MADRAS, Ore. — The Madras Planning Commission on Jan. 15 continued its public hearing on proposed amendments to implement the city’s Public Improvement Design and Construction Standards into the municipal code, citing the scope of redlined changes and a request for a clear crosswalk between existing code and proposed language.

Staff presented the package as an administrative clean-up that aligns the development code with updated public-works standards and consolidates material previously contained in Chapter 12 of the municipal code. Staff said the public-works standards themselves are adopted by ordinance and that the current proposal updates the development code so both documents are consistent.

Commissioners asked for a comparative summary showing: the current code text, the proposed replacement language, and hyperlinks to the standards and specifications that will govern design and construction. Commissioner questions focused on a specific change that would allow the city administrator to accept right-of-way dedications rather than requiring council action, and on where Chapter 12 language will now appear in the consolidated code.

Public comment and staff clarifications
No members of the public addressed this item during the hearing. Staff confirmed that the public-works director requested the standards update and that most changes are administrative or clarifying rather than policy shifts. Staff also said that the standards give some flexibility to modify technical specifications as needed and that the proposed code language was intended to reflect current practice.

Action and requested follow-up
Commissioner Eder moved, and Commissioner Kendall seconded, to continue the public hearing to the commission’s Feb. 5 meeting to allow commissioners time to review a staff-prepared crosswalk and supporting materials. The motion passed.

What commissioners requested: staff to provide a table or spreadsheet that lists each code section removed or replaced, the exact replacement text proposed, and links to the public-improvement standards and any other documents (for example, existing Chapter 12 and the public-works standards and specifications). Commissioners said they would use the crosswalk to confirm that no substantive policy changes were being made without clear record.

Next steps: staff will prepare and post the requested comparative materials and return the item to the Feb. 5 planning commission meeting for further public hearing and action.