Tag: BPS

Curbside Bulky Trash Pickup Calculator

Residents living in single-family homes, duplexes, triplexes, and fourplexes can now schedule curbside pickup of bulky items from their trash service at a predictable price point. People trying to dispose of something that won’t fit in a residential garbage bin have had limited choices, often with a substantial price tag, prompting some to place items on sidewalks with “free” signs to dispose of them. New city-set rates for curbside collection of large items make it easier for many Portlanders to properly unburden themselves from broken furniture, old mattresses, appliances, and other irregular waste.

Eligible households can contact their garbage and recycling company to schedule curbside pickup for large items, often referred to as bulky waste. After being assigned a special pickup day by the hauling service, people will then place the items at the curb by 6 a.m. on the scheduled day, but no more than 24 hours before pickup to avoid excessive rainwater contamination that can make items heavier and more challenging to handle. Collection companies could charge an additional fee if the pickup requires extra time or additional staff.

The City of Portland is currently promoting its bulky waste cost calculator, which allows people to view the expected collection cost for each item, along with a single-trip pickup fee of $18. Although they include many common examples—including a refrigerator collection cost of $51, a Water heater is $6, and a King mattress is $29—the garbage company decides which category each item falls into. If the item isn’t listed, it will estimate the price based on size or type. This tool is not an exact quote, but it offers many residents a reasonable option for budgeting when disposing of larger items.

The garbage service account holder must authorize the added cost of collection; therefore, some renters may need to contact their landlord to request pickup. People in apartments or businesses will need to check with the property manager about disposal options. If people have a transport vehicle, there are free options for disposing of mattresses through Bye Bye Mattress’s listing of drop-off locations or E-Cycle Oregon’s directory for responsibly disposing of unwanted electronics. People can pay less if they take their bulky waste items to a Metro Transfer Station for disposal, paying a fee based on weight and other factors. Additionally, a new Metro program allows people to recycle old mattresses and box springs for free, thanks to a 2022 Oregon Senate Bill.

The city-set rates for curbside collection of large items and bulky waste cost calculator can help people make an informed choice about how to dispose of items that are challenging to handle. The predictable prices and convenience of curbside collection could entice more residents to use the collection service and help reduce abandoned items on Portland Streets. Visit the Portland Bureau of Planning and Sustainability website for more information.

New SE Clinton and 85th Sidewalks Deliver on a Decade of Visioning

In late April, cement masons began construction on new Sidewalks and street paving along SE Clinton Street, fulfilling longstanding community requests expressed during a public engagement process that began in 2016. This project will add new sidewalks on SE Clinton Street from SE 84th to 87th Avenues, with roadcrews converting the existing gravel road to a modern street surface from SE 84th Place to 87th Avenue. Crews will also create sidewalks from SE Division Street to SE Powell Boulevard along SE 85th Avenue, with roadway repaving between SE Clinton and Brooklyn Streets.

In late March, crews working with the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) began preparing sections of the Jade District for the Jade and Montavilla Multimodal Improvements Project, which will improve access along SE 85th Avenue and SE Clinton Street for all road users in the area and give people traveling outside a car the calmer parallel path to 82nd Avenue that residents have requested for years. In November 2019, the City of Portland’s Bureau of Planning and Sustainability released the Building Healthy Connected Communities Along Division Transit report that the City Council adopted in December 2019. Most sidewalks in the project area will receive updated Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant curb ramps, letting all pedestrian users navigate the area mostly separated from car traffic.

Map of the Jade District focusing on access issues, highlighting streets with lack of sidewalks and unpaved areas, along with key connections needed to Division Street.
Page 26 from the Building Healthy Connected Communities Along Division Transit document 2019

This project will also add new sidewalks to the Jade District west of 82nd Avenue on SE Tibbetts Street. That work will provide sidewalk infill where some blocks lack consistent pedestrian pavement down to SE 78th Avenue. Road crews will also repave SE Tibbetts Street from SE 78th to 80th Avenues. North of the Jade District, PBOT plans to create bike lanes on SE Thorburn Street and remove a travel lane in each direction. That work will also create a bike lane on SE Washington Street while retaining much of the existing street parking on both sides of SE Washington Street for a critical two-block segment. The road striping plan will replace removed curbside parking on SE Washington with bike-lane-adjacent parking from SE 76th to 80th Avenues to create a protected buffer for the five-foot-wide curbside cyclist route. Driving lane reductions on SE Thorburn Street and parts of SE Gilham Avenue will create space for a painted bike lane on the northwest traveling side of the road and a raised concrete traffic separator-protected bike lane on the southeast traveling side with space for an on-pavement pedestrian track where missing sidewalks have previously challenged pedestrian access.

Almost a decade ago, the City identified the importance of better pedestrian and cyclist infrastructure in Montavilla and the Jade District. This multimodal improvement project demonstrates the impact of community participation in city infrastructure planning efforts and highlights the time it takes to develop actionable plans with adequate funding. Together, the collection of enhancements costs $9,094,000 but should not impact general fund shortfalls in Portland’s budget for the next fiscal year, which starts in July. Money for these improvements comes from $3,200,000 in Federal funds, with an additional $4,900,000 from the 2021 American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) allocations. PBOT will source the remaining $994,000 from System Development Charges paid by developers. This work should significantly improve access within two critical commercial centers and add to general safety for those traveling outside a car. Look for construction in Jade and Montavilla Multimodal Improvements Project zones to continue through 2025.


Promotion: Montavilla News is supported by contributions from businesses like Greg Beddor – SEO Specialist, an Oregon based digital marketing consultancy. The company markets customer’s websites and provide SEO services to grow their business. We thank them for their support.

Faster ADU Development with Pre-Approved Plans

The newly renamed city agency Portland Permitting & Development (PP&D) recently released a collection of pre-approved plan sets for Accessory Dwelling Units (ADU) that could save people time navigating the pre-construction process. Portland based its implementation on City of Eugene created plans and a program that works to remove barriers for people adding housing units to their properties. Four variations of a standard floor plan offer prospective builders free plans that are pre-approved for Life Safety and Structural requirements, reducing the building permit approval times that have increased over the last few years.

On July 1st, the Bureau of Development Services became PP&D as Portland works towards increasing permitting efficiencies and reducing costly delays for people looking to build in the city. The new name includes an organizational update that moves permitting staff under unified management, no longer forcing people to navigate multiple bureaus and processes to gain building approval. Simplifying bureaucracy and removing code hindrances are part of the reforms leaders have enacted to increase housing construction. Last year, a preliminary review process and subsequent survey of developers identified less critical requirements that were most likely to dissuade housing production. In February, the City Council approved the Housing Regulatory Relief Project, which officials hope will spur housing production by providing temporary waivers and permanent changes to zoning regulations.

Floor plan courtesy Portland Permitting & Development

These changes to the permitting process will take time to improve efficiency and simplify the process. That is why PP&D pursued a method to hasten ADU construction through the pre-approved plan program. This process also has roots in an effort to increase housing equity with program improvements planned to make free resources available for people who may lack access to paid design professionals or the experience needed when navigating the permitting process. Adding housing to a property is a recognized way for people to stabilize rising housing costs through additional revenue, accommodate multi-generational households, or offer age-in-place options where people can live in an ADU while renting their family-sized home.

Renderings courtesy Portland Permitting & Development (for representational purposes only)

The current plans offer designs with a shed or gable roof that people can build on a concrete slab foundation or wood-framed floor. Due to its studio-style layout, the single floor plan option will not work for all living situations. The shed roof option or gabled roof versions with a covered front porch will not meet ADU size limits when built within side and rear setbacks. Many other site considerations and potential hindrances to receiving a permit with the pre-approved plans exist. However, it is one step further to making the ADU process faster and more approachable.

People considering this option must account for the considerable building expense they will incur. Even with owner-supplied labor offsetting some work, an ADU of this size could cost over $100,000. Some estimates would put that closer to double that number. The city will charge building permit fees, water service fees, and System Development Charges (SDCs), adding to the overall project costs. Consequently, free pre-approved plans will not be enough incentive for many homeowners considering an ADU. Still, it may help speed up the process for people who have already chosen to add housing density to their property and serve as a tool for builders interested in packaging ADU projects at a standard rate. The PP&D website has additional information about ADUs and important details regarding further costs and restrictions.


Promotion: Help keep independent news accessible to the community. Montavilla News has a Patreon account or you can pay for a full year directly online. We invite those who can contribute to this local news source to consider becoming paid subscriber or sponsor. We will always remain free to read regardless of subscription.

Curbside Recycle Your Batteries

Starting June 10th, Portland trash haulers will collect appropriately contained batteries with curbside glass recycling. City residents with trash service at a house, duplex, triplex, or fourplex should place used batteries in a clear, sealed one-quart bag and set it on top of glass recyclables. Labeled alkaline batteries can go straight into the bag, while all others need the positive and negative terminals covered by tape to prevent fires.

Photo courtesy BPS

Used battery collection is a significant addition to the roster of curbside collectible waste. It can potentially reduce Battery-caused fires in garbage trucks and waste-processing facilities. Those dangerous conditions have increased dramatically in recent years due to expanded battery use, costing millions of dollars in damage and putting workers’ lives in danger.

Devices containing batteries and loose power cells should never go into the trash. Local nonprofits like Free Geek and some retailers make battery-containing e-recycling possible. However, many people have needed a low-barrier way to dispose of loose batteries at home. The Portland Bureau of Planning and Sustainability’s (BPS) new service provides a convenient method for residential trash collection customers. People in apartments and businesses will need to find a drop-off battery recycling option by contacting Metro’s Recycling Information Center Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., at 503-234-3000, or by visiting their website: www.oregonmetro.gov/askmetro.


Promotion: Help keep independent news accessible to the community. Montavilla News has a Patreon account or you can pay directly online. We invite those who can contribute to this local news source to consider becoming paid subscribers or sponsors. We will always remain free to read regardless of subscription.

Creating Neighborhood Centers

Over the last two years, staff at Portland’s Bureau of Planning and Sustainability (BPS) developed a plan to cultivate two new commercial centers for residents living south of SE Foster Road in the Brentwood-Darlington neighborhood. Out of that work and years of gathering community input, BPS drafted the Lower SE Rising (LSER) Area Plan to create community cores similar to what other Portland neighborhoods inherited. Through proposed zoning changes and transportation investments, the plan’s authors intend to incentivize future development that will create new walkable corridors lined with small businesses and multifamily housing. On October 10th at 6:10 p.m., the draft plan will appear before the Portland Planning Commission, where members of the public can register to provide comments.

Many of Portland’s neighborhoods feature commercial corridors with stores and restaurants clustered around main streets. As with Montavilla’s SE Stark Street and NE Glisan Street, most commercial districts centered on transportation hubs created by historic streetcar lines or major roads. Often, businesses coalesced in these spaces over 100 years ago. However, not all communities in the city had that historic commercial core before the automobile age shifted resources miles away from where people lived. City planners are now working to reduce reliance on personal vehicle travel and strengthen locale retail access within neighborhoods, creating environments where residents can walk or take transit to desirable destinations. In older areas, that takes less effort because a legacy organization of buildings already supports that effort. However, in some communities with predominantly post-war development, community intervention is needed to create the desired change.

Map App image with MV News illustrations

The draft Lower SE Rising (LSER) Area Plan proposes turning SE 52nd and SE 72nd Avenues into mixed-use corridors with more housing options and commercial hubs at primary intersections in the Brentwood-Darlington neighborhood. The new commercial district on SE 72nd Avenue and Flavel Street extends towards SE 82nd Avenue, creating a more significant business district that links to a major arterial road. If the City Council approves the plan, zoning changes will be the first step towards instigating uses along the corridor. However, those changes only allow new commercial services and do not force property owners to make any changes unless completely redeveloping a site. Further enhancements are needed to draw people into these centers, spurring property transformation. As in the past formation of community hubs, transportation can attract people to a business district.

The plan’s authors propose street improvements, making it safer and more accessible for pedestrians to navigate and cross the busier roadways like SE 52nd, SE 72nd, and SE Woodstock. Additionally, the plan includes neighborhood greenway projects connecting the bicycle and pedestrian networks through this area. However, enhanced bus transit in this district offers a high likelihood for increased housing density and business growth while strengthening other centers. “One thing we’re finding is that the existing transit network didn’t really serve centers. For example, you cannot take a bus from the Woodstock neighborhood center to the Lents Town Center,” explained Bill Cunningham, a City Planner with BPS. Realigning bus routes and creating more frequent service between centers can provide the linkage needed for these fledgling business districts to take root. The LSER plan will integrate with future transit line adjustments underway as part of TriMet’s Forward Together plan to cultivate the desired change.

The Lower SE Rising (LSER) Area Plan is a response to community desires. It offers a chance to create a walkable and community-focused neighborhood similar to what Montavilla residents enjoy. The 172-page draft plan is available for review before the October 10th Planning Commission hearing. People can use the Map App to leave written testimony and review what other people have contributed. The Planning Commission will consider testimony and deliberate for several weeks, refining the plan through November before forwarding their recommendations to the Portland City Council. The community will have other opportunities to provide comments during the City Council’s review sometime in spring 2024. If approved, substantial growth for the new could take decades of slow transformation. However, that slow change should help prevent sudden displacement while creating opportunities for micro businesses to sprout up in formerly residential buildings.

Images in this article courtesy BPS from draft Lower SE Rising (LSER) Area Plan


Promotion: Help keep independent news accessible to the community. Montavilla News has a Patreon account. We invite those who can contribute to this local news source to consider becoming paid subscribers or sponsors. We will always remain free to read regardless of subscription.

Sustainability and Climate Commission Kickoff

Last Wednesday, Commissioner Carmen Rubio and Portland Bureau of Planning and Sustainability (BPS) leaders addressed community members at the Collective Oregon Eateries (CORE) food hall on SE 82nd Avenue. Speakers at the event outlined a vision for a new Sustainability and Climate Commission (SCC) currently in development. Staff are actively collecting public input regarding the SCC that will shape the final draft of a City Ordinance. The City Council will vote on its adoption in December 2023, and if approved, the SCC could start work in April 2024.

Public remarks by BPS Director Donnie Oliveira, Portland Commissioner Carmen Rubio, and BPS Chief Sustainability Officer Vivian Satterfield. September 6th, 2023.

In 2009, Portland Mayor Sam Adams merged the Bureau of Planning and the Office of Sustainable Development to create BPS. Around the same time, the Sustainable Development Commission and the Planning Commission merged to form the Planning and Sustainability Commission (PSC). However, an April 2022 review of the combined commission indicated unclear responsibilities hampered the 11 PSC commissioners’ efforts. Commissioner Rubio has since directed BPS to split the PSC back into two distinct commissions. The reconstituted Planning Commission started work in March 2023, and staff began designing a new Sustainability and Climate Commission the following April.

Reinstating the Planning Commission was straightforward as it uses a clear structure. Projects come to the nine-member volunteer commission, and they make recommendations to the City Council. BPS Director Donnie Oliveira explained that SCC’s role could differ from the Planning Commission and impact many of Portland’s initiatives. “Climate touches all things now. Every decision the city makes can be climate-related,” said Oliveira. A potential model for the new SCC could include launching projects and recommending specific actions, not just looking to incorporate environmentally friendly components into an existing plan. Over the next four months, BPS staff will work to finalize the commission’s scope and structure based on internal and external input.

BPS Director Donnie Oliveira and Portland Commissioner Carmen Rubio

Some elements of the SCC are already known. BPS staff’s research from around the country indicates that 20 members will provide the best community representation on the commission. It allows for a variety of voices and skill sets. The commissions’ makeup is another area where community input will shape the SCC. The selection process could utilize the new City Council districts or reserved seats for people with specific expertise.

According to Oliveira, public participation is indispensable, and a relatively short window requires more active participants. BPS Chief Sustainability Officer Vivian Satterfield will lead working groups with stakeholders and subject matter experts through October, and they expect to offer future events like the September 6th gathering at CORE. The expedited timeline is essential to seating SCC members before the new City Council arrives in 2025. As our city moves away from informed Commissioners working at the head of bureaus, new Councilors will benefit from balanced input from knowledgeable people. “Large cities like Portland require community advisory bodies to inform Council,” explained Oliveira. He observed through his work in other cities that a large Council relies on informed input, and advisory bodies can help shape the Council’s policy agenda.

Oliveira sees the SCC development timeline as serving the city’s need to ready itself for its new structure but hopes people remain engaged. “We are at a real inflection point because we are changing the form of government. So now is the time for the community to actually give input,” said Oliveira. Over the next few weeks, look for survey opportunities and other public meetings on the SCC website.


Promotion: Montavilla News could use your support through Patreon. We invite those who can financially support this local news source to please consider becoming a paid subscriber or sponsor. We will always remain free to read regardless of subscription.

BPS Completes NE Portland Public Trash Can Rollout

Last month, the Bureau of Planning and Sustainability (BPS) installed trash cans throughout NE Portland, including parts of Montavilla. This latest rollout is part of a multi-year expansion of the City-managed rubbish collection program that started in 2017 with the Jade District. In 2016, Portland City Council voted to expand the city’s public trash can program into underserved areas and increase the solid waste commercial tonnage fee by $1.30 to fund the program.

Because Montavilla spans Northeast and Southeast Portland, the phased rollout of public trash cans occurred in different years. The neighborhood first received new rubbish receptacles south of E Burnside Street in December 2021. A year later, BPS crews began delivering cans to locations in North Montavilla. BPS staff placed units in high-traffic corridors along NE 82nd Avenue and NE Glisan Street. The intersection of E Burnside Street and 82nd Avenue gained three new cans. That addition brings the total to four trash enclosures, including the existing TriMet-owned can on the southeast corner. NE Glisan Street and NE 82nd Avenue also received multiple units adjacent to the bus shelters. Crews installed the remaining Montavilla cans in places identified as problem areas during a 2022 community survey. With trash can expansion work now covering all areas East of the Willamette River, BPS will spend the next two years increasing unit count in Northwest, South, and Southwest Portland.

The density of public trash cans is still insufficient on many streets, and littering will continue. However, this expansion is a significant push forward by the City to provide basic infrastructure for Portland’s residents. Trash cans alone will not prevent street trash, but they will reduce the overall volume of improperly discarded items and make it easier for civic-minded people clean public spaces. Look for the new cans already on the street and report any overflowing cans or other problems online to 311, by phone (503-823-4000), or by email (311@portlandoregon.gov).

BPS created map of NE Portland cans cropped to highlight Montavilla

Correction (March 16th, 2023): The original version of this article indicated that BPS completed its trash can expansion. The city will continue adding new cans in other areas over the next two years.

Portland Expanding EV Charger Access

At the March 1st City Council session, members in attendance unanimously passed the second of two ordinances designed to expand Electric Vehicle (EV) charging. Portland’s leaders made these code updates to incentivize Level 2 charger installation by private companies in spaces accessible to people living in multifamily residences. These early steps seek to remove barriers blocking the widespread adoption of low-carbon-producing vehicles.

City Council passed the EV Ready Code Project on February 8, 2023. These zoning code updates require new multi-dwelling and mixed-use developments with five or more units to provide EV-ready charging infrastructure, as long as the property includes onsite parking. Starting on March 31, builders must provide conduit and electrical capacity to support the future installation of Level 2 EV chargers for 50% of the available onsite parking spaces with a minimum of six spots. Developments with six or fewer spaces would need to provide this infrastructure to all parking spaces.

Although the EV Ready Code Project does not require EV charger installation, it removes much of the costs associated with retrofitting that equipment into parking infrastructure. As tenant demand for charging access increases, that lower installation cost should also shorten the time building owners take before adding the environmentally friendly amenity.  

Pilot charger mounted on utility pole on SE Clinton St, image courtesy PBOT.

Charging infrastructure availability is a barrier to some residents looking to buy an electric vehicle, particularly those without onsite parking or living in existing multifamily residences. The second round of code amendments approved yesterday will address offsite parking electrification. EV chargers in the right of way would expand choices for many car buyers who must park on city streets. The recently passed ordinance directs the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) to work with private charging companies and utility providers to establish curbside Level 2 EV charging. It updates the City code to allow the installation of this equipment and dedicates public parking space to EVs. The Charger equipment could mount to existing utility poles or freestanding pedestals in the furnishing zone. PBOT will limit the number and type of operators allowed to install charging equipment in the right-of-way. Individuals and businesses are not eligible to install personal charging equipment on public streets. These code amendments only apply to chosen companies with the ability to install and maintain EV charging equipment at a large scale.

Program architects designed EV charger equity into this initiative through targeted placement. Master Lease Agreements with EV charging companies and utility providers would require the distribution of chargers into neighborhoods currently underserved by existing EV infrastructure. EV chargers will be allowed on Local Service Traffic Streets around the corner from Main Streets. Program coordinators envision charger installations within larger districts like Gateway Regional Center, Hollywood, Lents, and St. Johns. Additionally, Neighborhood Centers like Roseway, Woodstock, and Montavilla are prime locations for charger expansion. PBOT staff must report to City Council by June 30, 2024, on the policy’s progress and could request further changes to City Code to advance the program.

According to the ODOT TEINA Report, conservative estimates say that Portland needs to add 9,500 public charging ports by 2035. City leaders and staff feel these two new programs are the best approach to meeting that goal while creating affordable and convenient access to EV Charging in Portland. PBOT says installations of curbside EV chargers could begin later this year, but there will be a public notification process before any work begins. If these programs are successful, thousands of shared EV chargers could become available to Portlanders over the next decade. 


Promotion: Montavilla News has a Patreon account. We invite those who can contribute to this local news source to please consider becoming a paid subscriber or sponsor. We will always remain free to read regardless of subscription.

.

Public Trash Cans Coming to NE Portland

The next wave of public trash cans will hit Portland’s streets early in 2023 as new receptacles arrive from the manufacturer. A year ago, the Bureau of Planning and Sustainability (BPS) installed trash cans throughout SE Portland, including parts of Montavilla. Now city staff are preparing for the NE expansion and need the public’s help in determining the placement of those rubbish containers. People can take the online survey now but must submit their entries by Monday, December 19th.

In 2016, the Portland City Council authorized an expansion of the public trash program through a tax on the solid waste commercial tonnage fee. By June 2017, Portland’s Jade District received new waste receptacles as part of a pilot program. In 2020, East Portland neighborhoods began receiving new trash cans. By 2023, the BPS will have added 150 new City-provided and serviced trash cans to NE Portland, bringing the total available receptacles in the quadrant to 215.

Trash can delivery, image courtesy BPS

Each 65-gallon trash can stands 4.5 feet tall and has a three-by-three-foot footprint. On narrow sidewalks, BPS will deploy a smaller 35-gallon can. Many units have a side attachment for beverage bottles, making them accessible to community members looking to collect the deposit. The City intends to contract with a woman or minority-owned trash hauler to empty the containers twice a week.

When suggesting locations for the new cans, BPS staff remind participants that trash cans must reside on public sidewalks and cannot be placed in parking lots or other private property. They also want to prioritize natural gathering spaces near businesses, schools, and intersections.

BPS map showing potential trash can placement

Promotion: Montavilla News has a Patreon account. We invite those who can contribute to this local news source to please consider becoming a paid subscriber or sponsor. We will always remain free to read regardless of subscription.

The Neighborhood Dumpster Day Returns

After a two-year hiatus, Montavilla’s Dumpster Day returns as part of a new Portland program. Area residents are invited to drop off bulky household items on Saturday, September 24th, at the Montavilla Church parking lot on the corner of SE 92nd Avenue and SE Hawthorne Boulevard. This free program allows residents to dispose of many large items not collected in regular curbside bins and prevents trash from ending up on the streets.

Two years ago, Portland’s Office of Community & Civic Life (Civic Life) discontinued a similar program once offered through neighborhood associations. Those programs provided an annual opportunity for residents to dispose of mattresses, broken furniture, and other trash that did not fit into regular collection containers. The events also served as a primary fundraiser for the nonprofit neighborhood organizations. Trash haulers will collect bulky items left on the curb during weekly pickup days if residents notify them ahead of time and pay a fee. However, some people do not have the means to arrange for those collections and instead leave items on the corner with “Free” signs attached. Those items can contribute to the City’s trash problem and congest public spaces.

The absence of a free dumpster program in Portland left a noticeable mark on the City’s trash collection system, prompting officials to create a new program. This weekend’s Montavilla Dumpster Day is the first in a series of events organized by Portland’s Bureau of Planning and Sustainability (BPS), with funding through the City’s Public Environment Management Office. For this event, the City will pay members of the Montavilla Neighborhood Association (MNA) and the Jade District to support the Dumpster Day operations. In the future, BPS will hire contractors to run events held in other neighborhoods.

People are encouraged to bring mattresses, furniture, and certain small appliances like a toaster, vacuum, or microwave. Some treated lumber and wood stumps are accepted but need to come from households, not businesses. Tires, large appliances, electronics, and hazardous materials can’t go into the dumpsters. However, Oregon Metro staff at the drop-off site will assist people in finding the proper disposal agency for items not taken at Saturday’s event. A complete list of allowed and forbidden items is available on the BPS website.

Although a Montavilla-based event, organizers secured ample dumpsters to accept items from local residents and neighboring areas. However, space is limited, and the event staff recommends people come early. The entrance opens at 9 a.m. and closes at 1 p.m. or when the dumpsters are full.


Disclosure: The author of this article will work at this event and may receive payment for his participation.