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City Council Meeting

A joint work session with the Urban Growth Boundary (UGB) Relook Advisory Committee dominated the evening, giving council a data-rich picture of how residents weighed four growth scenarios before pivoting to a light business agenda that filled a library board vacancy and teed up governance training ahead of the March 16 retreat.

Highlights

  • 🗺️ Over six months the 19-member RAC hosted four committee meetings, three community sessions, a 50-person mapping exercise, and two surveys (143 responses) to capture what infrastructure, parks, and job mix residents want before any expansion decision.
  • 🏡 The committee reached near-consensus on a “housing-focused” alternative that nudges the UGB north and east, prioritizes residential land, secures a park at the Lind Reservoir, buffers Sunset Ridge from employment uses, and still preserves most farmland.
  • đź“… Staff reminded council that the current Housing Needs Analysis (HNA) remains valid through January 1, 2027 under the new Oregon Housing Needs Analysis rules, meaning the city—not the state—can still use it to sequence concept planning and annexations.
  • đź“š Council adopted Resolution 2299 appointing former board chair David Hatcher back to the Library Board after confirming the opening had been advertised for months via flyers, utility bills, story time outreach, and interviews.
  • ⚖️ City Attorney Ashley Driscoll previewed the retreat’s “Public Meetings 101” training, explained why council rules were moved from ordinance to resolution in December, and reaffirmed that the city manager’s duties simply mirror the charter.

UGB Relook Takeaways

  • 3J Consulting’s Heather Austin recapped the process, underscoring that annexation remains a separate, property-owner-driven decision even if parcels move inside the UGB.
  • The four scenarios tested ranged from the previously rejected 854-acre expansion to a “no expansion” infill option, an employment-heavy concept, and the Housing Focus alternative the RAC ultimately endorsed.
  • Residents praised the Housing Focus map for balancing fiscal sustainability, delivering more parks (especially at Lind Reservoir), avoiding Hillsboro-led development north of US-26, and treating jobs, housing, and trails as linked systems.
  • Objections centered on buffering industrial uses near Sunset Ridge, keeping growth incremental, and ensuring concept-planning/annexation steps prevent leapfrog development.
  • Council asked for the full data packets (survey tables, verbatim comments, and mapping photos) so future decisions remain traceable; staff agreed to package those with the final consultant deliverable.

Public Comment & Governance

  • Commenters thanked the RAC, urged broader outreach before committing to growth, and questioned whether the city should continue its LUBA appeal over the HNA; staff will circulate the latest case memo.
  • Another speaker asserted the city manager’s authority had quietly expanded. Driscoll clarified that Ordinance 498 simply removed outdated code language and now references the charter, while Resolution 2285 recreated council rules in a more flexible format.
  • Council also spotlighted the need to better define “significant staff time” in its rules; Driscoll recommended mirroring LOC’s two-hour guardrail for individual requests routed through the city manager.

Board Appointment & Administrative Updates

  • Library Director Robin Sharp confirmed the vacant in-city seat had been open since June 2024 with applications at the library, post office, Kim’s Market, story times, and the city website. The board interviewed Hatcher and unanimously recommended reappointment.
  • City Manager Bill Monahan reported that FY22 closing entries and the FY22–23 audit bundle are nearly complete, with a finance manager posting set to go live once HR finalizes classification details.
  • Council previewed the March 16 retreat logistics (facilitator schedule, dietary needs) and requested that staff produce draft agendas so councilors can book their 1:1 prep calls.

Follow-Ups

  • Planning & Legal
    • Deliver the full RAC documentation set (survey results, mapping exercise scans, verbatim comments) and the latest LUBA case summary to council.
    • Draft language defining “significant staff time” for potential council rule amendments (e.g., LOC’s two-hour threshold).
  • Administration
    • Finalize the March 16 retreat schedule, including councilor prep meetings, facilitator agenda, and Ashley Driscoll’s public-meeting training blocks.
    • Post the Finance Manager recruitment and keep council updated on audit milestones as FY22 closes out.
  • Library Board
    • Onboard David Hatcher, brief him on pending projects, and publicize future openings through both traditional postings and new digital channels so more applicants see them early.