St. Helens Sends Mass Mailer on Development Code Updates

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 9, 2024

St. Helens, Ore. - The City of St. Helens is sending a mass mailer to property owners in October related to proposed development code updates for residential, commercial, and mixed use zoned properties. A mailer will only be sent to property owners who own land in a zoning district that is impacted by the proposed updates.

The majority of the development code updates are related to mandatory state legislation which requires the City of St. Helens to update its development code. Proposed updates include:

1. Allowing detached multifamily development (three or more units). This proposed change would allow cottage cluster type development (three or more detached dwellings) in certain areas. This change is due to the City's adopted 2019 Housing Needs Analysis which recommends allowing multiple detached homes on a single property. Any city with a population over 10,000 is required to have an adopted Housing Needs Analysis which inventories existing housing, evaluates the housing shortages in the city, and estimates needed housing units for the next 20 years.
2. Regulation to manufactured homes and prefabricated structures. House Bill 4064 which was passed in 2022 makes it illegal to enforce prohibitions of single-wide manufactured homes in certain areas. Prefabricated homes are also a newer structure that is not currently addressed in the City's code. Generally, the City is required to treat manufactured homes and prefabricated structures the same as stick-built dwellings.
3. Single room occupancies (SROs). House Bill 4064 was passed in 2023 and added SROs to the list of needed housing in Oregon and requires local governments to allow them. SROs are attached living units that share kitchen and/or lavatory facilities.
4. Other miscellaneous updates. The most notable change is the removal of outdated language referencing "catering to motorists" as a separate land use type.

The proposed development code amendments will be reviewed by the City of St. Helens Planning Commission at a public hearing on Tuesday, November 12, 2024, at or after 6:05 p.m. The St. Helens City Council will then hold a public hearing on Wednesday, December 4, 2024, at or after 6:15 p.m. Both public hearings will be held in the St. Helens Council Chambers located in the City Hall building at 265 Strand Street, St. Helens.

Property owners with questions about the proposed development code updates should contact the St. Helens Planning Department by calling City Hall at 503-397-6272 or emailing City Planner Jacob Graichen at [email protected].

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For further information regarding St. Helens development code updates, please contact Communications Officer Crystal King at [email protected].

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