Should Portland amend Renaming City Streets Code to realign with Oregon Revised Statute 227.120 by redelegating decision-making authority to City Council to approve or…

The City of Portland ordains.Section 1. The Council finds:Portland City Code Chapter 17.93 Renaming City Streets outlines the requirements to rename streets within Portland city limits, including the City's process for approving or denying any street renaming proposals. On November 20, 2024, City Council approved Ordinance 191973 amending a package of code amendments to align with the amended City Charter approved by voters in Portland Measure 26-228. The ordinance included amendments to Chapter 17.93 that shifted decision-making authority for renaming city streets from City Council to the City Administrator. Subsection 17.93.040 F. now states: "The Planning Commission will conduct a public hearing on the matter [street renaming] and make a recommendation to the City Administrator as to the best interest of the City and the area within six miles of the City limits in accordance with ORS 227.120." Subsection 17.93.040 G. now states: "The City Administrator may approve or deny application for a street name change upon determination of the best interests of the City and the area within six miles of the City limits. If the City Administrator denies the application, it will be filed with no further consideration and the subject name and street may not be considered again under this Chapter for a period of at least two years. If the City Administrator approves the application, certified copies of the approval will be filed with the County Recorder, County Assessor, and County Surveyor." Following City Council's direction through passage of Resolution No. 37682 on October 30, 2024, the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) is currently processing a street renaming application led by Portland State University (PSU) to rename a portion of SW Jackson Street to SW Rose Hill Street after respected Indigenous leader and former PSU Native American Student & Community Center Student Coordinator Rose Hill. Through recent consultation with staff from the Bureau of Planning and Sustainability (BPS), PBOT staff discovered that Chapter 17.93, which names the City Administrator as the decision-making authority, no longer aligns with ORS 227.120, which designates the City Council as the decision-making authority. ORS 227.120 states: "…the [planning] commission…shall recommend to the city council the renaming of any existing street, highway or road, other than a county road or state highway, if in the judgment of the commission…such renaming is in the best interest of the city... Upon receiving such recommendation, the council shall afford persons particularly interested, and the general public, an opportunity to be heard… After such opportunity for hearing has been afforded, the city council by ordinance shall rename the street or highway in accordance with the recommendation or by resolution shall reject the recommendation…" In addition, Portland Zoning Code Subsection 33.710.040 D. lists making recommendations to City Council on renaming city streets as one of the Planning Commission powers and duties. The subsection states: "Powers and duties. The Planning Commission has all of the powers and duties that are now or may in the future be imposed upon City planning commissions by State law, by this Title, by the City Council, or by the City Charter. The Planning Commission's powers and duties include: 1. Holding hearings and making recommendations to City Council on proposals to adopt, amend and update: the Comprehensive Plan; the zoning code; significant transportation policies, projects, and issues; the portions of Title 11, Trees, identified in 11.10.040.C; urban renewal plans; street vacations; sign regulations; and renaming city streets." To realign with ORS 227.120 and 33.710.040.D, City Code Subsections 17.93.040 F. and 17.93.040 G. must be amended to specify that the Planning Commission will provide recommendations on street renaming proposals to the City Council and that the City Council will make the final determination about whether a proposed street renaming is approved or denied. Chapter 17.93 is also updated for clarity to reflect the current title of the Planning Commission and the authority of the City Traffic Engineer.NOW, THEREFORE, the Council directs:Amend City Code Chapter 17.93 as shown in Exhibit A.