Why are the panoramic views from Fort Sumner Park in Munjoy Hill protected while those on the western end of the Eastern Promenade are not?

Fort Sumner Park, located on the south side of North Street next to the old Shailer School, is noted for its sweeping views of the Portland skyline, Back Cove and Mount Washington. In 2017, the city of Portland enacted the Fort Sumner Park Height Overlay “to protect the public interest by limiting the impact of development on the quintessential views of natural resources and the changing Portland skyline from Sumner Park.”

The western end of the Eastern Promenade, situated between North Street and Washington Avenue, offers similar expansive views of the city skyline, Back Cove and Mount Washington. Throughout the year, residents and visitors come to the park – which is also home to the North Street Community Garden, the East End Community School outside classrooms garden and Mount Joy Community Orchard – to enjoy this expansive vista.

Often, local newscasters can be seen filming a segment with the Portland skyline in the background. Just like those at Fort Sumner, these are quintessential views of the dynamic Portland landscape.

A proposed zoning change now threatens these 180-degree views.

In advance of ReCode Portland, the first rewriting of the city’s land use code in more than 50 years, Redfern Properties is requesting a zoning change for 165 Washington Ave. from B1 to B2, in part to increase workforce housing in Portland. In an April 3 letter to the Planning Department, Redfern Properties notes that the zoning change is “precisely what the Planning Department has already recommended and proposed for the property as part of the ongoing Recode process.”

This zoning change allows for an increase in building height from 45 feet to 75 feet (with workforce housing bonuses). The mixed-use building will have 324 housing units, 81 of which are deeded workforce housing units. The remaining 243 units will rent for market rates.

The proposed building faces south and is designed to take advantage of both eastern views of the city, southern views of Back Cove and western views of Mount Washington. Its height and massing will cut off views of the city skyline from the Eastern Prom. One can only assume that the market-rate apartments will enjoy those views, while the workforce housing units probably will not. In other words, public views will become private views under the auspices of the workforce housing policy.

In the interests of the public, I hope the Portland Planning Board will reject this request for a zoning change. Most areas in the city adjacent to parks are zoned residential or B1. I hope the board will follow precedent and respect the rationale for those zoning designations. The western end of the Eastern Promenade deserves the same treatment as other parks throughout the city and would benefit from the added protection of an overlay designation like that of the Fort Sumner Park Height Overlay.

A four-story building allowed under the current B1 zone benefits both the public and those in need of housing. Everyone should get to enjoy those 180-degree views.