Hubbard council adopts housing-code amendments to comply with state housing bills

A public hearing and staff presentation led the City of Hubbard City Council to approve a package of amendments to the city development code intended to bring the city into compliance with recent Oregon housing bills.

Contract city planner Holly Byron of the Mid Willamette Valley Council of Governments told the council the package (file LA 2025-01) revises definitions, allows duplexes on lots where only single-family homes were previously permitted, adjusts minimum lot sizes to be consistent with new state rules, and adds provisions for middle-housing land divisions and single-room-occupancy units. "This package of code amendments is intended to comply with HB 3395," Byron said during the staff report.

Byron also explained that the planning commission held an earlier public hearing and recommended approval of the amendments. She noted that additional procedural revisions tied to other state law (for example, changes stemming from SB 1537) are expected in a subsequent package.

Following the staff report and a brief clerical correction noted by a councilor, a councilor moved to approve the legislative amendment package, adopt the findings contained in the staff report, and direct staff to prepare an enacting ordinance. The motion was seconded and the council voted in favor. The council read Ordinance No. 395-2025 by title and adopted it to amend the Hubbard development code to comply with the recent state housing bills.

Why it matters: the changes modify local zoning rules to allow more housing types (including duplexes and SROs) in residential zones and adjust lot-size requirements, aligning city rules with state housing policy and potentially enabling more housing choices within Hubbard.

Next steps: Staff will present the formal enacting ordinance documentation and make the editorial corrections identified when merging the changes into the master code document.