Walkable Design Standards for Oregon Communities

As climate threats become increasingly urgent, Oregon is pursuing leading-edge climate solutions through ambitious emissions targets and regulatory initiatives. Given that more than 35% of Oregon’s climate pollution comes from transportation, reducing how far and how often Oregonians have to drive to meet their daily needs, is essential in reducing carbon emissions and building resilience.

In response to Governor Brown’s directives to combat climate change and reduce GHG emissions (Executive Order 20-04), the Land Conservation and Development Commission (LCDC) launched the Climate-Friendly and Equitable Communities (CFEC) Program—and Walkable Design Standards—to create more walkable environments in Oregon’s eight most populated areas.

Seeking code expertise and insight into human-centered design, LCDC contracted with MIG on behalf of the cities of Tualatin, Albany, Keizer, and Grants Pass—to examine how planning codes could reduce reliance on fossil fuels through pedestrian-friendly development. For each jurisdiction, MIG conducted audits of development codes and led stakeholder interviews to better understand community priorities related to walkability and economic health. This work identified gaps in city development codes and necessary changes to meet updated land use regulation requirements and remove barriers to compact, pedestrian- and active-transportation-centered mixed-use development. To address these needs, MIG prepared code concepts and recommendations related to urban form, transportation access, parking requirements, and other elements—and provided adoption-ready code updates and adoption process support.

The Walkable Design Standards will shape the future of Oregon communities to become more accessible, human-scale places that prioritize people over cars, reduce reliance on fossil fuels, and mitigate climate impacts.