Tualatin Development Commission moves forward with two‑year downtown revitalization plan

Tualatin Development Commission members on April 14 directed staff to proceed with a two‑year downtown revitalization process that will create a community identity, produce conceptual design work and recommend updates to zoning and design code intended to spur redevelopment.

The effort centers on creating a focused redevelopment approach for central Tualatin that builds on the 2022 CORA vision plan and recent public investments, including the Veterans Plaza and planned riverfront park work. Commission staff said an early objective is to attract private investment by reducing developer uncertainty.

Sid (city staff) told the commission that the project would begin with a five‑month community identity phase run by a consultant and include public workshops, small focus groups and outreach to property and business owners. "We want to provide certainty to the development community," Sid said, summarizing the rationale for moving now: "You've signaled to the development community and the public that you're committed to investing in the downtown." The staff estimate for the planning work was about $125,000, and Sid said the city would also pursue a University of Oregon student design studio to produce three‑dimensional concepts and visualizations.

The commission will form a 12‑member community advisory committee (CAC) to guide the process. Staff proposed members include council representatives, advisory‑board members, a chamber representative, property and business owners, a youth advisory member and seats for arts and aging‑services representation. Commissioners asked staff to add a sustainability or climate representative to the CAC.

Sid described the process as three phases: identity and placemaking; a design charrette and conceptual design phase with the University of Oregon; and code‑level refinements and an implementation plan. He identified the six‑acre riverfront property near Tualatin Community Park as a priority redevelopment site and said early public‑private partnerships would be key to attract initial projects.

Commissioners raised several implementation concerns during the discussion. Councilor Brooks encouraged outreach to the development community and suggested seeking peer advice from other Oregon cities that have used public‑private partnerships to catalyze redevelopment. Councilor Gonzalez urged attention to constructability, long‑term maintenance costs and water‑conservation measures, warning that some sustainable features such as green roofs can be costly to maintain. Councilor Sacco and others expressed concern about including Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue in CAC decision‑making; staff clarified TVF&R would be part of an internal technical advisory group rather than the community advisory committee so the department could provide operational feedback without vetoing planning choices.

Commissioners voted informally during discussion to proceed; staff will return with a formal contract for the consultant engagement, a draft CAC roster and a proposed intergovernmental agreement with the University of Oregon for the design studio. Sid said the team expects to reach the implementation step by early 2027.

If funded and implemented as outlined, the plan would deliver community‑driven visual concepts, recommended code changes for the downtown core, and a workplan for public‑private partnerships intended to reduce risk for early developers and encourage private investment.

Next steps include establishing the CAC, finalizing the consultant contract for the community identity work and advancing the University of Oregon design studio scope and intergovernmental agreement.