Lake Oswego City Council Meeting - December 2, 2025

The Lake Oswego City Council met on Tuesday, December 2, 2025, at City Hall. The meeting included public comments, consent agenda, a chamber of commerce annual report, community survey results, DEI programming update, and a study session on gas-powered landscaping equipment. Key decisions included adopting the consent agenda and setting direction for future policy work.

Consent Calendar

• Approved the meeting minutes from October 7, 2025, with a 7-0 vote.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Mr. Blow (age 94, Lake Oswego resident) proposed placing a piano in City Hall for pre-meeting music and suggested expanding summer concerts to West Lake Park to serve the growing population. He expressed support for community cooperation and youth engagement.
• Mark Pullman (retired nurse practitioner, board member of SAB and LOSN) thanked the council for the grant to transition from gas-powered landscape equipment and urged the council to move quickly in the next 14 months, citing health risks (cancer, cardiovascular disease, hearing loss) from gas-powered equipment.
• Betsy Wasco (Old Town Neighborhood Association secretary, LOSN volunteer) supported the phase-out of gas-powered landscaping equipment, arguing that the upfront costs for electric equipment are offset by health and environmental benefits within 10.5 months. She urged comprehensive action.
• Jeff Wiens (Lake Oswego resident, retired firefighter) advocated for banning gas-powered leaf blowers, comparing noise to an iceberg tip and toxic emissions to the underwater mass. He referenced the council's previous decision on pickleball noise as a precedent for doing the right thing.

Discussion Items

• Chamber of Commerce Annual Report (Matt Evans, Chamber of Commerce): Reported that 270 new businesses registered in the first 10 months of 2025, 73% have fewer than 5 employees, and office vacancy rates are low (downtown 4.3%). Recommendations included a robust shop-local marketing effort, digital outreach, and a full-page ad in the Travel Oregon Guide (cost $8,500 after subsidy, plus design). Council members expressed support for increased marketing and economic development, noting alignment with council goals.
• Community Survey Results (Jason Morado, ETC Institute; Madison Thiesing, Deputy City Manager): Presented results from a statistically valid survey of 400 residents (margin of error ±4.9%). Key findings: 95% rate Lake Oswego as an excellent/good place to live or raise children; satisfaction with city services increased in 56 of 95 areas since 2023; top priorities for the next two years include economic development, public safety, development services, sustainability, equity, neighborhood street maintenance, housing planning, and bicycle/pedestrian travel. Council discussed the need to focus on the 3% dissatisfied and explore the "development services" category further.
• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Programming Update (Gillian Del Rio, Equity Program Manager; Perrin Tiemann, DEI Advisory Board Co-Chair; Vedant Ramakrishnan, Youth Board Member): Presented six focus areas for forward-looking recommendations: building a representative community, diverse workforce, youth engagement, DEI data and accountability, institutional capacity and policy alignment, and equitable resources and infrastructure. Recommendations include establishing baseline demographic data, launching a leadership academy, piloting student shadow days, and engaging an external consultant to develop a comprehensive equity plan. Council expressed support and noted the need to communicate DEI work effectively.
• Gas-Powered Landscaping Equipment Study Session (Amanda Watson, Sustainability Program Manager; Jeff Monroe, Interim Parks Director): Provided an update on the two-year council goal to phase out gas-powered equipment. Reported on health and environmental impacts, comparison of electric vs. gas equipment, and stakeholder outreach (397 resident surveys, 23 landscaper surveys, focus groups). Key findings: 55% of residents support regulations to phase out gas equipment; 62% support educational efforts; 56% support financial incentives for small businesses. The presentation highlighted challenges for commercial landscapers (cost, battery life, charging infrastructure). Council discussed equity concerns, enforcement, and the need to monitor Portland's ordinance before proceeding. Councilmember Raf expressed opposition, while others favored continuing education and incentives. Council agreed to stay the course with next steps including continued outreach, education, and leading by example in city operations.

Key Outcomes

• Consent agenda adopted (7-0).
• Chamber of Commerce report: Council expressed support for the recommendations, particularly the marketing proposals, and directed the city manager to explore funding for the Travel Oregon ad.
• Community Survey: Council requested a deeper dive into the "development services" priority and agreed to share the report with boards and commissions.
• DEI Recommendations: Council acknowledged the recommendations and will incorporate them into 2026 goal setting.
• Gas-Powered Landscaping Equipment: Council agreed to continue the current approach: more outreach, education, monitoring Portland's implementation, and phasing out city-owned gas equipment. No formal vote was taken; direction was given to staff.