Title
Development Code Amendments Including Equitable Housing (Planning File LEG 18-00001): Amendments to the Recently Adopted Code for Clarifications, Corrections of Errors, or Improvements
Body
RECOMMENDED ACTION (Motion):
Provide feedback on proposed amendments to the Oregon City Municipal Code and continue to September 23, 2019.
BACKGROUND:
Code amendments became effective August 2, 2019 and staff are already implementing the code. Typically, implementation of the code reveals minor omissions and oversights that require correction or clarification. This "code clean-up" is neccessary to assure that the standards are consistently applied to address additional housing opportunities recommended by an Equitable Housing Public Advisory Team, the Public and the Planning Commission and City Commission.
A summary of the current batch of code clean-up items is attached, along with the text of the specific chapters to be updated.
As a whole, the amendments result in greater opportunities for housing, reduce regulations, streamline processes, provide clarity around existing standards, address existing concerns in the development standards, and are formatted to be easier to follow. The changes do not change the adopted zoning map or authorize any city-initiated construction or development.
The project began when the community identified concerns about not being able to afford to rent or purchase a place to live. The availability of places to live at many income levels was constrained and the types of dwellings available were not always matched with the types of dwellings the community wanted. In response, the City Commission adopted goals for the 2017-2019 biennium including:
Goal 1 (Cultivate an Environment for Successful Economic Development): Complete site-readiness efforts which can be accomplished through ... improvements or process and permitting refinement.
Goal 3 (Enhance the Livability of the Community): Review local regulations and processes to remove barriers and provide incentives to additional housing opportunities
The City received a $100,000 grant from Metro to accomplish this project. The majority of the code amendments implement the direction provided by the Equitable Housing project by amending the applicable Chapters of the Oregon City Municipal Code related to land divisions and development of all types of housing such as multi-family, duplexes, and single-family homes. The amendments remove unnecessary standards, remove conflicting standards, reword for clarity, reformat for clarity, and streamline some housing processes, though a handful of additional amendments were added throughout the evolution of the project which are not related to housing. The complete package of amendments include:
• Recommendations from the Equitable Housing Project Advisory Team, consultants, staff, and Planning Commission;
• General clarification of standards and procedures for more efficient development review to support clear standards and efficient process for the development of housing; and
• A handful of other amendments identified by staff or through the course of the public hearing process which are not related to housing.
The City Commission recently approved a variety of amendments to the Oregon City Municipal Code, but wanted additional time to consider the following in greater depth:
• Amending the maximum height limits within the Mixed Use Downtown (MUD) District;
• Allowing permanent food carts within the Mixed Use Downtown (MUD) District;
• Amending design standards for food carts;
• Adopting regulations for shelters;
• Amending regulations for short-term rentals; and
• Amending the recently adopted code for clarification, corrections of errors, or improvements.