Multnomah County Forest Dwelling

Categories: Private Development
Services: Permitting, Wildlife Habitat Assessment

Winterbrook helped the owners of forest-zoned land Multnomah County build a replacement dwelling on the property. The permitting process was very complex and required a wildlife habitat assessment and mitigation plan, geotechnical investigation for steep slopes, documentation of the original dwelling, and coordinating a new driveway to the building site. The project was ultimately approved, constructed, and is now occupied by the owners.

Categories: Private Development
Services: Permitting, Natural Resource Planning, Envirnmental Resource Assessmet and Mitigation Plan

Winterbrook worked with the owner of a residential property near Forest Park to obtain environmental review approval for several new outbuildings, including an accessory dwelling unit, permit a new septic system, and to correct a violation. The permit required a environmental resource assessment and mitigation plan, analyzing alternative development options, and addressing potential impacts to neighbors. Despite an appeal of the decision by an abutting property owner, the staff approval was upheld by a land use hearings officer.

Categories: Private Development
Services: Permitting, Historic Review, Land Use Permitting

Winterbrook worked with the owner of a historic commercial building in southeast Portland to convert it for use as a private exhibition space for model trains. Because of the change in use, the project involved extensive research of the site history, refining the site layout, and obtaining an encroachment permit for an existing fence. The conversion ultimately succeeded and the building is now in use.

Categories: Private Development
Services: Due Diligence

Winterbrook provided due diligence analysis for a church exploring the possibility of expanding at its current site in Washington County.

Categories: Private Development
Services: Negotiating

Winterbrook helped a homeowner in southeast Portland obtain a permit to construct a driveway to his house. This required removing an old condition of approval from the land use action that created the lot. Winterbrook developed a conceptual site plan for the property, negotiated with the transportation office, and ultimately got hearings officer approval to delete the condition preventing the driveway. Shortly after, the owner built the project.

Categories: Private Development
Services: Natural Resource Planning, Wildlife Habitat Assessments, 

Winterbrook helped a land owner in rural Multnomah County redevelop part of his property for a horse riding area and barn. This required a natural resource and habitat area protection plans, mitigation for an unpermitted driveway, and coordination of engineering plans for grading, slope protection, and vehicular access on a County road. The project was approved and built.

Categories: Private Development
Services: Problem Solving

Winterbrook prepared a land use application for a replacement dwelling in a forest zone, with significant environmental and scenic zoning overlays. For this project, Winterbrook successfully navigated client, builder, and County requirements to achieve Multnomah County land use approval for a dream home that will integrate seamlessly with identified wildlife and scenic resources on site.

Categories: Private Development
Services: Problem Solving

Winterbrook helped a Sauvie Island resident gain land use approval to convert his garage into a home recording studio. This required a Multnomah County zoning determination for an accessory use and compliance with home occupation rules under very strict agricultural zoning. The project was approved by Multnomah County and later constructed.

Categories: Private Development

Services: Problem Solving

In the John’s Landing neighborhood of southwest Portland, Winterbrook helped a homeowner get approval to create a separate accessory dwelling unit out of existing living space in the basement. Specifically, this project required an exception to allow the apartment to exceed the maximum size for ADUs. The city approved the permit, the apartment was created, and it is now occupied.

Categories: Private Development

Services: Problem Solving, Negotiation

Winterbrook advised a subdivision developer in Sandy on the project design and resource overlay zones that applied to the property. The project required negotiation with city planning staff and the city attorney, and was resolved favorably.