Waiver for Site Upgrades at 4421 NE Columbia Blvd
Tri-Met seeks to join city’s temporary waiver program for site upgrades
Site: 4421 NE Columbia Blvd
Applicant: Joseph Purkey, Convergence Architecture
Owner: Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District Of Oregon
Feedback Due: Sept 30, 2026
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 committee or directly with the city by emailing the assigned planner.
Tri-Met is developing an operations and maintenance facility for zero emissions busses at 4421 NE Columbia Blvd. City of Portland permitted the facility as a nonconforming upgrade, meaning the planned use of the site doesn’t match the standard uses for the property’s zoning. Before October 2025, Portland required nonconforming upgrade projects above certain value thresholds to provide site upgrades like bike parking, pedestrian connections, and landscaping. Tri-Met signed a covenant with the city requiring Tri-Met to complete site upgrades by June 12, 2029.
In October 2025, the Portland City Council approved the Code Alignment Project, which was intended to simplify certain permitting requirements. One component of this project was a temporary waiver of nonconforming upgrade requirements through January 1, 2029. New applicants for nonconforming upgrade projects like Tri-Met’s bus facility don’t have to meet the site upgrade requirements while the waiver is in effect.
Tri-Met is now requesting an adjustment to move their site upgrade deadline from June 12, 2029 to Dec 29, 2028, which would allow Tri-Met to qualify for the waiver and make any site upgrades optional.
Permitting & Development can only consider consider input related to the approval criteria for this decision:
Adjustments: See section 33.805.040.A-F
Email the CAN land use committee to share your feedback on this decision or ask questions. Feedback is due to the city by September 30, 2026.