Staff proposes flowchart for residential street standards; council, residents debate costs and fire-code limits

Jennifer (staff member) reviewed the city's existing local street standards and presented staff recommendations for implementing street improvements when private residential development is proposed.

Jennifer told the council that the city previously required full street-width improvements where right-of-way did not meet current standards; staff said the current standard can be a minimum 28 feet of asphalt with curb, gutter and sidewalks, but for small residential homes (under 3,600 square feet) the recommended implementation in many cases would require bringing an adjacent unimproved right-of-way to current street standards by installing a minimum 20 feet of pavement with curb, gutter and sidewalks and any necessary storm improvements from the end of existing improvements to the property line. Jennifer emphasized staff’s intent to balance municipal engineering standards with Oregon Fire Code requirements and livability and to avoid increasing the inventory of substandard gravel or paved roads.

Staff recommended a flowchart to guide consistent, case-by-case implementation. Using three site examples, staff illustrated how outcomes differ by context: an undeveloped right-of-way adjacent to a proposed lot would trigger full street-width improvements; a gravel road more than 20 feet wide with acceptable slope, adequate fire flow and turnarounds would likely require on-site mitigation only; and a subdivided site at 2250 South Seventeenth Street presents mixed outcomes — the western parcel could be sited so that no major improvements are needed while the two eastern parcels off Iowa Avenue, where slope is steep and the existing right-of-way is narrow, would require consultation with the fire marshal and likely on-site mitigation.

Chief Atkins (Fire Department) told the council that the Oregon Fire Code "determines the size of the streets" and includes legally required specifications for width, grade and surface that the city must follow. Staff and the fire chief said emergency access and fire-flow requirements (for example, hydrant spacing and a minimum of 1,000 gallons per minute in some examples) can trigger additional on-site measures such as private access, hydrant installation, or turnout/turnaround work.

Several residents who spoke in public comment said the cost of required street improvements is a major concern. Mike Powder, who identified himself as a Coos Bay resident, urged flexibility and case-by-case review and said mandatory full improvements can be financially burdensome; Vivian Miller said she is retired, owns three parcels that are landlocked by unimproved right-of-way and called mandatory full improvements "disgraceful" because of personal cost. Another resident described a subdivision process in which variances changed while a parcel was being surveyed and said preliminary bids to install a street were approximately $600,000 for the three-lot project (he gave the contractor name Knife River). Staff responded that older policy allowed the city manager, police chief and public works director to reduce standards in limited circumstances, but that policy had been rescinded and staff now must follow the current approach with case-by-case mitigation.

Council members asked whether alternatives exist for financing or phasing street work. City Manager Nicole (City Manager) said the city could consider limited programs using existing transportation-related fees but warned that such funds are finite and diverting them reduces the pool available for maintaining existing streets. Councilors expressed interest in a stepped approach and training staff to use the flowchart so decisions and messaging are consistent.

Staff proposed next steps: train staff on the flowchart, provide guidance materials to builders and real-estate professionals, and update Chapter 18 of the municipal code to remove discrepancies with fire-code requirements. No final action was taken at the work session; staff recommended returning to council with any ordinance updates and further guidance for implementation.

Ending

The council and staff left the work session with an agreed path to use a staff-developed flowchart and case-by-case review to implement street standards, recognizing Oregon Fire Code constraints and potential financial hardship for small homeowners. Staff will train personnel, notify industry stakeholders and propose code cleanups where needed.