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Mayor outlines growth, housing and safety priorities in State of the City address
Summary
In a State of the City address, the mayor highlighted Woodburn’s rapid growth, a UGB expansion enabled by House Bill 4035 to allow about 120 acres for housing (600 homes, 30% affordable), major infrastructure projects, public-safety measures including a pause on license-plate reader spending, and upcoming community events.
Mayor delivered an extended State of the City address focused on Woodburn’s recent growth, infrastructure investments and community priorities.
The mayor said the city’s population grew by more than 4% over the past year and that private and public investments — including the Mill Creek Community Center and Sedlemyre Park upgrades — are underway. On housing, the mayor said House Bill 4035 created an expedited pathway to expand the city’s urban growth boundary by about 120 acres, which the city estimates will yield at least 600 new homes with a minimum of 30% set aside as affordable housing. “This expansion will bring at least 600 new homes, with at least 30% of those dedicated to affordable housing,” the mayor said.
The address also covered public-safety and technology policy. The mayor reminded listeners that the council had temporarily suspended use of the police department’s Flock license-plate-reader system until misuse concerns are resolved and said the budget committee will be asked to suspend future Fox system expenses. “Tomorrow, we’re asking our budget committee to suspend any future expenses permanently for the Fox system,” the mayor said.
Why it matters: the speech outlined immediate actions (technology spending pause), near-term development expectations (an estimated 325 single-family starts next fiscal year and a UGB-driven pipeline of housing), and longer-term investments in community facilities intended to serve youth, seniors and families. The city’s combination of development-fee-funded transportation upgrades and state grants positions projects to proceed while the city manages revenue pressures.
The mayor closed by urging residents to take part in summer events and to consider ballot items related to safety and traffic; he framed the city’s path as growth with intention, welcoming families and businesses.
