In order to preserve the historic character of the neighborhood, the City of Portland officially began regulating the Irvington Historic District on November 2, 2010. These regulations state that all new construction and most exterior alterations are subject to historic resource review. This is a land use process.

How do I determine if an alteration to my property is subject or exempt from historic resource review?

Information can be found via the City of Portland and refer to Portland Zoning Code 33.445.320. When a proposal requires review, it must meet the approval criteria in Portland Zoning Code 33.846.060 G. If you have questions about code interpretation or process, call 503-823-7526.

The Irvington Community Association's Land Use and Historic Preservation Committees can also help property owners who have questions about determining if their changes to their property are subject to a historic resource review.

Download a primer on historic resource review in Irvington. The primer will walk you through the process step by step and try to answer the most frequently asked questions.

The ICA Land Use Committee provides a support program for Irvington property owners planning to submit an application for Historic Resource Review.  The Committee can make suggestions about navigating the process, may be able to point out ways to comply with the regulations cost effectively, and otherwise make the process clearer and easier for you.  A full explanation of how the ICA Land Use Committee provides this service, plus contact information for the Committee, is found here.

Are there fees associated with the historic resource review?

Historic resource review is carried out by the Land Use Division of the Bureau of Development Services. Because the bureau is a cost-recovery agency, there are fees associated with the review. Public notification and appeal periods are mandated by state law, and the process can take a number of weeks from the date the application is deemed complete. The fee schedule can be found here.

The Irvington Community Association’s Land Use and Historic Preservation Committees can also help property owners with questions about fees associated with a historic resource review and the review process itself.

Additional Resources

WINDOWS -  The ICA also spearheaded and funded the development of a guide to window repair and weatherization for historic homes (pdf), in partnership with the Architectural Heritage Center.

GARAGES - Many homeowners have questions about historically appropriate garages and garage doors. Check out this article for further information on the history of twentieth century garages. Or you may want to look at these photos collected by a garage researcher

To learn more about the Irvington Historic District, please email:

• Land Use Committee at landuse@irvingtonpdx.com
• Historic Preservation Committee at historicpreservation@irvingtonpdx.com