Staff: Housing technical‑assistance grant on schedule; advisory committee to review visuals on building heights

Planning staff updated the Yamhill Planning Commission on progress under a housing technical-assistance grant, including project timing, reimbursement and upcoming citizen-advisory meetings to refine code language.

Staff said the grant work is on schedule: the initial reimbursement deadline was met and staff reported the Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD) appeared satisfied with the submission. A citizen advisory committee will meet again on Jan. 22 to review materials and visuals that illustrate how building-height changes could affect downtown character. Staff said building height, accessory dwelling units (ADUs) and duplex rules remain topics needing more detailed code language; visuals from other communities are planned to help show potential impacts.

"We're getting down to the point of code language will be, worked on. We're looking at, say, January, February to start seeing more of the written material," said one staff presenter. "What was recommended today was maybe bring some visuals of other communities that have done this so that it would show how it could potentially impact what we look like currently versus what it could look like."

Staff also said an additional citizen advisory meeting will be scheduled to wrap up outstanding items and a fourth meeting will be added to finalize materials before staff takes recommendations to planning and city council.

Ending: Staff will return with draft code language in the coming months after further citizen-advisory review; the commission expects additional materials and visuals at the Jan. 22 meeting so that the public and advisory committee can better evaluate building-height options and other unresolved items.