Lake Oswego City Council Regular Meeting - November 3, 2026

The Lake Oswego City Council met on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, for a regular meeting. The council approved proclamations for Veterans Day and Native American Heritage Month, adopted a consent agenda, held a public hearing on annual code amendments, and adopted resolutions related to the city's economic development strategy and a sub-regional transit study. All votes taken during the broadcast portion of the meeting were unanimous (6-0). The meeting concluded with a council report period and an executive session.

Consent Calendar

• The council unanimously approved Resolution 2612, appointing members to the Historic Resources Advisory Board, and an intergovernmental agreement extension for the River Grove Wastewater project.

Public Comments & Testimony

• No members of the public spoke during the designated public comment period.
• No testimony was given during the public hearing for Ordinances 2979 and 2984 (the annual code amendments).

Discussion Items

• Proclamations: Mayor Buck proclaimed November 11, 2026, as Veterans Day in Lake Oswego, noting a ceremony at Foothills Park featuring a Gold Star Families Monument dedication. November was also proclaimed Native American Heritage Month, with programming highlighted at the Lake Oswego Public Library.
• Annual Code Amendments (Ordinances 2979 & 2984): Senior Planner Alan Davis presented the 2026 code amendments. The package included 13 maintenance items and three policy amendments. The policy amendments covered: exempting middle housing land divisions from neighborhood meetings, creating a minor variance path for carport-to-garage conversions (allowing up to a 20% expansion of footprint or 450 square feet, whichever is greater), and an interim compliance pathway for state-mandated detached duplexes, triplexes, and quadplexes (House Bill 2138).
• Detached Plex Discussion: Multiple councilors expressed strong opposition to the state mandate allowing detached multiplex units, arguing it contradicts community input and established definitions. Councilors Wenlin and Afkin criticized state overreach and stated that the community overwhelmingly preferred attached units. Staff explained the interim approach (effective Jan 1, 2027, to Jan 1, 2028) was designed to comply with state law while allowing for state rulemaking before permanent siting and design standards are set.
• Garage Variance Discussion: Councilor Mans questioned why the new minor variance pathway for carports could not also apply to existing garages. Community Development Director Jessica Newell cautioned that applying the same criteria to existing garages could allow the expansion of already large non-conforming garages. The council broadly supported referring the potential expansion of this policy to the broader code audit project.
• Economic Development Strategy (Resolution 26-36): Program Manager Megan Bronson presented the 2026-2029 Economic Development Strategy. The plan builds on a 2022 pilot project and a contract with the Chamber of Commerce. The approved version includes specific marketing efforts toward minority-owned, women-owned, veteran-owned, and COBID-certified businesses. Councilor Afkin suggested exploring ways to increase the Chamber of Commerce's capacity in the future.
• Sub-Regional Transit Study (Resolution 26-57): Assistant City Engineer Will Farley presented an IGA with Sherwood, Walleton, and West Lynn to fund a transit study by consultant Nelson Nygard. The study aims to assess transit demand and solutions for both intra-city and inter-city services. Councilors Wenlin and Afkin emphasized the need for the study to be an independent analysis, separate from TriMet's data and conclusions, citing frustration with past TriMet service. The council unanimously supported the collaborative, independent study.

Key Outcomes

• Code Amendments (Ordinances 2979 & 2984): The council voted 6-0 to tentatively approve the ordinances. Staff were directed to return at the November 17, 2026, meeting with a final version including findings. A potential expansion of the carport variance to include existing garages was referred to the ongoing code audit project.
• Economic Development Strategy (Resolution 26-36): The council voted 6-0 to adopt the 2026-2029 Economic Development Strategy.
• Transit Study IGA (Resolution 26-57): The council voted 6-0 to approve the resolution and authorize the city manager to execute the intergovernmental agreement for the sub-regional transit study.
• Council Reports: The mayor noted upcoming events including a Mayors Roundtable with African American Women of Lake Oswego and surrounding communities on November 12 and the kickoff of the youth leadership council capstone project. Councilor Mans highlighted the new OnPoint Bank branch on A Avenue.