PBOT braces for neighborhood feedback
Resident feedback to shape the future of Northwest Portland parking and transportation at upcoming Open House
On Tuesday, June 20, 2023, from 5:00pm to 7:00pm, the Northwest Parking District invites community members to the Lucky Labrador Beer Hall at 1945 NW Quimby St for an open house event intended to open lines of communication between residents, businesses, and district officials.
The open house will provide an insight into what's been happening within the Northwest Parking District, including discussions around key topics such as parking permit alterations, intersection enhancement projects, and the ambitious Montgomery Park Transit Project.
The NW Parking District Stakeholder Advisory Committee
The NW Parking District Stakeholder Advisory Committee, a collective body made up of fellow residents, business owners, and district employees, provides guidance to the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) staff on transportation and parking matters. The open house presents a unique opportunity to meet with these committee members.
In recent discussions, the Advisory Committee recommended a series of changes for the 2023 Zone M Parking Permit. Despite the committee's suggestion to gradually increase the Zone M permit pricing to $1,200/year, PBOT’s Commissioner Mingus Mapps decided to postpone the increase. The 2023 permit cost will be $202.50, up from the current $195.
New applicants for the Zone M permit could also face eligibility changes if they have off-street parking. For residents of buildings that secured a certificate of occupancy before August 7, 2013, the number of resident permits per address or unit could reduce by the count of legal, park-able off-street parking spaces.
A permit cap of 0.3 permits/unit is also on the horizon for buildings that obtained a certificate of occupancy post August 7, 2013. These measures reflect an ongoing commitment to effectively manage parking resources in the district.
Montgomery Park Transit Project
Another highlight of the open house will be the proposed Montgomery Park Transit Project. The plan includes extending the Portland Streetcar to the Montgomery Park office building in Northwest Portland and entails a complete rebuild of NW 23rd Avenue from Lovejoy to Vaughn.
The project emerged from the multi-year planning effort Montgomery Park to Hollywood (MP2H), which also considers potential land-use changes near the Montgomery Park office building to encourage mixed-use, transit-oriented development of new housing choices, employment, and commercial uses on the vacant former ESCO site.
The financial burden of this project might fall on the shoulders of property owners, businesses, and residents living near the proposed extension, through a mechanism known as a Local Improvement District (LID). The LID approach requires property owners to share the cost of infrastructure improvements. Northwest property owners could be on the hook for tens of millions of dollars in increased property taxes triggered by the LID. This would also, no doubt, increase commercial and residential rents in the affected area.
Intersection Enhancements on NW 21st and 23rd Avenues
Also on the agenda is the NW 21st and 23rd Avenue Intersection Enhancement Project. The City of Portland is upgrading intersections between NW Johnson and Flanders streets in a bid to increase efficiency and safety. This project dovetails with recommendations from the Northwest in Motion plan and is being coordinated with the Bureau of Environmental Services (BES) Lower Northwest Sewer and Stormwater Project, underscoring a multidimensional approach to city infrastructure development.
This open house underscores the Northwest Parking District's commitment to a participatory approach in managing Portland's transportation and parking resources. As the district continues to grow and evolve, such interactions are key to ensuring decisions meet the needs and expectations of the community.
More Information:
https://www.portland.gov/transportation/parking/nw-parking-openhouse2023