It is unfortunate that BDS - who is in charge of enforcing the Terwilliger Design Guidelines - doesn't even know what the Guidelines say. The guidelines refer freqently to the "Character of Terwilliger" but the word "romance" plays a minor role. There is a big difference between the two. Does BDS see Terwilliger Parkway as just a Lover's Lane? In case BDS has misplaced their copy of the Terwilliger Parkway Corridor Plan, let me quote here the full text of the notorious "Character of Terwilliger" statement:

"Terwilliger Parkway, Boulevard and Trail are unique and notably successful parts of the City which allow people to enjoy the natural beauty and setting of Portland while moving through it. There are sequential views of the City, Mt. Hood, Mt. St. Helens, the Willamette River and the wooded hills along which the Boulevard is constructed. These expansive views are contrasted by sections of the boulevard which are lush and enclosed by tall stands of deciduous trees and second growth fir. Dominant masses of native temperate forest set off park-like planting of ornamemtal shrubs and mowed lawns.
Terwilliger Boulevard was originally envisioned as a centerpeice for the development of "high class suburban and country residences." Urban devcelopment adjacent to the Parkway is sometimes hidden from the Trail and Boulevard. When visible, it often fits into the natural topography and enhanecs the aesthetic experience of the Parkway. Buildings which are set back from the boulevard, well but simply landscaped, small in scale, and designed with care tend to add romance to the drive or walk.
The careful and balanced mix of urban and natural experiences, which makes Terwilliger both unique and successful, is also reflected in the way in which it is used. At its best, Tewilliger can accommodate walkers of all ages, runners, bicyclists and picnickers, as well as moderate numbers of motorists sight-seeing or driving to nearby locations along the Boulevard's easy grades and gentle curves.
Terwilliger changes as the landscape and the City grow. The quality of its future character will depend both on the effects of nature and the care taken by the citizens of Portland."

What makes this Character of Terwilliger statement so onerous to the City and OHSU is that it clearly does not endorse the kind of expansion and development that has gone on at OHSU and the VA Medical Center over the last few decades. The traffic these institutions have created on Terwilliger is anything but "moderate" during much of the day. Anyone who stands on the Terwilliger Trail at the bottom of Campus Drive sees a chaotic jumble of downtown-scaled buildings looming over them which do not fit "into the natural topography" nor enhance "the aesthetic experience of the Parkway". Neither are they "small in scale", "set back from the Boulevard", and they certainly don't "add romance to the drive or walk" (adding window boxes with brightly colored flowers in them isn't going to help much.) Citizens such as members of Friends of Terwilliger have been very vocal about trying to protect Terwilliger Parkway but they have been largely ignored by City officials who would rather cater to OHSU desires than protect a treasured scenic resource.
The City Council granted OHSU special priveledges to utilize Terwilliger Boulevard for access when it approved the Marquam Hill Plan even though such heavy use violates the "Character of Terwilliger". The Council did throw a few meager bones to help mitigate the traffic impacts, but they didn't commit any funding as part of it so they are largely empty promises. What money and staff may have been avialable to carry out such mitigation projects are in danger of being sucked into the black hole that is the Tram project. And you wonder why citizens are skeptical when the City proposes up-dating the Terwilliger Parkway Guidelines. The guidelines are badly in need of an overhaul, but recent experience showns that the City is more interested in undertaking such a process to make development easier than they are in doing it to improve Terwilliger for its own sake.