Keizer planners review state'backed walkable design recommendations, push for local tailoring

Keizer Planning Commission members spent the March 12 meeting reviewing a staff'led audit of the city's land'use code intended to comply with Oregon's Climate Friendly and Equitable Communities (CFEC) administrative rule and to encourage more compact, pedestrian'oriented development.

Shane (planning staff) told the commission that the project is funded by the state and that staff expect to return with draft code language in May. "We're anticipating that we'll actually have a draft code language, that we'll be bringing back to you, not in April, but in May," Shane said.

The review was presented by Andrew Parrish, a land'use planner with MIG Consulting, who described the project as a code compliance and amendment effort under Oregon Administrative Rule 660'012'0330 and the CFEC guidance. "The purpose is to create more compact pedestrian friendly and mixed use development patterns in urban areas," Parrish said, summarizing the state goals that guided his audit.

Commission discussion focused on several recommended changes pulled from the audit and model code guidance: a suggested…