City Council Special Work Session, July 13, 2026

The City Council of Wilsonville, Oregon, held a special work session on July 13, 2026, primarily focused on discussing proposed legislative amendments to the Frog Pond East master plan and development code. The discussion centered on concerns raised by the developer West Hills regarding the prescriptive nature of the current code, which mandates specific housing diversity by land area, ground floor commercial requirements, and open space calculations. West Hills presented an economic analysis by Johnson Economics indicating that the market supports only about 9-11% attached housing units, and that the current code's requirements could lead to unfeasible development costs and market risks, including potential vacancies in commercial spaces and challenges in meeting infrastructure and park maintenance obligations. Council members expressed interest in understanding the scope and implications of the proposed code changes, the procedural steps required for legislative amendments, and the potential impact on housing affordability and development viability. Staff was asked to clarify code interpretations, especially regarding park ownership and maintenance, and to provide comparative data on prescriptive housing codes in other cities. The council showed openness to further investigation and possible code amendments to balance the city's planning goals with market realities and developer concerns, while emphasizing the need for clear information on costs, public outreach, and policy precedents.