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Tualatin staff outline draft CFEC walkable design code; council splits on drive-through approach
Summary
Planning staff presented draft code amendments tied to Oregon's CFEC rules to shorten block lengths, add alley and mid-block access standards, require building orientation in higher-density zones and regulate drive-throughs; council asked staff to return with ordinance language showing options on drive-throughs.
City planning staff on May 27 presented a draft set of code amendments tied to Oregon’s Climate Friendly and Equitable Communities (CFEC) rules that aim to promote walkable, pedestrian‑oriented development in residential, commercial and mixed‑use areas of Tualatin.
Erin Engman, senior planner, and Steve Koper, assistant community development director, introduced the walkable design package prepared with consultant input from Kate Rogers and others. The amendments respond to state rule "0330" (as described by staff) and the Metro 2040 growth concept, and are intended to promote pedestrian connectivity, compact development, and pedestrian‑friendly building placement and parking patterns.
Key provisions in the draft include reducing maximum block length from 530 feet to 400 feet and adding a block‑perimeter standard; new design standards for alleys so alleys can be used to meet connectivity goals; enhanced standards for mid‑block pedestrian/bicycle access ways (width, lighting and accessibility); and entry‑orientation and maximum setback provisions for higher‑density residential and mixed‑use areas to bring buildings closer to sidewalks.
For commercial and mixed‑use districts, the draft would require at least one main entry to be oriented toward a street or be within 25 feet of it and discourage placing parking between buildings and the street by favoring side- or rear‑parking. Staff said many of those requirements already exist in the city’s mixed‑use commercial (MUC) zone and are proposed to be extended to two commercial zones with added flexibility and exceptions when strict compliance is impractical.
The draft also tightens standards for auto‑oriented uses, particularly drive‑through facilities, to ensure pedestrian access and safety. Proposed measures include requiring walk‑up window options, standards for stacking lanes and driveway spacing, and rules intended to prevent drive‑through queues from blocking parking or public ways.
Kate Rogers asked the council whether drive‑throughs should be prohibited in the MUC district (the city’s primary pedestrian‑priority commercial/mixed‑use area). Council responses split: some members favored prohibition in the MUC to avoid queuing and pedestrian conflicts; others sought flexibility or conditional‑use review to allow exceptional designs. Council President Pratt and several councilors flagged Bridgeport Village and nearby parcels as locations that may be different from downtown and suggested staff present code language that shows both options.
Staff said the walkable standards will be refined and proceed through the formal adoption process in the coming months, with additional council review. The package will be taken forward in coordination with the transportation system plan update and other CFEC work. No formal vote occurred at the work session; staff will return with ordinance text that includes the council’s direction to present options on drive‑through regulation in the MUC zone.
