2025-2027 Goals

Success: Completion of strategic planning, funding opportunities, and long-term investments to provide safe, updated, and sustainable infrastructure as well as improvements to, and construction of, needed city facilities

Priorities:

• Create development plans for the Oregon City Pool and End of the Oregon Trail Museum that reflect a community supported vision for the future location and costs to update or reconstruct the facilities
• Increase community engagement, education, and outreach about the need for new funding sources to maintain, update, and expand parks and recreation facilities
• Consider lobbyist support to identify and secure federal, state, county, and regional funding and grants for needed transportation, water, sewer, and stormwater infrastructure investments and to influence Legislative actions that impact the City
• Strategically invest in Information Technology Systems that can keep pace with technological changes and advances, such as Artificial Intelligence, while providing for an accessible, safe, and secure Information Technology Environment

Success: Transition from planning to constructing amazing parks and open spaces and create a communication plan to educate residents about the costs, revenue generation opportunities, and potential improvements to the City’s Park system to address the existing deferred maintenance

Priorities:

• Adopt a 5-year Parks Capital Improvement Plan that prioritizes projects and will guide budget investments, revenue options, and grant opportunities for potential funding sources for deferred maintenance throughout the parks and recreation system
• Strive to become recognized as a Bee City USA and increase high-quality habitat for pollinators, in particular native bees
• Maintain our Tree City USA designation
• Identify and apply for grant funding to complete a tree canopy assessment and determine the need and costs associated with a City Arborist
• Identify funding and grants to begin the design and construction of a replacement boat ramp and park improvements at Clackamette Park

Success: Create economic development and tourism programs and opportunities to promote a healthy and sustainable local economy that supports and contributes to the surrounding neighborhoods, businesses, and visitors

Priorities:

• Ensure a smooth transition and the necessary support and coordination between the Destination Marketing and Management Organization and the City
• Review the process for public and private event planning, the City grant processes, and the Metro Enhancement Grant program to determine if the application submittal and review process can be simplified and improved
• Focus on the marketing and development of the employment lands within the Thimble Creek Concept Plan and along Meyers Road
• Complete the feasibility study for the expansion opportunities of broadband in Oregon City
• Participate in discussions with Clackamas County to determine the future of the downtown County Courthouse and how to safely and securely manage the building while it is vacant to ensure it does not negatively impact the downtown businesses and visitor experience, while maintaining public access to Liberty Plaza
• Identify opportunities to support downtown Oregon City businesses in response to the relocation of the County Courthouse, including updating the parking study, potential business support programs, and employee parking opportunities
• Investigate opportunities to expand the enterprise zone, vertical housing tax credit, and other programs in the mixed use, commercial, employment, and industrial areas to support and encourage businesses, employment, and housing investments in Oregon City

Success: Increase participation opportunities for all residents and create an informed community that participates in the public process

Priorities:

• Increase the material and content on the City’s website and social media channels, as well as the methods by which they are produced and delivered, to maximize the information provided in a short and concise manner, including possible expanded use of video.
• Expand community engagement and participation opportunities through the creation of new public events and programs such as community open houses, forums, surveys, and town halls
• Utilize community events, such as Concerts in the Park, National Night Out, and others to increase community education and engagement
• Continue to support the Citizen Involvement Committee and Neighborhood Associations and strive to identify methods to increase community involvement and improve communication with the City Commission.
• Investigate opportunities and costs to enhance Trail News and focus on more up to date material and information that is produced on a more regular basis

Success: Integration of principles and values that provide for a diverse, equitable, inclusive, and safe City that is welcoming for community members and visitors and which strives to create an environment that supports the sense of belonging for all employees

Priorities:

• Identify methods to reduce barriers for community members to participate in city processes and to increase access to city services and programs
• Find methods to encourage Oregon City-based businesses to take part in City procurement processes and to prioritize buying local
• Empower staff to identify, implement, and operationalize the principles of a diverse, equitable, safe, and inclusive workplace
• Strive to internalize DEI into the organization and reduce the long-term need for consultant assistance to successfully continue and expand workplace advancements, education, and training
• Work with the External Community DEI taskforce to increase involvement and engagement with the community  

Success: Increase the availability of housing options and the construction of mixed-use commercial buildings using incentives and available public lands, with a priority of creating workforce housing  

Priorities:

• Create pre-approved designs for accessory dwelling units that would be allowed throughout the city, with the exception of the McLoughlin Conservation and Canemah Historic Districts
• Continue the process of discontinuing City use of the Center Street property
• Investigate the use of the Center Street property for workforce housing and potential public access to the upper yard and the two parking lots for private residential development
• Consider the creation of an inclusionary zoning program and extend the vertical housing tax credit where appropriate, primarily in the mixed-use zones
• Implement tiered system development charges that reduce charges on workforce housing and smaller housing units while remaining revenue neutral
• Advocate for infrastructure funding at the regional, state, and federal levels that would support the construction of new housing and the implementation of state mandates
• Identify opportunities to use public land in partnership with non-profits for the development of long-term workforce housing

Success: Oregon City has proportional resources to address homelessness and is leveraging partnerships to achieve equitable funding for the population being served

Priorities:

• Advocate for proportional federal, state, regional, and county funding to address the impacts on the community and to provide adequate local services to support the demands created by increased housing and social services
• Work with business partners downtown, Clackamas County, and non-profits to address existing impacts and identify solutions, especially the impacts associated with the existing after-hours and weekend homeless service gaps
• Provide for social services while utilizing enforcement as needed to meet community members and businesses expectations for a safe and inviting City
• Increase communication about the services, resources, and the role of the City and steps that are being taken to address homelessness in the community
• Continue to be a regional leader in identifying and implementing creative solutions and partnerships to reduce homelessness and its impacts on the community
• Strive to embed the Oregon City Support Services Community Court into the proposed Caring Place facility to consolidate supportive services into one location
• Advocate for engagement and partnerships with neighboring communities to provide resources within their jurisdictions to increase services throughout the region