Tigard staff present River Terrace 2 housing plan draft aiming for 20 units per acre; developers flag feasibility gap

City planners presented a draft housing plan for River Terrace 2 and asked the Tigard City Council for feedback on an approach intended to deliver a wide mix of housing types and roughly 20 dwelling units per acre across the development area'a target that staff estimates would translate to about 3,000 new homes.

Senior Planner Britney Gaeta and Assistant Community Development Director Skyler Warren described the draft as a high-level framework that will inform a community plan, future code amendments and complementary strategies (equitable finance tools, incentives, infrastructure staging). Gaeta said the plan has three primary sections: housing policies and objectives, a regulatory approach (high-level density and housing types), and supporting strategies to reduce cost and risk for developers.

Staff described engagement to date: roughly 80 people attended an in-person open house (about 40 provided written comments), 57 participated online, and overall the project received about 100 written comments. Three advisory committees contributed: a Community Advisory Committee (about a dozen residents), a Housing Advisory Committee (about 15 local housing experts), and a Technical Advisory Committee (jurisdictional partners). Focus groups included Spanish-speaking residents and high-school students.

The draft approach reiterates a 20 dwelling units-per-acre goal (staff estimate ~3,000 homes) and prioritizes a diverse mix of housing including ownership options at multiple price points, regulated affordable housing, senior- and mobility-friendly units, and shared green space where private yards are not provided. Gaeta said the plan maps three residential designations (lower/medium/higher density) and proposes a form-based code framework keyed to street frontages.

Developers and housing experts who participated in advisory groups told staff that feasibility concerns will require incentives and risk-mitigation: smaller developers in particular face financing and timing constraints to deliver mixed housing types. "Mitigating risk, especially financial risk, is of the utmost importance," Gaeta summarized from the Housing Advisory Committee feedback. Staff acknowledged a gap between community preferences and developer feasibility and said supplemental strategies (incentives, streamlined processes, financing tools) will be investigated to narrow that gap.

Council members asked detailed questions about visualization, infrastructure, parks funding, walkability, and how the plan aligns with Oregon's housing needs analysis. Skyler Warren said the City used the 2021 housing needs analysis as the primary guide and noted the state-level HNA work is being tracked; staff expect to begin drafting code amendments later this summer and aim for plan adoption in fall 2026. Warren also said a transportation update is scheduled for July 15 to present findings related to walk sheds and traffic.

Specific clarifications and figures discussed in the meeting: - Draft target density: about 20 dwelling units per acre across River Terrace 2, translating to roughly 3,000 homes if achieved. (Gaeta) - Public engagement numbers: ~80 in-person attendees with ~40 written comments; 57 online participants; ~100 written comments total. (Gaeta) - Procurement and project timeline: staff reported submitting the draft housing plan to the Department of Land Conservation and Development on May 30 to meet grant deadlines and met with the Planning Commission June 2 for feedback. (Gaeta) - River Terrace 1 built-out density and units: staff cited River Terrace 1 as approximately 14'16 units per acre as-built (staff estimate) and about 2,194 units constructed to date; River Terrace 2 is intended as an iteration to increase housing delivery. (Staff comment) - Electrification was discussed as a consideration but not specified: staff said community charging and home electrification are possibilities to be further defined.

Councilors requested additional materials and follow-ups: multiple councilors asked for 3-D visualizations or simulations to help the public and council better picture proposed housing patterns; requests were made for clearer maps of nearby commercial services, further detail on how the plan incorporates the state's housing needs analysis, and a more explicit, item-by-item response on how the plan will address identified development challenges (infrastructure, parks funding, transportation safety along Bull Mountain Road).

Staff next steps: refine the draft housing plan with remaining community input, host a summer housing-focused focus group (including planned outreach to an affordable-housing provider's residents), complete further feasibility investigations, and begin drafting code amendments later this summer. Staff also will present a transportation analysis on July 15 and continue discussions with developers and housing partners to test incentive strategies.

The presentation generated extended council discussion but no final action; the council provided direction and requested further analysis and visualization before the plan proceeds to code-drafting and formal adoption processes.