Commission hears update on Old Town strategic action plan; focus on infill, access and business incentives

Planning staff on June 24 gave the Sherwood Planning Commission an interim update on the Old Town Strategic Action Plan, presenting conceptual redevelopment scenarios for several vacant or underutilized sites, possible zoning changes and a set of short-term actions intended to spur business growth and improve pedestrian access.

Staff said the project is designed as a five‑year action plan to produce “shovel‑ready” strategies—zoning, design guidance, incentive tools and studies—so local businesses and grant applicants can show a clear city commitment to Old Town. “This presentation is really a culmination of a lot of the work that the consultants have done so far,” Sean, planning staff, told the commission.

Key points from the presentation and commission discussion:

- Sites and ownership: Consultants mapped multiple catalyst sites (labeled Sites A–H in the packet). Staff told commissioners a majority of the identified parcels are city‑owned, including the public works block and several lots along Pine Street and the southern end of Old Town; staff said those city parcels are logical candidates for catalytic redevelopment.

- Zoning and use considerations: The packet identified places where current zoning may not support the city’s desired ground‑floor commercial activity—most notably a high‑density residential zoning designation adjacent to Cannery Square that staff said could be considered for rezoning to encourage retail or mixed‑use development to frame the plaza and waterpark.

- Columbia Street extension, rail crossing and feasibility: Consultants presented three conceptual alternatives for extending Columbia Street up to Oregon and for reconfiguring the intersection near the rail crossing (including a roundabout option). Staff and commissioners agreed the concepts are illustrative; staff said a separate, more detailed Columbia Street or transportation study would be necessary before selecting a preferred alternative and that coordination with the railroad and Metro would be required.

- Design guidance and small‑scale activation: The plan recommends updating design guidelines for Old Town to emphasize features the public said they want—street‑level transparency, canopies, masonry materials and human‑scaled facades—and lists tactics to support small, flexible retail such as food carts, pop‑up or modular vendor spaces and a possible flex building near the plaza that could host a larger Saturday market or indoor market space.

- Business incentives and events: Staff summarized potential incentives and grant programs that could be used to recruit and support businesses, longer hours and evening activity in Old Town, and said the draft plan will include proposed incentive tools for the commission to review.

- Parking and access: The consultant described the existing parking pattern (primarily on‑street public parking and two public lots) and recommended considering a parking study and a parking management plan as the area intensifies. Several commissioners raised concern that redevelopment should not make Old Town difficult to access by car and that a strategy should balance walkability with adequate parking for families and visitors.

- Trails and wayfinding: Staff noted the Tonkin Ice Age Trail alignment remains active in city planning documents but funding is incomplete; staff said trail obligations are being advanced through development conditions and the CIP where possible. The packet also notes a need for coordinated wayfinding signage from Highway 99 and other arrival points.

Timeline and next steps: staff said the consultant was hired about ten months ago, that the draft action plan is expected in roughly three to four months, and that the plan will return for a formal work session with the commission and a public hearing (staff remarked the public hearing is likely in September). Staff said the consulting team will hold additional public outreach, Project Advisory Committee meetings and produce a draft staff report prior to the commission work session.

Commissioners and members of the public who spoke supported the overall direction but pressed staff on specifics: how the Columbia extension would be evaluated, whether rezoning would displace existing uses, how parking spillover into nearby neighborhoods would be managed, and whether the plan would include metrics to decide between alternatives. Staff and commissioners also discussed how the city‑owned Site D could be marketed as a development offering or RFP once the council’s vision is refined.

No formal action was taken; commissioners were provided the interim update and will review the draft plan in upcoming months.