Coos Bay council adopts Empire Area Blueprint, removes wording recommending waterfront housing at Hollering Place

Coos Bay Mayor Joe Benetti and the City Council on Tuesday adopted the Empire Area Blueprint and associated changes to the comprehensive plan, municipal code and transportation plan, voting unanimously to approve land-use application 187-24-000174-PLNG and to enact three ordinances implementing parts of the blueprint.

The council amended the staff-recommended findings to remove a sentence on page 14 (and a cross-reference on page 49) that had said consultants found mixed commercial use and "high-end housing" may be the highest and best use for the waterfront. The council also directed staff to clarify in the record that the Hollering Place should be preserved for open-space and recreational uses and that any change allowing residential uses there would require subsequent review through the Coos Bay Estuary Management Plan process.

Why it matters: The blueprint is a long-range plan aimed at guiding development, transportation improvements and waterfront strategy for the Empire study area. The adoption moves a multi-year project into an implementation phase and establishes city-level policy changes and implementing ordinances; it does not, by itself, rezone property or authorize private development without later approvals.

Council and staff said the amendment was meant to reflect public testimony and council direction that the Hollering Place remain an open-space asset while leaving other waterfront parcels subject to the normal public review and rezoning processes. Chelsea (city planning staff) told the council the plan had been prepared over multiple years with input from an advisory committee, stakeholders and tribes and includes transportation and pedestrian-improvement concepts, development opportunity blocks and possible mural sites. She also noted that the plan includes a recommendation that changes to waterfront residential allowances would require review by the Coos Bay Estuary Management Plan steering committee.

Public testimony was substantial. Several Empire residents and members of the Community Coalition of Empire urged the council to preserve the Hollering Place for boat ramp expansion, park and open-space uses and to remove wording that could be read as promoting waterfront housing. Tom Greaves and Christine Moffitt warned against encouraging residential development in low-lying areas that face tsunami and flood hazards. Property owners on the waterfront (the Soss brothers) told staff and the council they had no objection to mixed-use options but wanted to preserve industrial options as viable.

Council action and next steps: The motion adopted the land-use decision and records, amended the finding language specified by councilors (removing the sentence that identified mixed commercial and high-end housing as the highest and best use on page 14 and removing the parallel language on page 49), and directed staff to proceed with the ordinances to align the comprehensive plan, the municipal code and the transportation plan with the adopted blueprint. Mayor Benetti announced that ordinances 582, 583 and 584 and resolution 25-07 were enacted as part of the vote. The council’s roll call showed all members present voting “Aye.”

What remains to be decided: Any rezoning or formal allowance of residential development on waterfront parcels would still require the property owner to initiate a zone-change process, planning commission review and council approval; changes affecting the Hollering Place would also need action from the Estuary Management Plan steering committee and, where required, the county. Staff said that process could take months to years depending on the public process and analyses required.

Councilors and staff said they expect the blueprint to guide infrastructure investments and parking-management strategies and to prompt later, more detailed design and code work to implement the plan’s transportation and placemaking recommendations. Several public commenters offered to assist with monitoring and maintenance of the Hollering Place and other public amenities.

Votes at a glance: The council approved the land-use application and adopted implementing ordinances and a resolution with the amendment described above. The vote was unanimous. The decision is subject to appeal to the Land Use Board of Appeals within the statutory appeal period.

End note: City staff identified the Estuary Management Plan as the next forum for any potential change in allowed uses on the waterfront; until and unless that multi-jurisdictional process completes, the council directed the record to reflect the city’s intent to preserve the Hollering Place for open-space and recreational uses.