Article has been updated for a correction: the delay application has been received but has not yet been approved, despite the information on PortlandMaps. A hearing on approval will be held 1:30 p.m. June 24 at the Bureau of Development Services.
PORTLAND, Ore. – The demolition of a 91-year-old single-family home in the Eastmoreland neighborhood has been appealed for an extended delay until halfway through the summer by the neighborhood association, offering more time for interested parties to work out an alternative to the planned tear-down.
Photo credit: Portland Chronicle
The Bureau of Development Services received a demolition application for the 1924 house located at 3030 SE Rex St. on May 7. The applicant is Kevin Partain of Urban Visions, the owner of the property is Eden Enterprises LLC of Tualatin and the contractor is Renaissance Custom Homes LLC of Lake Oswego, registered to Randal Sebastian.
The demolition was subject to the 35-day delay which expired June 11.
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On the day it expired the Eastmoreland Neighborhood Association submitted an appeal that extends the delay for 60 more days.
ENA president Robert McCullough explained the process to the Portland Chronicle, noting that while the appeal must be received by the BDS by 4:30 p.m. on the last day of the initial 35-day delay, the department’s schedule is such that on most days it ends at 3 p.m. and at noon on Thursdays.
But although the office appears closed, it is not entirely.
“There is a door bell to be used after hours, but there is no notice and the door bell is broken. They checked while I was there,” McCullough said.
Once inside, he said, the process went smoothly. Still, he advised neighborhood representatives going through the process in the future to allow an hour for the process as there can be a line and waiting time.
“After the forms are turned in, the BDS staffer repaired to the back and deliberated for a short period,” McCullough said. “He then returned with a signed acceptance.”
The 60-day delay is a reduction from what was formerly a potential 120-day demolition delay extension. That was changed with the new demolition code ordinances, which went into effect in April.
Other requirements were also added during that code change, including a $1,318 appeal fee unless the appeal is submitted by a “recognized organization” such as in the Eastmoreland case, a statement explaining why the structure is significant to the neighborhood, a plan to save the structure and “evidence” of the plan’s viability including evidence of funds or fundraising capability that would sufficiently cover the plan.
The city has recorded the Eastmoreland demolition delay extension appeal and the permit intake has been updated, now stating that the “maximum delay period ends August 10, 2015.”
