OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Forest Grove Planning Commission Meeting: March 2, 2026

City Council — Monday, March 2, 2026
BodyForest Grove, Oregon
SessionCity Council
DateMonday, March 2, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 53:40

Transcript — Verbatim
0:07

7.02 p.m.

0:09

My name is David Anderson.

0:11

I am filling in.

0:12

We have a vacancy right now in the chair position.

0:16

So I've been asked to preside over this meeting until such a time as we've elected a new chair.

0:21

Let's begin with the roll call, please.

0:24

Commissioner Bergdal.

0:26

Present Commissioner Colbertson.

0:33

Commissioner Ellis.

0:35

Here.

0:36

Commissioner Farrell.

0:38

Here.

0:40

Commissioner Thomas.

0:43

Tonight it's Anderson.

0:44

Present.

0:47

Apologies, thank you.

0:49

And Commissioner Riviera.

0:51

Here.

0:53

Thank you very much.

0:57

This is an opportunity for taking public comment if there is anyone who wishes to offer.

1:02

I don't see anybody in the room.

1:04

Is there anybody on Zoom that has expressed an interest in making public comment for items not on the agenda?

1:13

I don't see anybody on Zoom.

1:16

And we'll move on.

1:18

Our first order of business is to elect new officers for the planning commission.

1:27

So I'd like to open the floor to nominations for chairperson to serve planning commission.

1:33

Are there any nominations that anyone would like to make or a chairperson?

1:39

May also nominate yourselves.

1:41

We're going to need a chair license.

1:47

I was gonna say you're doing a great job.

1:50

But I'm just a freshman.

1:55

Maybe on the planning commission, you are, but yeah.

1:59

Are you willing to accept the nomination, Nicole?

2:03

Sure.

2:03

Any other nominations?

2:08

I would like to apply for co chair.

2:10

That's still available.

2:11

Vice Chair.

2:11

Absolutely.

2:13

Very good.

2:14

That's great.

2:16

So we have a nomination for both chair and one for vice chair.

2:20

And you can do them separately as a vote.

2:22

Uh make a motion for both, or you can do them one at a time.

2:26

It's up to you.

2:27

I think we we do a motion for both.

2:31

I have a motion to vote for both.

2:33

Any seconds.

2:36

I'll second.

2:37

Motion seconded.

2:38

Any discussion about that?

2:41

Hearing none.

2:41

Let's go ahead and vote on both.

2:43

All in favor of the two persons.

2:45

So we have Nicole as commission chair, and sorry as the vice chair.

2:50

Please uh say aye.

2:52

Aye.

2:53

Aye.

2:53

Aye.

2:54

Any opposed?

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Urban Planning█████████████████████████████████████████████51%
Land Use███████████████████████████31%
Procedural███████████12%
Personnel Matters████4%
Historic Preservation██2%
Summary of Proceedings

Forest Grove Planning Commission Meeting: March 2, 2026

The Forest Grove Planning Commission met on March 2, 2026, at 7:02 p.m. to elect new officers, hold a public hearing on an update to the Washington County Forest Grove Urban Planning Area Agreement (UPAA), and discuss other business. The commission elected Nicole Ellis as Chair and Commissioner Riviera as Vice Chair. After a staff presentation and deliberation, the commission unanimously voted to recommend that the city council accept the updated UPAA and authorize the city manager to sign it. The meeting also included approval of prior meeting minutes and a director's report on upcoming projects.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • No members of the public offered testimony either in person or via Zoom during the public comment period or the public hearing.

Discussion Items

  • Election of Officers: Commissioner David Anderson, acting as interim chair, opened nominations. Commissioner Nicole Ellis was nominated and accepted the nomination for Chair. Commissioner Riviera was nominated for Vice Chair. A motion to elect both was made, seconded, and passed unanimously by voice vote (all ayes). Chair Ellis then presided over the remainder of the meeting.
  • Public Hearing on UPAA Update: Senior Planner Dan Rodin presented a staff report and PowerPoint covering background on the Urban Planning Area Agreement, terminology (urban reserve, comprehensive planning, concept planning), map amendments, and text amendments. He explained the David Hill Urban Reserve Area, the process for expanding the urban growth boundary, and coordination with Washington County. Commissioners asked questions about the feasibility of developing the hilly terrain, the history of the urban reserve designation, and the process for modifying the agreement. Staff provided detailed answers, including discussion of the "grand bargain" of 2014, challenges with topography and insurance costs, and the possibility of reassigning undesignated areas. Two scenarios for modifying the UPAA were presented: a city-initiated land use change affecting a county road (review body: city planning commission and city council) and a county-initiated change to a road classification (review body: county planning commission and board of commissioners).
  • Director's Report: Planning Director Brian gave an update on:
    • Comprehensive Plan Update: A full-scale update of the Forest Grove Comprehensive Plan is planned, with a presentation to the city council on March 9, 2026. Future work sessions may involve the planning commission.
    • Development Code Updates: The first public hearing on code updates occurred February 23, 2026. Industrial setbacks when abutting residential were upheld; setbacks between industrial properties were not. The second reading is March 9, 2026, with changes effective 30 days after passage.
    • Historic Landmarks Board/Downtown Design Guidelines: A consultant from Astoria has been selected to develop downtown-specific design guidelines. A work session with city council is scheduled for April 13, 2026. The planning commission will review later in the year.
    • New Assistant City Manager: Kim (last name unclear) started at the end of December, overseeing community development.
    • Planning Commission Vacancy: One seat remains unfilled; interviews are pending. The director emphasized the importance of attendance after a recent meeting lacked quorum.

Key Outcomes

  • Election of Officers: Nicole Ellis was elected Chair; Commissioner Riviera was elected Vice Chair. (Both positions filled by acclamation/unanimous vote.)
  • UPAA Recommendation: A motion was made and seconded to recommend that the city council approve the updated Washington County Forest Grove Urban Planning Area Agreement and authorize the city manager to sign it. The motion passed unanimously (all ayes).
  • Minutes Approval: The minutes of the previous meeting were approved as written by voice vote (all ayes).
  • Next Meeting: Not yet scheduled.

Meeting Transcript

7.02 p.m. My name is David Anderson. I am filling in. We have a vacancy right now in the chair position. So I've been asked to preside over this meeting until such a time as we've elected a new chair. Let's begin with the roll call, please. Commissioner Bergdal. Present Commissioner Colbertson. Commissioner Ellis. Here. Commissioner Farrell. Here. Commissioner Thomas. Tonight it's Anderson. Present. Apologies, thank you. And Commissioner Riviera. Here. Thank you very much. This is an opportunity for taking public comment if there is anyone who wishes to offer. I don't see anybody in the room. Is there anybody on Zoom that has expressed an interest in making public comment for items not on the agenda? I don't see anybody on Zoom. And we'll move on. Our first order of business is to elect new officers for the planning commission. So I'd like to open the floor to nominations for chairperson to serve planning commission. Are there any nominations that anyone would like to make or a chairperson? May also nominate yourselves. We're going to need a chair license. I was gonna say you're doing a great job. But I'm just a freshman. Maybe on the planning commission, you are, but yeah. Are you willing to accept the nomination, Nicole? Sure. Any other nominations? I would like to apply for co chair. That's still available. Vice Chair. Absolutely. Very good. That's great. So we have a nomination for both chair and one for vice chair. And you can do them separately as a vote. Uh make a motion for both, or you can do them one at a time. It's up to you. I think we we do a motion for both. I have a motion to vote for both. Any seconds. I'll second. Motion seconded.

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