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Philomath planning staff says DLCD contract received, lays out aggressive code-amendment schedule
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Summary
City planning staff told the Philomath Planning Commission they have received a contract from the Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD) and an agreement with the Council of Governments (COG) to begin residential code amendments; staff outlined a phased schedule with public outreach and touch points for commissioners.
At a Philomath Planning Commission meeting, city staff said they received a contract from the Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD) and have an agreement with the Council of Governments (COG) to begin residential code amendments.
A committee member said, “We actually just got the contract from DLCD today, which is great,” and explained that the contract will be reviewed by the city attorney, converted for digital signatures and returned, allowing work to move forward as soon as the week. Staff emphasized the work will proceed in phases: residential amendments handled by COG, administrative updates completed by city staff, and commercial/industrial revisions reviewed next.
Laura Larocque, city planning staff, said staff have drafted a timeline and plan to include public outreach such as a presence at the farmers market and fall events to gather community feedback. She said the schedule is intentionally aggressive so the commission has touch points for review rather than leaving the process open-ended.
Commissioners asked about the timing and sequencing for technical reviews. Staff described division 2 review (basic site standards for commercial/industrial development, including landscaping, parking and setbacks) as the near-term focus, with work on division 3 to follow. Staff said division 2 review will occur over several months and that they expect COG-delivered residential work to be ready for commission feedback before June.
The staff presentation repeatedly emphasized that draft materials and staff review do not constitute approval; formal public notice and hearings will be required before any code changes are adopted. Staff said public hearings are expected in October for some elements (parts A and B and overlay districts), though overlays may come later if they do not fit the current schedule.
The commission did not take formal action on code changes at the meeting; staff said they will return with drafts and opportunities for commissioner feedback and public hearings when the materials are ready.
The commission approved the Feb. 17 minutes earlier in the meeting and adjourned after other-business reports.
What happens next: staff will complete legal review of the DLCD contract, finalize draft materials with COG and city staff, and present drafts to the commission for review and public hearing scheduling.
