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Council and staff clarify how residential unit assumptions changed — code limits still in place
Summary
Staff told the Wilsonville council that updated assumptions reduced projected residential units in feasibility work from 4,179 to 2,381, but that the development code (including a 40‑unit/acre minimum in most subdistricts) remains unchanged.
During Aug. 5 discussion, city staff explained that the projected number of residential units in town center fell from 4,179 in a prior 2023 exercise to 2,381 in the 2026 feasibility inputs because staff updated assumptions to reflect pre‑application submittals, larger unit sizes, and market trends.
Economic Development Manager Matt Lorenzen cautioned that these are inputs to a financial feasibility analysis, not regulatory limits; "the constant is what the development code says," he said, noting the code still allows two‑ to five‑story buildings and the city did not change minimum density standards. Councilor Cunningham and staff discussed that three of four subdistricts include a 40‑unit‑per‑acre minimum and that the council had not altered the code that sets those minimums. Staff said waivers and market‑driven design choices affect realized unit counts, and that many variables (unit size, parking, amenity space) influence final outcomes.
The exchange aimed to clarify public confusion about whether council action reduced density limits; staff and council agreed that the financial assumptions were updated without changing the regulatory code itself.
