Council Adopts Transit Master Plan, Advances Boeckman Road Corridor Projects
July 18, 2023 — At the July 17, 2023, meeting of the Wilsonville City Council, the Council adopted on second reading a new Transit Master Plan, which details a work plan to guide South Metro Area Regional Transit (SMART) operations. The plan guides future goals and strategies to help the City of Wilsonville improve transit services and maintain a sustainable public transit system.
The Council also authorized an amendment to the City’s Progressive Design Build (PDB) agreement with Tapani | Sundt, which provides $2.8 million for several Boeckman Road Corridor Improvement Program projects. This funding facilitates work to replace two 12-inch diameter undersized culverts with three 24-inch reinforced concrete pipes, to demolish a vacant home on a City-owned property, and to purchase bridge piles, design girders and bridge abutment walls to prepare for the construction of a bridge over the “Boeckman Dip.” A brief meeting of the Urban Renewal Agency Board was held to approve this amendment.
To provide landscape architecture, civil engineering and planning consulting services on the upcoming project to build a new 2.9-acre park in Frog Pond West, the Council approved a $318,000 contract with Mayer | Reed.
To improve the City’s capacity to inspect and maintain its underground utilities, the Council approved the Public Works department’s $125,000 purchase of a television (TV) inspection van. Regular inspections of sewer and storm systems helps crews identify maintenance and repair needs to those systems.
The Council approved an intergovernmental agreement (IGA) with Clackamas County to advance the Regional Advanced Transportation Controller and Signal Optimization project. The Project, which upgrades 22 traffic signals in Wilsonville, is substantially funded by a grant awarded to the county through the Federal Transportation System Management and Operations (TSMO) program.
During Mayor’s Business, the City Council welcomed the Civics Academy’s Class of 2023 for a short graduation celebration. The annual civic-engagement program provides participants with an in-depth look at how the City operates.
The Council confirmed the appointment of David Siha to the City’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee to fill a vacant seat through December 2023. The Mayor noted the upcoming Korean War Armistice Day Ceremony, to be held at Town Center Park on Saturday, July 29, at 10 am. The event includes a preview of the Oregon Korean War Interpretive Center.
During Communications, the Wilsonville Historical Society shared details of the Society’s recent project – funded by a Wilsonville-Metro Community Enhancement award – to organize and digitize its archive of historical photos.
At the work session held prior to the meeting, Parks & Recreation staff continued a discussion with the Council about progress on work to re-calculate a more appropriate Parks System Development Charge (SDC) that is assessed to developers in order to finance sufficient Parks & Recreation infrastructure to accommodate future growth. A public hearing to approve a new Parks SDC rate is scheduled to be held in August.
Economic Development staff shared an update on the progress of the ongoing urban renewal feasibility study. The study will determine if and how the City might use tax increment financing to support implementation of the Wilsonville Town Center Plan. The Council directed staff to pursue a May 2024 advisory vote to gauge public support for utilizing urban renewal in Town Center. Wilsonville has successfully used urban renewal for more than 30 years to build critical infrastructure that supports private-sector development.
The next regular meeting of the City Council is to be held on Monday, August 7, at 7 pm; a pre-meeting work session is scheduled at 5 pm.
Community members can watch all City Council meetings on cable (Xfinity Ch. 30, Ziply Ch. 32) or on the City’s YouTube channel: ci.wilsonville.or.us/WilsonvilleTV.
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