Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Municipal Finance And Planning topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
City council approves ordinances, grant applications and budget changes in unanimous votes
Summary
The Astoria City Council on Jan. 21 approved multiple routine and substantive items including readoption of state statutes into city code, a comprehensive-plan amendment about dredged-material disposal, grant applications for fire equipment and lift-station design funding, and a supplemental budget resolution to record state grant receipts.
Astoria City Council members on Jan. 21 approved a slate of ordinances, grant authorizations and a budget amendment in motions the council moved and carried during its regular meeting.
The council held second readings and adopted an ordinance readopting state statutes into the Astoria municipal code and adopted an amendment to the comprehensive plan and development code (Amendment A24-5) that establishes the Thalweg/flow-line map and aligns city code with county, state and Army Corps disposal practices for dredged material. The council also authorized the city to participate in a regional Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) application for four thermal-imaging cameras, approved acceptance of an overflow sewer and stormwater grant agreement from the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) for the sewage lift stations rehabilitation project, and approved a supplemental budget resolution to record roughly $305,800 in newly awarded grant revenue into fund 194 to support design work on the same project.
Why it matters: The planning-code amendment affects how dredged material from the federal navigation channel is classified and disposed, which ties Astoria’s land-use map to state and federal disposal practices. The lift-station funding and budget amendment advance a multi-million-dollar rehabilitation project that city staff say is time-sensitive because the lift stations are at or beyond their useful life.
Key actions and outcomes - Approval of consent calendar: motion to approve consent items as presented was moved by Councilor Lomp and seconded by Councilors Adams and Davis; council voice-voted the consent calendar as approved. - ORD 25-1 — Readopt state statutes into city code: moved by Councilor Adams, seconded by Councilor Lomp; second reading and adoption approved. - Amendment A24-5 — Comprehensive plan and development-code amendment; Thalweg flow-line map: moved by Councilor Lomp, seconded by Councilor Mozzarella; council adopted the findings and ordinances and the decision is subject to appeal to the Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals within 21 days. - Assistance to Firefighters Grant (regional AFG) — thermal imaging cameras: moved by Councilor Davis, seconded by Councilor Lomp; council authorized Astoria Fire Department staff to apply for the regional AFG for four thermal-imaging cameras and authorized the city manager or designee to accept the award if granted. - DEQ Overflow Sewer and Stormwater Grant Agreement — Sewage Lift Stations Rehabilitation Project: moved by Councilor Adams, seconded by Councilor Mozzarella; council authorized execution of a $150,000 grant agreement from DEQ to offset design costs for the rehabilitation project. - Supplemental budget resolution — Fund 194 appropriation for lift-station design: moved by Councilor Lomp, seconded by Councilor Davis; council adopted a resolution amending the current fiscal-year budget to receive about $305,800 into fund 194 and appropriate those funds for professional services to support lift-station design work. - Authorization to retain counsel in litigation: Council approved a motion to retain City Attorney Blair Henningsgaard to represent the city in litigation related to a Ritter review proceeding filed by the Colonas; motion moved by Councilor Davis and seconded on the floor; motion carried.
What the council did not do: Several items (for example, the Thalweg map amendment) had public hearings previously (Jan. 6, 2025) and no new public testimony was taken at this meeting; the council noted that additional testimony would require a continuance and new public notice.
Next steps and deadlines: The comprehensive-plan amendment may be appealed to the Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals within 21 days of the council decision. The city will proceed with design work for the lift-station project and seek reimbursement under the awarded grants; staff said the DEQ award may offset initial design costs and could be applied to construction depending on allowable uses and subsequent funding decisions.
Sources: Motions, staff presentations and roll-call statements during the Jan. 21, 2025 Astoria City Council meeting.
