Neighbors raise traffic, drainage and well concerns during Scappoose plan hearing

Several Scappoose residents used the public‑comment period to report on localized problems they say have accompanied recent housing development, particularly near Callahan Road and Dutch Canyon.

Jody Callahan described difficulty safely exiting her neighborhood and near‑misses with vehicles: “We have been there for over 100 years... Pulling out because there's a house there with a sign almost hit twice,” she said, urging officials to consider longtime residents when planning new development. Britney Baldwin and other neighbors described street‑parking patterns, a reconfigured road edge and a newly wet ditch after grading, raising fears about nearby domestic wells: “We're all just sort of waiting to see if our wells go dry,” one speaker said.

City staff acknowledged the concerns, said some issues (for example, specific construction‑phase traffic controls and flagging) are best handled outside this legislative hearing, and directed residents to file traffic complaints via the city's website (police/traffic complaint form) for more rapid response. Staff and the applicant also offered to follow up individually with affected residents. The planning commission noted that while many concerns are important, some testimony about a specific development was not directly on the scope of the comprehensive plan hearing and therefore will be routed for separate follow‑up.

The hearing record shows staff committed to follow‑up action but did not adopt immediate remedies during the hearing; residents were urged to file formal complaints where appropriate so the city can triage traffic‑safety or drainage investigations.