City Council hearing on proposed code amendments regarding the life of building and other permits, March 31

Proposed Ordinance to Amend City Building Code Provisions to Clarify Permit Abandonment, Expiration, Extensions, and Reactivation

How to submit testimony to the City Council

This ordinance will come before the Portland City Council on Wednesday, March 31, 2021, no earlier than 10:30 a.m. (time certain). The City Council meeting will be held online. Those who wish to watch the City Council meeting but not testify may watch a livestream of the meeting through the City’s video page.

Verbal testimony

Verbal testimony can be provided through a computer, mobile device or telephone during the hearing. Anyone interested in providing verbal testimony on this ordinance can register through the City Council Clerk’s office. Please check the meeting agenda, once it is posted on Friday, March 26, and refer to agenda item “Amend City Building Code Provisions to Clarify Permit Abandonment, Expiration, Extensions, and Reactivation”.

The deadline to sign up to give verbal testimony at the March 31 City Council hearing is Tuesday, March 30, at 4 p.m. Those who sign up will receive a confirmation email message containing information about joining the virtual hearing. Individuals have three minutes to testify, unless stated otherwise at the hearing. Please email the Council Clerk at cctestimony@portlandoregon.gov with any questions on how to testify at the City Council meeting.

Written testimony

Written testimony can be submitted through the Council Clerk at cctestimony@portlandoregon.gov. It is recommended that written testimony be submitted before 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, March 31.

An overview of the recommendations

The ordinance that will be considered by the City Council:

• Amends the City Code chapters for building, plumbing, electrical, mechanical, and sign permits.
• Clarifies when permits are abandoned or expired, when BDS will extend permit applications and issued permits, when BDS will reactivate abandoned or expired permits, and when applications or permits become Void,  to be consistent with State building codes, current BDS practices, and the adopted Program Guide for the life of a permit.
• Limits the time within which an applicant for a cell phone infrastructure permit has to get the permit application issued and the project complete.

Following the public hearing, it is anticipated that the City Council will refer the ordinance to a second reading and final vote at a date in early April. If adopted by the City Council, the ordinance will take effect 30 days after its passage.