Milwaukie's Planning Department is playing a game of bait and switch with its citizens by IGNORING both independent parking consultant's and residents' surveyed preferences over new proposed residential on-site residential parking requirements.  They must be stopped and we need your support NOW before the Planning Commission meets this Tuesday, November 9th.

Over much of this year a group of Milwaukie citizens participated in the Comprehensive Plan Implementation Committee which addressed changes to housing development, trees, and parking requirements for our city that must be made due to Oregon state mandate HB2001 which aims at allowing multiplex housing development (du- tri- & four-plexes, cottage clusters and townhouses) in what have historically been single family residential zones (SFR).  SFR zoning has been abolished in all communities with 25,000 residents or more and in metropolitan areas and this type of multiplex "middle housing" or "residential infill projects" (RIP) will now be allowed throughout the mandated cities.

Online community surveys were also conducted to glean citizens' preferences for housing form code, tree protections, and parking requirements.

The clear conclusion drawn regarding citizen preferred on-site parking requirements was for 1 on-site (garage, driveway) per 1 dwelling unit.  Also, the hired consulting firm concluded that the MINIMUM average demand for parking across all of our neighborhoods is 2 vehicles per unit with a "notable percentage of residential untis with multiple vehicles (3 or more) parking on-site."

Despite the consensus amongst CPIC, the private consultant, and a majority of survey respondents, Milwaukie citizens desire the highest number of on-site parking spaces be required for new middle housing construction.  Per the state mandate, HB2001, the maximum number of allowable parking spaces is 1 on-site space per 1 dwelling unit.

*So WHY??? BURIED on page 388 (of a 423 page meeting packet), is city staff  suddenly recommending a requirement of ZERO on-site parking spaces per unit of new housing built?  This would mean that a new du- tri- or fourplex or a would have ZERO on-site parking.  Just do a little simple math and then think of whether or not there will be anywhere enough street parking to handle the load as our city urbanizes?  And is it realistic to think that enough people will decide to take  the currently cumbersome transit or ride a bicycle/walk when we lack a comprehensive walking or bicycling network that is safe or convenient and there are no plans to create and build such a network?

Also, it's proposed that new cottage clusters or townhouse properties with 8 or more units would have only 0.5 on-site parking spaces per unit built.

As it is, even with a maximum allowable of 1 on-site parking space per 1 dwelling unit MANY properties will get reductions due to being either within 1,000 feet of a Max line stop (25% reduction) or within 500 feet of a bus line with service intervals of 30 minutes or less (20% reduction).

Given the big picture of multiplex infill development coming our way, it is vital to require 1 onsite parking space per 1 dwelling unit as recommended by the professional parking consultant, the CPIC committee, and as supported by the majority of citizens who have taken the online surveys put out on the Engage Milwaukie website by the city.  Even with this standard, in time, our streets will be beyond flooded by cars long before our streets are improved, mass transit is viable for many, and long before alternative transportation networks exist (if they ever do).

It is beyond outrageous and incredibly disrespectful that our own city staff are trying to slip a fast one past us at the last moment, on the last page of a huge packet, AND at a meeting that is presented as being focused on the new Tree Code!  A zero minimum on-site parking requirement was never presented in the public outreach efforts of the city and should not be making a last second appearance now.

PLEASE JOIN US in OPPOSING anything less than a minimum 1 on-site parking space to 1 dwelling unit ratio for residential parking in Milwaukie's moderate density neighborhoods.

AND please consider participating in Tuesday's Planning Commission meeting with either your quick written comments (send to KoliasV@milwaukieoregon.gov) and/or 3 minute or less verbal testimony.  Details for the zoom conference meeting are here: https://www.milwaukieoregon.gov/bc-pc/planning-commission-84

PLEASE SHARE WITH YOUR NEIGHBORS!

WITHOUT YOUR VOICE MILWAUKIE WILL BECOME A PLACE YOU DON'T WANT TO LIVE!

Questions?  Please feel free to contact us at milwaukierip@gmail.