Date: April 17, 2025
Summary
The Portland City Council convened on April 17, 2025, for a PM session primarily focused on a land use hearing concerning an appeal by the Forest Park Neighborhood Association and Forest Park Conservancy. The appeal challenged the decision of a hearings officer to approve, with conditions, an environmental review for the upgrade and expansion of transmission lines in Forest Park. The session began with the roll call and disclosures of conflicts of interest and ex parte communications by councilors, highlighting their interactions with parties interested in the case, including Portland General Electric (PGE). The council reviewed the rules of decorum for the meeting, outlining how public testimony would be conducted and the order of presentations from appellants, supporters of the appeal, the principal opponent, and other opposing voices. The staff from the Portland Permitting and Development Bureau presented a detailed report on the project, including its environmental impacts and the staff’s recommendation to deny the application based on non-compliance with the Forest Park Natural Resources Management Plan. The hearing included testimonies from various stakeholders, emphasizing the ecological importance of Forest Park and questioning the necessity and urgency of the project as proposed by PGE.
Key Points
- Land use hearing for the appeal by Forest Park Neighborhood Association and Forest Park Conservancy against the decision to approve with conditions an environmental review for the upgrade and expansion of transmission lines in Forest Park.
- Discussion on the rules of decorum for the meeting and procedures for public testimony.
- Councilors disclosed conflicts of interest and ex parte communications related to the case.
Watch Full Meeting
No votes were recorded in this meeting.
Action Items
- Council to deliberate and take a vote on the appeal at a future date.
- If the vote is attended to vote, the council will set a future date for the adoption of findings and a final vote on the appeal.