The consequences of Concordia being downgraded to R2.5 from R5 zoning.

In approximately 2001-2002 Concordia was rezoned to an R2.5 zone but not on paper.

When doing a search on the city website, you clearly see Concordia is listed as an R5 residential zone. However, the city is treating Concordia as an R2.5 zone.

According to the cities' website, an R5 residential zone is a lot that is 36'X50' or 3000sqft.

When this neighborhood was first developed in the late 1800's to early 1900's parcels of land were sold in portions of two or more. Each house in Concordia sits on two or more plots.

Some people bought three in order to have a larger side yard. Each plot was sold at 25x100'. Almost every home in Concordia sits smack dab in the middle of two of these historical plots.

In 2001-2002, Portland decided with no judiciary oversight that it would grandfather in the original historical plots but are still calling Concordia an R5 zone.

The trouble with the city deciding to downgrade Concordia's zoning is that every home sits on two plots and any home that has a third plot is almost guaranteed to have a large 100 yr old native tree on it's side plot as people built around the trees when the neighborhood was being developed.

With the recent trend of demolitions in Portland we are all very concerned about what this means for the future of Concordia. Currently, any builder or developer could come in, buy one house, tear it down and any trees in it's way and build two or three skinny homes in it's place dramatically changing the face and character of Concordia forever.

While Portland certainly has a major issue with housing in the near future, it's important to look at how Portland can grow sustainably as well as keeping it's charm and character.

The word "infill" seems to be a word our local politicians speak like the pounding of a war drum. That infill is the only way we as a city can handle the population growth and that this is something we must all accept as Portlandians.

Though I am a firm believer in the Urban Growth Boundary, I truly beg to differ that the current approach to infill is the correct solution. If you look closer at what this really means, it means the politicians have given the green light to let builders come into established communities and wreak havoc so they can make maximum profits at the detriment to the local community.

Almost every new construction in Portland as infill is built to the maximum size the lot is allowed, towering over other people's properties and tearing down any tree in it's way. The builders boast themselves as green builders yet take down 100' tall healthy trees, feed it to a wood chipper then plop their prefab homes in it's place.

There is nothing "green" or sustainable about what they are doing and the way they are going about acquiring the properties and dividing the lots is extremely disruptive to the local communities.

Then you have to consider the demolitions.. Last year there were nearly 300 demolitions, many of them were perfectly functional homes and of those only 300 homes demolished, it accounted for 5% of all of Portland's waste.

Think about that. Only 300 homes created 5% of all of the waste generated by the entire city. These are materials that could have been reused, homes that could have been salvaged or even built up and divided to create more housing. Instead, they were torn down, thrown in the city dump and massive giant tract homes or several skinny homes were put in their place.

This isn't what Portland wants, people who move to Portland move here because we are nature oriented, love the old charm and trees and want to see the city stay that way. Not speckled by giant tract housing and skinny homes.  We moved here to get away from suburbia yet somehow suburbia seems to be encroaching into our beautiful city.

There are certainly areas in Concordia that could use more development. There are several homes in disrepair that could be taken down, replaced, restored or built up with more high unit homes like duplexes or even smaller condos that would actually make a true impact on offering affordable housing for the new people migrating to Portland.

However, that is not what these builders are doing and the city is just letting them run wild. These new construction homes often go for $100k more than any home nearby artificially inflating the market and driving housing costs up.

What the city needs to do is take a more advanced approach in it's zoning. Preserve the old neighborhoods and develop just beyond their borders.

The type of infill we are seeing in Concordia may add 20 new homes to the area at best. That's not much to help for the coming population boom but it certainly is a lot for the builders pockets as they get to maximize profits from being in a desirable area.

Yet at what cost? We are talking months of streets being closed off, sidewalks blocked, roads being dug up, beautiful historic trees being torn down, the very character and charm of what makes a community destroyed so one greedy home can be built. This just isn't right and does nothing for our very real issues of a growing city.

What local communities can do now... 

- Put a CC&R on your deed when you sell the property - 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Covenant_(law)#Covenants_related_to_land

- Do Not Sell To Developers!! -

I have now heard of three stories of developers pretending to be nice normal families who will move in and love the place. Put a CC&R on your deed and see how fast these developers will walk away from the deal. Research who your buyers are before you sell to them to make sure they aren't a developer.

- Homeowners Associations -

As much as I have always felt the idea of a homeowners association is a terrible idea, it may actually be the saving grace for Portland neighborhoods.

Many of us here in Concordia have been writing our politicians, attending neighborhood meetings, testifying at city hall and even resorting to hiring a lawyer. Unfortunately, our city and politicians are currently on the side of the builders.

Forming a local homeowners association would allow the neighborhoods to put covenants, conditions and restrictions on all neighboring properties.

Most people when they think of a homeowners association, they think of uptight neighborhoods that dictate what color you can or can't paint your home.

I believe Portlanders can and will be successful in forming smart ones that favor local residences over builders and that the CC&Rs are more designed to control what these developers can and can't do.

- Consolidate your lot -

If you are in Concordia, it is likely that your property (tax lot) is on several smaller underlying lots. These are now individual building lots.  You can "consolidate" to your tax lot perimeter and eliminate those hidden legal divisions so that any future, segregating development of your tax lot would have to undergo a proper "land division".  This closes the City provided loophole that builders are using and would make it impossible to develop a skinny home (or worse even, two) on your R-5 parcel ever.

It is precisely this consolidation that must be in place before a home with a develop-able side yard is sold.  If you see a house for sale with a side yard, stop in and ask if this has been done to save the yard from skinny house development.  It would be good advice to recommend to the seller that they stipulate in the sales contract that the lot be consolidated before closing.  This will deter builders and welcome buyers who would want to spare the yard and trees and preserve out neighborhood character.

The problem with an individual doing this is that it is expensive, it costs $2,645 to consolidate your lot. There are a few good folks here in Concordia who are urging our politicians to wave this fee for consolidation purposes only as this fee only exists because most people consolidate their lots to build on.

- Write your politicians - 

They need to understand these failed policies are deeply effecting the entire city.

Mayor Hales, 
Commissioner Fish, 
Commissioner Fritz, 
Commissioner Novick, 
Commissioner Saltzman 

- Talk to the various city departments - 

Development Services -  https://www.portlandoregon.gov/bds/
Planning and Sustainability - https://www.portlandoregon.gov/bps/
Join your neighborhood associations - https://www.portlandoregon.gov/oni/28385

- Register your tall trees as heritage trees - 

https://www.portlandoregon.gov/parks/40280

- Portland has always been responsive to grass roots change -

Don't give up, the mayor and city know there are problems. If we keep at it as a city, I truly believe we can get the city to take on wiser choices for smart development in our city. I as many people want to see Portland grow well and I believe we can, we just need to work together and not let these greedy developers snatch up all of Portland's develop-able land before it's too late...