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 maximum block length of 350 feet in newly developed areas, pedestrian and bicycle accessways through long blocks, minimum accessway and easement widths, limits on driveway widths and separation, requirements for primary building entrances facing the street, placement of parking behind or beside buildings in commercial zones, and stricter rules or conditional permitting for drive'through facilities.

Key specifics discussed included the state'recommended 350'foot maximum block length for core areas, a recommended minimum accessway width of 15 feet (with at least a paved portion for accessibility), a maximum accessway length of 300 feet between streets, a proposed maximum single'family and middle'housing driveway width of 24 feet, and a proposal that half of required bicycle parking for multiunit and mixed'use developments be covered. Commissioners also discussed making drive'through facilities conditional uses in some commercial zones and adding standards such as walk'up windows, safe pedestrian crossings of drive'thru lanes and a stacking'lane setback of 50 feet from intersections.

Commissioner Grens criticized some proposals as impractical for Keizer's built context, saying, "350 foot block lengths as a max, I think that's insane." Commissioner King urged practical, site'sensitive implementation: while supporting many walkability goals, King said the city should adopt standards that will be feasible when parcels redevelop and recommended outreach to affected businesses.

Staff and consultants acknowledged those implementation constraints repeatedly. Parrish and staff stressed that the state rules provide examples rather than strict one'size'fits'all mandates and that Keizer has latitude to adopt locally tailored metrics. Shane noted that some areas (for example parts of River Road and Keizer Station) present different trade'offs and that an outreach survey planned for April will aim to capture resident and business perspectives.

Votes at a glance: At the start of the meeting the commission approved the January 2025 minutes. Commissioner Grintz moved to approve the minutes "as presented" and Commissioner Lopez seconded; the motion passed unanimously with two commissioners absent (Hutchins and Hostler), as recorded on the meeting record.

What happens next: Staff said they will return with draft code amendments for Planning Commission review in May, will run outreach including a focused survey in April, and are working under a consultant contract through June. The planning staff also flagged that some implementation measures (for example, changes that would require consolidated driveways or new public rights'of'way) may be addressed alongside the city's Transportation System Plan update or through site'specific redevelopment reviews rather than as immediate, citywide mandates.

The commission did not take any formal votes on code changes at the March 12 meeting. The conversation will inform the May text amendment packet and subsequent public hearings.

Ending: Staff said they will refine the audit into draft code language, bring targeted maps and concrete examples to the commission, and pursue additional outreach to businesses and residents before returning to the commission and city council for deliberation and potential adoption.