges related to uneven commercial occupancy, shifting market demand, and costs barriers to upgrade spaces.

  Key strategies to promote neighborhood business districts include encouraging hybrid and temporary uses, reducing permitting complexity and cost, and exploring local investment tools.

• Campus institutions are anchored by hospitals, colleges, and universities, and tend to provide living wage jobs and essential services to the region. They face challenges related to high construction costs, infrastructure constraints, and complex permitting and zoning pathways.

  Key strategies for campus institutions include supporting densification, streamlining zoning, promoting better use of campus edges, and improving transportation investments.

• Residential areas increasingly support a mix of small-scale businesses, remote work, care services, and community institutions.

  Key strategies for residential areas include removing permitting hurdles for home-based businesses, and enabling small, detached business structures.

A focus on industrial land

Many of the proposed policies in the Proposed Draft focus on industrial land. These areas historically have provided middle-wage jobs that are accessible to workers without a four-year degree and serve as a foundation for the region's economy. Yet, industrial land supply is constrained by brownfields, important natural area protections, and insufficient infrastructure.

The project team collected feedback on scenarios that tested how varying degrees of environmental protection, setback standards, and investment levels would affect the availability of industrial land. The analysis indicated that moderate environmental updates - such as those proposed by the concurrent Columbia Corridor Industrial Lands Ezone project - will only constrain a small percentage of overall development capacity and will not impact current operations. It also showed that brownfield remediation and public infrastructure investment can have substantial impacts on unlocking new land.

This proposed scenario is included in the Proposed Draft and reflects community interest in balancing job-ready land and environmental protection and focusing on brownfield remediation.

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 verbal testimony at the hearing. To submit verbal testimony, pre-register for the meeting by Monday, Jan. 12 at 5 p.m.

Next steps

After the public hearing on Jan. 13, the Planning Commission will discuss the proposal during work sessions on Jan. 27 and Feb. 24. The Planning Commission is anticipated to vote on its recommendation to the City Council on Feb. 24.

Project staff will then develop a Recommendation Draft based on the Planning Commission's recommendation, which will be considered by the City Council - the final decision-maker. There will be future opportunities to testify to City Council.

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