Welcome to the August 11th, 2025 Tewalleton City Council work session.

First time on our agenda tonight is a safe parking programs overview for Washington County led by Megan Cohen.

Welcome, Megan.

Come on up.

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Okay.

Can you all hear me?

Yep.

Okay.

Good evening, Mayor, City Council.

Late afternoon, summer evening.

I'm Megan Cohen.

I am the City County homelessness liaison for Tiger Twalton and Sherwood.

And I'm here this evening just to provide an overall overview to you all about safe parking programs in Washington County and what they bring to the communities that they're in.

So with that, we'll get started.

Next slide.

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Okay.

I'll do it.

All right.

So I know that I was with you all and with our outreach team a few months ago to provide kind of an overview of the homeless services that we have and what homelessness in Towalton looks like.

I just wanted to provide some additional information this evening because as we see different funding cuts due to different policy decisions and available funding across the board.

We are seeing the situation become much more dire on a day-to-day basis.

So I'll just start by saying that we are seeing a lot of families that are facing uh rent increases and eviction without resources.

The state did not they actually reduce the amount of eviction prevention dollars that are being provided, and community action has put their eviction prevention program on indefinite hold after not having enough resources to be able to continue providing that.

Most of those eviction prevention dollars were going to families to keep them housed.

We're also in a situation where a lot of like our rapid rehousing programs, um DV programs, they run on sort of a two-year basis, and so uh those funds have also expired for families.

I have um have interfaced with several Tewalton families just in the last two, three weeks.

Um we have a family who uh is mom, two kids, um, they have been stably housed for the last two years.

Um they had some uh rapid rehousing dollars that had helped um and were running a uh daycare business out of their home.

Um those dollars uh went away.

Um, and due to other situations, um, like needing to go to DV court.

Um they weren't able to continue bringing in the same income and were facing eviction um from their uh landlord and were in the process of trying to negotiate that.

Um we also just recently had a situation where police were called to a motel six in Tualleton.

There was an older woman, older than 65 with disabilities, um, who uh was unable to uh pay for her overnight stay, so she was being asked to leave.

Um we worked with Tualeton police to get her uh an e-bed, an emergency bed at the Tiger shelter, um, and Tualton police uh transported her there, which is great.

While police was there, they had a family approach them and say that they were also being asked to leave the hotel.

Um, mom, dad, two young kids under the age of six, um, and they had no other resources.

Um we connected them with an outreach worker.

Family shelters are 100% full, adult shelters are 100% full.

There are month-long waiting lists on both of these.

Um, and so Just Compassion used some additional funding they had to put the family up as they worked with them on what next steps might look like.

Um, so we're lucky we have really great service providers that are trying to help us find options.

Um, but we're really seeing this huge gap between people being asked to leave and when they're able to get into the services and finding that bridge is something that I think we'll talk a little bit more with safe parking.

But I would say about twice a week, I'm hearing from families.

And I know that obviously our service providers and other community liaisons like the schools are going to be hearing from them a lot more than that.

As I mentioned, we have few local resources to offset the costs or help with resource navigation, specifically here in Tewalleton.

There just aren't those connection points for people other than having our outreach workers come down, which they're happy to do.

But we don't have sort of centralized navigation and sort of a place for people to start other than going to the library, getting some info about resources there.

So that also is where we can find some difficulties and getting people connected to those services.

Which again, we're very lucky to be in a place where we have local dollars providing supportive housing services.

And those services are now completely full.

And as we are all experiencing right now, it's very hot outside, not hot enough to hit the thresholds for severe weather.

And so we're seeing a lot of people experience heat illness, heat sickness, because there really aren't those shelters, those shelter beds for them to stay on, stay in in the meantime.

We continue to see cuts to SSI, SSDI, a lot of folks really struggling with low-wage jobs.

We're even hearing that people who are in affordable housing are having a hard time maintaining that.

If you're making minimum wage at $15 an hour, you're generally maybe bringing in $2,000 and affordable rents at like 60, 80% AMI, you're paying over 50% of your rent on that affordable housing.

So that is continuing to make things difficult.

And our point in time count, of course, revealed that for about every 10 families that are getting housed, we're seeing 15 more become homeless.

So I would say that I am seeing and hearing about it directly here in Towaleton with Towalaton residents and wherever we can be creative now is the time.

So just to level set us on homeless response strategies, there's a couple different ways to respond to homelessness in our communities.

Some of them are reducing the inflow, so those prevention pieces, which include affordable housing and eviction prevention.

Again, we're losing a lot of that preventative dollars to prevent the inflow, which is what we're seeing right now.

We then have things like addiction treatment and support, uh, the cat, the um counties uh addiction treatment and triage center will be they have their Hillsborough building online now, and the Beaverton building comes on, I believe in November, December.

Those will be some of the first detox beds that we have in all of Washington County and inpatient beds, which is great and probably gonna fill up very quickly.

Um, and then we have uh programs specifically focused on connecting people with housing, which include our housing programs and our shelter programs.

Um, and safe parking is going to fall into that last category.

Um, I think one thing that's important to know about safe parking is it's an extremely high barrier program.

So things like shelters, housing programs, um they are taking people sort of regardless of where they're at, doing it without background checks, safe parking requires background checks, requires people to engage in uh case management plan and to uh agree to a host of expectation and rules that come with the program as well.

So, what is safe parking?

Safe parking is um the model that we sort of have in Washington County is three dedicated parking spaces for households living at a designated uh location, site location.

So that might be a municipal site, might be a church site.

Um those spots are reserved 24-7 for folks.

Um all the guests are background checked for histories of sexual or person-on-person crimes.

The program does serve families with children and adults, so we need everybody to uh be safe in that program.

Um guests must work with a case manager on a plan towards stable housing.

So it's not just a place to park and stay.

Um, the goal is for people to get into housing from this program.

Um, and they must agree to follow the code of conduct for the site, which uh includes no drug or alcohol use.

Obviously, they're driving a car.

We would want to expect that.

It includes being responsible for pets and children, following quiet hours.

That's included.

And then it also includes two additional spaces.

One is for a restroom, a port-a potty and hand washing station, and one is for pod storage.

And the pod storage is really just designed to give people the ability to get some stuff out of their car so that they have more room to sleep in the vehicle.

And then program cost has been roughly around 100,000 for five sites.

About half of that, 50 to 60,000 is for case management of 15 to 20 households.

And then it's about 10k per site for the infrastructure for the port-a-potty and the hand washing station.

So just to give you all an idea on what that looks like.

The way the model has worked is that the cities have acted as the funders of the program.

So Beaverton and Tigered right now both have existing safe parking programs.

They are general funding these, and then they contract with a service provider to provide the complete operations for the program.

So they do the background checks, the intake process, manage the wait list, they do all the case management, they do all of the exiting if you know people need to leave the program, those types of things.

Currently, Just Compassion operates uh both the Beaverton and Tigered program.

And then they work with host sites, again, churches, municipal locations, um, that are just offering the location.

So it's at no cost to the host site other than them providing those parking spaces uh on their on their site.

This gives you an idea of what safe parking looks like.

It mostly looks like if you were to drive past or through a church like everyday parking there.

Um the programs uh for the most part are not serving RVs.

Um it's sort of a case by case basis on you know whether folks in those RVs want to get into housing, um, but they're largely serving um, you know, standard vehicles um that folks are living out of, and then the pod and port-a potty are there too.

So might look like you have some construction or something like that uh happening where you would need a port-a-potty for it, but they go generally pretty under the radar.

Um, the expectation is like no tents outside of the vehicles, no trash, everything is very like neat and kept specifically to uh really protect those sites and uh to keep everybody accountable for the program.

Like I mentioned, um, folks who come into the program uh agree to all sorts of uh neighbor agreements, those are also generally um up for conversation when we do public engagement around a site, um, which includes you know, where are those spots located on the site, what time should quiet hours be.

Um, I will say most of our sites right now uh do include preschool programs, and so some of the sites have you know rules about just like there's an expectation you won't be in this area of the property during a certain time.

Um but uh largely uh I would say over the years, the biggest challenge that we have with people that um need to leave the program is uh just not following through on their case management plan.

So we've had very few in Tigered, we have actually had zero negative exits.

So we have not had to ask anybody to leave the program uh due to not following the agreements that program's been running since since September.

Beaverton's been running a little bit longer.

Um, but generally the number one uh reason people are asked to leave is actually on the case management piece.

Um so the two programs I mentioned safe parking and Beaverton, um they have five host sites right now, four churches, one municipal lot.

Um they have in the last year 65 individuals were served with 85% transitioning into housing from the program, which is outstanding for a homeless service program.

Um we don't see numbers like that uh with uh other like shelter programs, um very positive exits into housing.

The majority of folks who are not transitioning into housing are actually just continuing into the program because they're on wait lists or waiting for something to get approved.

They have had a really great partnership with Beaverton Police, so is Tigered, where police will actually do referrals in.

So when they're out, you know, signing people for parking ordinances, talk about the program, see if it's something that people are interested in and help make that connection to get people in.

And they've actually found that it's reduced calls to police on their host sites.

A lot of the churches were dealing with like uh different types of like loud noises, other folks coming and doing things they don't want to happen late at night, and with having the program there, there's like that those extra set of eyes.

Um and a lot of times safe parking participants are actually calling police to report suspicious activity or other things.

Um it's actually improved uh what those sites have looked like on a night to night basis.

Very similar for Tiger, um, we've had this is actually even higher now, but 12 households served by the program with four that have transitioned into housing.

We're finding it's taking a really long time to get people into housing.

So the turnover is slow.

I would say like minimum four months, but probably closer to six um most of the times.

Um the exception being families who are trying to get into family shelter right away, um, and even then uh several weeks is standard right now.

Um and really what it is doing right now is providing a bridge for services that folks are waiting for.

So as they're waiting for family shelter, getting them into safe parking so that they have access to other services, they have access to restroom.

We know where they are, we're able to uh check in with them doing that for other folks who are maybe on the wait list for uh like other permanent housing programs as well, too.

Uh there's a couple other examples.

Um lots of folks have adopted similar programs.

Closest to you all, um, Wilsonville has been allowing um parking and camping in their city hall site uh as part of their time place manner ordinance.

So from seven to seven, they just allow people to park and camp there.

Um they have I think they said that they're on average having like three to four people camp and then like 15, 10 to 15 vehicles on any given night.

Um they have somebody come and check in in the morning, ask people to move along, um, but it has not been structured like safe parking to provide that sort of direct uh connection to services.

Um, and then Redmond has been offering a very similar program to Beaverton and um Tigered for the last couple years.

And with that, I will just stop there and just see what questions there are about safe parking.

Questions for Megan.

Council Brooks and Council President Pratt.

Uh thank you for your presentation.

Um I guess my first question is there are case managers, and so how much does a program like that cost?

Yeah, so the case management, um, I should say uh one thing I'm imagining if there is interest um from Towalleton in doing something similar to this is um having a shared program within Southeast Washington County so that we can share case management costs.

Um the case management for up to like 20 households is usually around $60,000 right now.

Um Tigered is uh currently um providing around I want to say $90,000 uh towards the program they because they have case management and then three we're working on a third host site right now.

Um my second question is how much would it cost for eviction prevention programming?

Yeah, that's a good question.

Um so uh when I talked to family promise of Twelton Valley recently, they have um some eviction prevention dollars.

Um they are telling me that the average um eviction prevention, like um like amounts that they are having to give per family right now is four thousand dollars.

So four thousand dollars in back pay per family in order to um in order for them to be able to keep their housing, and even then a lot of folks are not able to, it's just to make sure that there's not an eviction um as they uh go back out to search for affordable housing.

So $4,000 on average per family.

Um right.

And so eviction prevention plus and then you have families that are out, you say for an average of how long before they get home house.

Um for families, I don't have a great sense on average because usually we're able to get them into shelter within like the first couple of weeks.

Um but I would say probably in general, I'm saying that's taking like four to six months to get folks back into housing.

So they're out for four to six months.

Yeah.

Um I guess my first thing is that I think that eviction prevention is one of the most efficient things that we do, and to see the numbers turn from 15 um house, 10 housed and 15 out, is um astounding, and it's really unfortunate that that funding passed that way because it doesn't make sense to me at all.

Um why would we want more people on the street, more risk of disease, illness, kids being homeless, traumatized for their whole lives after this, all this kind of stuff.

Um, and usually a lot of times from illness.

And um, so the prioritization and what we're ending up with here is really um in the wealthiest country in the world is really abominable to me personally.

I just can't um even understand it how that could be not a priority.

Um I guess that I would like to know more information about specifics interventions and ways that those services could be dovetailed, and I'm also curious if there's any advocacy going on around returning eviction um prevention.

I mean, they can do emergency sessions for um transportation issues.

Can we do some for health and well-being of our children?

Anyway, that's just counseling please.

Thank you for your work.

It's hard.

Um gosh, I agree.

This is just heartbreaking that people just can't have a place to live.

Um my question is um more because I'm not a social worker, is like when the services that are being provided, could you like give a little more detail about what kind of services they get and what kind of help they get?

Yeah, um, in so in safe parking, I'll say there's a mix.

Um it really just depends person to person what's needed.

Um of it is helping folks connect um if they haven't had SSI or SSDI and they might call qualify Social Security or Social Security Disability, um, trying to help them through that process so that they can have that additional funding and income, um, although a lot of that is still not enough.

That's where we're seeing the gaps.

Um, some of it is uh just helping people work through like different employment options, try and find something that will provide more income.

Um definitely getting enrolled in all the county services, so doing phase one assessments, getting them enrolled in any housing voucher programs they qualify for, any shelter programs that they qualify for, um doing an actual search for affordable housing options, either like market or affordable, affordable, regulated affordable housing.

Um, so there's there's quite a range of what what that might look like.

Um for families uh working directly with the school district um with the McKenny Vento program is really high on the list.

Um, so like buses can actually come and pick kids up uh near our sites um or at our sites, just try to figure out how to not stigmatize that for kids and uh just trying to work through uh if there's other partners like DHS involved or anything like that uh connecting with them as well.

Oh, that's great.

Thank you.

Yeah.

Other questions for Megan.

Council Hillier.

Thank you.

So um I'm curious about um is there already been any conversation with just compassion about who could potentially operate something like this in Twalton or have churches come forward, or um, I guess also I'm wondering with the incredible wraparound services at Plant Back Gardens, is that a place that um should um this be an option in our community that we already have resources and could plug into those.

I like the plant back gardens thought.

So yes, I will say their uh just compassion has a lot of interest in um expanding the program uh if they're able to, they have the capacity to do it.

Um they have a very long wait list of folks uh that are coming in um from Southeast Washington County uh that would like to be in safe parking.

We have had some conversations with churches uh in Twalton.

I'm also having conversations in Sherwood as well.

Um, and we do have churches that have expressed interest um in uh exploring the option if it's uh on the table.

Great, thank you.

And could you um also share a little bit more about um who um who is the enforcement, if you will, if the rules are broken in an area and how does that look?

Yeah, that's a great question.

Um so typically just compassion is the enforcers.

So you know, if there were to be any sort of concerns, the first um the first step is really contacting the case manager, super responsive.

Um we have a site at Tigered City Hall, um, and so there will be times where I contact him just to be like, hey, I think somebody could use a check-in, or um, you know, it's really hot, like can you come by with some water, those types of things?

Um, or you know, somebody's playing their music too loud, can you come have a conversation?

Um, so they'll do those things.

Um, they are responsible for like doing the exits if there are people like not following the rules.

Um they will work with police.

Um, so if there's like a tow or something, they will, you know, have the cot they will cover the cost of the tow if that needs to happen.

Um they will, you know, communicate with police if it's like, hey, you know, we're gonna exit somebody, they share everything about like local Sydney ordinances, like you're not gonna be able to park here or here, um, you're gonna have to find another spot.

Um, so there's some collaboration with police, um, but really I think they have managed all of the sort of enforcement of the rules of the program.

Thank you.

And my final question is you mentioned that there was kind of community outreach about site choosing.

Could you speak to that a little bit, please?

Yeah.

Um, so typically I will um because they're uh locally funded by jurisdictions.

I should say one of the things about this program being outside of supportive housing services is that just compassion directly manages it.

Um, and one of the expectations with the local programs is that they are placing people in the program from our communities.

Um, and so taking those um taking those referrals directly from police, um, from service providers that are interfacing with people um in Tigered Beaverton, uh, whatever that might look like.

Um and so uh there have um it's really about ensuring that we as a community are being, I think, responsible um and um are keeping our operator uh accountable for everything that we have in the program.

So uh the way that it has been structured in Beaverton and Tiger is before we bring on a site, uh we will uh have some kind of community forum with local neighbors of the site uh so that we can present what the program is, answer questions, take feedback as it relates to the good neighbor agreements for each site, um, and then uh implement that uh also gives them like who do you call in those different situations and those types of things?

Um I feel like uh as you can imagine, people come to those meetings concerned, um, and I'd rather have people come be able to get answers to their questions before that program starts rather than come afterwards.

So it's not um something that's required from a planning perspective, um, but something that I think is a really helpful component of uh having uh folks understand what the purpose of the program is and how it keeps us all safe.

Thank you very much.

Yeah.

Counselor Sacco.

Thank you, and thank you for your presentation and all the work that you do.

Um I learned about this program um and idea committee.

Um, so thank you as well for your work there.

Um so uh who is being serviced?

And I apologize if I missed this, but for example, like in Tigered, is are where the 12 households that have been serviced, are they tigered residents?

Yeah, it's um it is something we are reporting on monthly.

So um I want to say the majority have been tigered.

I have to go back to the I feel like I just filled out a report today, um, and it didn't stick.

So I apologize.

Um, but uh if they're uh on the prioritization list, uh just compassion always prioritizes tigered residents for the Tiger program.

Okay, thank you.

Um and then how many people in the program could have, and I I know this is maybe a hard question to answer, but could have used the eviction prevention because just you know, quick math, it seems like it's about the same cost.

Um, and as someone else mentioned before, like avoiding all the traumatization, the cost is similar.

Um, like what I guess where's that that balance between this program or putting the dollars towards eviction prevention?

Yeah, I mean, I would guess all of them probably could have used it at some point or another.

I don't know.

I think there's a mix between just affordability, like long-term affordability, um, like if they had need ongoing like sort of eviction prevention or like a housing voucher type of thing.

I would say it's a mix between um like we have a lot of older folks on fixed incomes that are gonna need some kind of voucher in order to offset their housing costs long term.

Um, and there's some folks where maybe if they had just had a month or two of eviction prevention, um, that could have kept them housed a little bit longer.

Thank you.

Any other questions for Megan?

All right.

Thank you for your information.

Thanks, all right.

That brings us to item number two on our work session agenda tonight, and that's duck keeping in residential areas.

This will be uh Kevin and Aquila.

Are you up?

Welcome, Kevin.

Welcome, Aquila.

Hey.

Yeah.

No, not her particularly, it's you know, it's a slam against the administration, sorry.

Well, thank you, Mayor and Council.

Uh, we come to you today to just gauge the city council's interest in potentially adding duck keeping along with chicken keeping as a permitted use in your low density residential area.

As you may recall last month, this came, this issue came before the city council based on a community member's uh interactions with one of our code enforcement officers.

I want to make clear that uh this council doesn't have jurisdiction over the potential code enforcement case.

I don't believe this gentleman has been cited for any violation of the Tueletan development code at this time.

But uh again, the overarching issue is uh that the the code enforcement matter has been held uh in abeyance so far while we just gauge your interest on potentially allowing this new uh permitted use within your low density residential zone, and that would add duck keeping uh to chicken keeping in in that as a permitted use.

So uh really we have a staff report kind of laying out the the history back in 2000, I believe it was 13, the city council added chicken keeping uh to as a permitted use in the low density residential zone.

That's just another type of animal that was allowed uh to be raised within the city of Tualeton in that zone, along with uh small animals like dogs, cats, guinea pigs, and other things.

And so that's kind of where we're at, is really just want to hear from you what your thoughts are, if there's any interest in moving forward.

If there's not, uh this matter will be uh go back to the uh to the city to deal with if uh there is a violation of the uh to Walleton development code that will be handled through our code enforcement folks in a violation citation could be issued to this community member, and that community member would have due process rights.

Uh they could certainly uh contest the citation uh through our Tueleton municipal court, and that person could have their day in court.

All right, so questions for Kevin andor Aquila or comments, Council Brooks.

Um I have questions.

I um I I understand the history of this was came from like exotic animals, and then there was an opening of the code, and then there was this um looking at urban farming with that growth of interest in um raising eggs and things like that.

Um which is kind of interesting to me because one of the reasons that we have mailboxes shaped the way that they are is because Sears used to sell them because that's how they would sell the baby chicks, and that would allow them to have a dome to breathe.

So it's something that's historically been a tradition for ages in our um country, and um so I guess some of my things that come up for me in this conversation, especially in relation to the last conversation that we just had, is I think that we're at this place again where there's a concern about the basic food, clothing, shelter needs that the community has.

Um, and I do know that some people that are allergic to chicken eggs eat duck eggs instead.

Um I don't know the best practices and what the other communities do around these types of needs, but I am curious about that, and also even like what we do with um food, you know, like victory garden gardens and things like that, just where there's access to food and nutrition for people that live in our communities.

Um, there may be people in our communities that want to step up in a bigger way as the dynamic of our community changes because we haven't really even seen the federal impact of what's gonna happen for the amount of houseless people that we're gonna have.

Um I know that's a big conversation, and but I just wanted to put it out there because it's something that comes up for me, and it's something that I have curiosity around.

Um does that make sense?

Sure.

Thanks, thanks.

Councillor Sacco.

Thank you.

Um I you know, I have not gone into great detail with research, but from what um what I have seen is that there are cities around us that do allow for flightless ducks.

Um also that um again just internet research, but that they do tend to be less noisy and also um you know cleaner in the in the respect that um they carry you know less mites, things like that.

So they they could be I I'm I am struggling to find a reason um that they are not allowed, other than the fact that it wasn't ducks that came before the council um and uh chickens was the was the um concern the last time.

Um so I'm just having a really hard time understanding why flightless ducks were excluded, um, again, other than just that it wasn't the thing that came before us um of taking a hard line that that they are noisier, that they are you know cause some sort of harm.

Um I also do realize that changing the code does take effort um and time and resources away from the city.

Um however, I just I can't find um I guess a good reason why they are um excluded.

So I don't know if either of you have any information that could help um enlighten me, but um I had a hard time finding a reason.

And Councilor Socco, I'll certainly let Aquila uh chime in.

She was here uh when that plan text amendment, so when I'm I can't throw a little go for what I what I do know is there was a uh uh ample uh public engagement when that 2013 plan text amendment and uh accompanying code provision with the regulations regarding chicken keeping uh came and I from what I can see from the legislative history, I don't know why there was only one type of uh domesticated fowl allowed chickens and not the others, but it's clear from the legislative history that what was that's what was intended and Aquilla might have more information on how they got there.

Um yeah, thanks for the question.

I so what I remember, I don't remember is talking about ducks, but what I do remember is that there was um there was a lot of opposition to chicken keeping, and there was uh slightly more um support for chicken keeping.

I so what I remember, I don't remember is talking about ducks, but what I do remember is that there was a lot of opposition to chicken keeping, and there was uh slightly more um support for chicken keeping, and so the um I I think that's what it really came down to is that there was just enough support for just chickens, and how can we make this a um clean and neighbor-friendly use, and it actually had started, I kind of forgot about this, but it started like in 2010 and went around and around and we put it on hold because we weren't getting anywhere, and then for whatever reason I don't remember, brought it back, and it we I think the reason that we don't allow any other fowl, the quail, pheasants, turkeys, um, or ducks, and I had never heard of a flightless duck at that point.

We didn't talk about the different types of ducks at that point, but I think the reason that we kept it so narrow was because there was such a slight um uh I'll call it what majority there was a slightly more support for chickens than there was opposition, and so that was the way to kind of get that ordinance passed.

I don't know, Mayor, if you remember differently or sure, sure.

Um so I guess with that information that brings me that leads me to think um, you know, again, just with my internet research, I'm not like a duck expert or a chicken expert.

But if you know, if chickens are um you know a little bit more noisy, a little bit more prone to mess than ducks, it seems like ducks are on, I guess, and we have we have um reached a you know decision on chickens, obviously years ago, that um you know there would be the same or even more tolerance for an animal that is less noisy, less dirty, if you will.

So the discussion back then, this quill it was dead on accurate.

It took forever to get through this because chickens it was significant in uh opposition to chickens.

People don't want them next to them, next next next door.

So we kept going back and forth with the general idea was folks wanted chickens for food, not for companionship.

Was to have eggs available to their family at low or no cost.

But the issue was, as you're saying, is the noise, the rodents, all that good stuff, and we what we had to go back and forth were on over and over and over again were the setbacks, requirements to get to a point where there was a happy median, if you will, of where it was just enough support for the folks who wanted the chickens and the people who were adamantly against them, uh, saw that we were doing our best to make it so that the chicken coops wouldn't be against their fence, be nowhere near their fence.

The smell shouldn't waft over.

Um we didn't discuss any other animals because this was the only animal that was brought up because it was again just for food.

No one was raising chicken just to have it as a companion.

They're all bringing up and it was only allowed, there are no roosters allowed.

It was only chicken, you know, female chickens.

Um so that's the history of it, and that's why we didn't include anything else, because we could barely get this across the finish line because of significant neighborhood opposition to this.

The only thing comes close to this was the opposition to backyard marijuana.

That was another one where neighbors lost their minds by having that next door.

So, you know, I understand the gentleman who wants to have these ducks in his backyard, but I can see significant opposition in neighborhoods to this.

Uh, they were not happy about the chicken thing.

Um, but when it came down to it, the amount of permitted chickens that are allowed in the city of Twalton isn't as many as we thought because it's very difficult to reach the setbacks to hit all the requirements.

So I'm gonna assume that we're gonna have to come up for or come up with unless they're the same.

All the different kind of requirements, setbacks for whatever ducks are kept in, they'll make people happy.

Um, but that's the history of what happened.

Yeah, it was years going over this.

Councilor Brooks, uh thank you, Mayor.

Um thanks for your comments.

I um I guess my curiosity is has there been a lot of complaints since we passed this.

It kind of reminds me of the conversation that we just had.

Like sometimes people are more worried about things than it turns out to be.

I'm not aware.

I mean so after we passed it in 2013, um we did have a few chicken licenses that we issued or a permit.

Um and I'm not aware of it doesn't mean that it didn't happen.

I just don't really recall if we've had a number of complaints about, and you're asking specifically like have we had complaints about chickens.

Yeah.

Yeah.

I I'm not sure I'd have to ask, but yeah.

Since I've been on council, I haven't seen any complaints about chickens.

So just for narrative.

Um so I don't know if the community's um perspective is changed.

The other thing that was interesting to me about the conversation was that there was seemed to be a group connected with other policies from other cities, and I'm just curious if there's been any research on that since we heard that testimony since last time we were talking about this.

Yeah, I haven't um conducted any research yet.

Okay.

That's that would be a next step, but and none of my staff has done that either.

And then I'm just curious as well, is if we looked at it as an oversight instead of um adopting something new.

Um could it be something that could just be an amendment versus I think the uh if it fit into the same qualifications?

Well, the I think the uh development code specifically says chickens.

Um I don't think we actually like describe an animal that we could then be flexible enough to say, oh, this fits a different type of bird.

Um egg bearing animal, you know, like a few.

Yeah, it doesn't it doesn't say anything like that.

Domestic fowls, yeah.

Yeah.

If we could switch chicken for domestic fowl.

Could we sure?

Yeah, I mean that's yeah.

But would that still be that's still an amendment?

I don't think we could make that a like a scrivener's error where we just change the wording that it still ended up being an amendment.

Yeah.

But yeah, that's I'm just wondering if there's an efficient way to do it so that we don't have to keep talking about it, and if there are people that want to do it, um just so it's more accurate.

Just to be clear though, I think uh what Aquila's saying is that any change is we'd have to reopen the code and have an amendment.

It it's not like you can just cross out chicken and say domesticated fowl.

It it goes through a code amendment.

That that's my understanding as well.

Specifically, I I believe the most efficient way is for the TDC 40.2101A to be amended to allow for other types of flat flightless foul, and then the corresponding chapters in the Tuelet and Municipal Code 615 would have to be amended as well to incorporate this new type of fell that is it would be permitted.

And to and then it how laborious is it to do that to open the code and add change those words.

Um it it depends.

I'm gonna silly uh lawyerly term and say it depends.

Um and the the piece that depends on it is on how much public involvement the council thinks that we need or would like to see.

Um but at the minimum it is it's a planned text amendment, so we have the notice to DLC D's a 35-day notice.

And there's the kind of 20-day um uh notice period for that, and they make a recommendation, and then it would come to council.

Um, and then it's so and that would be after we like get the wording um down.

So if we'd spend some time working on the wording, I'm gonna say that this is gonna sound like a lot to you, but it's probably a month so that we can circulate it through all the right parties, make sure that we've got the right wording down, and then we would start that whole legislative process.

So I mean we're like if everything goes like smoothly and there's no other public involvement besides the planning commission, it's maybe like three months.

Okay.

Thank you.

I don't know, does that sound for that?

Thank you.

Appreciate the information.

Council Gonzalez and Council Ray.

So I I would be in support in in revising the code to pro to go in the way of the chickens.

And in some communities, ducks are allowed because they have five acres, ten acres.

It's quite expensive, so you don't really notice the ducks.

But in an urban environment where the average lot is 10,000 square feet, 5,000 square feet, you know, that can make it quite challenging for sanitation purposes.

By the way, by the same way as chickens.

So I would be in support of revising the code to make it clear that it'll be by way of the same process of chickens.

You gotta have your 25-foot surroundings and all the various things.

That way it's clear.

And this might be an opportunity to include other animals that we are not thinking about at this moment that we can go ahead and include at this time.

And so that's where the public involvement would come in.

And that's um and that's what would change the timeline.

So like if you're interested in research for what other cities allow, and you want to make it broader than flightless foul.

Um honestly that's gonna push it out at least like six months, probably the minimum.

Usually these legislative changes take like a year, honestly.

Especially something as controversial as this could get chickens for a long time.

Counselor Randall.

Yeah.

I I guess I'm thinking more like to our fell my fellow counselors and mayor.

Um we're solving a problem here.

Are we that we want to use staff time to do all this?

Um I mean, it's easy for us to sit here and say, yeah, go and do and amend them, you know, it's just a change of words, but I mean, are we solving a problem that's gonna enhance our community that's gonna advance the um the quality of life within our community, our Tualetin city and residents for the future?

Um looks like it's a lot of work.

I'm just thinking like is this something that for one somebody one person brings it up, and then in the end there's more opposition than there are there is for this change, and then we spent countless of hours and time and resources for something that really I don't know.

I'm just I'm just that's my question.

Are we solving a problem?

Council Hillier.

Thank you.

It was um I'm curious.

Um I'm curious.

No, no, there was a lot of things.

Um Kevin, would you please speak to the I I think you indicated or referenced a due process uh avenue?

Could you expand on that for us, please?

Yeah, thank you, Counselor Hillier.

So there is a potential for a code enforcement action uh in this particular community members for this uh community member.

Uh that person hasn't been cited yet, but let's say that uh the council doesn't want to act right now and just let the code enforcement matter uh run its course if this person was cited uh for a violation of the Tualton Development Code, and I believe that would be TDC 40.2101A, then that person would have the opportunity to challenge that citation in the Tualton municipal court.

And it would be set uh for a hearing in front of the judge, and the uh community member that was cited would have the ability to present their case on why that ducks are allowed in the city of Towalleton and staff would have their say as to why ducks are prohibited in the city of Towallaton, and the judge could rule that uh you know the city has the better case and that ducks are prohibited, and then that gentleman would have a uh decision to make.

But if the judge were to say that you know, I look at the code and I don't agree with staff, I don't believe that the development code prohibits ducks in the city of Towalleton, then that creates an issue for the city is that now ducks are allowed with no regulations in place, and it uh uh potentially would require the city to take some future action as to flightless foul.

And it would be similar, thank you very much, and it would be similar to the action that we're talking about right now.

Yes, thank you.

Councilor Saka.

This one last well, actually, I think two last things, but um so I'm just I'm just sitting here thinking, putting myself back to where the the time when we were talking about chickens.

I wasn't here to be clear.

However, um if I I'm trying to um I guess rationalize if the conversation was chickens and flightless ducks, would have we ended up with a different outcome.

And I have a hard time thinking that the answer is yes.

Um, and so I think someone used the word oversight, um, and I don't know if it would necessarily be an oversight, but if it was included in the conversation again, I just I just don't know if there would be that much additional opposition if you know that the community green lighted chickens if they would say absolutely no to flightless ducks.

I just I have a hard time wrapping my head around that again, considering that they're not as noisy and cleaner.

Um so I just wanted to say that.

Um, and I guess I have three points.

The second one is I just wanted to underline um counselor Brooks's point about um using duck eggs for food, which is a something that people use a lot.

And so if the if the intent of the um allowing chickens was for food, again that falls under that same category of what was already discussed previously with the chickens.

Um, and that I guess lastly, I I'm still not clear on what the um the specific complaint was um with this current situation.

Um and if there was an you know some issue that would be of concern um to the general population.

Thank you, Counselor Sacco.

I can speak to that last point.

The only thing the knowledge I have about the complaint was that there was a complaint made about an animal, a strange quote unquote strange animal in someone's backyard.

Uh I have no further information.

There's no evidence in the record that I have before me that there was any kind of noise or odor complaint.

Not to say that that's not the case.

It's just somebody raised the issue to our code enforcement department, and they take the action they need to take.

They investigate.

Thank you.

Councilor Reyes.

My question was answered, thank you.

Um what I understand it was about alligators.

So it was exotic animals that somebody was afraid because they're breeding exact exotic animals, and then that's how it all opened up the conversation from what I understand.

And um, I was that.

I just meant from this recent duck, duck incident, not the alligator incident, is what I was questioning.

No, it was the alligators, and then it opened up the conversation about what animals you can have, and then the urban farmer people showed up about um about chickens.

I I believe it was because it was domesticated animals only.

So it from what I understand.

I personally um shoot when you were talking um when I weigh those two options, and then if there was a judgment, um, and then we would have to revise the code anyway.

Why would we um I just wonder why we would not want to do it in a proactive way instead of having them go through the stress of doing all that um with little kids and stuff?

So that's my only caveat, and really honestly I'm I'm back to just I feel like there's gonna be a lot of food insecurity, and I have concerns that are bigger than this person that came and made the complaint.

Came and made the request, I'm sorry.

And I also want to say that I do think that the community has changed quite a bit since that happened.

Now we have a farmer's market, and we have um appetite for food carts, and we have um a mural on the side that you can see from the road, and a lot of things that weren't happening during the time of our former mayor.

Thanks.

Okay, I'll speak to a few things.

Well, first of all, the food thing, even our federal administration is telling us to do this to save money.

So if we're talking about food and um I just did a quick search, and um most of the cities that surround us to use the term domestic foul, and they it's Portland, Sherwood, Tiger Wilson, the Lake Oswego Westland, Happy Velling Hillsborough.

That's what they use the term domestic fowl.

Um this whole going through the municipal court, I'm I'm kind of getting that's where I'm headed now because it seems like we're just telling this gentleman it's either no or we're gonna go through the same process that we're or maybe even more lengthy process to get to the same point.

This whole going through the municipal court, I'm I'm kind of getting that's where I'm headed now because it seems like we're just telling this gentleman it's either no or we're gonna go through the same process that we're or maybe even more lengthy process to get to the same point.

So to me, it seems like more time for staff to go that route.

Um what was I gonna say?

Oh, um just the fact that um it if we could keep those same guidelines for the chickens for domestic fowl, I I think that would be the route I would want to take just to allow for this.

And I guess in my mind too, I don't um back when those that chicken thing went through it.

That was a big trendy thing to do, and I mean maybe more people will do it, but right now I I can't imagine we're gonna have hordes of people buying ducks and upsetting neighbors.

So um, you know, so I don't I I think we should just move forward and look at changing this language to domestic foul.

Okay.

Anyone else?

I just want to make sure that the gentleman that came last time to talk about ducks was here because of a complaint, right?

Okay, so it had nothing to do with some alligator or anything like that.

It was a complaint that someone said there's a animal.

So I just want to make sure I understood that correctly because it feels like that um we're talking about other things, but it was a complaint that some a neighbor.

So if one neighbor is complaining, I'm guessing when we start opening this whole thing, there's gonna be a lot more coming.

So it's not a give you a heads up.

All right.

Um I'm a firm no on this, but I'm in the minority, I can see I lived through this before.

I don't want to go through it again, and it wasn't the former mayor who put was affirmed against this, it was all the city council was not wild about this.

And we ended up you know getting to the point where again we found an agreement we could live with, but none of us wanted it.

We were told we're living in a city, not an agricultural zone.

If you want to have chickens and ducks and goats and pigs, you live in unincorporated Washington County.

You don't live in an incorporated city in Washington County, and I'm a firm believer in that, so I'm a no, but sounds like there's four votes here to move this forward.

I mean, I'm assuming you're a no.

I feel like the resources it sounds like a lot of for one change from one person that came.

I think if we have more people coming with things like this, then I'm like, okay, there's a case for that, but I mean it's like the point zero one percent, and we're making a lot of changes, staff time, staff resources to solve no problem, a problem that's not there yet.

And that's what I say, is there a problem that we need to solve?

Because that's what we're here for to solve problems within the community.

And I feel like to me, it just seems like a lot of I I can feel it, and it's a lot of work for something that for one complaint.

I think maybe a one, maybe if we have more, then I will consider the majority then wants this.

But if I just I mean, think about all the things that can happen just by allowing one thing, because a one person out of 26,000 people, I don't know.

That's that's where my mind is, the math doesn't add up, and I just say no, let's just kind of see who else complains, or who else wants more ducks, or who else wants to change and this that's just my thought.

Thank you.

And what's the next oversight?

What's the next animal that someone's gonna come and ask for that was an oversight when we go through this process?

So is there four folks to move this on?

I see three hands.

So I'm I'm no with you as well.

Okay, so only see three.

Oh, four.

Okay.

So I heard a couple of different things.

One move forward with domestic fowl.

Two expand and think about what other animals should be included, how much community engagement.

This is a huge CIO effort, it's gonna have a lot.

I that's my question of this.

I for me personally, I um I think that just the quick search of the code just look like a lot of cities surrounding us just use different language on this one particular thing.

I don't necessarily think we need to expand that whole conversation at this moment.

Um but um I do know that it just seems like we're just in a minority, so for me that's all that I'm looking at right in this moment.

That's what we're the CIO's for.

Go ahead.

Okay, I mean, if you what are you required to do?

I mean, we have the public notice.

We're we're I mean, I to me this is not a huge change if we can fall within the guidelines and call it domestic foul, and if the requirements for the yard and everything could be the same.

So are are you asking what our requirement for public engagement?

Um so it would be a legislative change, and so let's see, make sure I remember this newspaper advertisement, right?

We'd put something up on the website.

Um by taking it through the planning commission, that's our goal one, you know, public engagement.

Um what I don't remember is if our code requires like a notice to CIOs for legislative.

I don't remember that.

I believe it requires notice, but it doesn't require them to meet and that like yeah, that's what I would I want the CIOs to be aware of it.

I just don't know that um there's this expectation of this giant upper, and I don't know that it's gonna happen.

If that happens, that you know, there's more we have to deal with, but why um why plan for it when we don't know that that's gonna happen?

We already allowed the chickens, so that fight's done.

So we're just uh we're just making a change here to that existing code, basically.

So that's um like the minimum engagement, right?

Um that would be up to you all to give us direction.

So perhaps if you want us to come back with like a more extensive discussion about this, we could, or you can give us direction now about do the minimum public engagement or uh noticing and the process for a very um narrow change, yeah, or go through a more expansive discussion about what else are we missing, what are the other things you would like to be seen or the community desires, which I I'm not so we would love that direction before we get out of here.

Council Cycle.

From my uh opinion is that um we I think the community's already had the discussion on the chickens, and that this would just be a language change to domestic foul and not to open up the conversation for um all sorts of other animals.

Again, I said it earlier.

My um opinion is that this, you know, if it would have came before council before that I can't I can't understand a reason why it would have been excluded, and that I don't think that the same amount of public outreach would be needed.

However, um, you know, I think with the public noticing, we'll hear from community members if it is a concern.

And it's that when we decide whether we should move forward or not, or is it like are you gonna?

I guess my if I understand the process correctly, that will make more of it'll help me make a better decision because what I don't want is that we go through all this and then in the end it still is we decide not to move.

I mean, I don't know what the staff time is and all that, but it seems like a lot just on what I'm hearing.

I can just see the process in my head.

Um even for language change, my understanding.

I guess I'd like to be more clear.

Can one of you kind of state a little bit the how the process works if we want to make a change, whether just the the two words, or is it gonna be like a whole extensive process?

Yeah, so like uh so going on the assumption that we're doing just like the required public engagement, so that would be the noticing um the you know, the newspaper, the website, that kind of thing.

We're staff won't be spending any extra time um, you know, doing an open house or going out to neighborhoods or putting up surveys or any anything like that.

So um there's gonna be some time commitment for some of that noticing, which we would kind of wrap into the um just the the work of the legislative amendment.

So let's say that the behind the scenes pieces of getting the noticing out, um editing the code, um, which I think that's probably just the two places in the TDC and the TMC.

Um circulating that through staff just to make sure we're on the same page.

Let's say that that takes like I'm gonna say three months.

I'm I'm trying to build in some buffer, just knowing like you know, things come up, we've got other work.

So the behind the scenes piece we'll say takes about three months, and then we get our um notice out to DLCD and our newspaper notice out that we're gonna have a planning commission meeting.

So let's see, September, October, November three months.

So then let's say we have a planning commission meeting it um, probably not in December, so maybe the planning commission meetings in January.

They make a recommendation, and then we bring that to you in February.

And that's that's about the timing, the the amount of work on staff is really that behind the scenes front end, and then it's the staff reports and presentations for planning commission and city commission.

Sorry, city council.

And when within that process, we can say, yeah, it's taking maybe we shouldn't move forward because it's just taking too much time.

It wouldn't get back to the phone.

Once it starts equals, I mean it's not gonna necessarily come back to you until February.

Until February.

Unless you want um we could build in a check-in, so that's gonna push a timeline out.

We could build in a check-in where we bring that like draft language to you, so you can see like, okay, is this did you guys staff?

Did you understand what we were saying?

So we bring that to you, and then you could have an opportunity at that point to say no, we don't want to do this.

But if we're trying to streamline it and just make a simple change, like that's what I'm that's kind of the time frame that I'm thinking.

And so then by the time it gets to you in that public hearing is when you could say that you know, you'd make a decision if you're gonna adopt it or not.

Thank you.

I hope I didn't overcomplicate that for you.

Sorry.

All right.

So what's your direct?

Because I'm still a no.

So council president, what's your motion for this?

Oh, okay.

I I motion that like we go forward as simply as possible, still informing the public, but it just with the um idea of making as quick closely as possible, just changing the word chicken to domestic vowel.

That's where I'm at, you know.

So Kristen, did you or sorry, council?

Yeah, and I I think we'd have to define domestic vow too.

Just I mean, I don't know that I completely understand what domestic foul.

I I would say I I it would be domestic foul that fits within, like I don't know for turkey is the one I worry about here, but um, you know, something that could be in the backyard and within the guidelines we currently have for chickens that would you know keep neighbors as happy as possible and be reasonable.

Counselor's first and uh council stock are you done?

Oh excuse me.

So I I'll be honest, I would prefer to push this through the legislative system because I then think it is a better way to do that.

However, we were elected to do something when our community comes to us, and I think if we make it seem like it's an inconvenience, I'm not I'm not feeling good about that as a counselor, and so this is why I feel like it needs to go through a community process.

I mean, we do that for other things, and um, I think it needs to be for my perspective the most streamlined possible.

I did happen to be there in the very old and Dave's hot chicken when basically that was where the city council met.

I was there because of the marijuana topics.

So I sat through a lot of these, and this is a hot topic in the community, and I think you know, it's gonna be our opportunity to find out whether you know what the temperature is, and I think we owe the community to weigh in.

So that is why I'm voting yes, and I do believe that it needs to be the most streamlined as possible because there's a lot of other work.

Yes, sir.

Oh, sorry, counselor, and uh per your council rules, we don't take votes in work sessions.

Um what I'm hearing is there's general direction to initiate a plan text amendment uh to uh uh change the uh toolton development code to include domestic foul along with uh the keeping of chicken provisions that are already in the TDC and regulations in the TMC.

We gotta move on, Council Brooks make it quick, please.

Can we also say keeping in line with the communities surrounding us?

Then that will sort of things up.

That's what I heard as well.

Thank you.

Thank you.

All right.

All right, so that brings us to the agenda review.

Uh Councilor Hilliard, you're up for the pledge tonight.

Uh any questions or concerns with the consent agenda uh consent agenda tonight.

I I I do have one uh vigil that I I would like to take out uh that I don't want to vote on, which is the when it comes to the Tualetin fee structure change.

So I would like to put that on its own vote, please number six.

Okay, so you want number six pulled and or separately.

Okay.

All right.

Any other concerns on the consent agenda.

All right, so we've got about 15 minutes.

I'll start with uh round table and I'll start with Sherlin and we'll see how many we can get in before seven, and then we'll continue the rest of them at the end of the council meeting.

Thank you, Mayor.

Uh well it's been a while since you've had a council meeting.

So uh there are a number several things I want to highlight.

Um put on your on your dais um our water report, our water quality report.

Um take a look at that.

Uh so I'll just go through a few things from the library.

The library will be closed on um Tuesday, November or November.

Um September the 2nd through Friday, September the 5th.

Um we are doing a lighting improvement project, and the entire panel has to be taken down, and um it's a necessity.

We're communicating with our patrons, and um we will be doing some in-service training with our employees.

Um it's an inconvenience and um it's the only way to make it happen.

Um so uh we're gonna get through it.

Um something else that's happening in the library that's super exciting.

I don't know if you've heard about the Willamette meteorite.

Um, the Willamette Meteorite, big Google it, it's a very interesting story.

Um the Ice Age Floods Institute has a 10, what is it called?

Like a it it's a replica.

And they have given it to us as a permanent loan in the library, and so it will be on display, and we're really excited about it.

And um, yeah, like it's uh it's a really cool thing.

Um we are also doing a user survey in the latter part of August out of the library.

So if you come into the library, um make sure to um take the survey, or if you check out a book or you're engaging with the library at all, um please make sure to uh take that survey.

On to parks and recreation.

So super exciting news.

Um, our the meal program at the poll center is just going gangbusters.

Um Dustin reports that in July we served 274 meals over eight days, so an average of 34 meals per day, which is an increase of 325 percent over the previous month.

Um so very exciting.

Um we're going to um keep um probably bring you back a report after six months and then look at you know what the future is from there.

300 youth utilized our summer camp program in July.

Um the street tree and missing tree inventory is underway and is moving along very quickly.

Um over 450 participants at Viva Tualeton and summer camps provided input on the design of the new playground of Tualetin community park.

So we're moving forward with that.

Um the police department uh you're gonna meet a couple of new police officers.

We're very excited about them.

We also have a new canine, Drea, and I don't know if she will be here tonight.

We do have an opportunity.

Well, hopefully, uh we will bring her before you for um introduction either tonight or the next council meeting.

Um she has already passed her certification uh with the Oregon Police Canine Association as a detection canine.

So very excited about that.

Um we used federal forfeiture dollars, speaking of our um detection canine.

Um this was under Tony, but we used them to um purchase new gym equipment for in the police department to aid in our department's ongoing wellness efforts, and it's been very well received.

And then we hosted um or the neighborhoods hosted National Night Out last Tuesday with over 15 events throughout the city, and that was very successful.

Um we're working on a grant from Homeland Security for 125,000, which will match with $50, uh $50,000, I'm sorry, or $50 for badge access system here at the Twalaton Community or City Services facility.

Um that is a really important project and one that we haven't had the money for, so we're um excited about that, and that work will be completed likely by year end.

Um we celebrated National Intern Day on August 31st.

Um we have six interns in the city right now, um, and or we will oh no, it was September July 31st.

I'm sorry, July 31st, not August 31st.

Um it was a it was a fun event where um we have this great cohort that's coming together and um providing them a lot of um support and they're providing us a lot of support.

Uh the Latino Business Networking Meeting, which maybe Councilor Reyes will talk about, was on August 7th, and I believe she was one of the featured speakers.

So uh the CIO leadership meeting was on the same day, uh, Thursday, August the 7th, and Megan supports them.

Um just a couple other things.

Building G at Lamb, just across the street.

If you drive out that way, uh you will notice that it is almost done.

Um they are due to get their certificate of occupancy um by August 29th.

So we're excited about that.

And finally, the reservoir project, which is um going on at on the IBAC uh neighborhood, is at 90% plan review, and the plans go out to bid in October, and construction will start in uh spring of 26th.

So you will see that probably award the contract this in October.

So yeah, that's my update.

All right.

Yeah, all right.

So with that, we'll go ahead and uh go ahead and conclude the work session for this evening.

We'll do the rest of the round table at the end of our city council meeting.

So I'll go ahead and close this meeting and we'll reconvene for the full Twalton City Council meeting at seven o'clock.