Tualatin City Council Meeting – March 9, 2026

The Tualatin City Council met on March 9, 2026, at 7:00 PM. The meeting covered a proclamation for National Community Development Week, introduction of a new employee, public comments on food cart regulations, a consent agenda, a special report from Ride Connection, a public hearing and vote on domestic fowl regulations, and a detailed presentation on the Tualatin-Sherwood Road Rail Crossing Study.

Consent Calendar

• Minutes Approval: Approved the work session and regular meeting minutes of February 23, 2026.
• Resolution 5943-26: Increased the NIBER Creek Trail Construction Project Change Order authorization amount with None of the Corporation.
• Resolution 5946-26: Authorized the city manager to execute an intergovernmental agreement with Washington County for recycling contamination reduction education.
• All items were adopted unanimously by one motion.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Robert Kellogg (speaking on food cart regulations): Urged the council to expedite removal of the ordinance limiting food carts to one per legal lot, stating it makes food cart pods infeasible. He noted that a broader rewrite is planned for April 27, 2026.
• Kevin Vomolvaney (speaking in favor of domestic fowl ordinance): Expressed appreciation for the city's effort to expand the ordinance, noting that it provides clear language and aligns with resident desires. He emphasized that the change increases diversity without increasing the number of birds allowed.

Discussion Items

Proclamation and Employee Introduction

• National Community Development Week Proclamation: Councilor Brooks read a proclamation declaring April 6–10, 2026, as National Community Development Week in Tualatin. The city has received $1,810,617 in Community Development Block Grants historically.
• New Volunteer Services Coordinator: Kate Griffin was introduced. She started February 9, 2026, and brings experience from Hoy Arboretum and San Antonio Botanical Garden. She expressed enthusiasm for engaging volunteers in parks and natural areas.

Ride Connection Special Report

• Paul Marksbury (Operations Director) and Debbie Walkas (Program Manager) presented on transportation services. Key statistics: From March 1, 2025, to February 28, 2026, Ride Connection provided 8,194 rides in the Tualatin area, including nearly 1,200 rides to people from outside the city. Services include community shuttles (Blue Line, Red Line, King City Shuttle) and a door-to-door program. They are starting a shopping shuttle from Planbeck Gardens in late March 2026. Councilors discussed ridership recovery post-COVID, the Ride Together program, and the need for transportation to schools and medical appointments.

Domestic Fowl Regulations (Ordinance 1454-26 and 1455-26)

• Staff Presentation: Aaron Ingman (Senior Planner) and Teresa Montalvo (Planning Manager) presented the ordinance to expand backyard chicken regulations to include domestic fowl (e.g., ducks, pigeons, quail) in the low-density residential (RL) zone, while prohibiting roosters, geese, turkeys, etc. The ordinance amends the Tualatin Development Code (chapters 39 and 40) and the Municipal Code (Title 6-15). The planning commission unanimously recommended adoption. Staff noted that code enforcement is complaint-driven, with 28 active licenses and 8 complaints since 2021. Councilors discussed enforcement capacity, minimum coop size, manure management, and best practices.
• Council Questions: Councilor Hillier asked about code enforcement capacity; staff confirmed it is complaint-driven and manageable. Councilor Pratt raised concerns about minimum coop size and manure containment; staff noted that best practices will be posted on the city website and that existing nuisance codes address manure. Councilor Reyes expressed concern about potential disease transmission (e.g., bird flu) and the feasibility of on-site slaughtering.
• Vote: Two readings and adoption were conducted. The first reading passed unanimously (6-0). The second reading passed 4-2 (Councilor Reyes and Chair voted no). The adoption vote also resulted in 4-2 (Councilor Reyes and Chair voted no), meaning the ordinance will require a third reading on March 23, 2026. The companion municipal code ordinance (1455-26) followed the same pattern: first reading unanimous, second reading 4-2, adoption 4-2, requiring a return for further consideration.

Tualatin-Sherwood Road Rail Crossing Study

• Presentation: Mike McCarthy (City Engineer), Abby McFetteridge, Amy Griffith, and Mark Vitor (Kittleson & Associates) presented a high-level analysis of options to address congestion at the Tualatin-Sherwood Road/Boones Ferry Road/railroad crossing. Key alternatives:
  • Rail under/over: Not viable due to floodplain (rail under) and insufficient right-of-way for a shoofly (rail over).
  • Road under: Possible but at risk of flooding; requires pumping systems.
  • Road over: Most viable grade-separated option; would require significant property acquisition (e.g., Mexican restaurant, McDonald's, O'Reilly's, Chase Bank, Dutch Bros) and could enable redevelopment in the Cora area.
  • At-grade widening with ITS: Costs $10–20 million; grade separation costs $100–200 million (in 2035 dollars).
  • Funding: Potential sources include the Railroad Crossing Elimination Grant Program (up to $204 million in recent cycles), RAFA funds, state funds, and local match. Councilors discussed the need for regional partnerships, property impacts, and the benefits of congestion relief, safety, and economic development.
• Council Direction: Council directed staff to continue studying the road-over family of options and the at-grade widening with ITS, and to bring back more detailed analysis, including public engagement and traffic modeling.

Council Communications & Roundtable

• Proclamations: Council approved scheduling proclamations for Older Americans Month, Arbor Month, National Library Week, Transgender Day of Visibility, and Military Child Month for the March 23, 2026 meeting.
• City Manager Shirley Norton: Reported on progress with Clean Water Services operating agreement, Washington County library IGA, a transit study with neighboring cities, submission of Riverfront Park for federal earmark, and demolition of the Matthias property in the urban renewal district.
• Councilor Brooks: Attended NBC LEO Black History meeting, LOC legislative update, Congresswoman Salinas town hall, Chamber Awards Dinner, LOC Women's Caucus board meeting, International Women's Day event, and a yoga class at Winita Pole Center.
• Councilor Hillier: Attended the regional immigration discussion meeting, reporting on the Attorney General's presentation and resources for reporting civil rights violations.
• Councilor Reyes: Attended the same immigration meeting, noting collaboration with law enforcement for data collection.
• Council President Pratt: Attended Chamber Awards, ODOT R1 Act meeting, Downtown Community Advisory Committee meeting, and Clackamas County Coordinating Committee meeting. Discussed challenges in housing development and invited council to attend the Clackamas County retreat.
• Mayor Burson: Attended MMC meeting, Washington County Chair's meeting (discussed rule of law resolution, flock cameras, drone pilot program, library IGA timeline), R1 Act meeting, and a meeting with Commissioner Snyder on vehicle registration fee increase. Also promoted Senator Wagner's legislative debrief event.

Key Outcomes

• Consent Agenda: Adopted unanimously.
• Domestic Fowl Ordinances (1454-26 and 1455-26): Both passed first reading unanimously (6-0). Second reading and adoption each passed 4-2 (Councilor Reyes and Chair voted no). The ordinances will return for a third reading on March 23, 2026, because the adoption was not unanimous.
• Rail Crossing Study: Council directed staff to continue analysis of the road-over grade separation and at-grade widening with ITS, with a focus on public engagement and technical refinement. No formal vote was taken.
• Proclamations: Approved for scheduling.
• Next Steps: Staff to bring back updated rail crossing study and draft IGAs for library and clean water services. The domestic fowl ordinances will be reconsidered on March 23, 2026.