Scappoose urban renewal agency approves $15,053 supplemental grant for Shadley site improvements

The Scappoose Urban Renewal Agency voted to award an additional $15,053 to a previously approved urban renewal grant for the property that hosts Shadley’s Coffee Shop, increasing the project’s maximum grant to $32,053.

NJ Johnson, assistant to the city manager and city planner, told the agency the amended request responds to post-approval changes and higher construction costs after preconstruction engineering and right-of-way work. “Due to the increased cost of doing the city’s right of way as well as the private frontage, the applicant is requesting for an amended award,” Johnson said, adding that receipts and before-and-after photos were included in the meeting packet.

The project team widened a driveway adjacent to a city-owned alley from the originally proposed 12 feet to 24 feet to improve circulation and pavement condition on both the private frontage and the public alley. Johnson said the work benefitted customers and the public and that the contractor “did a really good job,” including coordinating a relocation of a power pole to avoid the middle of the driveway.

Agency staff reported the total project cost documented in receipts was $64,106. Under the agency’s 50% rule for urban renewal grants, the maximum eligible award would be $32,053. The agency had previously awarded $17,000 for the project in July 2024; the new supplemental award is $15,053, which would bring the grant to the 50% maximum. Staff recommended approving the supplemental award to cover the documented receipts.

Paul Siracusa, identified in the packet as the property owner of the site that hosts Shadley’s, asked the agency to consider additional items he said had arisen after initial approval, including a $5,261 charge he described as work on city-owned alley property and additional engineering/design work. Johnson and staff told the agency that the current motion would cover up to 50% of the total receipts submitted, which they said would include those items if supported by receipts and fell within the 50% rule.

Agency members discussed how much of the improved frontage is public versus private. Staff said the public portion is a rough square-footage calculation and estimated the public share at about 15–20% of the total improved area; the private side accounts for the remainder. Ben (city staff) explained staff’s view that returning this supplemental request to the urban renewal fund was preferable to drawing from other city funds because the grant is intended to support projects with both public and private benefit in the downtown area.

Agent Miller moved to adopt NJ Johnson’s recommendation to award the $15,053 supplemental grant to the applicant identified in the packet. The motion was seconded. Joel Haugen announced an abstention because he said he was not part of the original process; no other opposition was voiced and the motion carried. The supplemental award increases the project’s maximum grant to $32,053.

Agency members noted the URA fund balance after the award would remain available for future applications and that new urban renewal funding normally becomes available in July. Staff said one early-stage proposal for a business expansion (Columbia Feed & Supply) had a pre-proposal meeting and would be considered at a later date.

The agency’s action covers only the supplemental grant award as documented by the applicant’s receipts; any additional requests for uncovered engineering or other items would need documentation and review under the agency’s policies.