Planning commission approves engagement plan to update Springfield housing code; TAC recruitment to begin

The Springfield Planning Commission voted 5-0 to approve a community engagement strategy for a housing-related code and plan update and directed staff to begin recruiting a technical advisory committee (TAC) and public outreach under the adopted plan.

The engagement plan accompanies a two-part audit by consultant Cascadia Partners that will review Springfield’s development code, comprehensive plan, and refinement plans for compliance with state housing statutes and administrative rules, and will identify policy-driven changes to support multifamily and mixed-use development.

Haley Campbell, senior planner, told the commission the project has two main threads: a state-statute compliance audit and a policy-driven code review. "The purpose of the housing related code and plan update is to continue the ongoing work of Springfield's housing strategy," Campbell said as she introduced the engagement plan and the consultant’s scope. She described examples where current code language was found unclear or subjective and where new clear-and-objective standards could be drafted (for example, façade massing techniques and minimum ground-floor transparency percentages).

Cascadia Partners will check Springfield documents against state statutes and rules cited in the staff presentation, including ORS 197 (comprehensive land use planning provisions), ORS 222 (city planning and zoning, as referenced in the presentation), ORS 92 (subdivisions and partitions), and DLCD administrative rules (OAR 660, including the CFEC/walkability provisions). Campbell said the consultant expects to deliver most findings to staff by mid-March for internal review.

Under the approved engagement plan, staff will: create a project webpage and outreach materials; recruit a TAC composed primarily of industry professionals (developers, real-estate practitioners, housing providers) but also accept community members; use social media, the city newsletter, tabling at summer events, one-on-one meetings with industry professionals, and a public survey; and hold public workshops during the amendments phase. Campbell said staff would begin recruitment immediately if the commission approved the engagement plan and that applicant materials for the TAC would be returned to the commission for review on the commission’s May 20 meeting date.

Commissioners and staff discussed the TAC composition and participation options. Monica (staff member) told commissioners that some development community contacts had limited capacity to serve formally on a TAC but preferred informal engagement such as office visits or coffee meetings. Sandy (staff member) provided examples from prior code updates and noted how input from industry practitioners had highlighted issues such as split requirements for commercial versus residential floor area in mixed-use buildings.

Commissioner Driggs offered a motion to approve the engagement strategy as presented; the motion carried on a roll-call vote with Thompson, Schmunk, Weber, Greenwell and Driggs voting aye (5-0). The approval formally initiates the community engagement activities in the staff plan, including TAC recruitment and project webpage creation.

Next steps: staff will create the project web page and outreach materials, start TAC recruitment immediately, present TAC applicants to the commission at its May 20 meeting, and proceed to public-facing concept work in summer 2025 prior to drafting amendments for adoption. Campbell said adoption is slated to occur in early 2026, after the audit, concept and amendment phases are complete.