Milwaukie City Council Middle Housing Town Hall - July 29, 2025

The Milwaukie City Council hosted a middle housing town hall on July 29, 2025, to inform residents about state and local middle housing policies, address questions, and gather community feedback. Presentations from city staff and a state representative covered the history of middle housing, state mandates (HB 2001 and HB 2138), parking regulations under the Climate-Friendly and Equitable Communities (CFEC) rules, the tree code, and the development review process. Public comments raised concerns about parking, tree removal, lot sizes, code enforcement, affordability, and neighborhood impacts. Council members acknowledged limitations imposed by state law but outlined potential local actions.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Alison Cruz (Milwaukie resident): Expressed frustration that developers clear-cut trees before the tree code took effect and criticized the tree fee-in-lieu option as insufficient. Asked the city to consider minimum lot sizes like Lake Oswego's 7,000 sq ft for detached quadplexes.
• Rob Reynolds (Hector Campbell): Questioned what benefit middle housing provides to existing residents, citing increased density, parking issues, and infrastructure strain. He opposed attracting outsiders over caring for current residents.
• Sean (Ardenwald, CPA): Argued that cottage clusters are a simulacrum of homeownership, with high debt and little equity growth compared to renting. He described the Proud Ground model as predatory.
• Dylan Cruz (Harrison Street resident): Criticized the detached quadplex at Harrison Street as a "race to the bottom" with no trees, tight spacing, and dead replanted trees. Supported minimum lot size review and increased enforcement.
• Sally Newson (Ardenwald): Lamented the loss of big trees and the ease with which developers pay fines to remove them.
• Joanne Macy (Waverly): Shared a past experience in Portland where neighbors negotiated parking with a developer; asked if similar negotiation is possible now (staff responded no, but residents can engage developers directly).
• Dave Ashenbrenner (Hector Campbell): Called for more code enforcement due to overwhelmed staff and unclear parking rules on Home Avenue after reconstruction.
• Cheryl (Hector Campbell): Worried about lack of HOA requirements leading to slum conditions; supported infrastructure investment and rezoning for neighborhood commercial.
• Kelly Smith Haley (Lidwood): Disappointed that a flag-lot development will build large unaffordable homes without street improvements.
• Rita (Ardenwald, on Olsen): Opposed new sidewalks because homeowners must pay for public right-of-way repairs; stressed that seniors and families need cars and parking.
• Maya Blanco Chapin (Hector Campbell): Asked about using fee-in-lieu and fee-lock as pushback tools, and whether council members running for re-election would adopt protections; called development a land grab.
• Brian Haley (Lidwood): Recounted saving historic trees from a development; asked city to define its identity (e.g., dogwood) and step up enforcement of tree code.
• Heather (Hector Campbell): Supported higher fines for tree removal and increased enforcement; noted developers often violate erosion and runoff rules. Also called for more accessible housing (single-story units) and creative parking solutions.
• Laura McNani (Hector Campbell): Echoed concerns about parking, trees, and enforcement; said the housing crisis is a federal issue and city should use its influence.
• Chuck Letterton (Ardenwall): Raised safety concerns about narrow streets (32nd Avenue) and bike lane enforcement.

Discussion Items

• Presentations by City Staff and State Representative Sean (DLCD):
  • Laura (City Staff): Explained middle housing (duplexes, triplexes, quadplexes, townhouses, cottage clusters) and its history in Milwaukie. Noted that 65% of housing is single-family. Cited that 60 units are completed or under construction, with about 100 in pipeline. Average cottage cluster unit price ~$475,000 vs new single-family ~$700,000. Emphasized that cities cannot treat middle housing differently from single-family under state law.
  • Sean (DLCD): Described state mandates (HB 2001 2019, HB 2138 2025) requiring cities to allow middle housing in single-family zones. HB 2138 expands flexibility and removed ability to set minimum lot sizes for middle housing. He personally bought a middle housing unit for $290,000.
  • Laura: Parking cannot be required in 80% of city due to CFEC rules; city council previously extended that citywide. Tree code requires preservation of 30% canopy, replanting to 40%, with fee-in-lieu (up to $16,000) and bonds for replanting.
  • Vera (Planning): Explained development review process is the same for single-family and middle housing; both go through by-right building permits.
  • Jeff (Engineering): Described frontage improvements (sidewalk, curb, gutter, street repaving) required for new development, with option for fee-in-lieu (VLOC).
  • Emma (City Manager): Summarized constraints: cities cannot impose stricter regulations on middle housing than single-family; cannot require off-street parking in most areas; must adopt state-compliant code; HB 2138 now includes detached plexes. Proposed potential local actions: design standards (if applied equally), parking permit programs, car-share, increased code enforcement, infrastructure investment, and revisiting public works standards.
• Council Closing Remarks:
  • Councilor Stabenberg (Rebecca): Thanked attendees, acknowledged frustration, noted she could not afford her own home today. Emphasized need to balance community character with housing needs.
  • Council President Anderson (Will): Focused on areas the city can influence: minimum lot size, tree enforcement, higher fees, fee locks, VLOC, and code enforcement. Expressed personal frustration with state eliminating parking requirements after local work.
  • Councilor Massey (Robert): Called state housing bills an overreach that benefit developers. Committed to pushing back and using city levers like tree code, parking permits, enforcement, walkability, and infrastructure plans.
  • Councilor (Adam?) (unclear, likely Casravati): Distributed a one-paper with five strategies: green space incentives, parking management, code enforcement, walkable neighborhoods (corner stores), and infrastructure fixes.
  • Councilor Beatty (Mayor): Cast sole dissenting vote on 2022 middle housing code due to parking; opposed HB 2138 to legislature. Expressed concerns about HOA maintenance and developer profits; prefers townhomes over cottage clusters.

Key Outcomes

• No formal votes or decisions were taken at the town hall.
• Council members collectively identified several areas for potential local action: reviewing minimum lot sizes (though HB 2138 may limit that), increasing tree code fines and enforcement, exploring parking permit districts, enhancing code enforcement staff, incentivizing green space and walkability, and advocating to the state legislature.
• City staff will compile all public comments and questions into an event summary to be posted online.
• The meeting concluded with an invitation for continued engagement via email, phone, and regular council sessions.