Tigard City Council Meeting - October 28, 2025

The Tigard City Council met on October 28, 2025, to discuss a range of topics including homelessness and camping policy, water resource management, housing development in River Terrace 2.0, and a proposed food assistance response to federal SNAP benefit cuts. The meeting featured extensive public testimony, a presentation on time, place, and manner (TPM) ordinance updates, and a detailed update on the River Terrace 2.0 project. Key outcomes included consensus to adjust camping hours and direction to bring a revised TPM ordinance to a public hearing in December.

Consent Calendar

• Resolution to amend the personal communication service facility (PCS) site agreement – Approved unanimously.
• Resolution to apply for a local government grant for the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department – Approved unanimously.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Written comments (24 received): Topics included houselessness/camping, a crossing improvement at Omar and Hall, a thank-you to Tigard Police, nuisance co-enforcement, and River Terrace 2.1.
• In-person speakers (9 total):
  • Caleb Peterson (social worker) – Expressed support for maintaining the overnight camping site at Public Works, stating it provides a legal and safer place and aligns with Oregon law. Opposed removing it.
  • Dancy – Asked to stop fishing in Summer Lake Park due to geese/duck injuries and bacteria in the lake. Also complained about homeless camping (taxpayer expense for grass) and gas leaf blowers (92 decibels).
  • Carol Bergen (assault survivor) – Thanked the Tigard Police Department (Officer April Keller, Detectives Casey Mace and Gabe Stone) for their work on her assault case, noting visits and care.
  • Yelise Laubark (Family Promise of Tualatin Valley, lives near Public Works) – Expressed pride in the city’s homelessness response, supported keeping the Public Works camping site as a centralized location near services, and warned that removal would disperse people into neighborhoods and make outreach harder.
  • Liz Eriksman (Home Plate Youth Services) – Opposed banning camping on Public Works lawn, citing first-hand experience that bans create barriers for unsheltered youth. Stated that two youth she works with are using the site while waiting for shelter.
  • Rob Evans (business owner, resident) – Opposed camping on Public Works lawn, calling it an embarrassment and unsafe. Urged the city to find a better location.
  • Michael Austin (Just Compassion) – Supported keeping the current site, arguing it provides the safest place for all residents, allows police to know where campers are, and enables effective service provision.
  • Megan Hamilton (resident) – Asked for action to address storage and camping concerns, calling for a good neighbor agreement, enforceable solutions, and accountability from elected leaders and nonprofits.
  • Kim Marshall – Urged the council to make a compassionate decision to keep a safe place to camp, noting that if Public Works lawn isn't the right spot, the city should find another and work together on it.
• Phone callers (2):
  • Anna Murphy – Expressed concern that making camping too permissive has led to long-term encampment and lack of enforcement. Asked for consistent enforcement of the 9 a.m. breakdown time and a time limit on personal property (e.g., Hillsboro’s three-hour rule).
  • Lindsay Voorhees – Supported a time limit for stored property, a good neighbor agreement, and transparency in accountability measures. Stated current rules are not consistently enforced.
• Late speaker (not on original list, given time after public comments):
  • Mahmoud (displaced guest camping at Public Works) – Thanked the city and police for compassion. Said the debate about whether to have a safe place is concerning; urged better education for police and better oversight of shelters.

City Manager Report

• Acting City Manager Trish – Encouraged voter turnout for the November 4 election, noting turnout rates have declined from 85% in 2004. Ballots can be mailed or dropped at City Hall.

Water Advisory Board (WAB) Annual Meeting

• Public Works Director Brian Rager introduced the item. No changes proposed to the IGA with Durham and Tigard Water District.
• WAB Chair Michael Bruin presented three recommendations:
  1. Water conservation – Continue promoting conservation in all city endeavors, given climate change impacts on the Clackamas River source (snowpack depletion, temperature increase, reduced flows).
  2. Supplemental water supply – Investigate options, including an intertie with the Willamette River Water Supply Program, due to limited Clackamas River allocation (25 of 38 MGD for Tigard) and projected peak demand of 33.3 MGD by 2039.
  3. Water concerns for new development – Urge council to consider how infrastructure and utility delivery will support housing production and system sustainability, and explore mitigation options.
• Staff response (Brian Rager): Leak detection is a current priority; a water system plan update is scheduled for next fiscal year to refine demand forecasts and timing for a new source.
• Council discussion: Council thanked the WAB. Councillor Schlack requested a future discussion on reducing the 5% rebate to partner jurisdictions under Section 12 of the IGA. Council President Wolf asked for clear action steps tied to the recommendations.
• Outcome: No formal vote; council acknowledged the recommendations and directed staff to incorporate them with clear action items.

Discussion Items

Time, Place, and Manner (TPM) Update

• Homelessness Liaison Megan Cohen presented two options:
  1. Prohibit camping on the Public Works lawn – would likely disperse homelessness, increase enforcement costs, and reduce outreach effectiveness.
  2. Adjust existing ordinance – including changing the camping time from 7 p.m.–9 a.m. to 7 p.m.–8 a.m. (enforcement possible at 8 a.m.), removing the “mysterious line” near safe parking, adding prohibited city properties, and exploring low fencing to demarcate areas.
• Council discussion:
  • Mayor Who framed the goal: assess whether the ordinance still makes sense and what data or adjustments are needed.
  • Council President Wolf supported using the CHART committee to dig deeper into storage, alternative sites, and enforcement transparency. Opposed new city properties for camping.
  • Councillor Shaw opposed removing camping entirely, recalling past unsafe conditions. Supported changing time to 7 a.m.–8 a.m., exploring fencing for clarity, and revisiting storage capacity at Just Compassion.
  • Councillor Gadusi opposed removing camping, noting it would increase resources and enforcement costs. Supported the time change to 7 p.m.–8 a.m.
  • Councillor Schlack expressed frustration with regional response and stated he would vote to prohibit camping on Public Works and align hours with other jurisdictions (7 p.m.–8 a.m.). Supported limiting camping hours and aligning with county standards.
  • Councillor Robbins opposed banning camping on Public Works but opposed making it larger or adding fencing. Supported time change to 7 p.m.–8 a.m. but preferred 7 p.m.–7 a.m. if feasible. Emphasized the need for enforcement and transparency.
  • Youth Councillor Halleck supported time change and keeping a designated area, but questioned the purpose of fencing.
• Consensus: Majority agreed to keep Public Works as a camping site, change camping time to 7 p.m.–8 a.m., and not add fencing (though information on fencing was requested). Council directed staff to explore alternative sites (not new city properties) and to bring a revised TPM ordinance to council in December for a public hearing.
• Transparency: Mayor Who requested documented enforcement data to show the public that rules are being enforced.

River Terrace 2.0 – Housing and Natural Resources Update

• Senior Planner Brittany Gata presented with consultants from Walker Macy (Cameron Blakely, Samyakini).
• Key points:
  • The project is subject to Metro’s Title 13 natural resource protections; the city is developing a customized protection approach with a tiered system for high- and moderate-value habitat.
  • Draft housing approach includes three residential zones (RTR A, B, C) with minimum net densities of 10, 18, and 20–28 dwelling units per acre, aiming for an overall 20 units per acre (as per 2021 concept plan directive).
  • A credit-based system for undersupplied housing options (smaller units, family-sized apartments, accessible units, affordable housing) and a discretionary path allowing flexibility in exchange for public benefits.
  • Three development scenarios were tested, showing feasibility of 20–22 units per net acre; two were shown as 3D models.
  • Commercial options areas and expanded home occupations are planned to encourage neighborhood-serving businesses.
• Council comments and concerns:
  • Councillor Schlack – Many questions about council directives vs. state/Metro requirements; requested compilation of key documents. Emphasized this is a long-term project.
  • Councillor Robbins – Concerned about parking shortages, lack of scattered commercial (especially grocery/pharmacy in the south), and cookie-cutter design. Noted the 3D model didn’t reflect community desire for mixed-use like Multnomah Village.
  • Councillor Shaw – Worried about Metro’s Title 13 waiving habitat for density; wanted more developer forums earlier; emphasized parking as a critical issue; suggested partnership with King City for commercial.
  • Council President Wolf – Questioned the 20 unit/acre directive vs. Metro’s 3,000-home minimum; supported flexibility and continued developer engagement; favored “affordable” as reasonable price points.
  • Mayor Who – Noted the need for more housing (household formations increasing) but stressed maintaining good developer relationships. Asked about commercial options areas.
• Staff responses: Parking assumptions (1–2 spaces per detached unit, 1 per apartment plus on-street); commercial feasibility study found south area couldn’t support large retail; design details will come in later development code updates.
• Outcome: No decisions; council provided feedback and requested continued developer engagement. Next steps: annexation ordinance hearing on December 2, parks update on November 18, transportation update possibly December 2.

Key Outcomes

• Time, Place, and Manner: Council directed staff to:
  • Prepare a revised TPM ordinance changing camping hours to 7 p.m.–8 a.m. (with enforcement at 8 a.m.).
  • Keep the Public Works lawn as a permitted camping site for now; explore alternative sites (not new city properties).
  • Bring the revised ordinance to council in December 2025 for a public hearing.
  • Provide enforcement data to council and the public to demonstrate compliance.
  • Continue working with CHART committee on storage solutions and broader homelessness strategy.
• Water Advisory Board Recommendations: Council thanked the board and directed staff to incorporate the recommendations with clear action steps and timelines.
• River Terrace 2.0: Staff to continue developer engagement, refine housing and natural resources approaches, and present a parks update on November 18 and an annexation ordinance for consideration on December 2.
• Food Assistance (SNAP cuts): Council directed acting city manager Trish to explore potential funds (e.g., travel budget savings, social services grant adjustments) and work with CHART and nonprofits to identify urgent needs. A policy discussion on using council travel funds for food assistance will be scheduled.
• Consent Agenda: Both resolutions approved unanimously.
• Adjournment: Meeting adjourned after approximately 3 hours.