Mixed-Use Development at 4925 NE 42nd Ave

Aug 5

Outdoor Space Adjustment for Retail and Residential Building Complex

Site: 4925 NE 42nd Ave
Owner: Noelle Studer-Spevak and Eli Spevak
Feedback Due: Aug 15, 2025

Portland Permitting & Development opened public input for a land use decision affecting the Cully neighborhood. Share your feedback with Cully Association of Neighbors by emailing the land use chair or directly with the city by emailing the assigned planner.

This development is on the border of Cully and Concordia, and the site falls within Concordia. CAN is sharing this land use notice since the 42nd Ave retail district is important to the Cully neighborhood.

The applicant proposes to construct a one-story retail building and a 3-story residential building with 12 apartments on this site. The site is zoned for commercial mixed use, so a developer can combine retail or office buildings and housing on the same site. The property is adjacent to an existing commercial building.

In commercial mixed use, Portland requires a minimum of 36 square feet of outdoor area per dwelling unit. If the outdoor area is common space for all units, the space must be at least 500 square feet and must measure at least 20 feet in all directions. The development proposed at 4925 NE 42nd Ave exceeds the total space requirement with 555 square feet proposed, but the outdoor space measures 18 feet 2 inches for a portion of its east/west direction. The developer is asking for an exception to the standard of at least 20 feet in all directions.

This land use decision only concerns the developer's requested adjustments to the dimensions of an outdoor area. The city is not deciding whether the developer can build a mixed use development on this site.

Permitting & Development can only consider consider input related to the approval criteria for this decision: