2014 National Convening Skills Presenations Portland Plan

THE PORTLAND PLAN Healthy Connected City Element 3 Connections for people, places, water and wildlife An interconnected network of habitat connections, neighborhood greenways and civic corridors will encourage walking and biking and weave nature into neighborhoods and support healthy ecosystems. Whether along a busy transitway, on a quiet neighborhood street or near a stream, habitat connections, neighborhood greenways and civic corridors link people, water and wildlife. Habitat connections are large natural areas, habitat corridors and neighborhood tree canopy that weave nature into the city. Neighborhood greenways are trails and pedestrian and bike-friendly green streets that link neighborhood hubs, parks, schools, natural areas and other key community destinations, making it easier to get around by walking, biking or wheelchair. Civic corridors are major streets and transit corridors that link neighborhood hubs to each other and to the central city. They have been transformed into enjoyable places to live, work and gather through bike and pedestrian facilities, large canopy trees, stormwater facilities and place-making amenities. The network will expand on Portland’s existing network of greenspaces, regional trails, bikeways, green streets and high-capacity transit by identifying and prioritizing a special set of corridors for integrated multi-objective design. This approach depends on and supports continued implementation of the city’s existing system plans for multi-modal transportation and watershed health. It will also provide more Portlanders with access to nature every day. By aligning resources, it gives us a framework for maximizing the benefit of each dollar. These plans will continue to be implemented as proposed, but with realignment of some projects to help implement the Healthy Connected City framework. Guiding Policies Develop the network of habitat connections, neighborhood H-24 greenways and plan for civic corridors as a spine of Portland’s civic, transportation and green infrastructure systems. Enhance safety, livability and watershed health and catalyze private investment and support livability. Preserve and restore habitat connections and tree canopy to link H-25 stream and river corridors, landslideprone areas, floodplains, wetlands and critical habitat sites into a system of habitat corridors. This provides connections for wildlife, supports biodiversity, improves water quality, reduces risks due to flooding and landslides, and supports Portland’s adaptation to climate change. Creating this network will require a coordinated approach to make choices about where to align investments in green infrastructure: parks, trails, natural areas, urban forestry, sustainable stormwater systems, and bicycle, pedestrian and transit facilities. Priority needs to be given to neighborhoods that lack adequate accessible sidewalks, stormwater management, parks or tree canopy. By doing this, Portland will make efficient use of investments to achieve greater benefits for mobility, public health, watershed health, the economy, safety, quality of life and equity. Green infrastructure includes natural systems, such as trees and natural areas, and engineered features like green streets and ecoroofs. Green infrastructure can manage stormwater, improve water quality, reduce flooding risk and provide wildlife and pollinator habitat and areas for human recreation and respite while mitigating and improving resiliency. Greenspaces are outdoor areas or spaces, primarily vegetated, and on a continuum from wilderness to urban settings. Greenspaces are found under public, private or non-profit management. Examples include forests, riparian zones and wetlands, greenways and trails that have associated landscaping, city parks and gardens. A greenspace provides a broad range of ecological and social benefits (such as tree canopy, carbon sequestration, habitat values, community health, serenity, community engagement, etc). Green infrastructure such as urban forest canopy, stormwater features (e.g. bioswales), rain gardens, and eco-roofs can be components of a broader greenspace system. 88 April 2012 | www.pdxplan.com

2014 National Convening Skills Presenations Portland Plan | Page 94