The Yamhill Economic Development Committee voted on Nov. 4 to proceed with follow-up steps after the planning commission reviewed the committee's proposed design-code template, directing staff to research technical-assistance grants and to arrange consultations with historic-preservation staff.

Committee members told colleagues the planning commission received the template and that Walt Wendelowski reviewed it and found it to be a useful foundation that could be refined into city-specific standards. Members discussed two paths for next steps: seek a formal technical-assistance grant to fund a detailed rewrite and legal drafting, or adopt more limited, incremental changes such as creating a Central Business District historic-overlay zone and then sending a narrower ordinance to the planning commission and council.

Committee members identified likely funding or technical-assistance sources to pursue, including the Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD), Oregon Main Street, Business Oregon, and other local and philanthropic partners. Members discussed the practical differences: a grant-funded technical rewrite could provide a professionally written, code-ready document but may take longer and require upfront budget capacity for reimbursable grants; a narrower, iterative overlay approach could implement protections sooner with fewer immediate costs.

The committee also reported contact with Evan West of the Oregon Historic Preservation Office (Oregon Parks and Recreation Department), who indicated he could provide assessment and advisory support on historic designation and inventory questions. The committee agreed that a meeting with state preservation staff could help determine whether targeted historic-designation work or a broader technical grant made most sense.

A motion to proceed with the next steps as discussed'including asking Walt to track grant opportunities and to follow up with state staff'was moved, seconded and approved by voice vote. The transcript records the motion and that several members responded in the affirmative; a roll-call tally was not captured in the recording.

What happens next: committee members said Walt will pursue technical-assistance and grant research and report back. The committee set a follow-up item for its next meeting on Dec. 2 to review findings and to consider whether to seek grant funding for a full technical rewrite or to pursue a more limited historic-overlay ordinance.

Sources: discussion recorded in the Nov. 4, 2025 Economic Development Committee meeting transcript; committee members and meeting materials cited internal review and state contacts.