City Council Work Session - 10/20/2026

The City of Milwaukie’s October 20, 2026, Council work session covered economic development and middle-housing code. Economic development staff reported that the city is procuring a marketing firm to arrange influencer campaigns in two annual periods and is planning two billboard placements from November 9 through January 3; no campaign costs were stated. The city has engaged Echo Northwest and Tiberius Solutions for its five-year economic development action plan. Staff also reported that the city’s business sponsorship fund totals $80,000 for the biennium, and that since 2025 the city has awarded 39 business grants totaling more than $1.3 million. A Metro reuse-container pilot at Milwaukie Station may use the city’s tenant-improvement grant program for a dishwashing station. The city will review applications for Clackamas County’s tourism strategic investment grant, but is not applying this year. No procurement-related vote or contract award was reported.

Council discussed marketing and tourism coordination, possible future revenue from a lodging tax, and planned 2027 economic-development work. On middle-housing standards, members gave consensus direction to staff to prepare draft amendments addressing residential variances, minimum lot sizes, and cottage-cluster spacing, including consideration of a trade-off between building separation and shared courtyard area. No formal vote was taken; staff indicated the code changes would return for further review. The discussion also covered state-law requirements and future code updates, but no spending decision was made.