The Wilhelm Funeral Home project was a multi-year parking analysis and transportation planning project shaped by intense public scrutiny, complex operating conditions, and high expectations for rigor. The work supported an update to Wilhelms’s Conditional Use Permit in a residential Portland neighborhood where parking demand, large annual events, and a impacts to a nearby growing commercial district warranted a significant data collection effort.
Over the course of several years, parking demand was observed during nine separate data collection efforts, including multiple Memorial Day events, which represent the site’s largest annual activity. Observations also captured overnight residential parking conditions, evening commercial peaks, and large individual funeral services. Additional off-street parking data were collected by Wilhelm staff during dozens of funeral events. Together, these efforts created a robust record of parking demand under a wide range of conditions, including atypical and high-impact scenarios .
The analysis demonstrated that while Memorial Day and similar events generate parking demand well beyond typical conditions, those impacts are episodic and best addressed through targeted management rather than permanent overbuilding. Recommended strategies included a right-sized on-site parking supply, satellite parking at nearby locations, shuttle service for large events, and transportation demand management measures designed to reduce neighborhood impacts while maintaining accessibility. These recommendations were ultimately reflected in the proposed conditions of approval for the project.
The resulting parking and transportation demand management plan provided the basis for approval of the Conditional Use Permit update, allowing the site to move forward without oversized parking for infrequent peak events. By demonstrating that episodic Memorial Day demand could be managed through targeted strategies rather than permanent surface parking, the plan helped clear the way for redevelopment of two existing parking lots into housing. The project illustrates how careful, data-driven parking planning can support infill housing while continuing to accommodate complex, event-driven parking needs.