Astoria Planning Commission and Traffic Safety Advisory Committee Meetings – September 23, 2026

The Astoria Planning Commission (APC) convened on September 23, 2026, immediately following the Traffic Safety Advisory Committee (TSAC) meeting, in the Second Floor Council Chambers, 1095 Duane Street, Astoria, Oregon. Note: The agenda and raw transcript consistently identify the meeting date as July 28, 2026, which conflicts with the September 23, 2026 date provided for this summary; the discrepancy is noted rather than silently resolved. The APC unanimously approved minutes from three prior meetings, acknowledged the withdrawal of the only scheduled public hearing (Conditional Use Request CU26-01 by Anchor Baptist Church), and received the Community Development Director's second-quarter report plus a preview of an upcoming joint work session with the City Council. The preceding TSAC session took public testimony requesting a new crosswalk near the aquatic center, noted a July 4th pedestrian-vehicle accident, and adjourned at 5:42 p.m.; the Planning Commission adjourned at 6:13 p.m.

Traffic Safety Advisory Committee (TSAC) – Preceding Session

• TSAC was called to order at 5:30 p.m.; President Corcoran, Commissioners Womack, Francis, Cronin, and Hafker, and Vice President Henry (via Zoom) were present, with Commissioner McGee excused. Staff present included Community Development Director John Roberts, City Planner Tiffany Taylor, City Engineer Nathan Crater, and Sergeant Thomas Littland of the Astoria Police Department.
• Minutes from the April 28, 2026 TSAC meeting were approved by voice vote (motion by Commissioner Henry, seconded by Commissioner Hafker).
• President Corcoran reported a pedestrian-vehicle accident on July 4th; staff will review the incident report and place it on the October agenda.
• Public testimony: Scott McMullen (864 Irving Street, Astoria), who works at the former OSU Seafood Education Center (now largely hospital space), requested a mid-block crosswalk on 20th Street/Duane Street between the aquatic center and the OSU building. He cited heavy pedestrian traffic from hospital workers, drivers accelerating from Marine Drive toward the hospital, and sight-distance problems caused by vegetation and parked cars, and said he had experienced several abrupt stops. He also suggested a continuous sidewalk/striping across a parking-lot driveway and 21st Street near the existing Exchange Street crosswalk.
• City Engineer Nathan Crater (via Zoom) said staff would review the striping request, described the aquatic center location as "kind of a unique situation" that "may warrant some striping," and asked for clarification on the second location.
• The next TSAC meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, October 27, 2026, at 5:30 p.m.

Consent Calendar

• The APC approved the draft minutes of April 28, 2026 as amended, May 26, 2026 as presented, and June 23, 2026 as presented (motion by Commissioner Cronin, seconded by Commissioner Womack). At a commissioner's request, the April 28 minutes were amended to record his comment that staff had counted flyers taped to a window as permanent signs because they had been in place more than 30 days, which he had called "silly" at that meeting.

Public Hearing – Conditional Use Request CU26-01

• Agenda item CU26-01 (Kevin Byers / Anchor Baptist Church) sought a Semi-Public Use within an existing commercial building at 1619 Marine Drive, Suite 101, in the MH (Maritime Heritage) and Gateway Overlay Zones. The applicant officially withdrew the application on the day of the meeting, so no testimony was taken and no decision was made. Staff noted the item remained on the agenda because it had already been public-noticed but was no longer under discussion.

Staff Reports & Discussion Items

• Quarterly report (Community Development Director John Roberts):
  • Certificates of occupancy (COs) issued: CLATS Behavioral Health (33 units serving households at or below 30% AMI, with support services); Owensadair 2 (50 senior units, age 55+, targeted at 60% AMI, developed through the Northwest Housing Authority); and the Yakima Valley Farm Workers Clinic coastal clinic near the co-op (CO'd the Monday before the meeting).
  • Copeland Commons: a 60-plus-unit affordable housing project similar to the Merwin, including many studios and a vacant parcel to the east; about $550,000 was awarded for stormwater infrastructure; plan review continues, with construction possibly starting early 2027.
  • Maritime Museum: first on-site temporary COs expected in early September; opening no later than November 20th.
  • New DHS building and the Van Doozing Building, kitty-corner to Fort George: permitting is advancing; opening possible December 2026 or early 2027. The city modified its lease with the Coast Guard for approximately 40 parking spots to the east to ease parking impacts.
  • Customs House Workforce Housing Project: a developer was selected for a 16-unit, 80% AMI community land trust (CLT) project; units are expected to sell between $240,000 and $300,000; appreciation is capped at no more than 3% per year to preserve affordability; property taxes will apply; the city aims to execute a development agreement by no later than December 2026. The director cited $77,000 as 100% AMI for a family of two and about $97,000 for a family of four.
  • Tongue Point Area Plan: Astoria received a top-tier ODOT Transportation Growth Management (TGM) grant; a consultant was selected. The plan will address transportation/infrastructure (including hairpin turns and the Highway 30/Emerald Heights intersection), maritime-industrial opportunities, and two residential opportunity sites, while incorporating Job Corps and Coast Guard plans. A stakeholder advisory committee will be formed and concepts will come to the APC. The director noted Emerald Heights has only one ingress/egress, with no secondary route; extending Irving Street would be expensive.
  • Second-quarter fee-related income was $72,000 in plan review and inspection fees, which the director called a healthy indicator of continued investment.
• Joint work session with City Council (City Planner Tiffany Taylor): A joint work session is set for September 28, 2026, preceded by the regular APC meeting on September 22. The draft agenda includes the housing capacity analysis and contextualized housing need, planning initiatives, and code amendments (including state-mandated updates and the vacation rental ordinance, which the City Council was to discuss August 24-25). Taylor described the session as an opportunity to align priorities for 2027-2028 given limited staff capacity.
• Population reporting discussion: The official population was cited as 10,263, a net increase of one resident in the prior year. The director acknowledged past underreporting to the state (e.g., the 40-unit Merwin hotel was never reported) and said this year's AHUPS report will be more accurate. State forecasts suggest Astoria could dip back below 10,000 around 2042.
• Save the dates and notices: Next APC meeting Tuesday, August 25, 2026, at 5:30 p.m.; statewide planning association convention in Seaside in mid-September, with Astoria hosting a trolley tour and a downtown walking tour; and a scam alert — scammers are scraping public permit postings and requesting wire transfers in the city's name; the city never requests wire transfers, and applicants should verify by phone.

Public Comment (Non-Agenda Items)

• No members of the public addressed the Planning Commission on non-agenda items.

Key Outcomes

• Planning Commission minutes approved: April 28, 2026 (as amended), May 26, 2026, and June 23, 2026, by voice vote.
• Conditional Use Request CU26-01 (Anchor Baptist Church) was withdrawn by the applicant; no hearing or action occurred.
• TSAC minutes approved; City Engineering will review the requested crosswalk striping near the aquatic center/OSU building and a second location near 21st Street.
• The July 4th pedestrian-vehicle incident will be reviewed by staff and reported at the October 27, 2026 TSAC meeting.
• Joint City Council/Planning Commission work session scheduled for September 28, 2026; next regular APC meeting August 25, 2026.
• The TSAC meeting adjourned at 5:42 p.m.; the Planning Commission adjourned at 6:13 p.m.