(PORTLAND, OR.) — Many residents and groups converged on the Portland City Council to make a plea for the Lloyd Center Mall.
The council meeting held on Wed. June 24, heavily influenced by public passion, primarily addressed the proposed Lloyd Center redevelopment master plan.
Councilor Tiffany Koyama Lane recused herself from the Lloyd Center appeal due to personal connections and an inability to remain impartial.
Multiple council members disclosed extensive ex-parte communications and site visits related to the Lloyd Center appeal, highlighting significant public and stakeholder engagement outside of formal hearings.
The council considered appeals of the Design Commission’s approval of a voluntary Central City Master Plan Review.
Two adjustments are also being requested, according to Portland.gov.
The first Adjustment request provides for additional flexibility for the design of future buildings at the northeast and northwest corners of the master plan area. The second request resolves a technicality with the zoning code, which will result in typical urban buildings with strong sidewalk presence while maintaining the desired landscaped character along the NE 9th Ave and NE 15th/16th Ave frontages.
“The meeting revealed a significant disconnect between the developer's vision for the Lloyd Center and the community's desire to preserve its existing cultural, social, and environmental value,” OpGov.News reports.
Portland Design Commission Chair Chandra Robinson spoke to the council virtually regarding the role public testimony played in their process.
Video Credit: YouTube / eGov PDX
Members of two groups— the Save Lloyd Campaign and the Save Lloyd Ice Coalition — gave testimony before the Portland City Council on Wed., arguing that key parts of the property, including the ice rink, should remain intact.
Jennie Gilmore Robinson, a district 3 resident, spoke to the council as a representative of the Save Lloyd Ice Coalition.
“We’re here today to urge you to preserve, replace, relocate the ice rink so that future generations can continue to skate. Without your intervention, Portland will lose its only ice rink. For more than 65 years the Lloyd Center ice rink has been woven into Portland’s cultural identity. It’s introduced generations of Portlanders to skating, trained Olympians, and created memories for countless families,” Robinson said.
Extensive Public testimony began with Matt Kelly, a volunteer organizer with the Save Lloyd Campaign, who advocated for more housing and thoughtful change that prioritizes Portland's climate crisis responsibilities and sustainability innovation. He argued that the Master Plan fails to address the city's waste reduction goals and does not account for the demolition-first premise.
“The master plan fails to describe how it will meet the city’s goal of innovation in waste reduction. It also fails to explain how the applicant will account for its demolition first premise in light of Portland’s waste reduction goals,” Kelly said.
Lydia Finch, a U.S. Figure Skating Gold Medalist, coach, spoke about her tireless efforts to make the sport welcoming and accessible to children who haven't seen themselves represented on ice.
Photo Credit: YouTube
“As the only Black figure skating coach in Portland, I have worked tirelessly to make this sport more welcoming, accessible for children who have never seen themselves represented on the ice. I have watched young Black skaters walk into the rink, see someone who looks like them coaching and believe they belong in this sport,” Finch said.
Finch went on to say that losing the Llyod Center removes “one of the few places where diversity in figure skating has been intentionally fostered in our city.”
The council recessed, intending to hear further testimony Thursday. The vote on this issue will be held on July 8.
No new updates concerning the Macadam ICE facility were given during this meeting. OpGov.News will continue its coverage of developments of the facility and the Portland council.
If you would like to add to this report, please email me at rory.h@lead4earth.org or comment below.
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