ZA-2022-003

Amendments related to Downtown Design Review process

Over the past six years, the City’s Design and Landmarks Committee (DLC) has worked on revisions to the downtown design review process. The DLC carefully crafted amendments that will improve the process for developers, reviewers, and decision-makers alike. The amendments are intended to ensure that the design review process works effectively to make the community’s vision for downtown streets and skylines a reality over time.

For projects in the Downtown Mixed Use (DMU) zone that trigger a need for downtown design review (like new buildings, or substantial redevelopment or expansion of existing buildings), Milwaukie Municipal Code (MMC) Section 19.907 establishes a review process. Previously, that involved both the design standards established in MMC Section 19.508 and the design guidelines provided in a separate Downtown Design Guidelines (DDG) document. MMC 19.907 gave an option for administrative review if a project could meet the clear and objective design standards of MMC 19.508, or for a more discretionary review where the project showed “substantial consistency” with the purpose statement of any design element as well as any applicable design guidelines in the DDG.

The most significant problem with the previous code is that the design standards of MMC 19.508 did not directly align with the guidelines in the DDG. Additionally, the design review process did not directly involve the downtown development standards established in MMC Section 19.304, even though some of those development standards had a significant impact on design. This resulted in a gap between the codified requirements and the community’s intentions for downtown design, and it created uncertainty about what constituted the actual approval criteria for a particular project.

The newly adopted amendments moved the essential guidelines from the DDG into MMC 19.508 and retired the DDG document. Development standards previously found in MMC 19.304 that directly affected design were moved into MMC 19.508 to be part of the design review process. When a project does not meet all of the clear and objective standards for design, the approval criteria for discretionary review will be more evident. Overall, Sections 19.304, 19.508, and 19.907 are better aligned and integrated to improve the design review process.

One specific change is to require that residential-only buildings downtown address the downtown design standards and guidelines instead of having the option to address only the more general requirements for multifamily dwellings anywhere in the city. This change ensures that all new buildings downtown are designed for the downtown context and will make up a consistent architectural fabric in the city center.

File Number(s)
ZA-2022-003

Application Type(s)
Zoning Text Amendment

Hearing Date(s)
Planning Commission Work Session August 9, 2022
Planning Commission Work Session August 23, 2022 (Postponed)
Planning Commission Work Session September 27, 2022
Planning Commission Public Hearing October 25, 2022
Planning Commission Public Hearing for January 24, 2023
City Council Study Session February 14, 2023
City Council Public Hearing March 21, 2023