City Councilors met in special session last night, but not for anything emergent – it was quite the opposite. They were finalizing yet another chapter in a nineteen-year long land use kerfuffle.
Spoiler-alert: they approved the subdivision. Also, this probably isn’t over.
The whole magilla started back in 2007 when the then City Council approved a developer’s plan to divvy 2.99 acres of land into 10 homesites along Brooklane Drive in Southwest Corvallis. What came next was an appeal from some of the neighbors to Oregon’s Land Use Appeals Board, or LUBA.
The state board in turn remanded it back to the City Council for some further planning from the developer and review by the City. But then the developer kept applying for extensions until one day, a new City Attorney said enough. Extensions, it turns out, are assumed to be for a ‘reasonable’ length of time.
Anyhow, at this month’s first Council meeting on Feb. 3, there was a lengthy public hearing on the matter. The developer asserted he’d complied with LUBA’s added requirements. Many of the originally objecting Corvallisites still live in the neighborhood, and they still objected to the subdivision.
Anyhow, the Council and staffers told attendees their hands are somewhat tied, and that legally speaking, they would have to limit their deliberations to the topics on remand from LUBA. They also said they’d be obligated to apply the ordinances and laws from back in the day, nineteen years ago. So, the councilors tentatively approved the subdivision with some caveats concerning tree protections.
But it turns out a piece of written testimony from one of the objecting neighbors didn’t make its way into the hearing, so the matter was reopened at the Council’s Feb. 18 meeting for an hour and a half. At that hearing, it was agreed the City should consult again with its City Attorney, and that given the state’s deadline rules, that could only happen if the Council set a special session – and we’ve already told you how that turned out.
Anyone objecting to last night’s City Council approval, which for the record fell on Monday, Feb. 24, has 21 days to file an appeal with LUBA. In testimony the week prior, one of the neighbors said he would be doing that.
Corvallis Public Schools Budget Discussion Scheduled
Like we’ve been reporting for the last few years, enrollment trends and new legislation are impacting Corvallis school budgets, and those impacts will continue. Now, the Corvallis Public Schools Foundation and the Corvallis School District are hosting a community meeting to discuss what can be anticipated, and some possible opportunities.
Slated for 5:30 to 7:30 pm, Thursday, Feb. 27 at the Corvallis School District Board Room, the meeting will cover:
- How public schools are funded in Oregon.
- The impacts of recent legislative changes on school district budgets.
- Current opportunities to influence Oregon’s next biennial budget.
- How the shortage of housing in Corvallis is shaping enrollment trends, impacting CSD budgets now and in the future.
Childcare and Spanish interpretation will be provided.
Corvallis’ Sabrina Wood Wins Statewide Kudos
Sabrina Wood, the Director of Student Services for Corvallis School District has won herself some statewide professional recognition.
The Oregon Association of Central Office Administrators and the Coalition of Oregon School Administrators have named Wood the recipient of their 2025 Achievement of Excellence Award – and they did that in dramatic fashion. Apparently, they kept the awardee’s name to themselves and bestowed the award as a surprise.
The award honors Wood for her extraordinary leadership and dedication to students, families, and the broader education community.
The District’s Kelly Locey said, “Wood has been a driving force behind transformative programs that support students’ mental health, academic success, and overall well-being. Under her leadership, Corvallis School District has developed one of the most comprehensive school-based mental health programs in Benton County, ensuring that students have access to therapists employed directly by the district. This initiative has not only expanded critical support services but has also increased workforce diversity, allowing student populations to be served by professionals who reflect their communities.”
Additionally, according to information from the District, Wood has led expansive summer learning programs, fostering partnerships that provide academic and social-emotional support for students at all grade levels. From kindergarten readiness to high school credit recovery, these programs are designed to meet students’ individual needs and strengthen their long-term success.
Her family support initiatives have had a profound impact on the Corvallis community. Through her vision, families have been connected to stable housing, emergency financial assistance, after-school care, and other essential services. In the past year alone, the district’s family support program has provided hundreds of families with emergency utility and rental assistance, school supplies, and other critical resources.
“Sabrina understands that the role of our schools goes well beyond academic achievement,” shared Corvallis Superintendent, Dr. Ryan Noss. “The programs she has developed and supported focus on the health and wellness of our students, families, and community.”
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