How Lake Oswego will develop

The compact shopping district downtown has been in the East End Redevelopment Design from the beginning.  The original 1986 plan adopted by the City Council can be seen HERE.  The 2004 revised Redevelopment Plan (including addendums) is HERE.

In 2004 the City Council under the leadership of Mayor Judie Hammerstad enlarged the plan to include more projects, increase density, and add a specific "Lake Oswego Sytle" that must be applied to all new buildings.  The small-scale village that was envisioned in the beginning has given way to the village on steroids that is emerging today.  Given the number of projects and blocks yet to be redeveloped, the end result could be a massive transformation of what we have now - which was what was intended in ten years ago.  The Wizer Block development will be only the beginning.  Lake Grove has similar concerns, but the interest there is not so intense.

There are a couple of issues coming before Council this month (and beyond) that could have a huge impact - for the better or worse - depending upon what kind of growth happens in the city and what you prefer.  One is the North Anchor Project Plan, the other is the new Clear and Objective Housing Standards.  

 

City Council Meeting

January 20, 6:30 pm

Public Hearing on 
Clear and Objective Housing Standards

The public hearing on Tuesday will focus on codes that define what developers, who include housing in their developments, can do if they want to avoid public review by the Development Review Commission, or an appeal of a decision.  The "clear and objective housing standards" must present a "clear and objective" path for any developer to follow to make it easier for "needed" housing to be built.  

Whenever housing is included with retail or other commercial uses such as in the Wizer Block development, the new codes would apply.  Imagine the Wizer Block development as originally envisioned (at 5 stories!) being approved by staff only, with no review by the DRC or the City Council, and no objections or right to appeal for those pesky, obstructionist citizens who don't like big buildings.  This is the future with C and O standards.

Developers and the Chamber of Commerce folks LOVE this state law!  What's not to like?   If community development codes were written with the citizens, neighbors and neighborhoods in mind, the angst and anger that comes with development causes would be markedly diminished, and everyone could be a winner.  Under a discretionary path, a developer may elect to do something outside the objective code track and have their plan reviewed.

ATTEND THE HEARING!  SEND YOUR COMMENTS TO THE CITY COUNCIL!

What do YOU want to see happen?  Choosing to look at the codes in a different way is possible if the council feels those proposed don't reflect the city's best interests.  It is my hope that the interests of citizens outweighs those of developers.  We need development, but there is a path we can all be comfortable with.  This one isn't it.