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Welcome to the Pleasant Valley/North Carver Comprehensive Plan online open house!

The City of Happy Valley is embarking on a plan that will guide the future of the Pleasant Valley/North Carver area. We’re planning for neighborhoods, commercial centers, streets, trails, parks, schools, and other elements of a complete community.

We will also hold an in-person Open House on Wednesday, September 29, 2021 with the same content as shown here. The event will be held outside Happy Valley City Hall from 5:00–7:00 p.m. You may drop by any time to learn more about the Comprehensive Plan process.

This online open house will be available for comments through November 8. Let's get started!

Online Open House Stations

In this open house there are a series of stations where you can learn about the project. Go directly to a station using the buttons below, or at the top of the screen to move through the stations in order. A comment form is located at the end.

1
Learn about the project purpose, plan area, and schedule. 
2
Get familiar with what we’ve learned so far about the plan area. 
3
Review the "big ideas" that will shape the plan. 
4
Learn about and provide feedback on specific ideas for neighborhoods, mixed use centers, and employment areas. 
5
Learn about and provide feedback on specific ideas for streets, trails, and bikeways. 
6
A connected system of parks and open space are a priority of this plan. There is a current need for 21.5 acres of developed parkland, which is projected to increase to 91.2 acres by 2040. 
7
A connected system of parks and open space are a priority of this plan. There is a current need for 21.5 acres of developed parkland, which is projected to increase to 91.2 acres by 2040. 
8
Get information on what happens next in the process. 

= Page includes questions or opportunities for comment.

Overview

After a long hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the City of Happy Valley is picking up where we left off and moving forward with the Pleasant Valley/North Carver Comprehensive Plan (PV/NC Plan).

The Comprehensive Plan will establish an integrated land use and transportation plan for the Pleasant Valley/North Carver area, update citywide plans to ensure the future provision of public services, and facilitate urban development in the area.

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Plan Area

Schedule

Decision-Making Process

Why are we doing this?

  • The PV/NC Plan area is within the urban growth boundary. As such, urban comprehensive plan and zoning designations are required by state law.
  • There are many benefits to a comprehensive plan: developing strategies to reduce congestion and create safer roads; diverse housing options; preservation of natural areas; a riverfront that people can use and enjoy; and a well-planned system of parks and trails.
  • In addition, the above benefits often translate into more marketable properties and opportunities for economic development and job creation.

Plan Area

The plan area is shown in the map. The area is a natural extension of the City Happy Valley and the East Happy Valley Comprehensive Plan (EHVCP). The PV/NC Plan area includes:

  • 2,705 acres
  • 1,685 properties
  • 3,390 residents
  • 1,735 households (approx.)
  • 11,400 feet of riverfront
  • 1 elementary school
  • 1.4 acres of public parks

Project Schedule

  • The project originally kicked off in the summer of 2018 and, was divided into three major areas:1) Research and Learning 2) Development of the Vision and Plan Concepts, and 3) City Plan and Code Amendments. It was guided by a 13-member Community Advisory Committee (CAC), which met 13 times over a two-year period.
  • The latest Summary Report was published in August 2021.
  • The final plan is scheduled to be adopted by the City Council in the spring of 2022.

For more information, visit the project webpage.

The PV/NC Plan Area Today

Get familiar with what we’ve learned so far about the plan area by clicking through the tabs below.


Context and Landscape

These maps illustrate the beautiful landscape that defines the area and is an asset to residents and the plan. Similarly, the existing commercial centers and public uses are key community gathering areas – the start of new ones have emerged in the draft plan.

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Landscape Character

Slopes and Natural Resources

Existing Land Uses

Transportation

  • Several major roads move people through the area. Most other roads directly serve local development, and many are unpaved and/or lack sidewalks.
  • This limited network makes it difficult to travel on foot or bike, but there are opportunities to extend and improve the street system. There is also an opportunity to extend bus transit from the east.
  • Traffic volumes are highest on Highway 212, Highway 224, 172nd Avenue, and Foster Road. There are pinch points at some intersections, such as the Highway 212/224 junction and Foster Road/Tillstrom Road.
  • Traffic collisions are higher near some intersections, such as Foster Road/Tillstrom Road and Highway 224/ Springwater Road.

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Pedestrian and Bicycle Networks

Transit and Roadway Widths

Speed Limits, Intersections, and Traffic Volumes

Traffic Level of Service and Collisions

Land Needs and Supply

  • By 2040, about 4,200 new households and 1,300 new jobs are projected to locate in the area.
  • A range of housing types will be needed such as, apartments, townhomes, and various types of single-family detached housing.
  • New jobs will also be diverse. More industrial and office jobs are expected in the future, while retail and service jobs will continue to be important for providing local amenities and community benefit.
  • There is a need for about 600 acres of land for residential uses and about 200 acres of land for commercial and employment uses.
  • Fortunately, there is enough land in the plan area to meet these needs. There are about 1,000 acres of buildable land in the plan area. That roughly translates to 25-30 years of land supply.

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Expected Growth

Land Needs and Supply

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Vision and Guiding Principles

The advisory committees worked with the project team to draft a vision statement. The vision statement articulates the key ideas and values that will shape the plan and express the type of community that should be developed over time. The guiding principles spell out the key ideas and values behind the vision. The principles are also a set of criteria we can apply to ensure the plan and future development remain consistent with the vision.


Vision Statement

"The Pleasant Valley/North Carver area is an integral part of the growing Happy Valley community, and a natural extension of East Happy Valley. The area is comprised of a network of walkable neighborhoods, vibrant mixed-use centers, and thriving employment areas. The natural beauty of the landscape is embraced, the ecological health of the area is preserved and enhanced through environmental stewardship, and nature is made part of every neighborhood. The Carver riverfront has been transformed to include great public access and unique destinations. The area is supported by a resilient and safe network of streets, transit service, infrastructure, high-quality schools, and attractive parks and trails."


Guiding Principles

Photo: Farmer's market

Promote a Sense of Community.

All development is planned and designed to create a strong identity and sense of community in Pleasant Valley and North Carver.

Photo: Pathway through trees

Preserve and Celebrate Nature.

Nature is protected, celebrated, and integrated into the community. Stream and habitat corridors are preserved and enhanced to ensure they can provide critical ecological functions. People can experience nature up-close through a network of parks and trails. People can appreciate nature from afar, in everyday situations, though views of rolling hills and forested buttes.

Photo: Sidewalk and pedestrians

Form Walkable, Welcoming Neighborhoods.

Neighborhoods are more than a collection of housing. Neighborhoods feel and function like villages: welcoming communities that make room for people of all ages, abilities, and life experiences. Within each neighborhood, housing options include family-sized homes, compact cottages, and livable townhomes and apartments where appropriate. Streets and blocks are designed for walking and local shops and services are within walking distance.

Photo: Sidewalk cafe

Create Vibrant, Mixed-Use Centers.

People gather in town centers to shop, play, and celebrate as a community. Mixed-use buildings allow people to live in these centers, ensuring that streets are alive with activity both during the day and in the evenings. The centers are destinations because they are built around special places, such as the waterfront of the Clackamas River or the confluence of important streets.

Photo: Ornamental light-fixture

Craft Distinctive Places.

People perceive the communities in the plan area as distinctive places. Homes and buildings are designed to be varied and interesting. Gateways into the area and individual neighborhoods are marked with distinctive public art or monuments. Unique features are designed into corridors and centers to reinforce a sense of place.

Photo: Employment center

Attract Local Jobs and Businesses.

Residents have opportunities to live and work in the same community. Local jobs are available to people with a range of backgrounds and skills, and all pay a living wage. Businesses are attracted by unique advantages of locating in the area and reinforce the development of industry clusters.

Photo: Roadway cross-section

Design a Resilient, Connected Transportation System.

A robust network of streets and transit routes allow people to move efficiently in, out, and across the area. Streets are designed to both manage traffic flow and encourage walking, biking, and riding transit. Transportation infrastructure is built prior to or concurrent with development.

Map: Metro area

Ensure Regional Fit.

The plan area is integrated with the regional transportation system, land use patterns, and public facilities network. The plan area is viewed both as a distinct, individual place and a part of a larger system of neighboring cities and rural areas.

Image: Line chart

Plan for Fiscal Health.

The plan can be implemented because it addresses fiscal realities. Service providers—including transportation, sewer, water, stormwater, parks, schools, and parks—can build infrastructure to support development because funding mechanisms are aligned with needs and costs.

Walkable Neighborhoods

A central idea of the vision statement is to create walkable neighborhoods. Walkable neighborhoods are distinct places, bounded by physical features that act as “edges”, and are organized to integrate natural areas. Walkable neighborhoods provide easy access to open spaces, schools, and commercial centers.

The walkable neighborhoods map applies these principles to the plan area. The scale of a neighborhood is based on the idea that it should take about 5 minutes to walk from center to edge. Natural features—slopes, streams, habitat, and conservation areas—shape their boundaries. Major streets may also represent boundaries. The neighborhoods have been given “place names” to make them easier to identify.

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Walkable Neighborhoods

Precedent Example #1

Sunnyside Village (Happy Valley, OR)

Precedent Example #2

Northwest Crossing (Bend, OR)

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Land Use Plan Concepts

Learn about specific ideas for neighborhoods, mixed use centers, and employment areas.


Land Use and Neighborhoods

A central element of the plan is a land use map. A set of ten land use districts have been created in order to describe the types of land uses that would be envisioned in various locations. The land use districts are based on existing policies and standards of the City of Happy Valley Comprehensive Plan and Land Development Code. The characteristics of each land use district is summarized in the table below.

The conceptual land use map is an initial “first cut” at shaping land uses to fit the plan area, considering the vision, topography, natural resources, existing development, transportation, and other factors. The map was designed to address the following goals and needs:

  1. Create walkable neighborhoods. The land use districts are shaped to the neighborhood areas, reinforcing the elements that help create the identity of each neighborhood.
  2. Meet projected land needs for housing and jobs. The land use map allocates enough land to meet the projected land needs.
  3. Place higher densities near mixed use centers. Higher density residential areas are located near mixed use centers. This pattern supports walkability and healthy commercial districts.
  4. Place lower densities in constrained areas. Residential densities are lower in areas that have steep slopes, natural resources, or are further from mixed use centers.
  5. Create transitions to existing neighborhoods. Transitions are provided from higher density areas to existing, lower density areas. Within these existing neighborhoods, new development will largely be infill on a lot-by-lot basis.

Pleasant Valley Neighborhood Center

The Pleasant Valley Neighborhood Center is a place where people gather to shop, eat, play, and celebrate as a community. It is a walkable and pedestrian-friendly place.

The area located at the southwest quadrant of Hemrich Road and Foster Road is a strong candidate for a mixed-use neighborhood center that would serve Pleasant Valley. The location is in the heart of the area and served by two major streets. The land is relatively flat and does not contain a large amount of stream corridors or habitat areas.

A conceptual plan has been developed for the neighborhood center area. This plan envisions a mixed-use commercial component near the intersection of Hemrich and Foster Roads, acting as a gathering place and commerce node. It also envisions a large community park for sports and recreation, as well as provides direct connectivity to the City’s proposed downtown area (just west of the proposed Pleasant Valley is Neighborhood Plan area).

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North Carver Waterfront District

The Clackamas River and the historic Carver junction is a special place. The beauty of the Clackamas River, the surrounding buttes, and the historic significance of this junction combine to create a unique sense of place.

The North Carver waterfront is envisioned to develop into a destination that both encourages new development and preserves the natural and historic features that make it unique. Carver could become a regional amenity, with a large waterfront park, trails, restaurants that face the river, and a historic core with retail shops and a public space. Apartments and townhomes will contribute to lively streets and provide an opportunity for many people to live near these amenities.

There are challenges – starting with the dominance of Highway 224 through the area and the congestion associated with the bridge and Hwy 224/ Springwater Road junction. The CAC’s recommendation is to realign Highway 224 to the north and east, allowing through traffic to flow along the edge of the district and providing greater ease of pedestrian access to and from the riverfront.

This proposed alignment is conceptual in nature and will require coordination with ODOT and other stakeholders to determine its feasibility, costs, and potential funding mechanisms. The images summarize the Carver Riverfront District analyses and site studies that were prepared during the PV/NC Plan process.

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Employment Areas

Employment areas are important because they enable jobs to locate in the city, can reduce regional traffic, and contribute to the local economy. Employment uses will likely be light industrial, business parks, or professional offices.

As part of the PV/NC  Plan process, the project team evaluated the employment land needs within the market area. The Economic Opportunities Analysis (EOA) projected land needs that are expected for the PV/NC Plan area to address local, regional and state planning requirements.

The analysis included several scenarios for forecasted employment growth. Scenario A reflected current market patterns within the Happy Valley area and resulted in the lowest amount of expected employment for the plan area. Scenarios B and C reflected the enhanced business attraction that would result from the completion of the Sunrise Expressway Phase 2. Scenario B reflects a mid-point between scenarios A and C, and Scenario C reflects an upper-limit of potential 20-year job growth. See image below. Discussion with the project’s advisory committees led to Scenario B as the preferred forecast for the plan. However, the advisory committees found it challenging to identify suitable locations for all the projected land needed. The resultant plan designations reflect an employment land supply between the Scenario A and B forecasts.

 

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Figure-9

Figure-9

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Transportation Plan Concepts

Learn about specific ideas for streets, trails, and bikeways.


Street Network

The graphic on this page shows the City’s existing classification of street types. The plan will extend streets, following this classification, to serve the project area to ensure a well-connected street system in the future. Important note: All proposed road alignments shown are conceptual and not exact. Their actual alignment will be determined through the future development of nearby properties and topographical surveys.

Trails and Bikeways

The conceptual trails and bikeways map shows how the plan area could be served by a network of off-street trails and on-street bike facilities.

  • Bikeways are streets that will include dedicated bike facilities (a bike lane, protected bike lane, or path) as they are built or improved in the future.
  • Trails are off-street facilities, paved or soft surface, that provide pedestrian and/or bike routes to connect to key destinations and natural areas. Trails may be part of the regional system or local trails.

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Trails and Bikeways

Trails and Bikeways


Foster Road Parkway Design

Foster Road is an important street that runs through the center of the Pleasant Valley area. It has historic significance as a regional “farm to market” road.

The alignment of Foster Road through the study area will serve as a greener, friendlier, and more human-scale north-south alternative to 172nd Avenue. The three-lane “parkway” cross-section of Foster Road serves as a minor arterial intended to move vehicles, bicycles, and pedestrians. The west side of the road will contain a multi-use path and significant tree plantings. In some areas, such as the Pleasant Valley Neighborhood Center, the cross section will include amenities such as street furniture and paved pedestrian area. Where feasible, a planted median and stormwater facilities will aid in stormwater management. Emergency parking areas will also be provided.

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Foster Rendering

Foster Lane Rendering

pvnc-comp-plan/OOH2/foster-concept

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Parks Plan

A connected system of parks and open space are a priority of this plan. There is a current need for 21.5 acres of developed parkland, which is projected to increase to 91.2 acres by 2040.

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The PV/NC Parks Concept designates two potential community parks. The northern community park will be located near the Pleasant Valley Neighborhood Center, to take advantage of the area’s flat land, planned mixed use and higher density development, and transportation options. The southern community park will be a new riverfront park in the Carver Riverfront District, capitalizing on the unique and scenic qualities of the Clackamas River and Carver area.

The Parks Concept also includes eleven neighborhood parks. These parks are primarily “walk-to and bike-to” facilities serving the planned neighborhoods around them.

Zoning Designations

Land uses in the PV/NC Plan area will ultimately be determined by zoning designations applied to specific parcels. The following map shows the proposed zoning designations for the entire plan area. These designations were based on the reports, studies, and plans that were previously showcased.

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Residential Zones

  • R-20: Residential – 20,000 sq. ft. per dwelling
  • R-15, R-10, R-8.5, R-7, R-5: Residential – (Example: R-7 is 7,000 sq. ft. per dwelling)
  • MUR-S: Mixed Use Residential – Single-Family (minimum 6 du/acre)
  • SFA: Single-Family Attached Residential – (10-15 du/acre)
  • MUR-A: Mixed Use Residential – Attached (10-15 du/acre)
  • MUR-M1: Mixed Use Residential (15-24 du/acre)
  • MUR-M2: Mixed Use Residential (25-34 du/acre)
  • MUR-X: Mixed Use Residential Mixed Buildings (24 du/acre average in Carver Riverfront District)

Employment Zones

  • MCC: Mixed Commercial Center
  • EC: Employment Center
  • IC: Industrial Campus
  • MUC: Mixed Use Commercial Center
  • MUE: Mixed Use Employment
  • IPU: Institutional and Public Use District
  • CCC: Community Commercial Center

In addition to the zones listed above, two new overlay zones are proposed:

  1. Pleasant Valley Neighborhood Center Overlay District. This overlay will apply to the land in the southwest quadrant of the intersection of  Foster Road and  Hemrich Road.
  2. Carver Riverfront Overlay District. This overlay will apply to land within the unincorporated community of Carver.
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Next Steps

The next steps include a Planning Commission Work Session in October 2021, Planning Commission Hearings in December 2021 and January 2022, and City Council Hearings in February 2022 and March 2022.

Please submit any comments or questions below. All comments will be included as part of the public record for the PVNC Comprehensive Plan.

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Schedule

Schedule

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