Pre-application conference (optional but recommended)

What it is

A scheduled meeting with PP&D reviewers from planning, structural, plumbing, electrical, BES, and (sometimes) PBOT and Urban Forestry. You bring your schematic plans and questions; they tell you what you need to fix before submittal.

When to use it

Use it if any of these apply:

• Environmental overlay on the lot (e/p/c)
• Landslide hazard, steep slope, or floodplain mapping
• Trees ≥12" DBH near your proposed footprint
• Anything unusual — nonconforming lot, unusual setback, modification request

If you have a clean rectangular lot in flat Northeast Portland with no trees, skip it and submit directly. For everything else, $300-$600 buys you the most accurate prediction of your review timeline you can get.

How to do it

1. Submit a pre-app request through DevHub (Portland's online permit portal).
2. PP&D schedules within 2-4 weeks.
3. Bring schematic plans, a site plan with trees, your survey, and a list of specific questions.
4. Take notes — and ask for written meeting notes, which the reviewers usually send a few days later.