Resident tells commission she learned of Cruiser/Cruise Way zone change late and urges broader citizen involvement

Diane Cassidy, a 50-year Lake Oswego resident and Blue Heron neighborhood association board member, told the Planning Commission on Nov. 24 that she first learned about a proposed zone change affecting Cruiser (Cruise) Way on Nov. 5 and that the neighborhood had not been included on the list of adjacent communities for notification. She urged the commission to deny the map amendment or at least postpone it until a broader evaluation of zoning and neighborhood impacts is completed.

"I didn't hear about the Cruise Way proposed zone change until November 5 when I just happened to pick up a newspaper," Cassidy said. She told commissioners the application has been minimized to a map amendment and that, in her view, the scale of change could allow 600–800 housing units depending on unit sizes, a possibility she said had not been examined for citywide impacts. Cassidy asked the commission to ensure citizens are involved from the start and to consider stronger notification measures.

Staff and the city attorney told Cassidy that the record for that particular land-use hearing was closed and that written arguments had been submitted on schedule; staff noted, however, that the planning commission’s public hearing was closed that night and that members of the public could testify to the City Council when that hearing is scheduled. The commission also noted the Cruiser/Cruise Way application had been continued to Dec. 8, 2025, for additional proceedings.

Cassidy’s comments highlight citizen-notification and outreach concerns connected to a separate zone-change application; the commission’s deliberations on LU25-002 (home-occupation standards) proceeded after public comment.