Tigard City Council Meeting - October 14, 2025

The meeting began with the swearing-in of E Kang Hu as the new mayor, who delivered an inaugural speech emphasizing teamwork, respect, and steady progress. The council then proceeded through a series of reports, public comments, and discussions, including updates on speed cameras, parking management, transportation plans, and workplace training for council members.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Severin Hamilton thanked council and city officials, offering a prayer and blessings for the new mayor and council.
• Danny Ralda (St. Anthony's Housing Justice Team) presented over 200 signatures supporting a proactive rental inspections program, collected at the El Tigre Festival and church services.
• Dee D Hutchins shared a story from a landlord who supported the rental inspection program, stating it benefits both renters and landlords.
• Maria (translated from Spanish) described how Congresswoman Andrea Salinas signed the petition and expressed sympathy for tenants experiencing landlord negligence.
• Ed Burger urged the council to implement a rental registry as a first step toward a proactive rental inspection program, noting the state legislature failed to act on a related bill. He requested meetings with each councilor to discuss the proposal further.
• Donald Myers (former owner of Newshoes Shoe Repair) raised concerns about parking enforcement on 72nd Street near a new shoe repair business, citing lack of enforcement and seeking modification or improved enforcement.

Discussion Items

• Police Department Report (Lt. Monty Fox): Intersection speed cameras showed a 228% increase in citations at 99/Hall and 691% increase at 99/72nd compared to September 2024. Family Fun Day drew over 1,500 attendees. The department has nearly 9,000 community engagement contacts so far in 2025, surpassing 2024 totals. In response to a query about safety at the Noll apartment complex, Lt. Fox reported 54 calls for service this year, with only one crime report unrelated to building entry issues. Councilor Robbins raised concerns about piles of belongings on sidewalks, prompting discussion about enforcement of time-place-manner restrictions and potential code amendments.
• Tigard High School Envoy Report (Becca Kosramvani): Provided updates on Homecoming Week activities, including spirit week, sports games, and the Homecoming parade on Friday. Senior traditions and senior orders were successfully completed.
• Council Liaison Reports: Councilors reported on various committee meetings and the League of Oregon Cities conference, covering topics such as artificial intelligence policy, public right-of-way partnerships, civility training, affordable housing models, and transportation funding. Councilor Robbins highlighted a statistic that seven out of ten top jobs in Tigard do not pay enough to cover basic living costs.
• TTAC Annual Update (Michael Hendrickson, Tiffany Gurke): The Transportation Advisory Committee reported on 2025 activities, including the Safe Streets Action Plan, electric mobility and curbside management, a film showing on cargo bikes, a joint meeting with the Town Center Advisory Committee, and successful advocacy for Metro Regional Flexible Funds for the North Dakota Bridge Project. Looking ahead to 2026, they plan to implement the 2040 Transportation System Plan, continue partnerships, improve sidewalk connectivity, and consider Sunday Parkways. The committee called for continued support for traffic improvements, safe routes to schools, and enforcement of traffic laws.
• Electric Mobility and Curbside Management Plan (EGO Plan) – Resolution: Tiffany Gurke presented the plan, which guides Tigard's approach to e-mobility and curbside management, focusing on the Tigard Triangle and downtown. Community feedback identified barriers such as charging availability, cost, and environmental concerns. Key recommendations include a curbside prioritization framework, a quick-build program, streamlined EV charging permitting, and education for residents and businesses. Several councilors expressed concern about overcommitting without clear budget or staffing implications, and noted the need to align with other priorities like the Safe Streets Action Plan and parking management. After discussion, the council directed staff to bring the plan back as a workshop in early 2026, rather than adopting the resolution immediately.
• Parking Management Program Update (Sambo Kirkman, Sean Farrelly): Staff presented final data from 120 days of parking occupancy monitoring. Key findings: only a few areas (Atwell, Main Street South, Dartmouth, 72nd, Ash Avenue) exceeded 85% occupancy on more than 47% of days; overstays averaged 4.58 per day, with 89% exceeding four hours; and 98 vehicles overstayed more than 10 days. Recommended actions include updating parking signage (extending time limits to 7 p.m. and including Saturdays), distributing parking maps, leasing 28 spaces from TriMet’s park-and-ride lot, and striping additional spaces on Scoffin Street. The council confirmed completion of data collection and agreed to delay enforcement. Councilors discussed the parking deficit in the Tigard Triangle due to new developments without parking, with Councilor Shaw urging engagement with state legislators to seek a carve-out. The council supported the proposed alternative measures.
• Workplace Training Discussion (Laura Gomez): The HR director recommended a facilitated in-person training session on respectful workplace, anti-harassment, and roles/responsibilities, at a cost of $1,600 for a two-hour session. Councilors debated the value, with some noting the importance of following through on their September 10 commitment to “do better.” The consensus was to schedule the training during a regular council meeting so it would be recorded, ideally before the holidays, and to include the leadership team.

Key Outcomes

• EGO Plan Resolution: Not adopted; staff will return with a workshop in January or February 2026 to refine policies and integrate with the Transportation System Plan update.
• Parking Management: Data collection concluded; enforcement remains delayed; staff will proceed with updating signage, distributing maps, leasing TriMet spaces, and striping additional parking spaces.
• Workplace Training: Direction given to schedule a recorded training session during a council meeting, pending coordination with HR director on timing.
• Speed Cameras: Noted significant increases in citations, but no formal action taken.
• Proactive Rental Inspections: Public comments noted; no council action taken.
• Houseless Enforcement: Council to consider code amendments regarding belongings on sidewalks; police department working with city attorney.
• New Mayor: E Kang Hu sworn in as Tigard’s first Asian American and openly gay mayor; council and city staff welcomed him.