Planning and Zoning

Clackamas County’s first-ever Transit Development Plan was approved by the Board of County Commissioners on April 29, 2021.

The plan sets the stage for improved and increased transit throughout the county. With seven transit service providers in Clackamas County, there are still large areas of the county with no transit service, and existing service varies in frequency, access and connectivity. The final plan  is being used to guide transit investments in the county.

• 
  Explore Our New Transit Development Plan (storyboard)
• Plan vision: Provide guidance for an equitable, safe, convenient and connected transit network throughout Clackamas County that will support the health and well-being of Individuals, communities, the economy and the environment.  
• Plan recommendations

Project Documents

• Transit Development Plan (Final)
• Fact Sheet
• Executive Summary
• Public Involvement Plan 
• Outreach Summary
• Goals, Objectives and Performance Measures 
• Background Information and Existing Conditions 
• Title VI Assessment 
• Needs Identification 
• Future Solutions Strategies

Areas of Focus

1. Inside TriMet’s service district (orange area of the map)
   • Includes most cities inside the Metro urban growth boundary (UGB), extending to Estacada; including a large portion of the rural area along Stafford Road
   • Work to be done: detailed analysis and level of service information
2. Unincorporated Clackamas County with no transit service (gray area of the map)
   • Develop recommendations for how transit service providers can connect through these areas
   • Work to be done: Review connections in areas outside the jurisdictions of current transit providers:

Transit Service Providers in Clackamas County

• TriMet  – northwestern portions of the county, with an extension to Estacada
  • TriMet Business Plan, 2020-24
• Sandy Area Metro (SAM) – Sandy
  • Sandy Transit Master Plan, DRAFT, February 2020
• Canby Area Transit (CAT) – Canby
  • Canby Area Transit Transit Master Plan, October
• South Clackamas Transit District (SCTD)  – Molalla
• South Metro Area Regional Transit (SMART)  – Wilsonville
  • SMART Transit Master Plan
• Mt. Hood Express  – Sandy to Timberline Lodge
• CCC Xpress Shuttle – Clackamas Community College (service to Oregon City and Harmony campuses from Clackamas Town Center MAX Station)
• #ClackCo Connects - Clackamas County

Project Advisory Committee

Stakeholders and residents from throughout the County met regularly to review project information and plans, make suggestions and recommend the final Transit Development Plan. Meetings will be open to the public and include time for public comment.

Meeting Schedule

Project Advisory Committee (PAC) Members

Background

HB 2017-Keep Oregon Moving*, created a new funding source for transit operations and capital expenditures. Aside from the Mt. Hood Express, Clackamas County is not a transit provider. However, areas outside of a transit district or service area also have the opportunity to receive funding for transit, contingent upon having a plan that identifies priority transit needs and investments. The small city transit providers have worked closely to coordinate an “out-of-TriMet district” set of investments for the initial TriMet STIF plan. During this planning process, a need was identified to create a single document addressing the connections between service provider areas, and to identify ways in which coordination and cooperation can be improved throughout the Study Area.

*HB 2017-Keep Oregon Moving, created a new funding source for transit operations and capital expenditures. Areas outside of a transit district or service area have the opportunity to receive funding for transit, contingent upon having a plan that identifies priority transit needs and investments.

In December 2018, Metro approved an updated Regional Transit Strategy with additional guidance on providing better transit service. The Service Enhancement Plans and the Regional Transit Strategy, as well as priority service improvements identified in the TriMet STIF plan, will be the foundation for the work of the CCTDP within the TriMet service area.

In June 2018, the County hosted a Transit and Housing Workshop where professional staff from jurisdictions throughout the Study Area discussed actions needed to increase access to housing and jobs through better transit service. These concepts will be explored further during the Project to provide guidance on ways to make transit service a more viable option to choice riders, identify the types of transit facilities needed to support transit connections, bring forward innovative ways to provide service in rural and suburban locations, and provide input into land use actions that support transit.

Detailed Project Objectives

• Assess the transit level-of-service to identify gaps in transit service and coverage;
• Assess the connections between transit and land use and identify potential actions to improve land use transit-supportiveness;
• Identify opportunities to meet the transportation/transit needs of vulnerable populations and to provide access to destinations that are important to vulnerable populations;
• Identify transit equity issues that exist for low-income households and identify connections to provide better access to employment and housing for transit dependent populations;
• Enhance coordination between transit service providers and provide guidance on seamless access to transit options regionally by evaluating technology integration and fare uniformity;
• Provide strategic guidance for service improvements that will address the findings in the above assessments and improve the integration between systems from a County perspective;
• Address issues emerging from Metro’s 2018 Regional Transit Strategy, such as implementation of the enhanced transit concept, transit expansion and first/last mile connections;
• Integrate a range of transit options, such as shuttles, express service, vanpools, micro transit and Transportation Network Companies (i.e., Uber and Lyft);
• Identify priority transit service enhancements that can be integrated into future STIF plans and TriMet planning, and other planning work or funding opportunities; and
• Preserve the function of state highways by expanding regional public transit availability and reducing the number of single-occupancy vehicles on the road.

Just the Facts

Funding: $175,200 from the federal Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act (FAST Act), through a Transportation & Growth Management grant from the Oregon Department of Transportation.

Timeline: January 2020 – January 2021

For more information:

• Contact Brett Setterfield, bsetterfield@clackamas.us, 503-742-4511 or
• Visit www.clackamas.us/planning/transit to stay up-to-date on project process and opportunities to provide feedback.

Updated October 2020

Clackamas County property owners within the Portland Metropolitan Urban Growth Boundary are responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of street trees in the public right-of-way or planter strip adjacent to their property.  

Before selecting a tree to plant in the planter strip, make sure that the tree is on Clackamas County’s approved Street Tree List and is appropriate for your site conditions. When looking at the site conditions, think about the tree today and at maturity, when it reaches its full height and width. You can find guidance for the placement of street trees in Standard Drawing L100 and Standard Drawing L200 of Clackamas County Roadway Standards.

What is a planter strip?

The planter strip is the area in which street trees are planted; the land between the edge of the roadway and the private property line.  In areas with sidewalks, the planter strip is usually the grassy area between the street and the sidewalk.

What is a street tree?

Street trees are trees planted in the public right-of-way in the planter strip.
Trees provide environmental benefits, such as storm water retention, shade, wildlife habitat and reduced energy consumption. Trees help to bolster property values in residential and commercial areas, and improve the aesthetic appeal of urban streets.  Street trees can also help to calm traffic and provide separation between car traffic and pedestrian areas.

If properly selected and planted with sufficient space to grow, urban trees can provide all of the above benefits at little cost. However, trees do have a life span. Sometimes an incompatible tree species is planted or grows in the wrong location, which may result in lifting sidewalks or cracked curbs. In this situation, the county may issue a permit for the tree to be removed as long as it is replaced with a more appropriate species. Similarly, trees that are dead, diseased or hazardous, as verified by a certified arborist, must be replaced.

Approved Street Trees List

It is important to plant a species of tree in the planter strip that will provide aesthetic and environmental benefits without eventually causing damage to the sidewalk or roadway. Therefore, the county has four lists of appropriate street trees, based on the width of the planter strip:

• 2.5 to 3.5 feet wide
• 3.6 to 6.0 feet wide
• 6.1 to 10 feet wide
• More than 10 feet wide

To select a tree from the list, first check the width of the planter strip in front of your property to make sure you use the right list.
The list also includes other valuable information that may be helpful to you as you decide which type of tree to plant.

• Native Species 
  If you’re looking for a tree native to the Pacific Northwest, we have noted the tree species that are native to areas west of the Cascade Mountains.
• Height 
  The number on the list is the tree’s maximum height when it is allowed to grow to maturity with no constraints. (Please note that some types of trees planted in narrow planting strip areas may not grow to full height.)
• Canopy Width 
  The number of on the list is the maximum width of the tree’s branches and leaves at maturity.  This is important not just for shade and aesthetic considerations, but also because many trees grow out roots to the approximate width of the canopy in order to capture water that drips off leaves. Therefore, it is especially important to pay attention to canopy width when planting a tree near underground utilities.
• Evergreen
  Whether the species of tree is one that keeps its leaves or needles year-round or drops them in the fall
• Allowed Under Overhead Wires 
  It is particularly important not to plant a tree that will eventually interfere with any overhead utility wires that cross over the planter strip.  If there are wires where you’re planting, please be sure to check this column to make sure the species you’ve selected will not cause problems in the future.
• Shape
  • Narrow
    slender, oval or teardrop-like growth
  • Round
    width similar in size to height; may also be oval or umbrella-shaped
  • Vase
    largest canopy near the top of the tree, with narrower growth below
  • Pyramid
    tapered, with a wide base and narrow peak

Since 2012, the Planning and Zoning Division has prepared a Long-Range Planning Work Program to prioritize and consolidate amendments to the Comprehensive Plan and Zoning & Development Ordinance (ZDO). Public involvement with the work program allows for the integration of projects important to the community, as well as increased community awareness about current long-range planning projects.

2023-25 Work Program

The 2023-25 Long-Range Planning Work Program focuses on several land use items that were postponed from the 2021-23 program and some transportation planning projects that are in process. The program was approved by the Board of Commissioners on Aug. 9, 2023.

Meetings

2021-23 Long-Range Planning Work Program

Community members and organizations were invited to submit ideas for projects to consider. After gathering input from the Planning Commission, staff met with the Planning Commission to discuss and make a recommendation to the Board of Commissioners. The plan recommended by the Planning Commission was approved by the Board of Commissioners on April 27, 2021 and revised in October 2022.

2019-2021 Long-Range Planning Work Program

The 2019-21 Long-Range Planning Work Program was structured around the need to update the Comprehensive Plan in four major areas: Housing, Transportation, Economics, and Natural Resources and Energy. Plan projects were chosen after seeking suggestions from the public, county departments and other jurisdictions, reviewed by the Planning Commission and approved by the Board of County Commissioners.

The earliest structures in Clackamas County were built by pioneers of indigenous materials without attention to ornament and served simply as crude shelters. This survey did not locate any buildings surviving from the pre-territorial period (prior to 1843). As settlers became established, they built more stylized structures. These were usually modest imitations of that which was remembered from the builder's former home in the Midwest or East. In the nineteenth century, Americans sought to sever their dependence on England, English aesthetics, culture and architecture, and developed their own indigenous American style. For that reason, buildings in the CLASSIC REVIVAL style were popular because they were believed to be pure, democratic and untainted by English influence. This style was built in Clackamas County between 1840 and 1965. It was characterized by low-pitched gable roofs, heavy architrave molding above double-hung windows with six panes (or lights) in both upper and lower sash, sidelights and transoms around the door and classic columned porches.

After the Civil War, Americans were inspired by styles illustrated in well-distributed pattern books such as those written by Andrew Jackson Downing. Reacting against the crime, crowds and filth associated with urban life, Downing promoted GOTHIC REVIVAL houses and cottages as being well suited for every household. Downing believed, as did others of his day, that well-designed and attractive single family houses would improve the human condition. New technology, including the jigsaw, made decorative ornament readily available to the common builder. Examples of this style built in Clackamas County between 1850 and 1890 frequently had a steeply-pitched gable roof, central gablets (or gabled-wall dormers), pointed, arched windows and doors, and jigsawn eave and porch trim. There do not appear to be any Gothic Revival style structures in the County which retain the original fancywork, such as the decorative bargeboards that are commonly associated with this style.

During this period, innumerable vernacular farmhouses were constructed in the County in a local modification of the Gothic Revival style. These Gothic VERNACULAR farmhouses repeated the massing and roof forms of the more formal style, but decorative elements were often limited to frieze, rake and cornerboards. Local churches retained the romantic influence of Gothic Revival Style for a long period of time, and consequently many examples remain, although most have been altered over the years.

Searching for ways to express growing prosperity, the American public adopted the grand and distinctive architecture style of the Italian villa. Popular in Oregon from 1870 to 1890, the ITALIANATE style was characterized by low-pitched gable or hip roof(s), one-over-one double-hung sash windows, bay windows and single or paired eave brackets.

By the 1890's, a burgeoning population brought to Oregon by road, boat and rail created a larger demand for housing at a time when architectural styles, primarily the QUEEN ANNE, enjoyed an exuberance and richness of detail not previously known. Mass produced decorative ornaments allowed even the most common dwelling to exude a fanciful and eclectic mood. The Oregon Queen Anne generally exhibited asymmetrical massing topped with any roof type or combination of roof types. Many were garnished with some amount of spindlework on porch or in the gable peak or stickwork, brackets, stained glass and/or patterned shingle siding. All convey a vertical, uplifting feeling.

By the end of the nineteenth century, Americans sought relief from these exaggerated forms in the restrained COLONIAL REVIVAL and twentieth-century CLASSICAL REVIVAL styles, which were built in Clackamas County from 1895 through 1925. The Colonial Revival Style, in particular, expressed pride in America and all things American, an attitude launched with our nation's Centennial. With classical features, these structures were symmetrical in appearance, rectangular in plan and had low-pitched roofs. Occasionally Queen Anne elements such as leaded glass and bay windows were incorporated into these turn-of-the-century buildings; but usually these elements were wider and of larger proportions. The Colonial Revival buildings sometimes incorporated ornamental motifs found on Revolutionary War-era structures.

From the turn of the century through the early 1920's, the CLASSIC BOX or FOURSQUARE style was incredibly popular. Composed of low-pitched hip roof(s) and wide, boxed eaves, the Classic Box frequently had hipped dormers, full-width porch and large one-over-one double-hung sash windows. The basic box was frequently embellished with a variety of decorative motifs. This simple construction concept - a two-story cube with a choice of decorative accessories - came to be known by several architectural style names including Classic Box, Transitional Box, American Basic and American Foursquare. All forms shared the solid, stable, well-established quality evoked by the box-like appearance. The transitional box, as the name implied, was a link between this style and the Bungalow Style that followed it. It often was decorated with typical Bungalow features, such as exposed rafters, purlins and brackets.

At this time, a cultural movement swept the western world. Many people felt that the machine had removed man from his environment and a return to the handcrafted was essential to the survival of our culture. This movement was characterized by design which incorporated honesty, integrity and quality for the common man. On the west coast, the Builder and Craftsman BUNGALOWS secured enormous popularity. Thousands of bungalows were constructed in Clackamas County from 1905 to 1930. Craftsman Bungalow generally displayed more attention to ornament, but nearly every bungalow had a low-pitched gable roof(s), usually with wide, over-hanging eaves and exposed rafters, full-width front porch supported by battered or wide squat posts, and decorative muntins in upper sash of double-hung windows or casement windows. Dormers of any sort were used extensively. The exaggerated elements, such as battered porch posts or purlins and diagonal braces were not really necessary for support, but were expressions of the earnest craftsman ethic. Indigenous materials, such as river rock or stone, were often incorporated into Craftsman Bungalow homes as chimneys, porch post supports and foundations. These types of materials were intended to "tie" the structure to the landscape.

At the same time, the more elite of Clackamas County incorporated the philosophy of William Morris into their more socially honest ARTS AND CRAFTS style buildings. Morris countered the earlier dependence of the rich on classical features and replaced it with more organic forms and natural materials like the Bungalow Style buildings. The style was popular particularly in the Lake Oswego area during the 1930's.

As communication improved, transmittal of fashions and trends across the country and around the world occurred more rapidly. Between 1910 and 1935, a wave of structures which emulated several different historic period styles was built. Each concurrent style was adopted from a historic precedent and frequently borrowed materials or architectural ornament from several different periods. Appearing most frequently in Clackamas County were residences modeled after the English Cottage, the Tudor and Spanish, Mission or Mediterranean styles. ENGLISH COTTAGE residences had a medium-pitched gable roof(s) with rolled eaves or an absence of overhanging eaves, masonry exterior walls, multi-light and casement windows and an asymmetrical plan. Steeply pitched roof(s), mock half-timber and stucco exterior walls, and vertical projections characterized the TUDOR revival style.

Heavy wood ornament, bay, dormer or oriel windows, and Tudor arches were frequently employed. In contrast the SPANISH, MISSION OR MEDITERRANEAN-style structure had a low-pitched gable or hip roof(s), which was often tiled. Dominant horizontal lines are interrupted by round-headed window and door openings. Wrought-iron ornament was applied to brick, stucco or tile exterior surfaces.

Built to be compatible with the forested, natural landscapes, many examples of the OREGON RUSTIC style can be found in the Mt. Hood area, although interesting examples were built elsewhere in the County. In vogue from 1915 to 1940, this architectural style was influenced to some degree by the Adirondack resorts of the wealthy in upstate New York. It places great importance on the use of natural materials, such as river rock or stone with exterior walls of logs, shingles or rough horizontal siding. Modest, pitched gable, hip or a combination of roof types tend to yield an asymmetrical plan and evaluation. One talented local builder, Henry Steiner, was personally responsible for a number of hand-crafted log cabins in the Mt. Hood area.

The latest architectural type included in the Cultural Resource Inventory is the MODERN style. Noted for clean lines, modern structures frequently have flat roof(s), large windows and an asymmetrical plan. Geometric forms rather than historically-based motifs are generally the only ornamentation.

Created by (1986)

• JANE ALTIER MORRISON, Cultural Resource Specialist
• JAMES SPILLMAN, Design & Graphics

Photos

The Planning Commission consists of nine members appointed by the Board of County Commissioners (BCC) to advise the BCC on land use applications and issues. The Planning Commission provides recommendations to the BCC in accordance with the requirements of State law, the Clackamas County Comprehensive Plan, Zoning & Development Ordinance, and Clackamas County Code. Planning Commission hearings are held as needed on the second and fourth Monday of each month at 6:30 p.m. If you would like to participate in a Planning Commission meeting via the Zoom online platform, please click on the green “Planning Commission” link under the date of the meeting below. Recorded videos can also be seen on @ClackamasCounty on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. For more information, contact Darcy Renhard at drenhard@clackamas.us 503-742-4545.

Public Testimony

No preregistration is needed to testify. If you would like to speak during a Planning Commission meeting, there will be directions on when and how you are able to do so once the meeting begins. It will require you to use the “raise hand” feature in Zoom (or *9 if attending by phone). Members of the public are usually given up to three minutes to speak.

Planning Commission Members

The Land Use Hearings Officer is an impartial third party contracted by the county to hear land-use applications that require judgment and discretion in applying the Clackamas County Zoning and Development Ordinance, as well as the Clackamas County Comprehensive Plan and other criteria under State law. The Hearings Officer may impose conditions in order for the application to comply with county and state regulations and to minimize impacts to surrounding properties.

• Hearings will not begin before the time noted but may begin later depending on the length of prior items.
• Any interested person may attend the hearing to listen or testify.
• This public hearing will be conducted virtually using the Zoom platform. One week before the hearing, a Zoom link to the public hearing and details on how to observe and testify online or by telephone will be available by clicking on the file number.
• Applications may be viewed online. After selecting the “Planning” tab, enter the Record (File) Number to search. (Do not include the second dash or the letters that follow it.) Select Record Info and then select “Attachments” from the dropdown list, where you will find the submitted application.
• Please direct questions to the staff planner, whose contact information is found by selecting the file number below.
• Clackamas County is committed to providing access and will make reasonable accommodations, modifications, or provide translation, interpretation or other services upon request. Please contact us at least three business days before the meeting at 503-742-4545 or email drenhard@clackamas.us.
• 503-742-4545: ¿Traducción e interpretación? | Требуется ли вам устный или письменный перевод? | 翻译或口译？| Cấn Biên dịch hoặc Phiên dịch? | 번역 또는 통역?

Actions by Board of County Commissioners (BCC)

June 2021

On June 22, 2021, the BCC directed staff to take no further action on the Park Avenue Community Project, with the understanding that if community groups in the area can come to agreement, they can come back to the BCC with a proposal in the future.

With this direction, the process to update the Zoning and Development Ordinance (ZDO) and Comprehensive Plan to implement the recommendations of the Park Ave Community Advisory Committee will not be started. Current ZDO development and design standards will continue to be used to guide development in the area.

December 2020

On Dec. 2, 2020, the Park Avenue Community Advisory Committee and county staff presented the committee’s report to the Board of County Commissioners and the Commission approved motions to: 

1. Acknowledge the work completed by the Park Ave Community Project, Phase II, including the Guiding Principles, Framework Plan, proposed Development and Design Standards, and Implementation Actions to consider for the future. 
2. Direct staff to move forward the proposed Development and Design Standards to the Planning and Zoning Division to begin consideration of amendments to the Zoning and Development Ordinance (ZDO) and Comprehensive Plan, working through the routine process with the Planning Commission and Board of Commissioners, with outreach to the residential and business community, and development of a policy framework for anti-displacement.

Project History

Between November 2019 – December 2020, the McLoughlin Area Plan Implementation Team (MAP-IT) and Clackamas County worked with the community to create Guiding Principles, a Framework Plan and drafted updated land use development and design standards for commercial areas within ½ mile of the light rail station at Park Avenue and McLoughlin Boulevard in Oak Grove, just south of the city of Milwaukie. The purpose of the standards is to support economic development in commercial areas, and protect and preserve surrounding residential areas.

The project provided an inclusive and innovative public engagement process (as much as was possible during a pandemic), an assessment of neighborhood livability and economic vitality, and draft revised development and design standards on commercial land around the Park Ave Light Rail station to support a more walkable, transit-oriented environment.

• Guiding Principles
• Framework Plan
• Development and Design Standards Overview
• Implementation
• Public Outreach Overview 
   

Background

The project has two distinct phases:

Phase I: Community Engagement (Fall 2018 - Spring 2019)

Community assessment including researching community demographics and organizations, and policies, plans and development conditions. There was an assessment of the public’s understanding of the McLoughlin Area Plan (MAP) vision and related policy considerations, and an initial livability assessment, with a review of the potential impact of gentrification. Phase I also provided the opportunity to develop an extensive, innovative and inclusive public engagement process for Phase II. The results of Phase I are detailed in the three memos listed below.

• Memorandum 1: Community Overview and Development Trends
• Memorandum 2: Summary of Engagement: Roundtables and Survey
• Memorandum 3: Recommended Revised Phase 2 Scope of Work

Phase II: Development & Design Standards (Spring 2019 – Summer 2020)

Technical work and community engagement to present options to code refinements and develop anti-displacement strategies. An extensive and inclusive public engagement process will be employed to ensure all segments of the residential and business community have the opportunity to participate. The anticipated outcome is the development of code and map amendments for commercially-zoned areas, recommendations for implementation tools and community development, and anti-displacement strategies. Any proposed amendments to the county’s Zoning & Development Ordinance (ZDO) will be brought forward to the Planning Commission and Board of County Commissioners, with final adoption by the Board.

The project is funded by a Metro 2040 Planning Development Grant of $180,000, with matching in-kind services from Clackamas County of $45,000.