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Tualatin planners weigh how to align local rules with stateclear-and-objective housing law
Summary
City consultants presented a code audit and options to bring Tualatindevelopment rules into compliance with the stateclear-and-objective housing standard. Commissioners generally supported creating an administrative "adjustment" path for multifamily but were divided over allowing multifamily in low-density RL zones; no formal votes were taken.
Tualatin planning commissioners received a presentation from city consultants on proposals to update the citydevelopment code to comply with the stateclear-and-objective housing standard (referenced in the meeting as ORS 197a.400). Consultant Kate Rogers said the audit identified numerous code sections that use discretionary or vague terms and recommended a mix of numeric standards, purpose statements and, where appropriate, a new administrative adjustment process to reduce discretionary review.
"The statute requires local governments to have clear and objective standards, conditions, and procedures for housing development," Kate Rogers said, explaining the project is funded by a grant from the Department of Land Conservation and Development and will produce draft code amendments for commission review in the spring. Rogers and the consultant team illustrated how adding measurable metrics (for example, defining a recessed entry as at least five feet) can convert subjective design language into objective standards.
Commission discussion centered on three policy questions…
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