Clackamas County staff recommends approval of Willamette View riverfront park; decision pending

Clackamas County hearings officer Carl Cox heard presentations Feb. 19, 2026, on a suite of consolidated applications from Willamette View seeking a private riverfront park with river access and a dock. County staff recommended approval with conditions and left the written record open until 4 p.m. the same day; the hearings officer noted the final decision will be due by April 4, 2026.

The applications cover a conditional‑use permit, floodplain development, habitat conservation area (HCA) development, Willamette River Greenway review and steep‑slope review. County staff described the site as roughly 0.87 acres (Tax Lot 21E02AC01900) south of the city of Milwaukee inside the urban growth boundary, with access off Laurie Avenue via an existing easement and a small nine‑space parking area.

Staff said the project’s primary purpose is river access for Willamette View residents; accessory structures include a restroom (~128 square feet), kayak storage (~288 square feet) and picnic shelter (~264 square feet). Staff concluded that, with conditions, the proposal meets applicable Clackamas County Zoning and Development Ordinance criteria for the R‑10 zone and the environmental overlays cited in the staff report.

A key outstanding condition concerns geotechnical and seismic stability for the dock gangway. Taylor Campy, senior planner, noted the geotechnical report identified liquefiable soils (site class F) and recommended documenting each structure’s fundamental period. Staff proposed requiring documentation that each structure’s fundamental period is 0.5 seconds or less or, if not, that the applicant provide additional geotechnical analysis and stamped engineering certification demonstrating the site is stable for the proposed development.

Applicant counsel Jenny Breaker said the applicant provided documentation showing all proposed structures except the dock gangway meet the 0.5‑second limitation. The gangway’s design engineer estimated a fundamental period ranging from about 0.4 to 0.6 seconds; Breaker proposed allowing the applicant to submit a site‑specific seismic hazard evaluation and a stamped geotechnical certification before development permits are issued. County staff indicated they would require stamped PE documentation confirming any such determinations.

Applicants and residents emphasized the proposal’s resident‑focused benefits. Craig Van Valkenburg, CEO of Willamette View, and David Constiam, the organization’s vice president of community services, described the park as a wellness and access amenity for older residents. Three residents offered on‑record public testimony in support, saying on‑site kayak storage and a wider floating dock would increase stability and accessibility for seniors.

Staff also reviewed floodplain, Willamette River Greenway and HCA issues. Staff said the dock and gangway are water‑dependent uses that may be permitted if accompanied by a no‑rise certification and that the applicant’s plans show the gangway attachment point about 245 feet from mean low water — outside the 150‑foot Greenway buffer required to maximize vegetated area. For habitat impacts, staff reported the project would disturb roughly 9,764 square feet of HCA and calculated mitigation requirements under county methodology: 98 trees and 488 shrubs, to be planted per mitigation plan specifications.

No motions or votes were taken at the hearing. The hearings officer closed the oral hearing while keeping the record open to 4 p.m. Feb. 19 for additional exhibits and asked the applicant to confirm whether it will waive the period for final written argument after the record closes. The hearings officer will issue a written decision in the record by the April 4, 2026 deadline.