City Council Work Session 10/21/2025

The City Council Work Session for the City of Milwaukie, Oregon, held on October 21, 2025, focused extensively on housing policy, particularly middle housing types such as duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes, townhomes, and cottage clusters. The council discussed state mandates from House Bills 2001 and 2138 requiring allowance of middle housing in single-family zones, and the implications for local code compliance and design standards. Key procurement-related topics included potential incentives for developers to encourage green space and co-housing, considerations around fee-in-lieu for right-of-way improvements, and the management of sidewalk construction funding. The council also addressed the need for updated tree preservation codes and fees to better protect mature trees during development. Additionally, the council reviewed the housing production strategy, including grant-funded consultant work to analyze zoning and development opportunities in high-density residential (RHD) and neighborhood mixed-use (NMU) zones, with an emphasis on integrating economic development and corridor planning. No specific contract awards or vendor selections were made during this session, but several policy and programmatic directions were discussed that could influence future procurement and development activities, including the timing of code updates and community engagement efforts.