Public Infrastructure Permitting

Source: PDF pp. 379-380 ↗ · raw: 379 · 380

Breadcrumb: Service Area Summaries > Community & Economic Development > Portland Permitting & Development > Public Infrastructure Permitting

City of Portland Fiscal Year 2026-27 Proposed Budget Community & Economic Development > Portland Permitting & Development > Public Infrastructure Permitting Public Infrastructure Permitting Budget Revenues by Fund 2023-24 Actuals 2024-25 Actuals 2025-26 Revised Budget 2026-27 Proposed External Revenues $0 $5,240,098 $9,299,724 $8,564,735 Development Services $0 $5,240,098 $9,299,724 $8,564,735 Fund Transportation $0 $0 $0 $0 Operating Fund Internal Revenues $0 $9,178,349 $8,213,770 $5,557,100 Development Services $0 $9,178,349 $8,213,770 $5,557,100 Fund Grand Total $0 $14,418,447 $17,513,494 $14,121,835 Program Expenses by Major Object Program expenses only include personnel, internal materials and services, external materials and services, and capital. 2023-24 Actuals 2024-25 Actuals 2025-26 Revised Budget 2026-27 Proposed External Materials and $0 $191,614 $383,883 $391,750 Services Internal Materials and $0 $2,663,592 $1,777,193 $81,379 Services Personnel $0 $8,255,475 $7,669,903 $10,128,396 Grand Total $0 $11,110,682 $9,830,979 $10,601,525 Program Description and Goals The Public Infrastructure Review Program is comprised of positions formerly housed in PWB, PBOT, BES and Parks prior to FY 2024-25; they were moved from those bureaus to a new bureau, Portland Permitting and Development (PP&D), on July 1st, 2024. Public Infrastructure Review provides development-related services, such as early customer assistance; land use, building permit, and engineering reviews; stormwater facility inspections; and issuance of permits to construct new developer-built infrastructure or 379

City of Portland Fiscal Year 2026-27 Proposed Budget to make connections to existing infrastructure, such as sewer mains. The program's goal is to support City development objectives while ensuring consistency with infrastructure regulatory requirements and system needs. The fees-for-service collected are insufficient to fully fund operations because the program's former bureaus fees were set below 100% cost recovery, subsidizing shortages with other revenues. This underfunding via fees resulted in financial challenges within PP&D because the bureau does not have alternative funding sources to support Public Infrastructure Review Program operations. When the program moved to PP&D, City Council expected continued funding from former bureaus to support ongoing services (Resolution 37628, Ordinance 191736). Affected bureaus signed an interagency agreement further detailing this funding. The program can only maintain service levels to its internal City and public customers if funding support for interagency agreements is renewed accordingly. Services Issues PBOT Minor Improvement permits; Issues PBOT/BES Public Works permits; Issues BES Sewer Lateral Connection/Repair permits; Issues PBOT Right-of-Way Encroachment permits; Conducts BES SWMM Stormwater Facility inspections; Staffs Development Services Center (BES, PBOT, PWB); Staffs 15-minute appointments, hotline calls (BES, PBOT, PWB); Attends Early Assistance customer meetings (BES, PBOT, PWB); Writes findings for Land Use Reviews (BES, PBOT, PWB); Reviews Building Permit plans (BES, PBOT, PWB); Reviews PBOT Street Improvement Alternative applications; Reviews Property Line Adjustments, Lot Confirmations, Replats (BES, PBOT, PWB); Reviews Sewer Easement Encroachments and Quitclaims (BES); Reviews Street Vacation applications (BES, PBOT, PWB); Collects SDCs; Deferral Contracts Equity Impacts Development activity occurs in every neighborhood impacting all Portlanders. This is a customer service-focused program whose staff routinely attend customer service trainings, equity trainings, and seek ways to improve assistance to home and property owners impacted by inequities and who need support navigating the City's permitting and land use systems. This program acknowledges: • Climate impacts to the water, stormwater, and natural resource systems could disproportionately affect vulnerable populations and customers. • Transportation infrastructure is significantly lacking or below standard in many areas of the City with high socio-economic and racial diversity. The work of the development staff in this program help ensure development in those areas contribute to the local transportation needs within the constraints of City code. Changes to Program All PP&D programs have been impacted by the effects of high interest rates, falling market values for buildings in the downtown core, and perception of Portland as a place to invest and build. Bureau revenues and demand for services have declined considerably from their peak levels and the bureau is expecting low project activity to continue in FY 2026-27. PP&D continues utilizing reserves to fund ongoing operations during this downturn. Following this program's shift from their prior bureaus into two divisions within PP&D on July 1, 2024, the program implemented another substantial change: the two infrastructure divisions were further consolidated into a single division. Finally, all the Public Works Permitting staff were consolidated within the division under a newly recruited Engineering Supervisor for the first time. 380

Parent: Portland Permitting & Development · PDF: pp. 379-380 ↗