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OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD

Record of Proceedings

Beaverton Planning Commission Unanimously Recommends 'Designing Walkable Places' Code Updates – January 7, 2026

Planning Commission — Wednesday, January 7, 2026

BodyBeaverton, Oregon

SessionPlanning Commission

DateWednesday, January 7, 2026

StatusFILED

Video Record

0:00 / 40:38

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0:05

Beaverton Planning Commission.

0:08

For the record, I will do a roll roll call to verify which Commission members are participating this evening.

0:16

Commissioner McAvoy.

0:19

Present.

0:20

Commissioner Holmes.

0:22

Present.

0:23

Commissioner Speck.

0:25

Here.

0:27

Commissioner Winter.

0:28

Here.

0:29

Let the record show that Commissioners McCann and Adams are excused and absent from the meeting tonight.

0:36

We are now at commission commission communications.

0:41

Commission, any communications.

0:46

We are now at staff communications.

0:49

Staff, any communications.

0:52

Good evening.

0:52

I'm Honest Latinsky, the planning division manager here in Beaverton.

0:57

My only comment tonight is just to share that I'm really excited for the agenda item tonight to be up for your consideration.

1:14

Have been things that I've been wanting to really tackle since I first started working for the city in 2016.

1:22

So it's very exciting for me to see this be on the verge of actually updating our code to really reflect the policy desires that the city has to develop these mixed use areas that are well served by transit into vibrant neighborhoods and to have the regulations actually align with that.

1:42

It's really exciting, and I just want to thank everybody that's been involved.

1:46

I know a lot of people aren't in this room right now, but it's been an effort that has included a lot of different folks, including planning commission who participated in work sessions and such.

1:55

But it'll be, I think, a really good conversation tonight, and I'm interested to see to hear what you all have to say.

2:01

Thank you.

2:02

Thank you.

2:03

Uh the next item on the agenda is public hearing on the application for LU 42025-0608.

2:16

Designing walkable places.

2:19

Case file numbers CPTA 42025-0615 and TA 42025-0607.

2:39

Before we move to the substance of the hearing, I will ask the city attorney to cover the pre-hearing manners.

2:46

Good evening, Chair and Commissioners.

2:49

Um I'm Robin McIntyre, Assistant City Attorney.

2:52

The applicant has the burden of proving that the applications are consistent with the comprehensive plan and any applicable Beaverton Code provision.

3:01

The criteria that must be addressed in the hearing are development code section 40.85.15 point one criteria for a development code text amendments.

3:14

Comprehensive plan section 1.5.1 criteria for legislative and quasi-judicial comprehensive plan amendments.

3:23

Testimony arguments and evidence must be directed towards these approval criteria or other criteria in the comprehensive plan that the speaker believes apply to the application.

3:33

Failure to raise an issue accompanied by statements or evidence sufficient to allow the planning commission and other interested parties an opportunity to respond may preclude an appeal to the land use board of appeals based on that issue.

3:47

Anyone who submits written comments or gives oral testimony has standing to appeal this decision.

3:53

Failure of the applicant to raise constitutional or other issues relating to proposed conditions of approval with sufficient specificity to allow the city to respond may preclude an action for damages in circuit court.

4:06

State and local law require commissioners to make certain disclosures.

4:09

To these ends, the following questions will be asked.

4:12

Does any commissioner have a potential or actual conflict of interest?

4:18

Vice Chair Mettler.

4:21

I do not.

4:23

Commissioner Holmes.

4:24

I do not.

4:25

Commissioner McAvoy.

4:27

I do not.

4:28

Commissioner Speck.

4:30

I do not.

4:31

Commissioner Winter.

4:32

No, I do not.

4:33

Thank you.

4:34

Does any member of the audience wish to challenge the right of any commissioner to participate in this hearing?

4:42

Let the record show no response.

4:44

The order of the public hearing tonight will be as follows.

4:47

City staff will give a presentation followed by commissioners' questions of staff.

4:52

Members of the public in support of the application may speak for up to five minutes each.

4:57

Members of the public opposed to the application may speak for up to five minutes each.

5:01

Then members of the public who are neither in support nor opposed will have five minutes to speak.

5:07

The planning commission will then hear any final comments from staff.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting

Urban Planning█████████████████████████████████████████████48%

Procedural██████████████████████23%

Affordable Housing██████████████15%

Transportation Safety███████████12%

Public Engagement██2%

Summary of Proceedings

Designing Walkable Places Public Hearing – January 7, 2026

The Beaverton Planning Commission held a public hearing on January 7, 2026, to consider comprehensive plan and development code amendments (Case Nos. LU 42025-0608, TA 42025-0607, CPTA 42025-0615) aimed at promoting walkable, mixed-use neighborhoods near transit. After a staff presentation, public testimony, and deliberation, the commission voted unanimously to recommend approval to the city council.

Public Comments & Testimony

Scott Eaton (390 Rosemont Road, West Linn): Spoke in favor, acting as a "cheerleader" for the changes, noting his company is already implementing similar planning and is excited to see the policies adopted.
Ed Trompke (Attorney, Jordan Ramus; representing J. Peter Court Company): Spoke in favor, supporting the amendments as appropriate for the Station Community Sunset Transit (SC-S) zone. He noted that the proposed floor area ratios and heights are workable, that his company can comply, and that staff has been responsive during the process.

Discussion Items

Staff Presentation: Brian Martin (Long-Range Planning Manager) and Associate Planner Sara L. Hickson presented the proposed amendments. Key elements include:
- Shifting from a mix of density/height/FAR regulations to relying primarily on maximum floor area ratio (FAR) to control building bulk: FAR of 6 near frequent transit, FAR of 4 farther away.
- Updating building design standards to require human-scale elements: window percentages on street-facing walls, weather protection, walkways, and usable open space.
- Removing the major pedestrian route maps from the comprehensive plan (the code no longer relies on them).
- Supplemental memos (Nos. 1, 5, 6) corrected errors in original exhibits; Memo 5 revised Table 20.20; Memo 6 recommended deleting footnote 6 in Table 20.10.15 due to a conflict.
- The staff report recommended approval, and the motion in the script incorporated all supplemental changes.
Commissioner Questions:
- Commissioner McAvoy asked about the prescriptive massing articulation (base/top) versus a more open-ended approach. Staff explained the chosen approach and noted a discretionary process for alternative designs. He also inquired about affordable housing incentives: only the Allen Boulevard corridor receives an FAR bonus for 30% affordable housing. Staff responded that other code provisions (e.g., a special variance for affordable housing) exist and that Allen Boulevard was targeted due to known displacement pressures.
- Commissioner Winter asked about complementary changes from the pending Transportation System Plan (TSP). Staff (Brian Martin) indicated themes of network completion (filling missing sidewalks), improving all-ages-and-abilities bike networks, and potential future work on "low car or no car districts" and bike parking standards. Winter also asked about drive-through regulations; staff clarified the changes only affect drive-through-only businesses (no pedestrian access), driven by state law.

Key Outcomes

The planning commission voted unanimously (5-0) to recommend approval of the comprehensive plan and text amendments to the city council.
The motion included all six supplemental memos (dated December 30, 2025; January 5 and 7, 2026) and specifically deleted footnote 6 in Table 20.10.15 and its reference in Table 20.10.15.f.1.
The city council will hold a separate hearing and make the final decision on the application.

Meeting Transcript

Beaverton Planning Commission. For the record, I will do a roll roll call to verify which Commission members are participating this evening. Commissioner McAvoy. Present. Commissioner Holmes. Present. Commissioner Speck. Here. Commissioner Winter. Here. Let the record show that Commissioners McCann and Adams are excused and absent from the meeting tonight. We are now at commission commission communications. Commission, any communications. We are now at staff communications. Staff, any communications. Good evening. I'm Honest Latinsky, the planning division manager here in Beaverton. My only comment tonight is just to share that I'm really excited for the agenda item tonight to be up for your consideration. Have been things that I've been wanting to really tackle since I first started working for the city in 2016. So it's very exciting for me to see this be on the verge of actually updating our code to really reflect the policy desires that the city has to develop these mixed use areas that are well served by transit into vibrant neighborhoods and to have the regulations actually align with that. It's really exciting, and I just want to thank everybody that's been involved. I know a lot of people aren't in this room right now, but it's been an effort that has included a lot of different folks, including planning commission who participated in work sessions and such. But it'll be, I think, a really good conversation tonight, and I'm interested to see to hear what you all have to say. Thank you. Thank you. Uh the next item on the agenda is public hearing on the application for LU 42025-0608. Designing walkable places. Case file numbers CPTA 42025-0615 and TA 42025-0607. Before we move to the substance of the hearing, I will ask the city attorney to cover the pre-hearing manners. Good evening, Chair and Commissioners. Um I'm Robin McIntyre, Assistant City Attorney. The applicant has the burden of proving that the applications are consistent with the comprehensive plan and any applicable Beaverton Code provision. The criteria that must be addressed in the hearing are development code section 40.85.15 point one criteria for a development code text amendments. Comprehensive plan section 1.5.1 criteria for legislative and quasi-judicial comprehensive plan amendments. Testimony arguments and evidence must be directed towards these approval criteria or other criteria in the comprehensive plan that the speaker believes apply to the application. Failure to raise an issue accompanied by statements or evidence sufficient to allow the planning commission and other interested parties an opportunity to respond may preclude an appeal to the land use board of appeals based on that issue. Anyone who submits written comments or gives oral testimony has standing to appeal this decision. Failure of the applicant to raise constitutional or other issues relating to proposed conditions of approval with sufficient specificity to allow the city to respond may preclude an action for damages in circuit court. State and local law require commissioners to make certain disclosures. To these ends, the following questions will be asked. Does any commissioner have a potential or actual conflict of interest? Vice Chair Mettler. I do not. Commissioner Holmes. I do not. Commissioner McAvoy. I do not. Commissioner Speck. I do not. Commissioner Winter.

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