Yamhill economic development committee seeks members, readies resolution changes ahead of June 11 code vote

The Yamhill Economic Development Committee met June 3 and focused on recruiting volunteers, revising the committee's membership resolution for City Council review, and coordinating downtown revitalization work with the Yamhill Downtown Association (YDA).

Committee members said an application from a prospective member, identified only as Carol, was received and that she would need to complete the standard application form before formal action. Members discussed clarifying committee membership rules in the resolution that governs the body and noted that the council will consider those changes; the committee chair said the revised resolution will be submitted to the council the following week.

The discussion covered the committee's role under Resolution R-827, which the committee described as directing the Economic Development Committee to research economic opportunities, investigate grant and funding options, recommend code updates to the planning commission and make recommendations to the City Council. Committee members said previous work included a walking inventory of vacant or underused downtown properties and that the group has coordinated with the planning commission and community volunteers on potential code and revitalization efforts.

Members noted prior grant support for downtown work. According to the meeting record, committee members reported receiving "something like a $50,000 grant" in the past to support downtown planning and charter work; the precise grant name and current status were not specified in the meeting.

Committee members also discussed the relationship between the Yamhill Downtown Association (YDA) — described as a Main Street affiliate — and the city, and emphasized that the YDA is a separate nonprofit. Several speakers stressed they want the organizations to collaborate on downtown improvements while keeping nonprofit funds distinct from city accounts.

Officials said planning staff and the planning commission have reviewed wide-ranging code edits; the committee noted that the planning commission recommended code amendments and that the City Council is scheduled to take final action on those downtown-related code amendments at its June 11 council meeting. Committee members said the planning commission’s packet includes edits that affect downtown and housing and that the planning commission’s work spans about 366 pages of city code edits and related materials.

Committee membership and schedule were prominent topics. The committee’s charter calls for seven voting members and one nonvoting member from outside the city; members said the committee currently has three members and is short by about four seats. The group discussed recruiting volunteers and noted local residents who have helped with surveys and outreach, including Pam Kirsch and neighborhood association leadership identified in the meeting as Rod Roberts (neighborhood association leader). The committee proposed pausing its July meeting and holding the next meeting on Aug. 5 to allow time for recruitment and to prepare the revised resolution for council consideration.

No formal policy votes or ordinance adoptions were taken at the June 3 meeting. The only formal motion recorded in the meeting minutes was a motion to adjourn; the meeting record shows the motion was accepted and the meeting was adjourned at the end of the session. Committee members said they will finalize the resolution language and provide a copy to interested parties before submission to the City Council.

Next steps for the committee include finalizing and circulating the revised resolution language for membership rules, continuing recruitment for open seats, coordinating with YDA volunteers on beautification and property inventory work, and monitoring the City Council’s June 11 review of the downtown code amendments. The committee indicated it will present its recommended resolution language to the council when it is ready.