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Albany to seek DLCD technical assistance grants for wetlands inventory, downtown parking and comp plan work
Summary
City staff asked council permission on Sept. 22 to apply for three DLCD technical assistance grants to update the local wetland inventory, study downtown parking concepts, and begin a comprehensive plan update.
City staff asked the Albany City Council on Sept. 22 for permission to apply for three Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD) technical assistance (TA) grants to support a local wetland inventory update, a downtown parking study and business plan, and initial work on a comprehensive plan update.
A staff presenter identified in the packet as Matthew Rutgers summarized the TA grants and said the city must give formal permission to apply; a resolution giving that permission will appear on the Sept. 24 consent calendar if the council agrees. The TA grants are competitive and this year focus on economic development and comprehensive-plan updates; staff said the city does not expect a single TA grant to fund a full comprehensive-plan rewrite but that a successful award could fund engagement and an early scoping effort.
For the wetlands project, staff said the grant would fund an update to the local wetland inventory (LWI). For downtown parking, staff said the proposed work would build on two prior parking studies, look at concept solutions (including potential sites for future facilities), and could produce a business plan that would describe operations and financing; staff emphasized the grant would fund planning concepts only, not an immediate construction commitment. For the comprehensive-plan grant, staff said an award would likely fund engagement and initial planning rather than a complete revision.
Councilor Thompson and others raised skepticism about whether DLCD grants prioritize density and housing outcomes; Thompson asked to see the draft application materials before they are submitted and cautioned that state-funded studies can be used to justify future development. Staff said the grants are due Oct. 10 and that if awarded, staff will return to council with grant-acceptance materials and recommended scopes before moving forward.
No final action was taken at the work session; staff will submit the applications if the council places the resolution on the Sept. 24 consent calendar and the council approves it then.
