The Board of Estimates on May 21 approved a $30,000 grant agreement to the Ashburton Area Association Inc. from the City’s FY22 Pimlico local impact aid program, officials said.

Administration staff said the award funds a scope of work to hire the School of Architecture and Planning at Oregon State University as a consultant to conduct outreach and planning for the Ashburton neighborhood. The work will include a minimum of three charrettes, a community dinner and other meeting materials; officials said the association aims to complete the sessions by the end of the fiscal year.

Director Reyer said the grant was originally awarded in 2022 but stalled due to leadership turnover in the association. Former President Beatrice Scott was named in the discussion; the association regained momentum after leadership changes, and former mayor (name given in transcript as Pew) has assumed leadership and reactivated the project, administration staff said.

Board members approved the walk-on grant. The administration also noted Ashburton has applied for a second grant for pedestrian lighting.