Planning commission approves Clackamas Community College sidewalk plan with wetland mitigation

The Oregon City Planning Commission voted unanimously May 10 to recommend approval of water resource application WR04‑06, allowing Clackamas Community College to build a sidewalk and related improvements along its Beavercreek Road frontage that cross Newell Creek and adjacent wetlands.

Sean Cook, planning staff, told the commission the sidewalk was required by condition 15 of the college's 2002 conditional use permit and would run about 2,200 linear feet along Beavercreek Road. "The applicant is proposing mitigation, removal of the exotics from the site, planting of native species within the vegetated corridor, removal of some asphalt, an existing parking lot in the vegetated corridor, approximately a 36 foot long bridge to span the wetlands and creek," Cook said. He added the applicant estimated the work would impact about 1,700 square feet of vegetated corridor and require removal of one tree.

Staff said the Division of State Lands issued a letter (entered as exhibit A) concluding the project, as proposed, does not involve removal or fill in jurisdictional waters of the state and therefore does not require a state removal‑fill permit. Cook recommended two conditions of approval to cover any design changes and to secure required permits. He told commissioners that Army Corps approval was not anticipated because no in‑water work is proposed, but the city would require any additional federal or state approvals if the design changes during construction.

During questioning, commissioners asked whether the sidewalk should be classified as a road widening or a path; staff explained sidewalks are treated as part of the roadway system for code purposes. Commissioners also asked about bridge materials and retaining walls. Cook said the city prefers concrete for a bridge that will later be taken into the city right‑of‑way and that retaining walls are being used to avoid slopes that would otherwise extend impacts closer to the creek.

The applicant described the bridge as a simple span with abutments located outside the top of bank. Staff noted much of the wetland area dries in summer but said three of the four vegetated communities onsite are degraded and would be brought up to code standards through exotic removal and native replanting. The mitigation plan also calls for removal of pavement from an existing parking area inside the vegetated corridor, soil decompaction and revegetation.

Following deliberation, Commissioner [name not specified] moved to recommend approval of WR04‑06 with the staff findings and the two proposed conditions; the motion passed unanimously. The commission's recommendation will be forwarded to the city for final action as required by the city's land‑use process.

Notes: Project site reported by staff as Clackamas Community College, 19600 Molalla Avenue (map/tax lot cited in staff report). The staff report referenced Oregon City Municipal Code chapter 17.49 and the city's water quality map and local wetland inventory.