City holds contentious first reading of UGB swap ordinance amid legal questions and public pushback

Monmouth City Council held the first reading of Ordinance 1423 on June 2, 2026, a legislative measure to implement a UGB (urban growth boundary) swap that would remove roughly 90 acres from the city’s UGB and add about 75 net acres in exchange.

Suzanne Donner, community and economic development director, summarized the staff report and said the ordinance contains the findings and updated legal descriptions needed to send the measure to Polk County and the Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD) for review. “Because this is a legislative amendment, it does require adoption by an ordinance,” Donner said as she outlined the map changes and the background public hearing from April.

City attorney Greg Gobble addressed a letter submitted earlier in the day by an attorney raising concerns about contiguity and road ownership for one parcel being added. Gobble told the council he and staff had discussed the issue with DLCD and the county and that DLCD had indicated contiguity was not likely to block approval: “They said that was a non-issue for them,” he said. Gobble also reported the county confirmed it does not own the portion of Mistletoe Road at issue and that, as described in the staff report, half of the road would be included with annexation.

The discussion exposed splits among council members over the underlying policy and the urgency of expanding the UGB. Councelor Ridgeway urged caution, arguing the region’s growth projections do not show the rapid expansion that would require an immediate acreage increase and said rehabilitation of existing housing stock could add capacity. He moved to rescind the prior legislative amendment approved in April, but council procedure and timing meant the motion could not be sustained at this meeting. Ridgeway said he continued to believe the swap “doesn’t meet the requirements” and that the urgency had been overstated.

Several councilors and staff pushed back, emphasizing that the project grew from a multi-year housing-production strategy, consultant work that identified constrained developable land inside the UGB, and a unanimous planning commission recommendation. Councelor Kerry framed the change as part of a 20-year planning horizon: “This is something that will benefit in 20 years,” he said, stressing the city’s obligation to maintain a long-term supply of buildable land.

A property owner, David Faster (11100 Z Mistletoe Road), used his public comment to dispute staff conclusions and said he had spoken with DLCD and the county and found differing answers: “There are several inaccuracies and unfortunately false facts that have been presented,” he said, and added, “We do not have a housing crisis in the city.” Faster urged more local conversation and said the record contained errors he wanted corrected.

No ordinance adoption vote occurred; the council conducted a first reading and staff said they will return with a final reading and formal adoption vote at a later meeting. Gobble said staff will prepare the findings and return on June 16 for a second reading and potential adoption.

Why it matters: The UGB swap is a multi-step legislative action that affects which lands are available for future development and how the city meets statutorily required land-supply targets. Council members’ disagreements and public objections signal that the next meeting could include legal clarifications, additional public input, or amendments to the draft ordinance.

What’s next: Staff will finalize findings and legal descriptions, coordinate with Polk County and DLCD as needed, and return to council for a second reading and a final vote.