DOZA – Design Overlay Zone

The Sellwood-Moreland neighborhood is changing fast and the City is currently revising zoning codes that determine the look and design of new buildings.  SMILE, your neighborhood association, has developed building design guidelines and we need your help convincing City Council to implement them.

The City of Portland zoning code includes additional building design requirements in areas where growth is expected, generally denser corridors. The City is updating the requirements for the first time since the mid-90s. These additional requirements  are called the design overlay zone or d-overlay (DOZA).  DOZA affects the design, not the size, of commercial buildings and buildings with more than four dwellings.

Map of Design Overlay Zone (DOZA) in Sellwood-Moreland

SMILE’s DOZA testimony:

  • Focuses on the design standards within DOZA because most new buildings in Sellwood-Moreland use those standards.
  • Promotes implementing the Sellwood-Moreland Main Street Design Guidelines which were developed by our community in 2019.   See example below.

June 3, 2021 Update:

In May over 50 Sellwood-Moreland residents and the Sellwood-Moreland Business Alliance submitted testimony to City Council asking that the Sellwood-Moreland Main Street Design Guidelines be added to the zoning code.  Thank you!! On June 3, Commissioner Mapps introduced an amendment (#3) to make some of the guidelines optional design standards in the Main Street overlay zone which is part of the d-overlay and includes most of our commercial areas.  City Council will hold a hearing on the amendment June 10.  Your testimony supporting the amendment is needed to convince Council to pass the amendment.

June 10, 2021, update

City Council unanimously adopted amendment 3, the Main Street Design Standards Bundle.  Thank you for your support.  The final vote on DOZA will be July 1 and it will be effective August 1.

July 1, 2021 update

City Council formally adopted DOZA and it will be effective August 1, 2021.

Read SMILE’s testimony on the DOZA Amendments.

SELLWOOD-MORELAND “GUIDELINES AT A GLANCE”

PDX Main Streets: planning tools that empower community members to manage growth and change.

PDX Main Streets Top 5 DOZA recommendations