September 30, 2026
Portland City Council — September 30-October 1, 2026 Council agenda
7 decisions explained in plain language.
Citywide
Police to treat personal use of natural psychedelics as low priority
This adds a new section to city law about natural psychedelics, like mushrooms and plants.
Decision: Passed with changes, 10 to 0. Two councilors were absent.
Details
It makes non-commercial personal use a low priority for police. Police will still act against illegal sales, impaired driving and other unsafe behavior.
Who it affects: People in Portland who use natural psychedelic plants or fungi for personal, non-commercial reasons, and the police who enforce drug laws.
Money: Costs are expected to be small. They cover staff support for an advisory group called the PPAC, such as meetings, research and reports, paid from existing city budgets.
Yes 10: Koyama Lane, Morillo, Novick, Clark, Green, Zimmerman, Avalos, Smith, Kanal, Pirtle-Guiney · Absent 2: Ryan, Dunphy
Steps: September 23, 2026: Passed to second reading → September 30, 2026 (this meeting): Passed as amended
City updates fire permit and inspection fees to cover more costs
This updates the fees Portland Fire & Rescue charges for permits, inspections, plan reviews and other fire safety services.
Decision: Moved forward to a second vote, with changes. No vote count was given.
Details
Some fees go up so they match what the services actually cost, which means less tax money from the city's main budget (the General Fund) pays for them. It removes the fee for selling or storing fireworks, since fireworks were banned in 2022, and adds new fees for fire system inspection and testing and for a yearly laser display permit.
Who it affects: Builders, businesses, event organizers and others who apply for fire permits, inspections or reviews will pay the updated fees.
Money: Some permit and inspection fees will increase. The extra money pays for inspection, plan review, permitting and code enforcement staff and operations. The material does not list specific fee amounts.
Next: Second reading (a second council vote) on October 7, 2026 at 9:30 am.
Steps: September 23, 2026: Rescheduled → September 30, 2026 (this meeting): Passed to second reading as amended → October 7, 2026: Passed as amended
Specific places or groups
City moves to get temporary property rights for SE Division safety project
This would let the city's transportation bureau get temporary use of parts of some private properties along SE Division Street between SE 148th and SE 174th Avenues.
Decision: Moved to a second reading. No final vote yet.
Details
The city can use eminent domain, which is its legal power to take property rights for public use while paying owners a fair price, if talks with owners fail. The project adds a raised center median in place of parts of the center turn lane, plus curb ramps for people with disabilities and better crosswalks.
Who it affects: Owners of certain properties along SE Division Street between SE 148th and SE 174th Avenues, plus people who drive, walk or bike on that stretch.
Money: Payments to property owners are not yet known because negotiations are not finished. An estimate is budgeted in the city's transportation fund for the 2026-2027 budget year.
Next: Second reading and possible final vote on October 7, 2026 at 9:30 am. Public outreach on the design continues through spring 2027.
Steps: September 30, 2026 (this meeting): Passed to second reading → October 7, 2026: Passed
City may use eminent domain for temporary access on SE Stark Street
This lets the city get temporary rights to use parts of private property so it can build safety upgrades at SE 119th Ave and SE Stark St.
Decision: Moved to a second reading. No vote is listed yet.
Details
Eminent domain is the city's legal power to take property rights for public use, as long as it pays owners a fair price. The city will try to agree on payment with owners first, and can go to court if they cannot agree.
Who it affects: Owners of the affected properties near SE 119th Ave and SE Stark St, plus people who walk, roll or drive in that area.
Money: The cost of the property rights is not known yet because talks with owners are not finished. Money for this phase is set aside in the city's transportation budget for 2026-2027.
Next: Second reading on October 7, 2026 at 9:30 am.
Steps: September 30, 2026 (this meeting): Passed to second reading → October 7, 2026: Passed
City may sell ads on Portland Streetcar benches and shelters
Right now, city rules let only TriMet put ads on benches and shelters where people wait for transit.
Decision: Moved forward to a second reading, which is a required second council vote before it becomes law. No vote count was given.
Details
This change would let the City, which owns the Portland Streetcar, sell ads on streetcar benches and shelters too. The city's transportation bureau (PBOT) plans to take over the streetcar ad contract when the current one ends on November 11, 2026.
Who it affects: People who ride or pass by Portland Streetcar stops, and companies that buy or sell transit ads.
Money: The city says it does not expect more ad money soon and the change has no cost. It may help bring in more money over the long term, but the amount cannot be estimated.
Next: Second reading on October 7, 2026 at 9:30 am.
Steps: September 9, 2026: Rescheduled → September 23, 2026: Rescheduled → September 30, 2026 (this meeting): Passed to second reading → October 7, 2026: Passed
Council changes fuel terminal safety rules, delays final vote to November
This plan sets new rules for the 11 large fuel storage sites in the Critical Energy Infrastructure (CEI) Hub, a six-mile stretch along the Willamette River in northwest Portland.
Decision: Council approved one set of changes, 12 to 0. A second set of changes failed, 5 to 7. The final vote was delayed to November 5, 2026.
Details
More than 90 percent of Oregon's liquid fuel passes through these sites, and many tanks could fail in a major earthquake. The rules would limit how much more fuel the sites can store, require new tanks to meet the highest earthquake standards, and require city review before sites can expand fuel transfer equipment or add up to 5 percent more storage for aviation fuel.
Who it affects: Companies that run the fuel terminals, their roughly 1,300 workers, and people who live or work near the CEI Hub.
Money: The city says there is no new spending. The three new land use reviews will use an existing city permit fee.
Next: Council will take it up again November 5, 2026, at 2:00 pm.
Steps: September 23, 2026: Continued → September 30, 2026 (this meeting): Continued as amended
Council changes fuel tank cutback rules, delays final vote to October 7
This proposed law would require the 11 large fuel storage sites in northwest Portland's Critical Energy Infrastructure Hub to cut their storage capacity by at least 20 percent by December 1, 2036.
Decision: Not final yet. Council added four changes, 10 to 2: a direction to study other approaches, inventory and reporting rules, penalties, and continued talks with the public and industry. A change to remove the exemption for airplane fuel tanks failed on a 6 to 6 tie. Another proposed change from Councilor Novick was offered but not voted on. The item was continued to October 7, 2026.
Details
The area sits on soil that could turn loose in a major earthquake, so tanks could fail and spill fuel. Fuel sites would have to report what they store, and they could face fines for breaking the rules.
Who it affects: Fuel terminal operators in the hub, their roughly 1,300 workers, and people who live near the hub, including Linnton and parts of North Portland.
Money: The city estimates checking each fuel site's inventory will cost $10,000 in staff time, paid for by a new fee on the fuel sites. Fines from violations would go to a fund for projects that reduce harm from the hub.
Next: Council will take up the item again on October 7, 2026, at 10:00 am.
Steps: September 23, 2026: Continued → September 30, 2026 (this meeting): Continued as amended → October 7, 2026: Continued as amended
Written by AI from the official record and checked automatically. How this works