II. Introduction
What is Station Community Planning?
Station Community Planning is a process which ensures that light rail station areas offer an effective and attractive means of integrating housing, employment, retail and services into the existing pattern of land uses. By creating opportunities and requirements for transit-oriented development, it encourages maximum light rail ridership with easy access by all transportation modes.
The station community planning project involves neighborhood residents, interested developers, city and regional agencies all participating in establishing important issues relating to future station area land use and development. After review of alternatives and selection of a preferred concept plan, a plan is being proposed to amend the existing comprehensive plan and zoning.
[figure 1. Westside Corridor from Portland to Hillsboro]
(omitted)
Planning Goals for the Westside Light Rail Transit Corridor
The Westside Light Rail Station Community Planning process is a collaborative effort of the cities of Portland, Beaverton, and Hillsboro, Washington County, Metro, Tri-Met, and the Oregon Department of Transportation. The Westside Light Rail line has 21 MAX stations and extends from downtown Portland to downtown Hillsboro.
The project is under the direction of the seven member Westside Light Rail Station Area Planning Management Committee. The goal and objectives set by the Committee for the outcome of station area planning is as follows:
Maximize community development, transportation mode choice and air quality improvement opportunities resulting from the Westside LRT system, while contributing to its effective operation
Objectives:
- Consider neighborhood character and respect existing contributing development
- Adopt clear and objective standards for decision making
- Provide for expeditious approval of appropriate development
- Increase ridership
- Reduce auto use
- Air quality - decrease emissions from auto use
- Encourage early development in the station areas
- Achieve appropriate density in station areas
- Be compatible and integrated with other plans
- Be consistent with the adopted Regional Growth Concept
- Be consistent with state and regional plans and laws
- Implement the plans that are adopted
- Be responsive to market conditions
- Identify areas with redevelopment possibilities and aggressively promote redevelopment
- Identify and mitigate, where possible, adverse impacts
- Assure a safe and pleasant bike/pedestrian environment
- Consider each station's unique qualities in design and its role in the region
The Planning Context for Goose Hollow
This project defines the Goose Hollow Station Community Planning Area as roughly five city blocks or 1300 feet radius from the light rail stations. Additional criteria for establishing the study area include existing land uses; intensity of development; infrastructure, especially transportation related; topography; and current plan and zone boundaries. The project study area partially overlaps the Central City Plan District. One recommendation of this report is to extend the Central City Plan boundary to encompass more of the station planning area, as shown in Figure 2.
[Figure 2. Study Area and Vicinity Map]
A number of other related planning and construction efforts have occurred in Goose Hollow since the mid 1980's, as noted below:
- In April of 1994, the City amended its zoning code to apply interim regulations supporting transit oriented development within close proximity to the light rail alignment in the Goose Hollow area; see Study Area and Vicinity Map.
- Tri-Met has completed several studies which document the designs, art work and construction details for the light rail stations and alignment;
- Portland's Office of Transportation has initiated the Central City Transportation Management Plan (CCTMP) in order to implement the transportation objectives of the Central City Plan;
- In 1993, (the Portland) Planning Bureau's Livable City Project supported four pilot projects in Northwest and Goose Hollow for purposes of exploring designed infill on selected sites; and
- The Tanner Creek Basin Project to separate storm and sanitary sewers is underway through the Bureau of Environmental Services.
Between February and June of 1994, the issue identification phase of the project was initiated with two workshops, three neighborhood walks, a series of five meetings on specific topics, and briefings before the Neighborhood Association. Later that summer, at least three special event fairs were used to seek additional opinions and inform people of the planning process. In December, the Background Report and Alternative Development/Design Concepts was produced. A refinement of one of these alternatives became the preferred alternative with work and review by neighborhood groups, interested citizens and agencies.
The Planning Commission held four hearings on the proposed plan between August and November, 1995.
[Figure 3. Chart showing the Goose Hollow Station Community Planning Process]
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