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Tigard planners present draft Downtown Reimagined proposal; council hears boundary, height and design rationale
Summary
Senior planner Shannon presented a draft Downtown Reimagined plan district proposal—covering plan boundaries, rezoning intent, transportation network reductions and a shift away from previous tall‑building assumptions tied to light rail—and promised more outreach and a complete packet at the upcoming regular meeting.
Senior planner Shannon presented a draft of the Downtown Reimagined proposal during the study session, telling council the packet is a working document intended to lead into a legislative phase. The draft covers the plan‑district boundary, proposed rezoning, and transportation‑network amendments and will be presented in fuller form at the June 7 regular meeting.
Shannon said staff refined the plan‑district edge to align with existing zoning and remove small —blips' that do not need downtown plan‑district standards. She said some properties—such as the Tigard Library and Senior Center—are being added to the district because of their civic function even if they sit across the street from the core. She also described an added area rezoned earlier with the Tigard Lake project to better position the city "if and when light rail comes back as a project."
On building form and heights, Shannon explained that earlier assumptions (including very tall buildings that reflected potential transit‑oriented development around stations) were scaled back because the anticipated transit investments did not materialize and the market has changed. "Six seems like a really good place for the market because when you start going seven and higher, you actually get into different building or construction types," she said, adding that affordable housing could get flexibility to exceed baseline heights via adjustment processes.
Shannon also highlighted a transportation appendix (Attachment 4) contrasting the city's current network with the 2024 preliminary proposal and explained that staff will provide additional maps and cross‑boundary overlays that councilors requested. The chamber of commerce flagged concerns about downtown business outreach; Shannon said staff will present the record of public engagement and are preparing a targeted business survey as a follow‑up.
Councilors asked for overlays showing council‑district boundaries, design cross‑sections, and a clear statement of how plan boundaries were refined. Shannon told council staff can supply those maps and additional outreach documentation.
Next steps: staff will bring a fuller packet and outreach summary to the June 7 regular meeting and continue community and developer forums as they refine the code and transportation system amendments.
