City Council Regular Session 08/19/2025

The City Council of Milwaukie, Oregon, held a regular session on August 19, 2025, focusing extensively on affordable housing incentives and public safety funding. The council discussed amendments to the Milwaukee Municipal Code to provide incentives for affordable housing development, including variances on setbacks, open space, and building height in mixed-use and multi-family zones. Public testimony raised concerns about enforcement mechanisms, affordability duration, and potential impacts on neighborhood aesthetics. The council considered planning commission recommendations, including extending affordability requirements to 99 years and adjusting townhouse length limits. Additionally, the city manager presented a proposal for a public safety fee to be added to utility bills to fund increased demand for police, behavioral health specialists, and library safety services. The fee would exempt low-income customers and include transparent reporting on expenditures and outcomes. The council moved forward with first and second readings of the affordable housing ordinance, with final adoption scheduled for a future meeting, and discussed next steps for the public safety fee implementation.