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Oregon City adopts ordinance narrowing stormwater exemptions; city attorney says rates, master plan unchanged
Summary
Ordinance 26-1008 was adopted July 1 to clarify stormwater billing code language and eliminate certain exemptions that lacked parity; the city attorney said the changes do not change rates or the stormwater master plan. A public commenter urged broader review of vacant‑property billing and cited ORS 454.
The Oregon City Commission adopted ordinance 26‑1008 on July 1 to amend municipal code language governing public utility service billing for stormwater, clarifying how credits and exemptions apply.
City Attorney (addressing the commission) said the amendments were prompted by ambiguities revealed by a prior credit request (the "Blue at Abernathy" matter) and by a desire to achieve parity between stormwater and other utility credits. "These amendments will eliminate the exception for the Blue at Abernathy," the attorney said, and added that the revisions require on‑site treatment to qualify for an exemption. The attorney emphasized that the ordinance does not adopt a new stormwater master plan, does not change rates and does not alter how assessments are calculated.
Public comment: James Naceda of Bluff Street urged the commission to reconsider whether vacant properties should be exempt and suggested alternative enforcement or fee approaches. Naceda cited ORS 454 and argued equity concerns over classes of properties that are not assessed while smaller properties bear costs.
Commissioners discussed whether broader changes should be parked for a future master‑plan update, with several saying the present ordinance was a targeted fix to remove ambiguous credits rather than a wholesale reexamination of the utility methodology. Commissioner Adam Marlow said many of the same equity and fee‑structure issues merit a later review; others said they supported moving forward to correct the immediate ambiguity.
The commission voted unanimously to approve the second reading and adopt ordinance 26‑1008.
Ending: The ordinance clarifies qualification for exemptions (on‑site treatment required); broader policy changes (vacant property treatment, development intensity factors) were discussed as items for future master‑plan review rather than part of the current code amendment.
