Expect Less Parking: The Corvallis City Council unanimously voted to approve changes to its current parking regulations at the June 5 meeting – which is a bigger deal than what you may initially think.
The idea that builder needs to supply a minimum number of parking spots for a given development is to become a thing of the past in Corvallis.
“The Climate Friendly and Equitable Communities stuff all passed unanimously Monday night, so all of the text amendments that are listed in the staff report will get formally updated very soon,” said Patrick Rollens, City of Corvallis Public Information Officer.
“This means that people building new housing in Corvallis will not be required to offer minimum number of vehicle parking spaces based on the number of units. Home builders can still choose to offer parking, and we expect that many will continue to do so based on market demand,” said Rollens. “Cities can implement their own solutions to comply with the new rules that have been set out by the state.”
These changes will go into effect on June 30, at the end of the fiscal year.
Homelessness: The council also passed a temporary ordinance empowering City Manager Mark Shepherd to assure the City is compliant with new state laws permitting homeless individuals to shelter and rest on public property. Alternatively, municipalities can offer other reasonable accommodations. Longtime readers will know, that yes, the meeting was packed, and this was the agenda item that brought the crowd.
As in year’s past, it can be anticipated the city will only arrive at final framework for compliance with the new legislation after some controversy and several twists and turns. We’ll keep you updated.
Juneteenth Observance: The City of Corvallis and Benton County are recognizing Juneteenth on June 19. All county and city facilities will be closed in recognition of the holiday.
In a release from the City of Corvallis, Juneteenth represents the date in June 1865 when enslaved Black people received word that they were free — more than two years after President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation.
“Juneteenth was officially added to the list of federally recognized holidays in 2021, and we join our Black friends and neighbors in Corvallis in celebrating this joyful day.”
Both Juneteenth and Pride Month were celebrated through official City proclamations at the June 5 council meeting.
Beefed Up Traffic Patrols: The Corvallis Police Department is cracking down on construction zone safety operations during commute times. The goal is to improve safety and community livability through education and enforcement of Oregon traffic laws, according to a release from the City of Corvallis.
“The operations will consist of one or multiple uniformed patrol officers in/on a marked patrol vehicle. Those committing traffic violations may be subject to education or enforcement.”
The operations are scheduled at these locations:
- NW Van Buren Ave between NW 9th St and NW 1st St
- NW Harrison Blvd between NW 1st St and NW 9th St
The Corvallis Police Department is seeking to enhance traffic safety. Drivers are encouraged to be alert during heavy traffic, especially in construction zones.
By Jennifer Warner
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