County approves access agreement so developer can prep Inglewood School site pending closing

The Coos County Board of Commissioners approved a hold-harmless access agreement allowing developer Compass Communities Englewood LLC to access the former Inglewood School site to perform preparatory earthwork while the city and the developer finalize a sale.

County staff explained the background: the county entered a 2019 intergovernmental agreement with the city of Coos Bay to clean up the site after a large fire and had planned to convey the property to a nonprofit for low-income housing. That process stalled after several nonprofit partners did not proceed; the county amended the IGA last month so the city would receive the property directly and the city now intends to reconvey to a private developer.

The access agreement approved by the board was described by staff as a short-term, conditional authorization to allow the developer to perform preparatory work while the formal closing proceeds. The staff presentation noted the developer plans market-driven housing — described in the public remarks as roughly 30 to 40 homes of about 900 to 1,200 square feet — and that these homes would be privately financed and taxed rather than subsidized.

A county staff member said reconveyance delays had slowed redevelopment and that the access agreement would allow the developer to begin limited work this week or next. The motion to approve the access agreement, including “minor revisions subject to counsel approval,” passed by voice vote.

The board discussed that the initial public expectation had been for low-cost housing via a nonprofit, but county staff said those nonprofit proposals “weren't getting any traction,” and city leaders and the developer decided to proceed with a market-driven project so the property would be cleaned-up and returned to productive use.

No roll-call vote tallies were recorded in the transcript excerpt; the item passed by voice vote.