About the Development Review Advisory Committee
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Source: About the Development Review Advisory Committee ↗ Last modified: Sun, 19 Apr 2026 20:05:07 GMT
The purpose and role of Permitting & Development
Portland Permitting & Development is what many people think of as the Building Department. This bureau administers and enforces regulations that affect development proposals, from office towers to kitchen remodels. For the most part, the Bureau doesn’t write the regulations, it just administers and enforces them. For example, the Bureau of Planning and Sustainability writes the City’s zoning code, and Portland Permitting & Development administers and enforces these zoning regulations.
It is also important to note that several other bureaus are involved in administering and/or enforcing other regulations that affect development. For example, regulations relating to stormwater and sewer management are administered by the Bureau of Environmental Services. Other bureaus involved in development review and permitting include the Bureau of Transportation, the Water Bureau, Portland Fire and Rescue, and Portland Parks and Recreation’s Urban Forestry staff. The Development Review Advisory Committee advises Portland Permitting & Development and its partner bureaus on development review, permitting and enforcement work.
The purpose of the Development Review Advisory Committee
The Development Review Advisory Committee (DRAC) fosters a timely, predictable and accountable development review process that implements the City's goals for land use, transportation, housing, economic development, neighborhood livability and the environment. The Committee advocates for and supports the consistent and fair application and implementation of regulations.
Providing public input into development review
The Committee provides public input into the development review process by:
- Providing leadership and expertise on issues affecting development;
- Providing feedback to Bureaus, Review Bodies, and City Council on the impact of potential regulations and administrative rules on the development review process, taking into consideration the full range of City goals and objectives;
- Providing recommendations for regulatory, code, and administrative rule changes affecting the development review process;
- Monitoring the application and enforcement of regulations for their effectiveness in achieving the City's development goals;
- Recommending customer service, permitting, process, and compliance improvements to Bureaus, Review Bodies, and/or City Council;
- Serving as an advisory board to City Bureaus engaged in development review on review processes and procedures;
- Providing input to ensure budgets of development review bureaus are adequate to meet service goals and desired system outcomes.