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I call the meeting to order.

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Good evening and welcome to the June 1st, 2026 study session

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of your Ashton City Council.

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This evening we have two agenda items, the update

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regarding the state mandated land use ordinance amendments,

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Senate Bill 9 74 and House Bill 2138,

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and then the community Wildfire re Wildfire Resilience Bond.

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Sabrina.

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Thank you. So tonight our first one, we're gonna go

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through an informational update regarding upcoming state

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dated amendments to chapter 18 of our land use ordinance.

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So I'm gonna have Director Goldman go through those changes

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that are dictated by Senate Bill 9 74

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and House Bill 2 1 3 8.

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Good evening, mayor Council, Brandon Goldman.

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It's not on Brandon. There you go. Thank you.

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Good. Brandon Goldman, community Development Department,

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Derek Seaverson, planning supervisor.

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So thank you for hearing us this evening.

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We wanted to give you an overview of

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recent legislative changes at the state that are going to be

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impacting all communities throughout the state of Oregon.

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Essentially the purpose of tonight's discussion is intended

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as a informational meeting in order to update the council

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specifically about Senate Bill 9 74

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and the city's ongoing efforts

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to implement that legislation.

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So no, no action is requested of council this evening,

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but other than comments

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and questions that you may have, so the purpose

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of the presentation is to provide an overview,

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explain the legislation adopted by the bill, discuss

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how it changes land use process within Ashland

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and the decision making process,

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and also outline the next steps in this legislative

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amendment process.

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And I also wanted to provide an update in terms

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of the planning commission's review of this.

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They have previously reviewed Senate Bill 9 74 as part of a

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review of all legislation that impacts land use,

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but most recently on May 26th,

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the planning commission looked at section 9 74 specifically

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and have made some recommendations.

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So in terms of the overview,

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the 2025 Oregon legislature adopted several significant

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housing related bills.

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As you're well aware, they're all intended

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to increase housing production

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and reduced barriers to residential development.

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Senate Bill 9 74 is among the most consequential of those

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because it directly affects

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local land use review proceedings.

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And I'll go into what those changes are specifically.

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But unlike many housing bills

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that focus on development standards, density, housing type

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or financing, Senate Bill 9 74 primarily focuses

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on the process and the legislature's objectives were

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to reduce delays associated

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with processing land use applications by ensuring

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that those which they consider urban housing applications

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are dealt with administratively as opposed to

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through a public hearing process.

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And it limits the number of hearings that a project

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may be proposed, potentially presented before.

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So the bills really shift certain housing applications

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away from the traditional quasi-judicial legislative process

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and forwards them to administrative re review.

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And what that means in a nutshell is

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that an applicant doing a subdivision for instance, instead

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of going to the planning commission for review

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and decision would be presenting to city staff

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applying the same standards that are in place now

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but approving or denying it at an administrative level.

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So the current process

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and application is submitted to the city staff reviews

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that application, identifies the components that are met

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or are not met and provides that staff review

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to the planning commission.

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The planning commission has that hearing

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and it makes a decision for the city.

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If an applicant or a neighbor

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or an infected party wants to appeal that decision,

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they appeal that decision to the city council.

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And the city council is then the final decision maker

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of the city following a council appeal

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that an applicant

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or a neighbor can appeal that to the land use Board

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of Appeals Senate 9 74 changes that process substantially.

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Essentially the first decision is made by staff, then

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that goes to the planning commission on appeal

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and if the planning commission's decision,

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which then becomes the final decision of the city, if

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that's appeal, that goes directly

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to the land use Board of Appeals.

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And as such, the city council currently serves

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as an appellant body but would not do so

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after 9 74 specifically

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for urban housing applications.

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And we have to make that distinction

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because there is a category within 9 74 that says

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what qualifies for

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that expedited review process and what doesn't.

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Did you wanna take questions as we go? Yeah. Councilor

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Hansen.

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Thank you Mayor. Thank you very much.

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Brandon, as I read this, I was curious,

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the first step makes absolute sense in the new process,

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but then taking city council out of the mix there

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and going straight to Luba, I don't know

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how long a Luba appeal is, so could you help me

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in understanding, maybe you can help shed some mind on

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what the state was thinking and taking

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out the council appeal.

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It seems like that would be a more expedited process.

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And then relative to with these residential applications,

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how long would a Luba appeal take for just perspective?

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Yeah, I, I think that if a application was

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to conclude at the end of a council appeal,

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that would likely be a more expedited process, correct?

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That's right. However many applications have a council

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decision and then are appealed to Luba.

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Right? So the city is obligated under existing

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and future rules

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to process a decision locally within 120 days.

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So that's our shot clock. So this doesn't look And does

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That change at all from the old,

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It changes to a hundred days

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for affordable housing applications,

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but those are a very limited subset of applications.

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Right, okay. So most the shock clock stays 120 days

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and we would review that application

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through the staff decision with time

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for a planning commission appeal.

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Currently we try and expe expedite that so that an appeal

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before council can also be completed within

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that 120 day period.

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So the final decision

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of the planning commission usually is after 60 days.

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And so if an applicant can appeal to Luba at that point,

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it could theoretically save them two months of local process

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by jumping to the state appeal board and a Luba appeal.

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I'm not sure exactly on the timing.

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We've had one recently

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and I'd say that added probably about 60 days

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to their review process. Okay.

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Thank you Councilor Dale.

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Thank you Mayor. And thanks Brandon.

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Yeah, councilor Hansen asked a lot of what I was asking,

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what I want to know well about relative to the timing

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and so it still is something that, yeah, I still kind

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of am a little, a little concerned about pulling the city

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council out of that process,

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even though I understand the timing of it.

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Is there a potential Is is is first question is,

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is Senate bill 9 74 unequivocal on that is the process,

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there is no local ability

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to provide an option to appeal

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to the city council before Luba?

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Yeah, I believe so. I think that the intention is

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to have an administrative decision by staff

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with one one appeal.

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Okay. At the local level.

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So then my second question would be, going back upstream

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to the staff decision process,

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what have you guys found in your, in your opinion,

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has been the things that cause the most delay or

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otherwise getting these types of

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administrative approvals being you're seeing them denied,

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what are, what mostly happens when they're denied? Sure.

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I Well I'd like Derek At the administrative level, I'm

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Sorry as well.

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Yeah. You know from my experience, the

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current planning application denied at either an

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administrative level or at a planning commission level

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is often because an application itself is either incomplete

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or requesting a, a variance

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or a modification that is not commensurate

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with the intention of the the code.

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So in terms of approval process,

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those can also be slowed down.

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If we receive an application from an applicant

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that is at 80%,

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but it's missing key information, at which point we'll have

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to reach back out to the applicant, ask them

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to submit addendums to that application.

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So it's really, the delays typically happen

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before we deem it a complete application.

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Once we deem it complete, we send out the notice

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schedule the hearings and it moves along

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that timeline in a rather expeditious manner.

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But there can be a lot of back and forth

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before an application is considered.

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Complete

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Question, Just a quick follow up.

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Do you find that, do you find that in that back

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and forth, that there's too much subjectivity

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or do you feel that it's right on as far as it just,

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the applicant is actually just specifically missing

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basic pieces of information that deem it incomplete?

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Might be for Derek as the planning manager to respond.

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It's typically that the applicant is

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missing specific pieces.

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Our code calls out for each component of the application,

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what has to be submitted to meet requirements.

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And if we're writing an incomplete letter,

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we're referencing specifically the code says you need

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to provide this in a MC whatever and you haven't done it.

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So it's, it is rarely subjective.

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The other thing I would note in terms

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of denials is denials are exceedingly rare.

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I think in 25 years as a planner, I think we've denied

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three applications.

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It, it probably is more common

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to have a reversal from Luba than a denial from staff

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or the planning commission.

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And that's because we have to begin

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with a pre-application process

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and then a completeness review process

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where we're really working with the applicants

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to get a complete approvable application

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before a notice ever goes out. Thank

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You.

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And I have a number of other questions from counselors.

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Just a reminder that we, we do need to move through this

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and, and these are required changes

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from the state government.

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So just keep that in mind. Councilor Kaplan.

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Thank you Mayor. So my question, I guess it has to do

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with the relative cost.

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It sounds like the staff

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and what I'm hearing from you is

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that the staff review involves some back

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and forth about completion and all of this sort of thing.

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So the changing that

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to a staff decision sounds like it wouldn't add additional

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costs for staff 'cause you're already doing a fair bit

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of review and then prepping of the planning commission,

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the packet, all doing, all that sort of thing.

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So there might actually be a savings

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'cause you wouldn't have to go before the planning

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commission on most of these things

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unless there's a final an appeal. Is that right?

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I agree and in the event that an application is submitted

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and it's reviewed administratively, that would,

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we'd still send out a notice to all the impacted at

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neighbors, get feedback from them

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and then make a staff decision if it's not appealed,

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that is consistent with what we do currently

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where we send out notice to the neighbors advising 'em

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of the planning commission meeting.

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Where it does add potential workload

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for community development staff is in the event

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that if staff decisions are regularly appealed

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to the planning commission in order to exercise

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that public engagement,

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at which point we will be doing those notices multiple

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times or twice.

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Right. Councilor boom. Yeah, thank, thank you.

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Yeah, I mean I, this is, I, I understand

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because you know, some councils are gonna be kind

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of anti-development, anti-growth

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and we want to, obviously in Oregon, we want to encourage

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that this council's been the opposite.

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I mean, we've reversed planning commission decisions

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because we wanted to be more pro-growth.

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00:15:16,225 --> 00:15:19,205
So I'm looking at the definitions under 9 74

267
00:15:19,205 --> 00:15:20,965
and it's this comprehensive plan amendments

268
00:15:20,965 --> 00:15:23,405
and zone changes to increase density are included in those

269
00:15:23,405 --> 00:15:27,085
definitions, which are obviously a high level decision.

270
00:15:27,345 --> 00:15:30,685
And we're talking about an unelected body that is going

271
00:15:30,685 --> 00:15:31,765
to be the final decision maker.

272
00:15:31,825 --> 00:15:34,525
So the question is, is the only workaround here is

273
00:15:34,525 --> 00:15:36,005
to essentially properly vet

274
00:15:36,005 --> 00:15:37,605
and make sure that we're appointing members

275
00:15:37,605 --> 00:15:39,645
of the planning commission that are gonna be aligned

276
00:15:39,645 --> 00:15:41,845
with our more pro-growth vision.

277
00:15:42,385 --> 00:15:45,605
So I'll, you highlighted a very important point

278
00:15:45,745 --> 00:15:47,365
and a distinction that was discussed at

279
00:15:47,365 --> 00:15:48,565
length at the planning commission.

280
00:15:49,625 --> 00:15:52,725
You know, a number of the changes subdivisions,

281
00:15:53,315 --> 00:15:57,005
variances handled at administrative level are likely things

282
00:15:57,005 --> 00:15:58,965
that would typically go before the planning commission,

283
00:15:59,345 --> 00:16:02,205
but not rise to the level of council zone changes,

284
00:16:02,355 --> 00:16:04,005
comprehensive plan changes.

285
00:16:04,655 --> 00:16:06,805
Those have always required an ordinance

286
00:16:06,805 --> 00:16:09,685
and they require an ordinance under state law

287
00:16:10,025 --> 00:16:13,765
and an ordinance by definition has to have a public hearing.

288
00:16:14,545 --> 00:16:19,365
So we see a conflict between existing ORS 2 2 7

289
00:16:19,625 --> 00:16:23,365
and Senate bill 9 74 where one says you have

290
00:16:23,565 --> 00:16:24,805
to have a hearing, another says

291
00:16:24,805 --> 00:16:26,285
that you can't have a hearing.

292
00:16:26,905 --> 00:16:30,285
So in terms of process, our guidance is to look

293
00:16:30,305 --> 00:16:32,805
to Department of Land Conservation and Development

294
00:16:33,225 --> 00:16:37,005
and ask them to opine on how we process that.

295
00:16:37,505 --> 00:16:39,685
In doing so, their response essentially was

296
00:16:39,685 --> 00:16:43,245
that they are going to be doing rulemaking beginning in

297
00:16:43,245 --> 00:16:46,485
January of 2027 to address

298
00:16:47,545 --> 00:16:49,965
the implementation steps for 9 74.

299
00:16:50,545 --> 00:16:54,085
But that does not exempt the city from the responsibility

300
00:16:54,145 --> 00:16:57,085
to adopt code amendments prior to that date.

301
00:16:57,545 --> 00:17:00,685
So we're anticipating from the planning commission,

302
00:17:00,805 --> 00:17:02,965
the commission did not recommend amendments

303
00:17:03,265 --> 00:17:06,845
to the city's existing zone change procedures at this time.

304
00:17:07,055 --> 00:17:10,925
Again, noting that that's a public hearing requirement

305
00:17:12,695 --> 00:17:15,405
until, and given the lack of guidance from the state

306
00:17:15,405 --> 00:17:17,365
regarding the application

307
00:17:17,365 --> 00:17:21,085
or implementation of 9 74 looking, the commission

308
00:17:21,685 --> 00:17:23,085
recommend maintaining that procedure

309
00:17:23,535 --> 00:17:25,405
until additional direction is provided.

310
00:17:26,425 --> 00:17:28,165
We don't see a lot of zone change

311
00:17:28,265 --> 00:17:32,045
for increased residential density in the event we do.

312
00:17:32,105 --> 00:17:34,165
I'm sure legal counsel will be involved in terms of how

313
00:17:34,165 --> 00:17:35,605
to process that,

314
00:17:36,105 --> 00:17:38,485
but at this point in time, our recommendation

315
00:17:38,665 --> 00:17:41,285
and consistent with the planning commissions will be

316
00:17:41,285 --> 00:17:46,005
to draft amendments to 9 74, incorporating all

317
00:17:46,005 --> 00:17:49,685
of the legislative requisite changes with the exception

318
00:17:49,685 --> 00:17:52,525
of the zone change in comp plan change,

319
00:17:52,525 --> 00:17:54,325
which would then still have to come to council

320
00:17:54,825 --> 00:17:57,005
for review and approval. Got it. Thank you.

321
00:17:57,675 --> 00:17:59,325
Yeah, Councillor Sherell.

322
00:18:02,455 --> 00:18:03,845
Thank you Mayor. Thank you both.

323
00:18:03,875 --> 00:18:05,205
This is super exciting

324
00:18:05,345 --> 00:18:07,565
and I realize it's only informational only,

325
00:18:07,565 --> 00:18:09,445
and I don't want to get too far into the weeds,

326
00:18:09,445 --> 00:18:11,885
but can you talk either of you briefly about

327
00:18:12,555 --> 00:18:14,405
what we expect this will change,

328
00:18:14,515 --> 00:18:16,285
what we expect this will streamline

329
00:18:16,285 --> 00:18:18,765
and how it affects what we see as one

330
00:18:18,765 --> 00:18:20,845
of the largest barriers to housing production in the

331
00:18:20,845 --> 00:18:23,205
country, which is the not in my backyard attitude

332
00:18:23,345 --> 00:18:27,245
and how the appellant could potentially take

333
00:18:27,245 --> 00:18:29,045
responsibility for some of that burden.

334
00:18:29,305 --> 00:18:33,085
And, and can you, can you share how you, you think it will

335
00:18:33,705 --> 00:18:35,765
affect production in our city?

336
00:18:35,995 --> 00:18:36,995
Sure.

337
00:18:37,595 --> 00:18:41,365
Some immediate changes that I would foresee is, you know,

338
00:18:41,365 --> 00:18:42,605
given the recommendations,

339
00:18:42,605 --> 00:18:45,605
we're looking at some discretionary changes concurrent

340
00:18:45,715 --> 00:18:47,365
with the state mandated.

341
00:18:48,145 --> 00:18:51,205
One is how we process subdivisions currently,

342
00:18:51,665 --> 00:18:53,405
and I'm gonna get a little bit into the weeds.

343
00:18:53,565 --> 00:18:54,965
Subdivisions of 10 units

344
00:18:55,065 --> 00:18:58,845
or more are, are considered type two actions

345
00:18:58,845 --> 00:19:00,925
that have an outline plan, a final plan,

346
00:19:00,925 --> 00:19:01,965
it's a two step process

347
00:19:02,065 --> 00:19:05,485
and applicant has to submit a full application,

348
00:19:05,545 --> 00:19:08,005
get approval, and then do all the engineering, submit

349
00:19:08,005 --> 00:19:09,125
that and get that approved.

350
00:19:09,945 --> 00:19:13,965
So we are looking at changing that 10 units to 20 units

351
00:19:14,665 --> 00:19:17,125
and as an administrative approval you could see housing

352
00:19:17,125 --> 00:19:18,405
developments of 20 units

353
00:19:18,425 --> 00:19:23,005
or less that come in with one plan to develop it, submit it

354
00:19:23,005 --> 00:19:26,645
to staff for an administrative review, we'll review all the

355
00:19:27,405 --> 00:19:29,605
requisite requirements, everything from street access,

356
00:19:29,605 --> 00:19:33,045
street wits, building setbacks, building heights, all

357
00:19:33,045 --> 00:19:35,885
of those and approved at the staff level.

358
00:19:36,905 --> 00:19:38,725
And if not appealed to the planning commission,

359
00:19:39,075 --> 00:19:41,725
then the applicant could really accelerate

360
00:19:41,725 --> 00:19:43,045
that development and move forward.

361
00:19:44,225 --> 00:19:47,805
It will have some benefit to the applicant to process it

362
00:19:47,805 --> 00:19:49,325
as a type one planning action

363
00:19:50,225 --> 00:19:52,085
versus a type two planning action.

364
00:19:52,225 --> 00:19:55,885
Not just in that timing ex accelerant, but also

365
00:19:55,885 --> 00:19:58,085
because the application fee

366
00:19:58,185 --> 00:20:01,205
for a type one is less than the application fee

367
00:20:01,205 --> 00:20:04,365
for a type two and reviewing all the applications

368
00:20:04,365 --> 00:20:08,565
that we've had over the prior year, there were only three

369
00:20:08,565 --> 00:20:10,285
that would qualify under that standard

370
00:20:10,585 --> 00:20:14,245
and they'd save about $1,500 per applicant on that.

371
00:20:14,265 --> 00:20:16,725
So that is a cost savings for the application.

372
00:20:18,065 --> 00:20:19,965
The second part of your question, I'm forgetting now,

373
00:20:20,365 --> 00:20:23,885
It had, it had to do with the appellant bearing some

374
00:20:23,885 --> 00:20:25,685
of the burden if there's an appeal

375
00:20:26,785 --> 00:20:28,085
and if they lose the appeal,

376
00:20:28,115 --> 00:20:31,645
they potentially have a responsibility to reimburse the city

377
00:20:31,705 --> 00:20:33,685
for time and potentially legal.

378
00:20:34,195 --> 00:20:36,725
Yeah. Which would hopefully in turn discourage people

379
00:20:36,725 --> 00:20:39,765
that are not quoting a direct clear

380
00:20:39,765 --> 00:20:41,405
and objective standard to resist housing.

381
00:20:41,405 --> 00:20:43,765
Right. To, to have less incentive to try

382
00:20:43,765 --> 00:20:46,125
to just waste somebody's time and cost them money. Sure.

383
00:20:46,325 --> 00:20:48,285
I I think there's two different appeals.

384
00:20:48,425 --> 00:20:50,925
The appeal to the planning commission of a staff decision

385
00:20:51,495 --> 00:20:53,445
would have an a, a appeal fee,

386
00:20:53,785 --> 00:20:57,285
but it doesn't have that responsible for attorney fees.

387
00:20:57,795 --> 00:21:02,685
That an appeal of a needed housing to Luba that is found

388
00:21:02,685 --> 00:21:06,365
to be an unnecessary appeal that didn't cite,

389
00:21:07,545 --> 00:21:10,645
you know, reasons for overturning or remanding.

390
00:21:11,515 --> 00:21:13,365
Luba can award attorney fees

391
00:21:13,945 --> 00:21:17,045
and those attorney fees could be if the city's attorney was

392
00:21:17,045 --> 00:21:20,205
a respondent or the applicant's attorney was a respondent.

393
00:21:20,985 --> 00:21:24,085
And that was legislation that was passed, I think in 2024

394
00:21:25,265 --> 00:21:28,165
to really stop abuse of legislative

395
00:21:28,165 --> 00:21:33,005
or of appeal process for, you know, appeals of clear

396
00:21:33,005 --> 00:21:34,565
and objective standards that are met.

397
00:21:35,345 --> 00:21:36,845
Follow here? Yes.

398
00:21:37,115 --> 00:21:39,245
Yeah. Thank you. Thanks for for clarifying that.

399
00:21:39,245 --> 00:21:41,485
Hopefully that will have a, a positive effect.

400
00:21:41,745 --> 00:21:44,205
And then the second question I have is

401
00:21:45,075 --> 00:21:49,165
with all this downward pressure from the state to really,

402
00:21:49,165 --> 00:21:50,925
this is implemented when the governor signs it,

403
00:21:51,045 --> 00:21:52,405
I believe based on emergency

404
00:21:52,745 --> 00:21:56,485
and we're trying to catch up state planning goals,

405
00:21:56,585 --> 00:21:58,885
say we're gonna do rulemaking for this next year.

406
00:21:59,625 --> 00:22:01,645
You have staff that's working on all

407
00:22:01,645 --> 00:22:02,725
the incoming applications.

408
00:22:03,845 --> 00:22:05,805
I understand that we maybe have a, a vacancy

409
00:22:05,805 --> 00:22:08,045
that we can't fill right now due to budgetary constraints.

410
00:22:08,045 --> 00:22:10,645
Like how can this body help your office

411
00:22:11,345 --> 00:22:13,445
get the people it needs to write

412
00:22:13,625 --> 00:22:16,725
and implement these plans that the state has mandated on us

413
00:22:16,785 --> 00:22:17,965
that's already in effect

414
00:22:17,965 --> 00:22:19,685
that we don't even have code for yet.

415
00:22:20,595 --> 00:22:22,525
Yeah, it's not in effect yet.

416
00:22:22,705 --> 00:22:24,205
It goes into effect July 1st.

417
00:22:24,695 --> 00:22:26,085
We're not gonna be able to go

418
00:22:26,085 --> 00:22:28,685
through the planning commission and city council hearing

419
00:22:28,745 --> 00:22:31,965
and adoption process for the ordinance adoption by then.

420
00:22:32,225 --> 00:22:34,565
But an applicant could apply under state law

421
00:22:34,905 --> 00:22:38,165
and we would process it on July 2nd in that same

422
00:22:38,225 --> 00:22:40,965
or July 1st in the, according to the state rules.

423
00:22:41,625 --> 00:22:44,285
But to answer your question, Derek has already gone

424
00:22:44,285 --> 00:22:46,645
through a code audit and identified all the sections

425
00:22:46,645 --> 00:22:48,685
of our code that need to be amended

426
00:22:48,685 --> 00:22:50,605
and we have that draft language.

427
00:22:51,365 --> 00:22:53,485
I took that to the planning commission on May 26th.

428
00:22:53,515 --> 00:22:56,965
They reviewed it and had made a number of recommendations

429
00:22:57,085 --> 00:23:00,285
that we can incorporate in terms of, you know, definitions

430
00:23:00,505 --> 00:23:03,285
and looking at being consistent

431
00:23:03,285 --> 00:23:04,565
with state law in a few areas.

432
00:23:05,545 --> 00:23:08,245
So our expectation is to bring that back to the

433
00:23:08,925 --> 00:23:10,685
planning commission in July of this year

434
00:23:10,745 --> 00:23:14,005
for a public hearing and to counsel I think on August 18th,

435
00:23:14,125 --> 00:23:16,805
I put on the look ahead to bring this forward.

436
00:23:16,865 --> 00:23:20,365
At that point in time, I do fully anticipate

437
00:23:20,365 --> 00:23:22,645
and I just want everybody to be aware that

438
00:23:22,645 --> 00:23:25,725
after the Department of Land Conservation

439
00:23:25,725 --> 00:23:29,485
and Development has completed their rulemaking, we may need

440
00:23:29,485 --> 00:23:31,525
to go back into our ordinance and revise it further.

441
00:23:32,325 --> 00:23:35,165
But that should be a matter of house cleaning rather than

442
00:23:35,755 --> 00:23:39,285
this big change having already been implemented. Thank you.

443
00:23:39,315 --> 00:23:41,685
Okay, Great. So let's go ahead and,

444
00:23:41,705 --> 00:23:43,805
and move, we'll go through the whole presentation

445
00:23:43,805 --> 00:23:45,165
and hold our questions till the end.

446
00:23:45,985 --> 00:23:48,365
Go ahead. Sure. So this map here

447
00:23:48,465 --> 00:23:51,845
or this flow chart, you've seen it in your packet.

448
00:23:52,025 --> 00:23:54,405
It really shows what it, what it applies.

449
00:23:54,565 --> 00:23:57,485
I know the text is too small to read on the screen

450
00:23:57,505 --> 00:24:00,365
for anybody at home, but I also wanted

451
00:24:00,365 --> 00:24:02,965
to note a special thanks to City of Medford

452
00:24:03,265 --> 00:24:05,365
and their long range planning staff who was going

453
00:24:05,365 --> 00:24:08,285
through the same process and created this flowchart.

454
00:24:08,305 --> 00:24:12,405
So we adapted it with their blessing to City of Ashland so

455
00:24:12,405 --> 00:24:15,525
that it showed the code changes, which I think reflects

456
00:24:15,795 --> 00:24:18,965
that all cities are doing this independently at this point.

457
00:24:20,585 --> 00:24:23,725
So I did want to talk about implementation challenges.

458
00:24:27,065 --> 00:24:28,445
So, and as I stated

459
00:24:28,445 --> 00:24:29,845
before, the primary one is

460
00:24:29,845 --> 00:24:32,125
that the state's legislative rulemaking

461
00:24:32,125 --> 00:24:33,605
process has not yet begun.

462
00:24:34,435 --> 00:24:36,045
Ideally that would've been completed

463
00:24:36,045 --> 00:24:38,765
before cities would be in a position to draft code.

464
00:24:39,745 --> 00:24:44,285
But the state has, you know, in the meantime

465
00:24:44,865 --> 00:24:48,645
we aren't prevented from utilizing the state's codes.

466
00:24:48,645 --> 00:24:50,885
Unfortunately my notes are not viewable.

467
00:24:52,185 --> 00:24:55,925
But nonetheless the, I think our approach was to

468
00:24:56,495 --> 00:24:58,885
adopt all the code amendments that are required

469
00:24:58,905 --> 00:25:02,645
for compliance to retain the existing procedures where

470
00:25:02,645 --> 00:25:04,205
that uncertainty, and that gets back to

471
00:25:04,205 --> 00:25:06,565
what we talked about in the questions that

472
00:25:08,325 --> 00:25:10,765
Councilor Bloom brought up in terms of zone change

473
00:25:10,785 --> 00:25:12,525
and comprehensive plan change.

474
00:25:13,505 --> 00:25:16,885
And we will obviously continue to monitor LCD's rulemaking

475
00:25:18,265 --> 00:25:20,245
and I just wanted to again reassert

476
00:25:20,245 --> 00:25:23,485
that applicants can utilize the applicable state

477
00:25:23,485 --> 00:25:26,605
authorization provisions under Oregon law prior

478
00:25:26,605 --> 00:25:28,085
to completion of the code amendments.

479
00:25:28,265 --> 00:25:31,605
But our goal is to complete them, you know, within a month

480
00:25:31,605 --> 00:25:34,125
or two of that July one start date.

481
00:25:34,345 --> 00:25:38,045
So given the number of applications that we received,

482
00:25:38,645 --> 00:25:41,125
there may be a couple that proceed that,

483
00:25:41,185 --> 00:25:43,045
but we should have it in place by the time

484
00:25:44,765 --> 00:25:46,205
a new subdivision comes in.

485
00:25:46,265 --> 00:25:48,125
I'm not sure of any pre-app applications even

486
00:25:48,125 --> 00:25:49,805
pending for such actions.

487
00:25:53,545 --> 00:25:54,565
So as I noted,

488
00:25:54,685 --> 00:25:56,845
the Planning commission reviewed it on April 14th

489
00:25:56,985 --> 00:25:59,845
and that was a broader discussion about other house

490
00:25:59,845 --> 00:26:01,205
bills and Senate bills.

491
00:26:01,985 --> 00:26:03,325
But they did make a number

492
00:26:03,465 --> 00:26:08,205
of recommendations when they reviewed it on May 26th, namely

493
00:26:08,205 --> 00:26:12,085
that the planning, the subdivision threshold

494
00:26:12,085 --> 00:26:14,765
that I mentioned that's currently 10, we presented

495
00:26:14,765 --> 00:26:19,725
to them whether they would consider 20 as a viable change.

496
00:26:19,865 --> 00:26:21,805
And again, that's a discretionary

497
00:26:21,805 --> 00:26:22,965
change on behalf of the city.

498
00:26:23,835 --> 00:26:25,125
They were amenable to that.

499
00:26:25,715 --> 00:26:29,845
They also looked at revising the design standards within

500
00:26:30,585 --> 00:26:33,805
the normal, or I'm sorry, the neighborhood mixed use area

501
00:26:33,825 --> 00:26:34,925
of North Mountain Plan.

502
00:26:35,315 --> 00:26:37,085
That is the only area within the city

503
00:26:37,085 --> 00:26:39,165
where we have residential design standards.

504
00:26:39,745 --> 00:26:43,325
One of the provisions of Senate Bill 9 74 is to

505
00:26:44,065 --> 00:26:46,085
not allow those design standards

506
00:26:46,875 --> 00:26:48,645
that could restrict housing design,

507
00:26:49,785 --> 00:26:52,685
but the state law includes a sunset on that, that

508
00:26:52,755 --> 00:26:55,845
because this is an effort to accelerate housing development,

509
00:26:57,185 --> 00:26:59,005
the state law says that that

510
00:26:59,615 --> 00:27:02,005
limitation on design standards is

511
00:27:02,005 --> 00:27:05,005
to sunset on January 2nd, 2033.

512
00:27:05,505 --> 00:27:07,445
And so the planning commission suggested

513
00:27:07,445 --> 00:27:10,645
that we modify our code not as a permanent change

514
00:27:10,705 --> 00:27:11,965
to no longer require them,

515
00:27:12,465 --> 00:27:15,245
but to tie it to that sunset date

516
00:27:15,745 --> 00:27:18,765
of January 2nd, 2023 consistent

517
00:27:19,115 --> 00:27:20,805
with Senate Bill 9 74.

518
00:27:22,025 --> 00:27:24,845
In addition, we're looking at urban housing applications

519
00:27:25,625 --> 00:27:27,885
and it is those applications that

520
00:27:28,625 --> 00:27:30,485
are outlined in your packet material

521
00:27:32,585 --> 00:27:36,085
to really look at the Senate Bill nine 70 four's definition.

522
00:27:36,585 --> 00:27:39,885
We had the term in our draft de definition that presented

523
00:27:39,885 --> 00:27:43,805
to them that proposed facilities

524
00:27:44,545 --> 00:27:47,845
and the state law actually says the word planned

525
00:27:47,845 --> 00:27:48,885
public facilities.

526
00:27:48,945 --> 00:27:51,725
And so the planning commission recommended that we modify

527
00:27:52,265 --> 00:27:55,165
the word proposed to be planned to be consistent

528
00:27:55,195 --> 00:27:58,125
with state law, recognizing that there's a different

529
00:27:58,125 --> 00:28:01,605
between difference between a public facility that is part

530
00:28:01,605 --> 00:28:03,445
of a plan that is planned by the city

531
00:28:04,025 --> 00:28:05,725
and a proposal of an applicant.

532
00:28:07,225 --> 00:28:09,485
And we already talked a little bit about the zone

533
00:28:09,485 --> 00:28:10,885
change procedures and rulemaking.

534
00:28:13,345 --> 00:28:16,005
So I, I did want to note that the Planning Commission

535
00:28:17,185 --> 00:28:21,765
in our discussions, you know, they were concerned

536
00:28:22,195 --> 00:28:24,845
that the process would reduce opportunities

537
00:28:24,945 --> 00:28:26,045
for local engagement

538
00:28:26,045 --> 00:28:29,325
and involvement by eliminating the Planning Commission

539
00:28:29,325 --> 00:28:30,645
review of planning actions

540
00:28:32,115 --> 00:28:34,405
that our qualifying housing applications

541
00:28:35,505 --> 00:28:37,605
and that they would no longer be an initial

542
00:28:38,365 --> 00:28:42,405
decision making body as you know, under the proposed

543
00:28:42,585 --> 00:28:44,965
or the framework presented by 9 74.

544
00:28:45,595 --> 00:28:47,645
They would only review projects on appeal.

545
00:28:47,985 --> 00:28:50,365
And so that may limit the amount of work

546
00:28:50,365 --> 00:28:52,005
that they do on a regular basis,

547
00:28:52,985 --> 00:28:55,325
but they also do a lot of long range planning work.

548
00:28:55,385 --> 00:28:58,085
So it may free up additional time for them

549
00:28:58,105 --> 00:28:59,685
to focus on those endeavors.

550
00:29:00,745 --> 00:29:05,285
So with that, essentially the next steps are planning,

551
00:29:05,285 --> 00:29:08,045
commission, hearing, recommendation count, council hearing

552
00:29:08,635 --> 00:29:13,005
ordinance, adoption process monitor, DLCD

553
00:29:13,185 --> 00:29:16,925
and then have new codes in process

554
00:29:17,225 --> 00:29:21,715
and help applicants through that new, that new process.

555
00:29:23,915 --> 00:29:25,075
Questions Councillor Bloom.

556
00:29:25,905 --> 00:29:27,235
Yeah, quick question about

557
00:29:27,775 --> 00:29:29,715
the design standard requirements and,

558
00:29:29,855 --> 00:29:31,195
and basically aligning ours

559
00:29:31,195 --> 00:29:32,555
with the sunset date with the state.

560
00:29:33,535 --> 00:29:35,475
Is there a way that we can just remove those design

561
00:29:35,835 --> 00:29:38,035
requirements, design standard requirements sooner

562
00:29:38,775 --> 00:29:39,835
and just completely get rid of

563
00:29:39,835 --> 00:29:40,835
Them?

564
00:29:40,835 --> 00:29:43,165
There is, I, I think that the North Mountain neighborhood,

565
00:29:43,165 --> 00:29:47,205
that one particular neighborhood, the ordinance is embedded

566
00:29:47,235 --> 00:29:50,525
with a lot of illustrative designs as to what type

567
00:29:50,525 --> 00:29:53,685
of housing and truth, I'd say probably 80% of

568
00:29:53,685 --> 00:29:54,925
that neighborhood is fully built out.

569
00:29:55,645 --> 00:29:58,165
But there is one large parcel adjacent to Bear Creek

570
00:29:58,165 --> 00:30:01,005
that still would have under the North Mountain plan

571
00:30:01,005 --> 00:30:02,125
would be subject to those.

572
00:30:02,585 --> 00:30:03,965
If they come in for a development

573
00:30:03,965 --> 00:30:06,285
before 2033, they would not apply.

574
00:30:07,625 --> 00:30:09,845
Or if the council or the planning commission removed

575
00:30:09,845 --> 00:30:13,325
that sunset date, we would modify that code

576
00:30:13,825 --> 00:30:15,565
to remove all those design standards.

577
00:30:15,565 --> 00:30:18,365
Those were applied by the city. So they could be removed by,

578
00:30:18,625 --> 00:30:19,925
Is there any reason why we wouldn't?

579
00:30:21,065 --> 00:30:23,325
It would be incongruent with the remainder

580
00:30:23,325 --> 00:30:25,325
of the development that was designed

581
00:30:25,325 --> 00:30:27,845
and built for the residents

582
00:30:27,845 --> 00:30:30,965
that bought into the normal neighborhood area anticipating.

583
00:30:31,145 --> 00:30:33,245
So it would be an aesthetic, an aesthetic concern.

584
00:30:33,245 --> 00:30:35,365
It's an aesthetic, yeah. Concern. Okay. Thank you.

585
00:30:36,855 --> 00:30:41,765
Other questions? So one quick question is a follow

586
00:30:41,785 --> 00:30:43,085
up to Councillor Bloom's question.

587
00:30:43,105 --> 00:30:46,805
And that is, so if we, we align the sunset dates,

588
00:30:47,595 --> 00:30:50,085
then the, this comes back into play at

589
00:30:50,085 --> 00:30:51,525
that point the council could look at

590
00:30:51,525 --> 00:30:53,365
what has happened in the intervening time

591
00:30:53,985 --> 00:30:57,685
and decide whether it wants to just keep going with

592
00:30:57,685 --> 00:30:59,725
what we had or revert back

593
00:30:59,745 --> 00:31:01,845
to those existing elements. Correct?

594
00:31:02,035 --> 00:31:03,125
Correct. Okay,

595
00:31:03,495 --> 00:31:04,495
Thank you.

596
00:31:04,495 --> 00:31:07,725
That's, that is very helpful. Any other questions?

597
00:31:10,665 --> 00:31:12,685
One last question and that is, I know

598
00:31:12,685 --> 00:31:15,805
that we're in conversation with other planning departments

599
00:31:15,805 --> 00:31:18,085
as this, as the state moves forward to

600
00:31:18,805 --> 00:31:21,485
implement these these rules is are there any discussions

601
00:31:21,485 --> 00:31:23,605
maybe at the League of Oregon cities about,

602
00:31:24,545 --> 00:31:25,645
you know, how well it's working?

603
00:31:25,725 --> 00:31:27,925
I think it's always good if there's a feedback loop back

604
00:31:27,925 --> 00:31:30,045
to the state this that says maybe this piece

605
00:31:30,045 --> 00:31:31,245
of it is working really well,

606
00:31:32,015 --> 00:31:34,125
maybe this one is giving us more trouble

607
00:31:34,385 --> 00:31:38,245
or maybe there's a different way to expedite this housing

608
00:31:38,345 --> 00:31:40,925
and kind of, you know, in, in the overall goals

609
00:31:40,925 --> 00:31:43,325
that I believe we all share, which is to get housing built.

610
00:31:43,745 --> 00:31:45,685
Is there, is there a particular

611
00:31:45,855 --> 00:31:47,005
place where that's happening?

612
00:31:47,985 --> 00:31:49,445
You know, I, I think through League

613
00:31:49,445 --> 00:31:52,245
of Oregon Cities is one mechanism from a staff level.

614
00:31:52,825 --> 00:31:55,365
The Department of Land Conservation and Development

615
00:31:55,385 --> 00:31:57,085
and the Housing Accountability Office

616
00:31:57,795 --> 00:32:01,765
have set up regular quarterly meetings to talk about

617
00:32:02,305 --> 00:32:04,725
the implementation of these statewide housing measures.

618
00:32:04,745 --> 00:32:07,925
And so having sat in on a number of those, there is a lot

619
00:32:07,925 --> 00:32:09,605
of feedback provided

620
00:32:09,745 --> 00:32:14,045
to DLCD from staff from various jurisdictions about what's

621
00:32:14,045 --> 00:32:16,805
working and not working or where confusion exists.

622
00:32:17,665 --> 00:32:19,725
So that is really a new initiative,

623
00:32:19,925 --> 00:32:21,725
I would say over the last two years

624
00:32:21,915 --> 00:32:25,485
that DLCD has begun those more regular outreach efforts.

625
00:32:26,715 --> 00:32:29,085
Well, yeah, I just, I know there are concerns in

626
00:32:29,085 --> 00:32:32,285
conversations I have with other folks around the state

627
00:32:32,285 --> 00:32:34,925
that sometimes legislation gets put in place

628
00:32:35,065 --> 00:32:37,245
and it's a little bit of a one size fits all

629
00:32:37,245 --> 00:32:39,740
and it doesn't quite work for different sizes

630
00:32:39,740 --> 00:32:41,205
of communities the way it was intended.

631
00:32:41,545 --> 00:32:43,085
So I just, this is a big change

632
00:32:43,505 --> 00:32:46,725
and I think there's going to be a, a bit of experimentation

633
00:32:46,755 --> 00:32:49,765
that, you know, if the state is on some level experimenting

634
00:32:49,765 --> 00:32:50,885
a bit with how we can move,

635
00:32:50,985 --> 00:32:53,605
so move much more quickly without losing the,

636
00:32:53,985 --> 00:32:56,045
the original goals of our land use system.

637
00:32:57,385 --> 00:33:00,205
So in addition to 9 74, I was prepared

638
00:33:00,205 --> 00:33:02,045
to talk a little bit about 2138.

639
00:33:02,145 --> 00:33:05,045
Yes. And

640
00:33:05,065 --> 00:33:09,725
so essentially the 2138 is a statewide authorization

641
00:33:09,785 --> 00:33:12,365
of single room occupancies housing.

642
00:33:12,945 --> 00:33:15,525
So 2138 was adopted as part

643
00:33:15,525 --> 00:33:17,205
of the le legislature's broader approach

644
00:33:17,305 --> 00:33:19,845
to address housing types across

645
00:33:21,315 --> 00:33:22,485
various communities

646
00:33:22,625 --> 00:33:24,125
and ensure that communities were not

647
00:33:24,325 --> 00:33:25,885
restricting specific housing types.

648
00:33:26,945 --> 00:33:28,325
So the bill requires cities

649
00:33:28,345 --> 00:33:31,365
to allow single room occupancy housing in areas

650
00:33:31,365 --> 00:33:34,885
where multi-family housing is permitted subject

651
00:33:34,985 --> 00:33:38,205
to reasonable siting and development standards.

652
00:33:38,745 --> 00:33:42,005
So Ashland has no code reference

653
00:33:42,005 --> 00:33:43,845
for single room occupancies.

654
00:33:43,845 --> 00:33:46,685
However, we have approved a number of them over the years.

655
00:33:47,155 --> 00:33:51,365
Essentially we've looked at multi-room four

656
00:33:52,005 --> 00:33:53,805
bedrooms off of one shared kitchen,

657
00:33:53,955 --> 00:33:56,805
even if those bedrooms all have their own bathrooms

658
00:33:57,225 --> 00:33:59,605
as being considered a multi-family single unit

659
00:34:00,065 --> 00:34:02,285
and have approved a number of complexes

660
00:34:02,395 --> 00:34:05,205
that are effectively single room occupancies.

661
00:34:06,105 --> 00:34:09,725
But this measure will drive the city of Ashland

662
00:34:09,745 --> 00:34:11,725
to actually incorporate that into our code.

663
00:34:13,065 --> 00:34:16,685
And really the intent is to provide housing for

664
00:34:17,875 --> 00:34:20,925
seniors on fixed income, young workers, single individuals,

665
00:34:21,185 --> 00:34:24,245
people with disability, people that may benefit from a small

666
00:34:24,925 --> 00:34:28,565
single room occupancy that might be cost burdened

667
00:34:28,565 --> 00:34:30,445
by renting a full apartment.

668
00:34:31,385 --> 00:34:33,645
So to give you a visual of

669
00:34:33,645 --> 00:34:36,565
what a single room occupancy looks like, again, this is

670
00:34:36,565 --> 00:34:39,525
that four bedroom example of four rooms each of

671
00:34:39,525 --> 00:34:43,165
with their own bathroom, but with a shared common area

672
00:34:43,225 --> 00:34:45,685
and kitchen, they could each be rented

673
00:34:45,745 --> 00:34:48,365
and leased independently from one another.

674
00:34:49,505 --> 00:34:50,805
So there are private rooms

675
00:34:51,155 --> 00:34:55,045
with their own private sleeping area, you know,

676
00:34:55,705 --> 00:34:57,605
the code or the not code.

677
00:34:57,625 --> 00:35:00,965
The legislation indicates that an SRI has

678
00:35:00,985 --> 00:35:04,005
to either have shared bathrooms or a shared kitchen.

679
00:35:04,505 --> 00:35:06,005
So there is not a provision

680
00:35:06,005 --> 00:35:09,125
by which every unit could have its own kitchenette

681
00:35:09,125 --> 00:35:12,925
and bathroom that would be essentially studio apartments.

682
00:35:14,545 --> 00:35:16,485
But again, it's, I I want to clarify

683
00:35:16,595 --> 00:35:20,245
that this is not affordable housing in a traditional deed

684
00:35:20,445 --> 00:35:23,565
restricted sense, but by merit of the housing type,

685
00:35:23,565 --> 00:35:25,445
it is lower cost and is one

686
00:35:25,445 --> 00:35:28,845
of the most low cost housing types that can be developed.

687
00:35:30,585 --> 00:35:35,125
So again, 2138 expands that options where

688
00:35:35,185 --> 00:35:37,165
to allow single room occupants anywhere

689
00:35:37,165 --> 00:35:38,325
multifamily is allowed.

690
00:35:38,585 --> 00:35:41,285
So that would be in all of our R two and R three zones.

691
00:35:43,025 --> 00:35:44,325
And again, I think the clear

692
00:35:44,345 --> 00:35:48,965
and objective standards are necessitated, one

693
00:35:48,965 --> 00:35:50,925
of the provisions in the code was

694
00:35:50,925 --> 00:35:52,965
to not have burdensome parking requirements.

695
00:35:54,365 --> 00:35:56,405
Ashland eliminated all parking requirements.

696
00:35:56,665 --> 00:35:59,845
But I think some communities that might have wanted

697
00:35:59,865 --> 00:36:02,485
to restrict them would say that every housing unit has

698
00:36:02,485 --> 00:36:03,525
to have two parking spaces.

699
00:36:04,345 --> 00:36:06,525
So that four unit example that I showed has

700
00:36:06,525 --> 00:36:07,645
to have eight parking spaces,

701
00:36:08,295 --> 00:36:10,165
which I would say is probably not reasonable.

702
00:36:10,385 --> 00:36:14,005
So I think the state was looking to ensure that those kinds

703
00:36:14,005 --> 00:36:17,485
of requirements were not chilling for the development of

704
00:36:18,225 --> 00:36:19,725
single room occupancy.

705
00:36:21,745 --> 00:36:24,005
And again, this is another case where the next steps

706
00:36:24,905 --> 00:36:27,125
in this case, we do have to do a code audit

707
00:36:27,225 --> 00:36:28,525
and look at the local code

708
00:36:28,745 --> 00:36:32,005
and make proposed amendments to the planning commission.

709
00:36:32,025 --> 00:36:34,085
And ultimately this city council

710
00:36:34,185 --> 00:36:38,485
to adopt this one becomes operative in January of 2027

711
00:36:40,105 --> 00:36:41,445
as the implementation date.

712
00:36:41,465 --> 00:36:43,085
And again, people can implement state

713
00:36:43,085 --> 00:36:45,005
under, directly under state law.

714
00:36:45,605 --> 00:36:49,925
However, DLCD is not gonna continue complete rulemaking

715
00:36:50,065 --> 00:36:52,125
for this until 2028.

716
00:36:52,425 --> 00:36:54,405
So it's a little bit of cart

717
00:36:54,405 --> 00:36:56,045
before the horse on both of these bills.

718
00:36:56,545 --> 00:36:57,565
So we'll adopt something

719
00:36:57,565 --> 00:37:00,645
and then subsequent to the rulemaking may need to come back

720
00:37:00,645 --> 00:37:02,605
to the table for revisions.

721
00:37:03,065 --> 00:37:05,045
So that's really all I had

722
00:37:05,045 --> 00:37:06,165
on that one, unless you have questions.

723
00:37:06,475 --> 00:37:08,085
Councilor Dale? Thank you Mayor.

724
00:37:08,085 --> 00:37:10,365
Thanks Brandon on that one. I have a quick question.

725
00:37:10,885 --> 00:37:13,245
Relative to the term reasonable sighting

726
00:37:13,245 --> 00:37:15,965
and design standards, can you speak a little bit to

727
00:37:15,965 --> 00:37:18,405
what effect, if any, it would have on historic districts?

728
00:37:18,405 --> 00:37:20,725
Because I know recently there's been applications

729
00:37:21,685 --> 00:37:23,405
specifically in, in historic districts

730
00:37:23,405 --> 00:37:25,605
and even in transition areas where things that have been

731
00:37:27,565 --> 00:37:30,685
rejected for conditional use permits were things like

732
00:37:32,405 --> 00:37:35,565
electric split ductless units happened to be visible

733
00:37:35,785 --> 00:37:38,805
or the roof line was too broad in size mass

734
00:37:38,905 --> 00:37:40,525
or you would know the exact words.

735
00:37:40,545 --> 00:37:41,645
And that was something that came out

736
00:37:41,645 --> 00:37:43,125
of the planning commission.

737
00:37:43,125 --> 00:37:45,845
And it was specifically in, in the case that I was, I was

738
00:37:46,525 --> 00:37:47,765
watching was for an SRO

739
00:37:48,005 --> 00:37:50,005
and of course a lot of those come out

740
00:37:50,005 --> 00:37:51,365
of historic district standards.

741
00:37:51,365 --> 00:37:54,365
So are those then become, are those overridden

742
00:37:54,365 --> 00:37:56,525
or are those, how does that work relative to our historic

743
00:37:56,725 --> 00:37:57,725
District?

744
00:37:57,725 --> 00:38:01,365
Well, the, to use the example that you're bringing up, a,

745
00:38:02,145 --> 00:38:05,485
the applicant was proposing to build a building that was

746
00:38:06,205 --> 00:38:09,245
I think probably 30% larger than the maximum permitted

747
00:38:10,205 --> 00:38:11,565
building size in the zone. Well,

748
00:38:11,565 --> 00:38:12,565
They weren't the only ones.

749
00:38:12,565 --> 00:38:13,485
I I agree with you on that.

750
00:38:13,485 --> 00:38:15,005
Sure. And so in, in that case,

751
00:38:15,145 --> 00:38:17,325
that's why a conditional use permit was required.

752
00:38:17,825 --> 00:38:19,725
Had it been an SRO application that

753
00:38:20,265 --> 00:38:21,565
met the size requirements,

754
00:38:22,055 --> 00:38:23,845
there would've been no design review

755
00:38:24,915 --> 00:38:26,365
even in the historic district.

756
00:38:26,365 --> 00:38:29,325
The historic commission could provide recommendations

757
00:38:29,425 --> 00:38:33,165
for roof pitch dormers compatible siting.

758
00:38:33,865 --> 00:38:37,445
But ultimately if an applicant building a single family

759
00:38:37,555 --> 00:38:42,365
home, or in this case an SRO chose to present a design

760
00:38:42,365 --> 00:38:45,765
that was not historically compatible, were it not

761
00:38:45,765 --> 00:38:47,125
for the conditional use permit

762
00:38:47,145 --> 00:38:49,485
and the request to exceed permitted area,

763
00:38:49,775 --> 00:38:51,405
there would not have been a limitation on

764
00:38:51,405 --> 00:38:52,565
those design elements.

765
00:38:53,625 --> 00:38:57,245
We do have a, the split minis that you brought up,

766
00:38:57,305 --> 00:38:59,925
we do have a limitation in our code that applies universally

767
00:39:00,025 --> 00:39:03,285
to all housing types is to not put mechanical equipment

768
00:39:03,395 --> 00:39:05,925
between the face of the building and the street.

769
00:39:07,225 --> 00:39:08,325
So they would be in a position

770
00:39:08,325 --> 00:39:11,845
to relocate those onto the backside of the building in order

771
00:39:12,065 --> 00:39:13,485
to meet that standard.

772
00:39:14,615 --> 00:39:16,445
Maybe I'm still confused, Brandon. Thank you.

773
00:39:16,445 --> 00:39:17,965
And I, I appreciate it. I got most of it,

774
00:39:17,985 --> 00:39:20,725
but I'm still to the example that we're talking about

775
00:39:20,725 --> 00:39:23,205
and others like it is, I understand

776
00:39:23,205 --> 00:39:26,045
that these are coded in outright so forth as a, as a review.

777
00:39:26,045 --> 00:39:30,125
But then what I'm not understanding is when a conditional

778
00:39:30,385 --> 00:39:33,925
use permit comes into play for, let's say an adjacent reason

779
00:39:33,985 --> 00:39:36,245
or a semi or non-related issue,

780
00:39:36,245 --> 00:39:39,325
like in this particular case it was maximum floor,

781
00:39:39,925 --> 00:39:44,205
whatever it was, then we, we also apply these things

782
00:39:44,205 --> 00:39:47,805
that would otherwise be not applied if it, if not

783
00:39:47,825 --> 00:39:49,165
for the conditional use permit

784
00:39:49,225 --> 00:39:50,685
for something that's probably unrelated.

785
00:39:50,685 --> 00:39:52,325
And I think Derek can probably speak better to this than I

786
00:39:52,325 --> 00:39:54,325
as the planner that worked on that application.

787
00:39:54,325 --> 00:39:57,565
Yeah. So in, in our four national register listed historic

788
00:39:57,845 --> 00:40:01,485
districts, we have specific historic development standards

789
00:40:01,515 --> 00:40:05,445
that, that apply when a sub property subject to site review

790
00:40:05,445 --> 00:40:08,445
or conditional use permit, the state law says

791
00:40:08,445 --> 00:40:12,245
that any residential project is supposed to be subject only

792
00:40:12,265 --> 00:40:13,965
to clear and objective standards.

793
00:40:14,345 --> 00:40:17,045
But that state law does specifically exempt

794
00:40:17,845 --> 00:40:19,045
historic standards from that

795
00:40:19,235 --> 00:40:21,485
because they recognize the value in

796
00:40:21,855 --> 00:40:23,565
where communities have gone to the effort

797
00:40:23,565 --> 00:40:25,525
of identifying historic districts

798
00:40:26,875 --> 00:40:29,805
upholding a certain level of design. Okay,

799
00:40:29,805 --> 00:40:30,805
Thank you.

800
00:40:30,805 --> 00:40:33,605
So, and if I could just elaborate on that, one

801
00:40:33,605 --> 00:40:36,685
of the design standards that the city wrestled with is

802
00:40:36,685 --> 00:40:37,965
how large could buildings be

803
00:40:38,725 --> 00:40:40,925
dependent on their lot size within historic districts

804
00:40:41,265 --> 00:40:44,125
to be compatible with the districts as they built out?

805
00:40:44,745 --> 00:40:48,165
So where you have a lot size, that's 5,000 square feet.

806
00:40:48,985 --> 00:40:50,845
The code in this case said

807
00:40:50,845 --> 00:40:54,725
that the building couldn't be larger than 1,918 square feet,

808
00:40:55,745 --> 00:40:58,125
but the applicant was proposing a building that was,

809
00:40:58,445 --> 00:41:00,205
I think about 2,600 square feet.

810
00:41:00,825 --> 00:41:05,005
And so that's put them out of the outright permitted,

811
00:41:06,585 --> 00:41:08,485
you know, clear and objective standards

812
00:41:08,505 --> 00:41:12,245
and asking for a conditional use permit, which is to say

813
00:41:12,245 --> 00:41:16,045
that even though I'm exceeding those maximum limitations,

814
00:41:16,795 --> 00:41:20,245
I've designed it in a way that minimizes that adverse impact

815
00:41:20,245 --> 00:41:22,045
and makes that argument.

816
00:41:22,185 --> 00:41:25,445
So that is a discretionary act on behalf of an applicant

817
00:41:26,185 --> 00:41:27,405
to go beyond

818
00:41:27,405 --> 00:41:30,085
what the code would allow outright under a clear

819
00:41:30,085 --> 00:41:34,245
and objective standard and ask for a special exception

820
00:41:34,245 --> 00:41:36,045
to those standards through the conditional use

821
00:41:36,045 --> 00:41:37,805
permit. Understood. Thank you.

822
00:41:38,275 --> 00:41:39,805
Council Rell. Thank

823
00:41:40,105 --> 00:41:41,105
You Mayor.

824
00:41:41,105 --> 00:41:44,285
Thank you both. Again, just my, my sub question is

825
00:41:44,555 --> 00:41:46,965
that sunset date of 2033,

826
00:41:46,965 --> 00:41:48,125
that has to do with design standards.

827
00:41:48,125 --> 00:41:49,485
Does that cover historic too?

828
00:41:52,225 --> 00:41:53,845
So again, we don't have

829
00:41:53,865 --> 00:41:57,525
for single family homes design standards that apply to

830
00:41:59,385 --> 00:42:00,405
single family homes.

831
00:42:00,475 --> 00:42:03,885
Even in historic districts, you'll have a review process

832
00:42:04,225 --> 00:42:06,245
by which if you had a conditional use

833
00:42:06,245 --> 00:42:07,445
permit that could be applied.

834
00:42:07,985 --> 00:42:09,485
And that's still a recommendation,

835
00:42:09,505 --> 00:42:10,765
not an outright codified.

836
00:42:11,465 --> 00:42:14,365
So we do have some design standards in our code that apply

837
00:42:14,365 --> 00:42:15,685
to single family residential.

838
00:42:15,685 --> 00:42:18,165
They're not held to them through site review,

839
00:42:18,665 --> 00:42:22,245
but it talks about having a gable two

840
00:42:22,425 --> 00:42:25,565
of some specific elements in terms of a gable roof, a porch,

841
00:42:25,985 --> 00:42:27,805
And those would fall off. And those at that date,

842
00:42:27,975 --> 00:42:31,325
Those can't be applied until that sunset date comes.

843
00:42:31,325 --> 00:42:32,925
Okay, got it. Unless the council chose otherwise.

844
00:42:33,145 --> 00:42:35,885
Got it. My direct question had to do specifically, like

845
00:42:35,885 --> 00:42:37,085
with the technical definition

846
00:42:37,085 --> 00:42:39,485
of A-A-S-R-O single room occupancy.

847
00:42:39,745 --> 00:42:41,965
You mentioned that they were only allowed in multi-family

848
00:42:42,055 --> 00:42:44,005
zones and I, I, I'm, I'm not sure

849
00:42:44,005 --> 00:42:46,525
that I'm interpreting the enrolled bill correctly,

850
00:42:46,585 --> 00:42:49,445
but I believe that the benefit of the SRO is

851
00:42:49,445 --> 00:42:51,605
that they're allowed outright in any zone within an urban

852
00:42:51,605 --> 00:42:53,605
growth boundary, and if they're in a multifamily zone,

853
00:42:53,605 --> 00:42:55,605
they get to use the maximum density multiplier.

854
00:42:56,635 --> 00:42:59,765
Yeah, I we haven't yet gone through the ordinance

855
00:43:00,425 --> 00:43:02,085
to implement it, so Okay.

856
00:43:02,505 --> 00:43:03,925
But that one Is, I wouldn't say that we would've

857
00:43:04,165 --> 00:43:06,125
currently, if you came in in a single family zone

858
00:43:06,125 --> 00:43:09,285
and wanted to do a four unit SRO one one kitchen,

859
00:43:09,665 --> 00:43:11,165
we would consider that one dwelling.

860
00:43:11,195 --> 00:43:14,205
Okay. And as such, approve it with just a building permit.

861
00:43:14,475 --> 00:43:15,685
Yeah. So, so it is an,

862
00:43:15,705 --> 00:43:18,285
an outright allowable use in a single family zone today

863
00:43:18,705 --> 00:43:21,645
and that that is enrolled currently Correct. Believe

864
00:43:21,645 --> 00:43:25,045
It is not codified in the sense that it defines SRO

865
00:43:25,725 --> 00:43:28,845
explicitly and listed as a permitted use in that zone.

866
00:43:29,225 --> 00:43:31,525
So that is one of the changes that we'd have to come back

867
00:43:32,065 --> 00:43:34,405
to the planning commission and council to make it clear.

868
00:43:34,795 --> 00:43:37,845
Okay. But until then, if an applicant was trying to

869
00:43:38,405 --> 00:43:39,445
exercise that state law,

870
00:43:39,475 --> 00:43:42,565
because it is in effect in the DLCD,

871
00:43:42,565 --> 00:43:44,565
if the DLCD had clear language,

872
00:43:44,585 --> 00:43:46,045
we could use a state standard

873
00:43:46,105 --> 00:43:48,325
and apply it until we get our rulemaking done

874
00:43:48,385 --> 00:43:49,805
and our code updated. Correct.

875
00:43:50,025 --> 00:43:53,125
As of January of 2027 is when

876
00:43:53,125 --> 00:43:54,765
that becomes effect under the state.

877
00:43:56,605 --> 00:43:59,015
Okay. I, I guess I, I guess I'm still not clear.

878
00:43:59,075 --> 00:44:03,375
So this, this, this bill is signed into law, it's enacted

879
00:44:04,085 --> 00:44:05,295
It's current, and in that bill it indicates

880
00:44:05,295 --> 00:44:08,655
that it goes into effect on January 1st, 2027.

881
00:44:09,375 --> 00:44:11,535
I, I believe it says that it was enacted when it was

882
00:44:11,535 --> 00:44:14,655
signed by the governor because it was put into law for

883
00:44:16,085 --> 00:44:17,415
I'll The applicable standards

884
00:44:17,415 --> 00:44:18,415
Take a look at it.

885
00:44:18,415 --> 00:44:19,055
Okay. Again, I

886
00:44:19,055 --> 00:44:20,095
Thought, has anybody applied

887
00:44:20,115 --> 00:44:21,975
for an SRO since this has happened?

888
00:44:22,515 --> 00:44:25,135
No. No. So we, we haven't had to cross that bridge yet.

889
00:44:25,805 --> 00:44:27,135
Okay. All right. Thank you.

890
00:44:27,545 --> 00:44:30,615
Councillor Hansen. Thank

891
00:44:30,615 --> 00:44:31,615
You.

892
00:44:31,715 --> 00:44:34,165
Councilor Sherell asked a question, the, the first round

893
00:44:34,555 --> 00:44:38,885
that I was hoping to get, like a percentage kind of

894
00:44:39,435 --> 00:44:41,205
read these, these are exciting changes.

895
00:44:41,645 --> 00:44:42,925
I, I believe they're exciting,

896
00:44:43,665 --> 00:44:46,325
but historically we've been at like a 2%

897
00:44:46,325 --> 00:44:48,205
growth within the city.

898
00:44:48,355 --> 00:44:50,805
Does that sound right? Annually, year to year?

899
00:44:51,595 --> 00:44:52,605
Less than one in

900
00:44:52,735 --> 00:44:53,735
Years.

901
00:44:53,735 --> 00:44:55,925
Less. Less than one. So my, my thumb was on the scale there,

902
00:44:56,755 --> 00:44:58,405
what do we think these changes might do?

903
00:44:58,485 --> 00:45:00,565
I mean, how excited is the building community about these?

904
00:45:00,705 --> 00:45:03,405
Is this like meh or is this like we might get, you know,

905
00:45:04,445 --> 00:45:06,245
a floodgate opening up here.

906
00:45:06,345 --> 00:45:09,005
Is this gonna be a game changer, like 5% growth?

907
00:45:09,165 --> 00:45:12,085
I mean, are we gonna have to change any kind of like our,

908
00:45:12,385 --> 00:45:15,125
our, you know, growth strategy or anything of that nature?

909
00:45:15,905 --> 00:45:19,405
So twofold, what do you think the development community is,

910
00:45:19,545 --> 00:45:21,845
is, is has told you so far about this

911
00:45:21,905 --> 00:45:22,885
and then what do you think this might

912
00:45:22,885 --> 00:45:24,245
do to our growth numbers? Yeah,

913
00:45:24,325 --> 00:45:26,005
I haven't had conversations

914
00:45:26,005 --> 00:45:27,765
with the Home Builders Association

915
00:45:28,305 --> 00:45:32,405
or other groups that would be able to articulate whether the

916
00:45:32,995 --> 00:45:35,725
expedited process will change their development plans.

917
00:45:36,885 --> 00:45:39,325
I would presume that market forces

918
00:45:39,885 --> 00:45:41,325
probably have a greater impact in terms of

919
00:45:41,325 --> 00:45:44,085
what development is in the pipeline then

920
00:45:45,155 --> 00:45:49,085
whether it takes 120 days or 60 or 90 days.

921
00:45:49,865 --> 00:45:52,965
But obviously every month that you have holding costs is a

922
00:45:53,475 --> 00:45:54,645
cost for a developer.

923
00:45:54,745 --> 00:45:59,125
So it could essentially by expediting the processes,

924
00:45:59,145 --> 00:46:00,445
it could ensure

925
00:46:00,445 --> 00:46:02,805
that you get more housing units on the ground faster.

926
00:46:03,565 --> 00:46:07,045
I just don't know if it's actually creating a incentive

927
00:46:07,705 --> 00:46:10,005
to create housing that would not otherwise be proposed.

928
00:46:10,345 --> 00:46:13,405
But that's my own personal opinion. Well, fair enough.

929
00:46:13,495 --> 00:46:14,965
Derek, have you talked to anybody that

930
00:46:15,485 --> 00:46:17,925
I had one developer indicate that they intend to submit

931
00:46:18,755 --> 00:46:21,845
some applications as soon as this takes effect,

932
00:46:22,145 --> 00:46:23,405
but they haven't done a pre-app,

933
00:46:23,405 --> 00:46:24,645
they haven't given any details.

934
00:46:25,155 --> 00:46:26,565
Okay. It's still still early days.

935
00:46:26,835 --> 00:46:28,685
Yeah, that's great feedback though. Thank you.

936
00:46:31,715 --> 00:46:36,005
Okay, any other questions? Well, thank you both.

937
00:46:36,485 --> 00:46:39,365
I think that there's a, a, a lot of interest in seeing

938
00:46:39,475 --> 00:46:43,005
what this does in terms of our local housing development

939
00:46:43,025 --> 00:46:44,485
and seeing where that takes us

940
00:46:44,825 --> 00:46:46,365
and seeing what else we might need

941
00:46:46,365 --> 00:46:48,285
to do alongside of the state's changes.

942
00:46:48,505 --> 00:46:52,885
But so appreciate the detailed update

943
00:46:52,985 --> 00:46:54,245
and letting us know what's coming.

944
00:46:54,535 --> 00:46:58,125
Thank you. Okay, we move on now

945
00:46:58,345 --> 00:46:59,925
to our second agenda item,

946
00:47:00,025 --> 00:47:02,045
the community wildfire resilience bond.

947
00:47:02,515 --> 00:47:03,515
Sabrina?

948
00:47:05,385 --> 00:47:07,805
Yes. So I think Mayor, I can hand it over to you,

949
00:47:07,945 --> 00:47:11,885
but the mayor has brought this forward with some outside

950
00:47:13,035 --> 00:47:17,285
work with Veridian Ecosystems as well

951
00:47:17,285 --> 00:47:18,685
as our wildfire division.

952
00:47:19,025 --> 00:47:20,685
So they have a presentation tonight.

953
00:47:21,535 --> 00:47:23,605
Mayor, I don't know if you wanted to introduce further.

954
00:47:23,915 --> 00:47:28,125
Sure. Thank you. So Woolsey McKernan welcome.

955
00:47:28,155 --> 00:47:30,285
Woolsey is a local resident

956
00:47:30,345 --> 00:47:32,725
and has been following the work that we've been doing

957
00:47:32,725 --> 00:47:34,685
with our community Wildfire Protection Plan.

958
00:47:35,305 --> 00:47:40,285
And his company, Veridian is one of the companies

959
00:47:40,285 --> 00:47:42,165
that is really looking to see

960
00:47:42,555 --> 00:47:45,045
what are the innovative financing mechanisms

961
00:47:45,155 --> 00:47:48,085
that can help a community build its resilience in this

962
00:47:48,085 --> 00:47:49,765
particular case related specifically

963
00:47:49,765 --> 00:47:53,325
to wildfire risk management and wildfire risk reduction.

964
00:47:53,745 --> 00:47:57,725
So we, Woolsey reached out to me, I met with him,

965
00:47:57,805 --> 00:47:59,605
I know Councilor Kaplan has also met with him.

966
00:47:59,975 --> 00:48:01,605
We've talked through some of these elements

967
00:48:01,705 --> 00:48:05,925
and it, it seems like what they're thinking of is something

968
00:48:06,085 --> 00:48:07,885
that could potentially work for Ashland.

969
00:48:08,225 --> 00:48:10,325
And so what we're looking at this evening is

970
00:48:10,325 --> 00:48:12,645
to understand the model that they're discussing

971
00:48:13,065 --> 00:48:15,925
and also come to a decision

972
00:48:15,985 --> 00:48:19,245
as a council about are we interested in continuing the

973
00:48:19,245 --> 00:48:20,885
conversation and deciding

974
00:48:20,885 --> 00:48:22,405
what this might look like in the future.

975
00:48:22,865 --> 00:48:24,765
So with that I will hand it over

976
00:48:24,825 --> 00:48:26,965
and Woolie welcome Chris as, as well.

977
00:48:27,575 --> 00:48:29,445
Would you like us to ask questions as we go?

978
00:48:30,475 --> 00:48:33,085
Totally comfortable, if that's fine with me.

979
00:48:33,085 --> 00:48:35,005
Okay. And just, just so everyone knows,

980
00:48:35,245 --> 00:48:38,485
and I know everyone has had the, has had the slides, some

981
00:48:38,485 --> 00:48:41,445
of the details happen a little bit later in the slide

982
00:48:41,445 --> 00:48:43,405
presentation, so it's also the case

983
00:48:43,405 --> 00:48:44,405
that if we ask a question

984
00:48:44,405 --> 00:48:46,045
that's covered later, please just let us know.

985
00:48:46,335 --> 00:48:47,605
Great. Okay, go ahead.

986
00:48:47,605 --> 00:48:50,525
Sounds good. Good. So maybe just to get us started

987
00:48:51,145 --> 00:48:52,645
in dialogue with some of you

988
00:48:52,945 --> 00:48:55,605
and thinking about what makes the most sense to sort

989
00:48:55,605 --> 00:48:57,765
of orchestrate the dialogue here today.

990
00:48:58,785 --> 00:49:02,285
We thought it was best to start with Chris and the city

991
00:49:02,345 --> 00:49:04,405
and the work that's been done to date to make sure

992
00:49:04,405 --> 00:49:05,925
that we're all on the same page.

993
00:49:06,585 --> 00:49:08,485
And from there I'll pick it up

994
00:49:08,505 --> 00:49:10,085
and then talk about how we can go

995
00:49:10,085 --> 00:49:11,525
ahead and put this in motion.

996
00:49:12,945 --> 00:49:16,405
Thanks Ley. Good evening. Pleasure to be here again.

997
00:49:17,345 --> 00:49:21,045
I'm, I hear as Woolsey said, to provide some context

998
00:49:21,705 --> 00:49:24,805
to this, not necessarily to lend any particular support

999
00:49:24,865 --> 00:49:27,045
or not, but also,

1000
00:49:27,145 --> 00:49:30,725
but to say that the last time City council

1001
00:49:31,505 --> 00:49:33,125
had a touchpoint on this decision was

1002
00:49:33,125 --> 00:49:36,605
to approve the CWPP last year in August,

1003
00:49:36,705 --> 00:49:38,645
the CWPP actually got signed

1004
00:49:38,785 --> 00:49:41,765
and executed in October at the end of fire season

1005
00:49:42,725 --> 00:49:43,965
through the last signature with the Oregon

1006
00:49:43,965 --> 00:49:45,005
Department of Forestry.

1007
00:49:45,945 --> 00:49:50,405
And as such, the CWPP has been kind

1008
00:49:50,405 --> 00:49:53,525
of at work in our community though the biggest barrier still

1009
00:49:53,835 --> 00:49:55,325
remains funding.

1010
00:49:56,545 --> 00:49:57,885
And one of the challenges

1011
00:49:57,955 --> 00:50:01,725
that we foresaw in the CWPP was acquiring the amount

1012
00:50:01,745 --> 00:50:05,965
of budget necessary to move at the pace that would be needed

1013
00:50:06,025 --> 00:50:09,965
to significantly reduce the threat in our community

1014
00:50:10,145 --> 00:50:13,605
to lives, infrastructure, economy, the whole package.

1015
00:50:14,665 --> 00:50:18,045
And that still is a significant challenge, especially

1016
00:50:18,045 --> 00:50:20,325
with the dwindling availability

1017
00:50:20,545 --> 00:50:22,965
of grants at the federal level.

1018
00:50:23,545 --> 00:50:26,845
In particular, the grant that we are kind

1019
00:50:26,845 --> 00:50:29,325
of counting on community Wildfire Defense Grant, which is

1020
00:50:29,325 --> 00:50:32,285
where we got the funding from the CWPP process in the first

1021
00:50:32,285 --> 00:50:34,605
place is appears to be stalled out.

1022
00:50:34,885 --> 00:50:37,285
I don't know if that funding is even gonna be

1023
00:50:37,285 --> 00:50:38,365
available in the future.

1024
00:50:38,365 --> 00:50:40,445
There's supposed to be one more year of

1025
00:50:41,155 --> 00:50:43,525
eligibility left under that program,

1026
00:50:43,985 --> 00:50:48,445
but there's been no talk of it at all at the federal level.

1027
00:50:49,585 --> 00:50:52,725
The the state does have some dedicated wildfire funding.

1028
00:50:52,815 --> 00:50:55,365
We've been able to secure about $200,000 of

1029
00:50:55,365 --> 00:50:57,085
that from the Oregon Department of Forestry.

1030
00:50:57,665 --> 00:51:00,565
But on the side of the Oregon Fire Marshal's office,

1031
00:51:00,625 --> 00:51:03,285
we still don't have a grant program in place though

1032
00:51:03,285 --> 00:51:04,765
that's been promised in its coming.

1033
00:51:05,625 --> 00:51:06,805
But at the same time we know

1034
00:51:06,805 --> 00:51:08,485
that funds are gonna be very competitive

1035
00:51:08,485 --> 00:51:12,605
and it's gonna be hard to get an amount out of the state

1036
00:51:12,675 --> 00:51:16,685
that would make a big impact on the overall budget

1037
00:51:16,745 --> 00:51:19,965
and our ability to move forward at a a quick pace.

1038
00:51:20,225 --> 00:51:24,445
So I think woolsey's gonna cover most

1039
00:51:24,465 --> 00:51:26,405
of the details on the funding.

1040
00:51:27,095 --> 00:51:29,765
We've tried to provide as much of the factual basis

1041
00:51:29,905 --> 00:51:34,125
for this on our program and our experiences in the past

1042
00:51:34,265 --> 00:51:36,725
and what's been done to date and our work with a FR

1043
00:51:36,945 --> 00:51:41,525
and with programs in the community to build that resilience

1044
00:51:42,585 --> 00:51:45,405
so that he's able to present something to you today

1045
00:51:45,405 --> 00:51:47,645
that makes the most sense as possible.

1046
00:51:47,785 --> 00:51:49,405
So with that, I'm gonna step away

1047
00:51:49,705 --> 00:51:51,925
and if you need something from me, feel free

1048
00:51:51,925 --> 00:51:53,285
to call me back, but I'm gonna leave it

1049
00:51:53,285 --> 00:51:55,845
to my very capable colleague. Thank

1050
00:51:55,845 --> 00:51:56,845
You.

1051
00:51:56,845 --> 00:51:58,005
Thank you. Thank you Chris. Thank you.

1052
00:51:58,865 --> 00:52:00,765
And thank you mayor and council

1053
00:52:01,345 --> 00:52:04,325
and the public that's here in attendance for allowing me

1054
00:52:04,325 --> 00:52:06,325
to make this presentation here today.

1055
00:52:06,655 --> 00:52:11,565
Thank you Chris. So I'm

1056
00:52:11,565 --> 00:52:14,365
a member of this community

1057
00:52:14,385 --> 00:52:18,125
and as a member of this community I well appreciate the risk

1058
00:52:18,595 --> 00:52:20,965
upon which I feel every day

1059
00:52:21,865 --> 00:52:24,645
and in thinking about sort of the last 10 years

1060
00:52:24,665 --> 00:52:25,725
of my career here

1061
00:52:25,725 --> 00:52:30,405
and where I can make impact wildfire resilience is certainly

1062
00:52:30,685 --> 00:52:32,565
foremost has been foremost in my mind

1063
00:52:33,065 --> 00:52:36,685
and in particular the thought about the dearth

1064
00:52:36,725 --> 00:52:38,765
of capital required across the west

1065
00:52:38,945 --> 00:52:43,045
to solve the intractable problem of lack of availability

1066
00:52:43,065 --> 00:52:46,805
of capital broadly in all 11 western states.

1067
00:52:47,625 --> 00:52:49,765
So for us,

1068
00:52:50,185 --> 00:52:51,445
and for me in particular,

1069
00:52:51,445 --> 00:52:53,925
given my background in municipal bond finance,

1070
00:52:56,075 --> 00:53:00,045
I've been thinking about how forests are not treated

1071
00:53:00,145 --> 00:53:03,085
as infrastructure forests from a protection

1072
00:53:03,085 --> 00:53:04,365
of a community standpoint

1073
00:53:04,705 --> 00:53:06,765
and how they should be treated as infrastructure.

1074
00:53:06,765 --> 00:53:08,125
And if the tree is infrastructure,

1075
00:53:08,595 --> 00:53:10,725
they should be financed as infrastructure.

1076
00:53:11,425 --> 00:53:14,325
And in that context that's leveraging municipal bond

1077
00:53:14,325 --> 00:53:15,405
finance to do so.

1078
00:53:16,105 --> 00:53:18,125
So my colleagues, myself of course,

1079
00:53:18,265 --> 00:53:21,605
and my colleagues all living in the west broadly,

1080
00:53:21,755 --> 00:53:24,045
I've been engaged in a process of understanding

1081
00:53:24,155 --> 00:53:28,885
what the city has done, the CWPP, the background, working

1082
00:53:28,955 --> 00:53:33,085
with the various members of the community here, businesses

1083
00:53:33,115 --> 00:53:35,885
that have been involved in all of the work to date

1084
00:53:36,265 --> 00:53:39,965
and trying to understand what has been done as well as

1085
00:53:39,985 --> 00:53:43,925
how we could orchestrate a bond to help support that.

1086
00:53:45,225 --> 00:53:49,205
So in thinking about that, and I'll try

1087
00:53:49,205 --> 00:53:50,325
and roll through these slides

1088
00:53:50,425 --> 00:53:52,325
and to the extent you want to interrupt, certainly.

1089
00:53:52,395 --> 00:53:56,765
Okay. The status quo relative to

1090
00:53:56,765 --> 00:54:00,245
what Chris just noted is a little under a million dollars a

1091
00:54:00,245 --> 00:54:03,725
year that's allocating towards a fund

1092
00:54:03,725 --> 00:54:07,645
that enables work to be done, some salaries to be paid,

1093
00:54:08,025 --> 00:54:11,365
but ultimately that delivers us resilience in decades.

1094
00:54:12,815 --> 00:54:14,765
There are other options on the table

1095
00:54:15,585 --> 00:54:18,645
to the extent someone has the means they can go to

1096
00:54:19,735 --> 00:54:22,405
write a check to make their home resilient,

1097
00:54:23,315 --> 00:54:25,685
they can perhaps pursue a heloc,

1098
00:54:26,585 --> 00:54:30,085
but not everybody can obviously do that commercial pace,

1099
00:54:30,095 --> 00:54:33,165
which is very much my background available in six counties

1100
00:54:33,265 --> 00:54:35,365
across the state of Oregon.

1101
00:54:35,825 --> 00:54:38,365
Not here in Jackson, would be another mechanism,

1102
00:54:38,425 --> 00:54:42,325
but ultimately that's an individual ability to do so.

1103
00:54:43,475 --> 00:54:45,045
Some of you may have been exposed

1104
00:54:45,065 --> 00:54:47,925
to the Blue Forest partnership in the Rogue Basin,

1105
00:54:48,195 --> 00:54:50,125
that is another mechanism to, for,

1106
00:54:50,225 --> 00:54:52,085
to fund the forestry work.

1107
00:54:52,105 --> 00:54:53,325
But broadly that's in the forest.

1108
00:54:54,425 --> 00:54:57,685
And as you just heard from Chris, broadly, I would say

1109
00:54:58,265 --> 00:55:00,965
public funds, federal, state and

1110
00:55:00,965 --> 00:55:04,165
otherwise are not available as they used to be.

1111
00:55:04,945 --> 00:55:09,125
So what we are proposing is a wildfire resilience bond.

1112
00:55:09,625 --> 00:55:11,205
And I'll walk you through the details of

1113
00:55:11,205 --> 00:55:12,605
that first at a very high level.

1114
00:55:13,085 --> 00:55:14,885
Hold on just a moment. Yep. Councillor

1115
00:55:14,885 --> 00:55:15,885
Bloom.

1116
00:55:15,885 --> 00:55:17,245
Thank you. And thank you for, for everything so far.

1117
00:55:17,385 --> 00:55:19,125
So kind

1118
00:55:19,125 --> 00:55:21,645
of the question popped in my head when you said what we're proposing.

1119
00:55:21,665 --> 00:55:24,925
So I'm curious, how does Viridian fit into all of this?

1120
00:55:24,985 --> 00:55:27,285
Are you just offering this to us for no cost?

1121
00:55:29,095 --> 00:55:31,725
Great question and I probably should have stated

1122
00:55:31,725 --> 00:55:34,285
that at the outset I'm an interested member

1123
00:55:34,505 --> 00:55:36,605
of the community, number one, right?

1124
00:55:36,605 --> 00:55:37,965
Number two, I've got a background

1125
00:55:37,965 --> 00:55:39,845
that I wanna bring relative to the problem.

1126
00:55:40,545 --> 00:55:43,165
And then three, the company Veridian.

1127
00:55:43,385 --> 00:55:46,365
And what I focus on is delivering this across the west.

1128
00:55:47,665 --> 00:55:49,205
I'm acting as a developer

1129
00:55:49,465 --> 00:55:51,885
and ultimately developers are paid on the extent

1130
00:55:52,025 --> 00:55:53,805
to the extent that something like this is

1131
00:55:53,805 --> 00:55:55,005
pursued by a community.

1132
00:55:55,755 --> 00:55:57,565
Cool. Great. Thank you so much. Appreciate it.

1133
00:55:57,705 --> 00:56:00,285
Yep. I should have stated that up front. All good. Yep.

1134
00:56:01,785 --> 00:56:03,165
So by background,

1135
00:56:03,165 --> 00:56:07,005
basically the idea here is everybody appreciates we have a

1136
00:56:07,035 --> 00:56:10,085
payment mechanism in place here within our community.

1137
00:56:10,505 --> 00:56:13,125
The idea is to basically take that payment mechanism,

1138
00:56:13,195 --> 00:56:15,525
pull it forward to today so that we can get

1139
00:56:15,525 --> 00:56:16,925
after the work that's required

1140
00:56:16,945 --> 00:56:20,485
and outlined within the CWPP over a very short tenure

1141
00:56:20,545 --> 00:56:22,965
of time, three to five years versus decades.

1142
00:56:24,645 --> 00:56:26,725
Ultimately that bond would be sold to investors,

1143
00:56:27,025 --> 00:56:29,565
the proceeds would fund the treatment required

1144
00:56:30,265 --> 00:56:33,125
and we would be leveraging that water, water surcharge

1145
00:56:33,125 --> 00:56:35,005
and then the repayment would be paid back

1146
00:56:35,395 --> 00:56:36,685
over up to 30 years.

1147
00:56:38,315 --> 00:56:41,805
It's not a blank check, it's not a federal or state program.

1148
00:56:43,595 --> 00:56:46,765
It's not currently an obligation to the city's general fund,

1149
00:56:46,765 --> 00:56:48,365
depending on the structure it may be.

1150
00:56:48,365 --> 00:56:53,165
And we should talk about that at the tail end. So just

1151
00:56:54,135 --> 00:56:55,845
Ahead council Ga, just real quick, thanks.

1152
00:56:55,845 --> 00:56:57,125
Well can you, can you explain

1153
00:56:57,675 --> 00:56:59,925
what did you mean when you said generally

1154
00:57:00,545 --> 00:57:02,325
how it depends on how it's structured.

1155
00:57:02,465 --> 00:57:04,925
So you're saying that it's what I would understand

1156
00:57:04,925 --> 00:57:07,325
to be a revenue bond that comes through rates specifically,

1157
00:57:07,325 --> 00:57:11,725
but that's not, it's not a geo that comes through the,

1158
00:57:11,865 --> 00:57:13,685
the taxes, the general funds, but

1159
00:57:13,785 --> 00:57:15,685
but you kind of said it, it depends.

1160
00:57:15,785 --> 00:57:18,205
So did I miss something there or, or what is it?

1161
00:57:18,205 --> 00:57:19,285
What does it depend on?

1162
00:57:19,595 --> 00:57:21,725
Yeah, we're gonna, I have a slide dedicated to that

1163
00:57:21,725 --> 00:57:22,725
So Okay, perfect.

1164
00:57:22,725 --> 00:57:24,325
I'll, I'll wait for it. Yep, thanks. It's coming

1165
00:57:24,325 --> 00:57:26,965
Up Councilor, Just Councillor Duque?

1166
00:57:26,965 --> 00:57:28,925
Yes, thank you.

1167
00:57:29,875 --> 00:57:32,645
Just to kind of underline that, a quick question.

1168
00:57:34,025 --> 00:57:36,365
You said that I believe you said

1169
00:57:36,365 --> 00:57:40,965
that we would leverage the water rate fund, so that is

1170
00:57:41,025 --> 00:57:43,085
how this would be paid back, correct?

1171
00:57:43,235 --> 00:57:46,805
Currently? Yep. Okay, carry on.

1172
00:57:47,005 --> 00:57:49,045
I have more questions later, thank.

1173
00:57:49,245 --> 00:57:50,405
Okay, great. Look forward to them.

1174
00:57:52,225 --> 00:57:55,045
So just background setting the context

1175
00:57:55,595 --> 00:57:57,925
from a understanding standpoint.

1176
00:57:59,075 --> 00:58:01,725
Municipal bonds of course have had a very long history in

1177
00:58:01,885 --> 00:58:05,525
building this country and they're broadly defined

1178
00:58:05,585 --> 00:58:08,325
as no generation being able to pay for something

1179
00:58:08,325 --> 00:58:11,085
that's long dated Golden Gate Bridge

1180
00:58:11,085 --> 00:58:12,285
would be a fine example.

1181
00:58:13,035 --> 00:58:15,725
Environmental action would certainly be another.

1182
00:58:16,505 --> 00:58:20,285
And broadly, I guess as I think about my own community here,

1183
00:58:20,285 --> 00:58:23,605
thinking about Ashland having access to a tool

1184
00:58:24,115 --> 00:58:26,805
that would enable us to do something fairly significant

1185
00:58:27,025 --> 00:58:30,725
and not being a city of 2 million, but a city of 21,000.

1186
00:58:31,505 --> 00:58:35,085
So broadly focused on really us thinking about we the

1187
00:58:35,085 --> 00:58:36,405
people solutioning this.

1188
00:58:37,685 --> 00:58:39,125
I see now looking at the slide

1189
00:58:39,125 --> 00:58:40,765
that we've got a little formatting issue there,

1190
00:58:40,865 --> 00:58:44,725
but I think the most important thing in the context

1191
00:58:44,945 --> 00:58:46,365
of Ashland is that

1192
00:58:47,105 --> 00:58:50,125
our balance sheet is very strong.

1193
00:58:50,865 --> 00:58:54,005
We have a very credit worthy counterparty in

1194
00:58:54,005 --> 00:58:55,045
the city of Ashland.

1195
00:58:55,465 --> 00:58:59,045
The headroom that is available against Measure five

1196
00:58:59,705 --> 00:59:04,685
is significant and broadly we versus others in

1197
00:59:04,685 --> 00:59:07,205
the state of Oregon are in a very good financial place

1198
00:59:07,805 --> 00:59:10,325
relative to thinking about this as a solution

1199
00:59:10,345 --> 00:59:11,645
for wildfire mitigation.

1200
00:59:13,345 --> 00:59:16,405
The broader context is federally,

1201
00:59:17,505 --> 00:59:20,085
the executive order from the Trump administration has been

1202
00:59:20,085 --> 00:59:22,045
to focus on cutting down trees,

1203
00:59:22,555 --> 00:59:25,285
cutting back on various initiatives

1204
00:59:25,825 --> 00:59:27,405
at the forest service level.

1205
00:59:28,545 --> 00:59:32,565
You heard from Chris that broadly grants are not available

1206
00:59:32,745 --> 00:59:34,845
as they used to be state level.

1207
00:59:34,985 --> 00:59:36,285
We now have a Z tax

1208
00:59:36,305 --> 00:59:40,685
and a rainy day fund that provide some funding, not enough

1209
00:59:41,265 --> 00:59:44,045
for anything contemplated within our CWPP

1210
00:59:44,045 --> 00:59:45,485
and broadly across the state.

1211
00:59:46,185 --> 00:59:49,565
And I think fiscally, locally, you know, we have a number

1212
00:59:49,565 --> 00:59:51,925
of challenges that you all wrestle with every day.

1213
00:59:52,345 --> 00:59:55,605
So broadly the solution is in people's hands.

1214
00:59:56,945 --> 00:59:58,925
So let me walk through exactly

1215
00:59:59,035 --> 01:00:02,285
what this would look like from a financial standpoint

1216
01:00:02,285 --> 01:00:04,245
and what would, what we would be modeling.

1217
01:00:05,025 --> 01:00:07,165
So first, first

1218
01:00:07,225 --> 01:00:09,045
and foremost would be extending the work

1219
01:00:09,045 --> 01:00:12,525
that has already been undertaken by a FR in carrying

1220
01:00:12,525 --> 01:00:13,565
that across the line.

1221
01:00:13,565 --> 01:00:15,645
I'll talk about the specifics here in a minute.

1222
01:00:16,375 --> 01:00:19,725
Continuing the work in the wildland urban interface

1223
01:00:20,345 --> 01:00:23,805
on properties that either have been mildly addressed

1224
01:00:23,805 --> 01:00:24,965
or yet to be addressed.

1225
01:00:25,265 --> 01:00:28,045
And then most importantly, focusing on the home hardening

1226
01:00:28,045 --> 01:00:29,045
because that is one thing

1227
01:00:29,045 --> 01:00:31,245
that we have not done here in the community

1228
01:00:31,245 --> 01:00:32,605
with any great level

1229
01:00:32,625 --> 01:00:36,245
of focus other than against the FEMA money that we received.

1230
01:00:36,905 --> 01:00:41,125
And that's broadly focused on neighborhood led outreach

1231
01:00:41,545 --> 01:00:44,565
and the idea with a bond paying for the program,

1232
01:00:44,905 --> 01:00:47,285
the contractors, and ultimately the work that has

1233
01:00:47,285 --> 01:00:51,125
to be undertaken and code enforcement would be undertaken

1234
01:00:51,665 --> 01:00:52,845
by the city itself.

1235
01:00:52,875 --> 01:00:57,005
Self stepping back to appreciate

1236
01:00:57,005 --> 01:01:00,685
what other other communities have done and are doing.

1237
01:01:01,125 --> 01:01:04,965
I think if we look at first, the only city in the country

1238
01:01:05,195 --> 01:01:08,685
that has orchestrated a bond for wildfire mitigation,

1239
01:01:08,685 --> 01:01:10,005
that's Flagstaff, Arizona,

1240
01:01:10,515 --> 01:01:13,565
they did a $10 million general obligation bond.

1241
01:01:14,325 --> 01:01:16,645
The majority of the population voted for that.

1242
01:01:17,195 --> 01:01:18,445
They did treatment.

1243
01:01:18,505 --> 01:01:21,245
If you were to zoom in on Flagstaff, you would see it

1244
01:01:21,305 --> 01:01:22,325
as a true donut.

1245
01:01:22,325 --> 01:01:24,245
They've done work all the way around the city.

1246
01:01:24,995 --> 01:01:28,125
Fire has swept through fire was stopped

1247
01:01:28,185 --> 01:01:29,445
before it got to the city.

1248
01:01:30,265 --> 01:01:32,405
And they've done a number of studies

1249
01:01:32,465 --> 01:01:34,925
around the impact at at the city

1250
01:01:34,925 --> 01:01:36,365
level relative to that work.

1251
01:01:36,695 --> 01:01:39,925
Rogue Valley has our forest resilience bond

1252
01:01:39,925 --> 01:01:41,485
that's broadly out in the woods.

1253
01:01:42,135 --> 01:01:43,845
Marin County is another example.

1254
01:01:43,985 --> 01:01:45,245
We would point to measure C

1255
01:01:45,245 --> 01:01:49,525
that delivers 20 million in annual revenue to Marin County.

1256
01:01:50,455 --> 01:01:53,725
Again, majority approved not a bond yet.

1257
01:01:53,725 --> 01:01:56,325
They're considering pivoting now to a bond.

1258
01:01:56,745 --> 01:01:58,925
And then I've got a whole bunch of other communities

1259
01:01:58,925 --> 01:02:00,685
that have measures similar to our own.

1260
01:02:00,785 --> 01:02:04,765
So we're not, we're not alone here, high level for

1261
01:02:05,945 --> 01:02:07,165
you all and, and many

1262
01:02:07,165 --> 01:02:09,325
of you here in the room know these inputs.

1263
01:02:10,465 --> 01:02:13,245
But broadly what we've done is put together a financial

1264
01:02:13,245 --> 01:02:17,605
model, thinking about the inputs that we've orchestrated

1265
01:02:17,605 --> 01:02:20,085
through the various partners here,

1266
01:02:20,745 --> 01:02:23,925
and then the required activities against the CWPP.

1267
01:02:24,105 --> 01:02:27,725
So structures, 12,000 of them, the water meters,

1268
01:02:27,725 --> 01:02:31,165
which is the current approach, 52,000 acres,

1269
01:02:31,505 --> 01:02:35,365
the treated acres of 13 seven, 7,000 left to do.

1270
01:02:35,465 --> 01:02:38,045
And then maintenance return intervals every 10 years.

1271
01:02:38,705 --> 01:02:43,045
And really funding home hardening the remaining vegetation

1272
01:02:43,115 --> 01:02:46,165
work defensible space, the public outreach,

1273
01:02:46,165 --> 01:02:47,765
which we've started and have

1274
01:02:47,765 --> 01:02:50,685
to continue doing the admin and inspection.

1275
01:02:51,345 --> 01:02:54,405
And then partnering with the insurance market to come along

1276
01:02:54,515 --> 01:02:57,285
with us bond levers

1277
01:02:57,345 --> 01:02:59,725
and we'll have lots of debates about this hopefully.

1278
01:03:00,465 --> 01:03:02,805
But ultimately the number of homes to harden

1279
01:03:03,625 --> 01:03:05,485
and whether we're using IBHS

1280
01:03:05,705 --> 01:03:08,765
or California recently released a a standard

1281
01:03:09,275 --> 01:03:11,205
that perhaps might be more promising.

1282
01:03:11,915 --> 01:03:15,885
What expense we would orchestrate against each home,

1283
01:03:17,625 --> 01:03:19,485
the acres that we can afford to treat,

1284
01:03:20,635 --> 01:03:21,845
what the public outreach

1285
01:03:21,865 --> 01:03:24,405
and education looks like, who we're touching

1286
01:03:24,705 --> 01:03:27,885
and whether that's city staff, the non-profits

1287
01:03:27,885 --> 01:03:30,645
that we have here in our community or for-profits.

1288
01:03:31,105 --> 01:03:33,725
And then grant funding to buy those things down.

1289
01:03:34,985 --> 01:03:38,605
So what we've done here is lay out three scenarios

1290
01:03:39,625 --> 01:03:41,165
for you all to appreciate.

1291
01:03:41,265 --> 01:03:43,085
The first being the base case

1292
01:03:43,705 --> 01:03:47,925
and the base case is our existing $7 a month water fee

1293
01:03:47,925 --> 01:03:49,725
that we have in place and what

1294
01:03:49,755 --> 01:03:51,885
that would look like to bond that.

1295
01:03:53,425 --> 01:03:55,925
And we focused on just delivering against the home

1296
01:03:55,925 --> 01:03:59,565
hardening, assuming that we all appreciate that that is the,

1297
01:04:00,385 --> 01:04:03,485
the mechanism that we need to play catch up on more

1298
01:04:03,505 --> 01:04:05,205
so than just the forest itself.

1299
01:04:05,825 --> 01:04:10,565
And in that context, our $7 fee would allow us

1300
01:04:10,585 --> 01:04:12,485
to do a bond of $10 million,

1301
01:04:13,375 --> 01:04:15,125
which would assume no further grants.

1302
01:04:15,545 --> 01:04:18,045
And that continues our $7 a month fee.

1303
01:04:20,205 --> 01:04:23,085
Ultimately without a bond not doing that.

1304
01:04:23,275 --> 01:04:25,725
That would take us 241 years to get

1305
01:04:25,725 --> 01:04:28,445
to resilience if we're working against that.

1306
01:04:29,385 --> 01:04:31,205
And obviously that would not do the work

1307
01:04:31,265 --> 01:04:33,085
of forestry outreach education,

1308
01:04:33,305 --> 01:04:35,045
and then the administrative overhead.

1309
01:04:35,985 --> 01:04:39,725
The second case is the CWPP case.

1310
01:04:40,425 --> 01:04:43,525
And if we just take the inputs relative to the CWPP,

1311
01:04:43,785 --> 01:04:48,365
the target was to harden 90% of the homes in our community

1312
01:04:49,625 --> 01:04:51,925
at $6,600 per structure.

1313
01:04:52,585 --> 01:04:55,525
And then that was completing all the acres over 10 years.

1314
01:04:56,545 --> 01:05:00,325
And that ultimately would add up to $154 million bond,

1315
01:05:00,795 --> 01:05:01,965
excluding grants.

1316
01:05:03,425 --> 01:05:07,685
And that would ultimately be a $67 a month water fee,

1317
01:05:07,905 --> 01:05:10,525
or $800 a year per resident

1318
01:05:10,545 --> 01:05:14,125
or per resident that's paying the $7 fee currently.

1319
01:05:15,745 --> 01:05:18,085
And ultimately there would be nothing that would be out

1320
01:05:18,085 --> 01:05:20,205
of scope that would be a hundred percent solution.

1321
01:05:20,585 --> 01:05:24,725
So that seems quite rich and probably out of reach.

1322
01:05:25,585 --> 01:05:27,125
So what we are recommending,

1323
01:05:27,185 --> 01:05:30,205
and this is where the debate would come, is something in

1324
01:05:30,205 --> 01:05:32,205
between where we would go

1325
01:05:32,205 --> 01:05:35,725
after 50% of the homes from a hardening standpoint,

1326
01:05:36,375 --> 01:05:40,685
lower the base cost to $3,000 per structure, get

1327
01:05:40,685 --> 01:05:45,085
after the remaining 7,000 acres, include the 30 years

1328
01:05:45,105 --> 01:05:47,085
of maintenance because obviously you manage

1329
01:05:47,085 --> 01:05:48,285
the veg, it grows back.

1330
01:05:48,745 --> 01:05:52,845
And that would ultimately deliver us a $48 million bond net

1331
01:05:52,845 --> 01:05:54,805
of a $10 million grant.

1332
01:05:55,225 --> 01:05:58,005
And that's assuming that we would pursue some level

1333
01:05:58,025 --> 01:06:01,485
of grant support, which would deliver a $33 a month

1334
01:06:01,705 --> 01:06:04,405
or $392 a year expense.

1335
01:06:05,715 --> 01:06:07,125
Councilor Bloom? Yep.

1336
01:06:07,435 --> 01:06:10,405
Yeah. Thank you. So my question is around

1337
01:06:11,595 --> 01:06:13,725
this is obviously you've got revenue bond, right?

1338
01:06:14,025 --> 01:06:15,845
And so what is the, the legal

1339
01:06:15,945 --> 01:06:20,005
and financial risk we have if a future counsel decided

1340
01:06:20,005 --> 01:06:23,045
to get rid of the, the fee, the wildfire fee entirely,

1341
01:06:23,225 --> 01:06:24,685
or would they not be allowed to get rid

1342
01:06:24,685 --> 01:06:25,925
of the wildfire fee at that point?

1343
01:06:26,675 --> 01:06:29,845
Yeah, after you've actually sold a bond to investors,

1344
01:06:30,065 --> 01:06:32,125
you would not be allowed to get rid

1345
01:06:32,125 --> 01:06:33,125
Of.

1346
01:06:33,125 --> 01:06:35,485
So we, so we would effectively be tying the hands

1347
01:06:35,485 --> 01:06:39,045
of the community to that fee on their utility bill for

1348
01:06:40,725 --> 01:06:43,005
Whatever period of time the bond was going to be in place.

1349
01:06:43,025 --> 01:06:45,445
That's correct. Yep. That's correct. Okay. Yep.

1350
01:06:47,145 --> 01:06:49,765
And we'll see, that's how all bonds operate.

1351
01:06:49,795 --> 01:06:51,045
Operate, right? They all work that way

1352
01:06:51,235 --> 01:06:54,085
because whether it's a 10 year or 20 or 30.

1353
01:06:54,705 --> 01:06:58,245
So the fact that it's connected to this particular fee

1354
01:06:58,825 --> 01:07:01,165
is just the fee that it's attached to.

1355
01:07:01,195 --> 01:07:04,005
It's not the, the dec, the decision isn't

1356
01:07:06,085 --> 01:07:08,685
flexible because of this particular type of repayment.

1357
01:07:09,795 --> 01:07:12,805
Just correct for our listening audience. Yep. Okay, great.

1358
01:07:12,805 --> 01:07:15,245
Thanks. Okay, go ahead.

1359
01:07:15,955 --> 01:07:19,045
Okay, great. So as

1360
01:07:19,105 --> 01:07:22,165
to structuring the question, councilor Dale

1361
01:07:23,115 --> 01:07:24,965
earlier is, you know,

1362
01:07:26,285 --> 01:07:28,765
I think just spend a minute here on this, you know,

1363
01:07:28,765 --> 01:07:31,005
currently, obviously this would be constructed

1364
01:07:31,105 --> 01:07:33,685
as a revenue bond to the extent we were gonna pursue

1365
01:07:34,325 --> 01:07:38,605
a bonded mechanism against our existing $7 or whatever.

1366
01:07:38,625 --> 01:07:42,725
We might change it to city council authorization,

1367
01:07:43,545 --> 01:07:48,245
faster to market prospectively, maybe higher interest rates.

1368
01:07:49,065 --> 01:07:52,405
And in my view, a bit regressive on low to moderate

1369
01:07:53,985 --> 01:07:55,045
income residents.

1370
01:07:55,305 --> 01:07:56,965
And I think there's a different model

1371
01:07:57,025 --> 01:07:58,565
and mechanism we might pursue.

1372
01:07:58,745 --> 01:08:01,245
And then there's of course a general obligation bond,

1373
01:08:01,925 --> 01:08:04,205
which would include the full faith and credit

1374
01:08:04,465 --> 01:08:06,245
and backing of the city itself.

1375
01:08:06,705 --> 01:08:11,205
Lowest interest rates, extremely marketable as a green bond,

1376
01:08:11,255 --> 01:08:13,245
which is ultimately what this would be.

1377
01:08:14,225 --> 01:08:17,605
And the first of its kind broadly in the, in the country.

1378
01:08:19,185 --> 01:08:21,405
And obviously would include voter approval

1379
01:08:22,465 --> 01:08:24,725
and prospectively an increase in property taxes.

1380
01:08:25,945 --> 01:08:28,005
And then a whole bunch of o other options

1381
01:08:28,075 --> 01:08:29,845
that are worth discussion.

1382
01:08:30,265 --> 01:08:32,045
The first, as I noted to

1383
01:08:33,635 --> 01:08:35,765
many communities across California

1384
01:08:35,785 --> 01:08:39,685
and the West are pursuing, assessed the same approach

1385
01:08:39,685 --> 01:08:42,685
that we've taken, but using assessed value to try

1386
01:08:42,685 --> 01:08:46,965
and make it a bit more of a measured expense relative

1387
01:08:46,965 --> 01:08:48,765
to the communities and their ability to repay it.

1388
01:08:49,835 --> 01:08:53,845
There's the opportunity to, of course, flex this $3,000

1389
01:08:53,945 --> 01:08:57,205
or whatever number we choose based on the ability to pay.

1390
01:08:59,535 --> 01:09:01,845
We've had some dialogue about partnering

1391
01:09:01,845 --> 01:09:03,445
with our local banking community

1392
01:09:03,945 --> 01:09:07,405
to provide a credit facility that would allow borrowers

1393
01:09:07,405 --> 01:09:10,725
to pursue doing more on their property

1394
01:09:10,785 --> 01:09:12,045
to the extent they wanted to.

1395
01:09:13,235 --> 01:09:17,205
There's an idea that's been talked about relative

1396
01:09:17,205 --> 01:09:19,405
to the city supporting a loan loss reserve

1397
01:09:20,225 --> 01:09:22,205
to help buy down the interest rate as we do

1398
01:09:22,205 --> 01:09:24,605
with our energy efficiency program to date.

1399
01:09:25,625 --> 01:09:26,765
And then there's the question of

1400
01:09:26,765 --> 01:09:28,845
where the bill gets financed, whether it's

1401
01:09:28,845 --> 01:09:31,765
through the utility bill, property tax or otherwise,

1402
01:09:31,825 --> 01:09:32,925
and then debt collection

1403
01:09:33,945 --> 01:09:36,845
and bringing this home, you know, ultimately

1404
01:09:36,845 --> 01:09:38,165
what we're focused on here

1405
01:09:38,685 --> 01:09:42,645
from a delivery standpoint is really just delivering

1406
01:09:42,645 --> 01:09:44,245
something that delivers to safety

1407
01:09:44,305 --> 01:09:45,925
to the community structure losses.

1408
01:09:46,185 --> 01:09:49,325
If we look at peer reviewed research structure,

1409
01:09:49,325 --> 01:09:50,685
losses have been reduced

1410
01:09:51,225 --> 01:09:54,445
by roughly half when we pursue defensible space

1411
01:09:55,105 --> 01:09:56,925
and home harming measures combined.

1412
01:09:56,945 --> 01:09:59,005
And that's ultimately what we'd be orchestrating here.

1413
01:10:01,265 --> 01:10:05,965
And then if we look back on spend relative to safety,

1414
01:10:07,315 --> 01:10:09,525
also great studies have been done

1415
01:10:09,545 --> 01:10:11,325
behind the landscape level work

1416
01:10:11,355 --> 01:10:12,765
that would be orchestrated here.

1417
01:10:13,315 --> 01:10:17,005
This is all about local jobs in the local community.

1418
01:10:17,705 --> 01:10:20,765
And then ultimately when we talk about the insurance

1419
01:10:21,125 --> 01:10:24,605
industry and the partnership there, you know, the idea is

1420
01:10:24,605 --> 01:10:25,925
that by doing this work,

1421
01:10:26,255 --> 01:10:30,205
we're ultimately focused on delivering insurability in our

1422
01:10:30,205 --> 01:10:32,925
community and there's a path to something else.

1423
01:10:33,105 --> 01:10:35,445
But ultimately I think we're focused on insurability

1424
01:10:35,505 --> 01:10:36,845
as sort of first and foremost.

1425
01:10:37,385 --> 01:10:41,165
And then the last thing to say is there's a fair amount

1426
01:10:41,165 --> 01:10:44,965
of research that's coming out that looks at city's decision

1427
01:10:45,025 --> 01:10:47,725
around resilience relative to their ability to bond

1428
01:10:47,785 --> 01:10:50,845
and raise money and be a viable community

1429
01:10:51,315 --> 01:10:52,885
generally in the capital markets.

1430
01:10:53,305 --> 01:10:55,205
And that's another consideration.

1431
01:10:56,625 --> 01:11:01,325
So we're, you know, I think really what I'd ask

1432
01:11:01,325 --> 01:11:04,085
of council is we've got a plan in place.

1433
01:11:04,455 --> 01:11:06,405
We've got revenue authorization

1434
01:11:06,505 --> 01:11:09,365
and position, I think we have the community will,

1435
01:11:09,905 --> 01:11:12,525
we ultimately don't have the capital to go ahead

1436
01:11:12,525 --> 01:11:13,885
and execute on that plan.

1437
01:11:14,355 --> 01:11:16,565
This is an idea to pull that capital forward

1438
01:11:16,585 --> 01:11:19,325
and go execute on a bond of some size

1439
01:11:19,985 --> 01:11:21,685
and that, that bears debate.

1440
01:11:21,825 --> 01:11:24,885
But ultimately, we're focused on protecting close

1441
01:11:24,885 --> 01:11:27,325
to $3 billion in property value,

1442
01:11:27,835 --> 01:11:30,645
over $90 million in annual revenue associated

1443
01:11:30,645 --> 01:11:34,485
with the tourism, 500 million in payroll here.

1444
01:11:34,905 --> 01:11:37,085
And ultimately this would be an initiative

1445
01:11:37,785 --> 01:11:39,525
for Ashland made in Ashland.

1446
01:11:40,225 --> 01:11:42,285
So this is a lot of information.

1447
01:11:42,625 --> 01:11:44,805
I'm looking forward to some questions and dialogue

1448
01:11:44,865 --> 01:11:47,605
and perhaps engagement with my community members behind me.

1449
01:11:48,625 --> 01:11:51,965
But ultimately, I would love to have you consider

1450
01:11:52,645 --> 01:11:55,525
authorizing a working group to consider this more broadly

1451
01:11:56,265 --> 01:11:57,965
and work through a number of next steps

1452
01:11:57,965 --> 01:11:59,805
that are outlined here. Thank you.

1453
01:12:00,255 --> 01:12:02,085
Councillor. Dale. Thank you, mayor.

1454
01:12:02,085 --> 01:12:03,725
Thank you Will, thank you very much for,

1455
01:12:03,945 --> 01:12:05,845
for getting to that other slide.

1456
01:12:05,845 --> 01:12:09,645
So just so that I can do some math when I get home tonight.

1457
01:12:10,425 --> 01:12:13,725
So you had said that it's a, that your preferred option is,

1458
01:12:13,785 --> 01:12:17,325
or the one path would be the 48 million net of 10 million,

1459
01:12:18,135 --> 01:12:20,285
which we we're not sure we're gonna get,

1460
01:12:20,825 --> 01:12:23,765
but the math was based on getting the 10 to get it to 48.

1461
01:12:23,825 --> 01:12:27,845
So then what is the, the term that we would be using 30,

1462
01:12:28,045 --> 01:12:29,085
I would assume 30.

1463
01:12:29,305 --> 01:12:31,325
And then what are the reasonable interest rates

1464
01:12:31,325 --> 01:12:33,405
that you would say, like if this were to happen tomorrow,

1465
01:12:33,555 --> 01:12:35,005
what would you say in your experience?

1466
01:12:35,005 --> 01:12:36,405
Would we, could we expect, just so

1467
01:12:36,405 --> 01:12:39,125
that I can run my own numbers for both a rev and a go bond?

1468
01:12:39,395 --> 01:12:43,925
Sure, yeah. I, I, the feedback we've received

1469
01:12:44,025 --> 01:12:47,445
to date is sub four in a geo bond context

1470
01:12:48,305 --> 01:12:51,285
and barely north of that from a revenue bond context.

1471
01:12:51,915 --> 01:12:54,325
Okay. Thank you Councillor Hanson.

1472
01:12:55,935 --> 01:12:58,845
Thank you Willie. And I appreciate your love for Ashland,

1473
01:12:59,285 --> 01:13:01,365
bringing your professionalism here into this circle,

1474
01:13:02,165 --> 01:13:04,245
applying it to our, our, our problems here.

1475
01:13:05,455 --> 01:13:08,805
Would you just hold our hands as homeowners

1476
01:13:09,395 --> 01:13:13,005
here in Ashland, we have, you know,

1477
01:13:13,215 --> 01:13:14,845
let's just make a theoretical house

1478
01:13:15,395 --> 01:13:18,165
that has vegetation right up against the house.

1479
01:13:18,275 --> 01:13:20,885
They have a wooden fence, you know, they have some kind

1480
01:13:20,885 --> 01:13:21,925
of low lying fruit

1481
01:13:22,745 --> 01:13:26,285
and they're looking at, at home hardening,

1482
01:13:26,425 --> 01:13:28,085
and there's an opportunity on the table.

1483
01:13:28,815 --> 01:13:31,005
Don't know what what mechanism yet,

1484
01:13:31,545 --> 01:13:35,285
but is this free money to a homeowner?

1485
01:13:35,585 --> 01:13:38,005
Is this a lending strategies this tight?

1486
01:13:38,005 --> 01:13:40,325
Could you just kind of walk us through it,

1487
01:13:40,325 --> 01:13:42,005
just the basics really quick?

1488
01:13:42,235 --> 01:13:46,325
Yeah, so I think first the context in responding to that,

1489
01:13:46,325 --> 01:13:49,175
Eric would be, I,

1490
01:13:49,195 --> 01:13:51,615
as an individual property owner can go ahead

1491
01:13:51,615 --> 01:13:53,935
and execute an incredible strategy from a

1492
01:13:53,935 --> 01:13:54,975
home hardening standpoint.

1493
01:13:55,445 --> 01:13:56,735
That doesn't mean anything

1494
01:13:56,735 --> 01:13:58,935
unless I get my property owners to my right,

1495
01:13:58,935 --> 01:14:00,055
left, front and back.

1496
01:14:00,915 --> 01:14:04,415
So it is a, we're all in this together context

1497
01:14:04,715 --> 01:14:07,935
and in that context, people without

1498
01:14:08,735 --> 01:14:11,565
specific code enforcement are not gonna go make those moves.

1499
01:14:12,345 --> 01:14:14,245
So code enforcement would be one,

1500
01:14:14,465 --> 01:14:16,565
and I would, you know, urge Chris

1501
01:14:16,625 --> 01:14:18,325
or others to comment on that.

1502
01:14:20,065 --> 01:14:24,125
The context here is that we would be providing a,

1503
01:14:24,985 --> 01:14:28,365
an allocation of capital to community members

1504
01:14:29,295 --> 01:14:33,285
based on the science relative to the spread of embers

1505
01:14:33,745 --> 01:14:34,805
and wind direction

1506
01:14:34,805 --> 01:14:37,605
and the work that Oregon State has already done

1507
01:14:37,665 --> 01:14:39,925
and continues to do in support of our community.

1508
01:14:40,785 --> 01:14:44,245
And identify those neighborhoods that are at most at risk

1509
01:14:44,465 --> 01:14:47,125
of taking out the city and,

1510
01:14:48,025 --> 01:14:49,285
and basically put

1511
01:14:49,345 --> 01:14:52,045
to those individual property owners an amount of money

1512
01:14:52,045 --> 01:14:54,845
that yes, would allow them to harden their homes.

1513
01:14:55,585 --> 01:14:57,125
The scope has to be agreed

1514
01:14:57,125 --> 01:15:01,205
and defined by, by both by science as well

1515
01:15:01,205 --> 01:15:03,245
as what's reasonable relative to expenditure.

1516
01:15:03,865 --> 01:15:07,285
And then the only thing I would add is the amount of money,

1517
01:15:08,365 --> 01:15:12,325
I believe should be in the context of what people can afford

1518
01:15:12,325 --> 01:15:13,525
to pay ultimately.

1519
01:15:14,025 --> 01:15:15,405
And the water meter fee

1520
01:15:16,945 --> 01:15:19,405
is a very flat rate approach.

1521
01:15:19,585 --> 01:15:22,445
And it's great, it provides capital to the community

1522
01:15:22,445 --> 01:15:24,125
and the city, and I appreciate that.

1523
01:15:25,225 --> 01:15:28,205
But if we did it on an assessed value basis,

1524
01:15:28,875 --> 01:15:32,685
then it would be a bit more reasonable relative to

1525
01:15:32,705 --> 01:15:35,205
how we're applying those dollars. So follow up.

1526
01:15:35,785 --> 01:15:39,085
So thank you for that. I, I get that.

1527
01:15:39,505 --> 01:15:42,725
And now to take it a step further, my neighbor

1528
01:15:42,725 --> 01:15:44,405
and I are looking

1529
01:15:45,065 --> 01:15:48,445
or have been told that these are the prescriptions

1530
01:15:48,465 --> 01:15:51,965
for our individual properties and mine's $3,000

1531
01:15:52,105 --> 01:15:53,725
and what, they're both $3,000,

1532
01:15:54,385 --> 01:15:56,605
but I have the means to, to pay that back.

1533
01:15:56,665 --> 01:15:59,605
My neighbor does not, would my neighbor essentially get that

1534
01:15:59,605 --> 01:16:01,885
as a $3,000 grant from this?

1535
01:16:02,145 --> 01:16:05,125
And then due to my, my financial situation,

1536
01:16:05,285 --> 01:16:08,325
I would be paying it back in through the water fee

1537
01:16:08,385 --> 01:16:10,205
or for, through some other mechanism?

1538
01:16:10,915 --> 01:16:13,125
Yeah, I mean, currently it would broadly just be

1539
01:16:13,125 --> 01:16:14,605
through the water fee if we're sticking

1540
01:16:14,605 --> 01:16:16,525
with a water fee. So that's, that's,

1541
01:16:16,525 --> 01:16:17,525
No, no.

1542
01:16:17,525 --> 01:16:20,685
I'm sorry. What I meant to say is, would my neighbor get it

1543
01:16:20,805 --> 01:16:23,605
as a grant essentially, but I would be paying additionally

1544
01:16:24,955 --> 01:16:27,485
because, because our finances are different.

1545
01:16:27,635 --> 01:16:30,685
Yeah. I mean, I guess if the, the difference being

1546
01:16:30,685 --> 01:16:34,285
that if you switch to an assessed value, you,

1547
01:16:34,285 --> 01:16:36,565
because you, you have a bigger house.

1548
01:16:36,625 --> 01:16:40,045
You have, you are of means you'd be paying more into

1549
01:16:40,045 --> 01:16:42,805
that bond than your neighbor would

1550
01:16:42,805 --> 01:16:45,885
Be, but, but it wouldn't take any extra capital out of my

1551
01:16:46,065 --> 01:16:47,065
Pocket.

1552
01:16:47,065 --> 01:16:48,085
No, because you've already been paying monthly

1553
01:16:48,725 --> 01:16:50,725
a larger amount of money than some,

1554
01:16:50,725 --> 01:16:52,005
than your neighbor might be.

1555
01:16:52,265 --> 01:16:55,125
And and so to get the message out there yeah,

1556
01:16:55,125 --> 01:16:57,965
it would level it out so everybody would be allocated these

1557
01:16:58,205 --> 01:16:59,365
resources and then

1558
01:16:59,365 --> 01:17:03,965
therefore hopefully the adoption would,

1559
01:17:04,095 --> 01:17:06,645
would be voluntary and robust.

1560
01:17:07,115 --> 01:17:09,445
Yeah. And I, I think you start with voluntary,

1561
01:17:09,505 --> 01:17:11,885
but then there has to be a migration to

1562
01:17:12,525 --> 01:17:16,045
A more of that, that that will thou must do it. Right,

1563
01:17:16,095 --> 01:17:17,095
Right.

1564
01:17:17,095 --> 01:17:19,325
Because I, we've had, I guess we've had experience relative

1565
01:17:19,325 --> 01:17:21,165
to the carrot, which was something,

1566
01:17:21,505 --> 01:17:22,925
but we didn't probably get

1567
01:17:22,925 --> 01:17:23,925
As much.

1568
01:17:23,925 --> 01:17:24,525
Thank you for clarifying. Appreciate

1569
01:17:24,525 --> 01:17:25,525
It.

1570
01:17:25,525 --> 01:17:28,845
Councillor. Shell, thank you mayor. And thank you Woolsey.

1571
01:17:29,115 --> 01:17:31,285
I've got a, a list of like five questions I'm gonna bang

1572
01:17:31,285 --> 01:17:32,765
through, but I, I feel that they're important

1573
01:17:33,225 --> 01:17:35,125
and I'm looking at all the questions through the lens

1574
01:17:35,125 --> 01:17:38,525
of like, what value does the Ash lander get from this?

1575
01:17:38,825 --> 01:17:40,365
And I really appreciate our staff.

1576
01:17:40,445 --> 01:17:43,045
I know when the CWPP came out, it was, it was like, hey,

1577
01:17:43,045 --> 01:17:44,725
we're gonna start with maybe 10 million a year.

1578
01:17:45,225 --> 01:17:46,485
The city's gonna lead the way,

1579
01:17:46,945 --> 01:17:49,725
and now it's like another cost burden on the citizens' back.

1580
01:17:49,745 --> 01:17:51,165
And I, I think it's a good cost burden

1581
01:17:51,185 --> 01:17:52,445
and I think it's probably worth it,

1582
01:17:52,825 --> 01:17:54,165
but what value do we get?

1583
01:17:54,225 --> 01:17:56,325
And I looked at some of the peer research

1584
01:17:56,325 --> 01:17:59,085
that you were talking about defensible space, of course,

1585
01:17:59,585 --> 01:18:01,885
but like what, like what do we get when it comes

1586
01:18:01,885 --> 01:18:03,125
to like a deliverable?

1587
01:18:03,345 --> 01:18:05,285
My first question is what's, what's our deliverable?

1588
01:18:05,285 --> 01:18:07,685
Like how do we be assured that we have water

1589
01:18:08,105 --> 01:18:11,205
to fight the fire or that we have staff on the truck,

1590
01:18:12,425 --> 01:18:14,445
the money, if it's defensible space

1591
01:18:14,465 --> 01:18:16,645
and ber resistant applications

1592
01:18:16,705 --> 01:18:18,725
and removing flammable shrubs

1593
01:18:18,725 --> 01:18:19,885
within a certain area of a house.

1594
01:18:20,315 --> 01:18:23,005
Like how do we tie the operation to a, to an,

1595
01:18:23,225 --> 01:18:24,565
an outcome for the citizen?

1596
01:18:24,995 --> 01:18:25,995
Yeah.

1597
01:18:26,395 --> 01:18:30,245
Well, I, I, I can't speak to water availability and,

1598
01:18:30,345 --> 01:18:34,435
and I don't know if anybody else can

1599
01:18:34,435 --> 01:18:35,675
speak to that, but

1600
01:18:36,615 --> 01:18:38,355
The stuff on the big red truck that puts out fire,

1601
01:18:38,355 --> 01:18:40,395
nobody, I'm kidding.

1602
01:18:40,895 --> 01:18:41,895
I'm kidding. We'll see.

1603
01:18:43,095 --> 01:18:44,555
So I can't, I can't speak to that.

1604
01:18:44,555 --> 01:18:46,995
But I think, you know, if that's an expense of, of something

1605
01:18:46,995 --> 01:18:50,795
that, you know, there's an allocation of capital that has

1606
01:18:50,795 --> 01:18:53,435
to be orchestrated in that particular direction for

1607
01:18:54,035 --> 01:18:55,475
whatever the need is, then that's certainly,

1608
01:18:55,865 --> 01:18:58,355
it's a CapEx item that would be considered here.

1609
01:19:00,315 --> 01:19:04,875
I think number one, it's it's base level insurability now

1610
01:19:04,875 --> 01:19:07,835
that I've been doing this and looking at doing something

1611
01:19:07,835 --> 01:19:09,355
similar to what we're orchestrate

1612
01:19:09,355 --> 01:19:11,035
or what we're trying to orchestrate here

1613
01:19:12,215 --> 01:19:15,235
in California in particular, you know,

1614
01:19:15,235 --> 01:19:17,395
base level insurability is a massive

1615
01:19:17,565 --> 01:19:19,115
issue south of the border.

1616
01:19:20,655 --> 01:19:23,595
My colleague here in Siskiyou County is, you know,

1617
01:19:23,595 --> 01:19:24,955
first lost his insurance

1618
01:19:25,015 --> 01:19:27,635
and now is paying four times more than he was

1619
01:19:27,635 --> 01:19:28,835
through the fair plan.

1620
01:19:30,695 --> 01:19:32,675
We as a state are fast behind.

1621
01:19:32,815 --> 01:19:34,275
We and Ashland are fast behind.

1622
01:19:34,295 --> 01:19:36,555
So I think base level insurability is the number one

1623
01:19:36,555 --> 01:19:37,715
thing that we can deliver.

1624
01:19:39,175 --> 01:19:42,395
The second context is the emerging examples

1625
01:19:42,615 --> 01:19:45,515
and the movement of the insurance industry broadly to

1626
01:19:46,425 --> 01:19:50,075
address and understand what these investments can deliver

1627
01:19:50,795 --> 01:19:53,675
relative to risk reduction and how they should be.

1628
01:19:54,015 --> 01:19:56,435
The industry broadly should be thinking about

1629
01:19:58,285 --> 01:19:59,915
delivering insurance, number one,

1630
01:19:59,915 --> 01:20:03,395
but also delivering a, some meaningful

1631
01:20:04,815 --> 01:20:08,245
either reduction or some meaningful measure of support.

1632
01:20:09,505 --> 01:20:12,605
And those examples are beginning to emerge.

1633
01:20:12,785 --> 01:20:15,285
And I'm not up here to say that they, you know,

1634
01:20:15,315 --> 01:20:17,645
it's a quid pro quo of one versus the other,

1635
01:20:17,745 --> 01:20:20,645
but ultimately, you know, that's, that's where we need

1636
01:20:20,645 --> 01:20:22,725
to head as a society here in the west.

1637
01:20:24,385 --> 01:20:25,685
And I think, you know,

1638
01:20:25,685 --> 01:20:27,885
that's probably like the number one thing from

1639
01:20:27,885 --> 01:20:29,045
a resilience standpoint.

1640
01:20:29,415 --> 01:20:30,965
Thank you. That, that kind of hit on one

1641
01:20:30,965 --> 01:20:33,285
of my other questions that I believe was really relevant

1642
01:20:33,305 --> 01:20:35,885
to the, to the private, the private market, right?

1643
01:20:36,065 --> 01:20:39,525
If we do, right, in theory there's firewise programs,

1644
01:20:39,525 --> 01:20:41,365
there's several programs that we've looked into as a city,

1645
01:20:41,705 --> 01:20:43,125
but we have no guarantee

1646
01:20:43,155 --> 01:20:47,605
that if we're using middle case example of $36 a month, that

1647
01:20:47,605 --> 01:20:52,085
that, you know, say it's X amount a year,

1648
01:20:52,395 --> 01:20:55,085
that that cost isn't gonna guarantee us

1649
01:20:55,685 --> 01:20:57,285
anything from an insurance standpoint.

1650
01:20:57,525 --> 01:20:59,285
'cause we can't dictate what they charge us,

1651
01:20:59,945 --> 01:21:02,005
but we can see what we're currently paying.

1652
01:21:02,105 --> 01:21:04,005
So that, do we have any data that shows

1653
01:21:04,905 --> 01:21:09,565
our mid case scenario of say it is an, a percentage

1654
01:21:09,565 --> 01:21:13,725
of the assessed value compared to what insurance is costing.

1655
01:21:13,825 --> 01:21:14,925
Now if somebody were

1656
01:21:14,925 --> 01:21:16,485
to buy a home to move into this community,

1657
01:21:16,785 --> 01:21:20,645
We don't, we don't have that data not in our community.

1658
01:21:20,645 --> 01:21:23,365
There's those, those points of evidence are starting

1659
01:21:23,365 --> 01:21:25,045
to materialize in other communities,

1660
01:21:25,425 --> 01:21:27,605
but we do not in this community to do.

1661
01:21:27,605 --> 01:21:30,805
Okay. But that would be part of the engagement here would be

1662
01:21:30,825 --> 01:21:32,565
to orchestrate that

1663
01:21:32,665 --> 01:21:35,005
and be in partnership with a variety of insurers

1664
01:21:35,915 --> 01:21:38,005
both locally and at the state level.

1665
01:21:38,505 --> 01:21:41,765
So the similar engagement that I'm having here,

1666
01:21:42,495 --> 01:21:46,005
we're also doing at the state level to pursue a,

1667
01:21:46,205 --> 01:21:47,365
a similar effort

1668
01:21:47,425 --> 01:21:51,205
and initiative that would orchestrate pulling in

1669
01:21:52,015 --> 01:21:54,565
state level actors at from an insurance

1670
01:21:54,565 --> 01:21:55,805
standpoint at the state level.

1671
01:21:56,035 --> 01:21:57,245
Awesome. That's awesome.

1672
01:21:57,385 --> 01:22:00,245
And one more just to, to be respectful of time. Yep.

1673
01:22:00,475 --> 01:22:04,845
When we look at potential, the potential of,

1674
01:22:05,185 --> 01:22:07,565
of working with other agencies

1675
01:22:07,625 --> 01:22:10,605
and potentially looking at an impact study of

1676
01:22:10,605 --> 01:22:13,565
what it would look like to maybe join forces

1677
01:22:13,675 --> 01:22:14,885
with a local fire district

1678
01:22:14,885 --> 01:22:17,365
and what that would look like as a bond measure.

1679
01:22:17,795 --> 01:22:19,685
Have we talked at all with any

1680
01:22:19,685 --> 01:22:23,365
of our other organizations in the area through a study

1681
01:22:23,365 --> 01:22:25,605
that's, that's currently going on to look at what

1682
01:22:25,605 --> 01:22:27,725
that would, what kind of partnership we could have?

1683
01:22:27,905 --> 01:22:29,765
So we're not going out for a bond for one thing

1684
01:22:29,765 --> 01:22:31,685
that looks like fire and safe and life safety

1685
01:22:32,025 --> 01:22:34,085
and then we're coming back and looking at something else

1686
01:22:34,085 --> 01:22:36,845
when we potentially examine consolidations.

1687
01:22:37,275 --> 01:22:41,325
Yeah, we have, relative

1688
01:22:41,505 --> 01:22:43,445
to the work that SFR

1689
01:22:43,445 --> 01:22:44,925
and the rest of the community has,

1690
01:22:45,065 --> 01:22:46,965
has done across the rogue basin.

1691
01:22:49,225 --> 01:22:53,805
And that would orchestrate towards a, a county level bond,

1692
01:22:54,375 --> 01:22:57,285
which is perhaps something that could be pursued.

1693
01:22:58,755 --> 01:23:03,005
Obviously there's a variety of political and

1694
01:23:03,005 --> 01:23:05,045
otherwise views at the county level

1695
01:23:05,945 --> 01:23:09,085
and we would have ultimately less control in orchestrating a

1696
01:23:09,085 --> 01:23:11,605
particular bond initiative at the county level.

1697
01:23:12,915 --> 01:23:15,165
There's a consideration as I just referenced,

1698
01:23:15,425 --> 01:23:16,885
in thinking about the state

1699
01:23:17,485 --> 01:23:19,365
and how we orchestrate a bond at the state level

1700
01:23:19,425 --> 01:23:24,165
and that's, that's ongoing but you know, this

1701
01:23:25,145 --> 01:23:27,925
and sort of where we've, the genesis of this has been off

1702
01:23:27,925 --> 01:23:30,445
of an existing water fee that's in place

1703
01:23:31,065 --> 01:23:34,445
and a CWP that's in place in this community

1704
01:23:34,745 --> 01:23:35,885
and trying to raise capital

1705
01:23:36,305 --> 01:23:38,165
and bring that money forward so that we can get

1706
01:23:38,255 --> 01:23:39,485
after the work broadly.

1707
01:23:40,065 --> 01:23:43,165
But I think the whole concept

1708
01:23:43,425 --> 01:23:46,165
of the Jackson County as a target,

1709
01:23:47,035 --> 01:23:48,925
I've not fully unpacked that just yet.

1710
01:23:49,255 --> 01:23:50,765
Thank you so much for the work you're doing,

1711
01:23:51,835 --> 01:23:52,835
Councilor Bloom.

1712
01:23:54,175 --> 01:23:56,765
Thank you. So the way I see it, I mean we really kind

1713
01:23:56,765 --> 01:23:58,085
of have two, two paths forward here

1714
01:23:58,385 --> 01:24:01,365
and one with this, this revenue bond option is,

1715
01:24:01,545 --> 01:24:02,805
it would be council authorized

1716
01:24:02,805 --> 01:24:04,725
and we'd essentially be kinda going back to

1717
01:24:04,725 --> 01:24:07,845
what I was saying earlier, locking in a high fee

1718
01:24:07,985 --> 01:24:09,845
for residents for the term of that bond.

1719
01:24:10,425 --> 01:24:13,925
The other alternative is the, a geo bond, right?

1720
01:24:14,095 --> 01:24:15,845
Going to the voters. Now, we were kind

1721
01:24:15,845 --> 01:24:17,405
of having a side conversation about this earlier,

1722
01:24:17,505 --> 01:24:20,085
but could you speak to what kind of effects, if any,

1723
01:24:20,355 --> 01:24:23,925
this would have on the city's ability to go forward and,

1724
01:24:24,065 --> 01:24:26,245
and raise property taxes up

1725
01:24:26,245 --> 01:24:28,325
to the limit if there was some other need

1726
01:24:28,925 --> 01:24:29,965
that the city had for that?

1727
01:24:30,555 --> 01:24:33,285
Yeah, I have not fully unpacked that.

1728
01:24:33,475 --> 01:24:36,245
I've had some initial dialogue with Jordan

1729
01:24:36,545 --> 01:24:37,805
and Sabrina around that.

1730
01:24:38,945 --> 01:24:40,885
That's work that has to be undertaken

1731
01:24:41,025 --> 01:24:43,045
to fully appreciate measure five

1732
01:24:43,145 --> 01:24:47,685
and 50 in the headroom, both with the existing debt

1733
01:24:47,685 --> 01:24:49,485
that the city has as well as the loan

1734
01:24:49,485 --> 01:24:51,885
that was recently underwritten undertaken relative

1735
01:24:51,885 --> 01:24:52,925
to the water treatment plant.

1736
01:24:53,585 --> 01:24:56,245
So that work has to be, has to be done

1737
01:24:56,385 --> 01:24:58,965
and then ultimately a better path to guidance

1738
01:24:59,185 --> 01:25:01,205
for city council and the mayor's

1739
01:25:01,365 --> 01:25:02,925
consideration ultimately. Thank

1740
01:25:02,925 --> 01:25:03,925
You.

1741
01:25:03,925 --> 01:25:04,565
Okay, council Catherine?

1742
01:25:05,235 --> 01:25:07,365
Yeah, I I just wanna speak to that just for a second,

1743
01:25:07,725 --> 01:25:09,925
but then I have some other points that I wanted to make.

1744
01:25:10,545 --> 01:25:13,685
My understanding is that a general obligation bond goes

1745
01:25:13,685 --> 01:25:15,645
against our debt capacity,

1746
01:25:15,865 --> 01:25:17,725
not against our measure five and measure 50.

1747
01:25:17,725 --> 01:25:21,325
Measure five and measure 50 is property tax assessment.

1748
01:25:21,425 --> 01:25:23,285
So that would be our property tax

1749
01:25:23,505 --> 01:25:25,845
or a local option levy for example.

1750
01:25:26,185 --> 01:25:28,125
But that the actual bond, any bond

1751
01:25:28,125 --> 01:25:29,805
that goes against our general f full faith

1752
01:25:29,805 --> 01:25:31,765
and credit is against our debt capacity.

1753
01:25:31,825 --> 01:25:34,005
And I think you said in there that we have very low

1754
01:25:35,435 --> 01:25:36,925
debt in this city.

1755
01:25:38,085 --> 01:25:41,005
I, my my sense is it's, we've got probably

1756
01:25:41,015 --> 01:25:44,725
among the lowest levels of debt of any city in, in Oregon.

1757
01:25:45,105 --> 01:25:47,965
We do very, and that's a great thing. That's a great thing.

1758
01:25:48,865 --> 01:25:52,085
But that's not the same as measure five

1759
01:25:52,125 --> 01:25:55,805
and measure 50 limits on tax, $15

1760
01:25:55,825 --> 01:25:59,685
of taxes per per thousand cap ceiling.

1761
01:26:00,025 --> 01:26:04,245
Is that, just answer that. Yep. And our headroom is at 2 66.

1762
01:26:04,605 --> 01:26:05,645
I know you were, I know you were

1763
01:26:05,805 --> 01:26:07,605
'cause you had this conversation, but I wanna make a confer

1764
01:26:07,605 --> 01:26:10,165
confirmation of that because that's not, that's not

1765
01:26:10,165 --> 01:26:13,205
what you were going, where you going will see, i I

1766
01:26:13,725 --> 01:26:15,125
I wanna just, we'll see.

1767
01:26:15,125 --> 01:26:16,525
Thank you very much for this presentation.

1768
01:26:16,595 --> 01:26:18,845
It's, you gave, it was a lot here

1769
01:26:19,265 --> 01:26:20,645
and you went through it pretty quickly,

1770
01:26:21,785 --> 01:26:24,365
but I'd like to see if I can boil it down to a couple

1771
01:26:24,385 --> 01:26:25,885
of big concepts.

1772
01:26:26,045 --> 01:26:29,405
'cause I think what's really, what's really at under

1773
01:26:29,405 --> 01:26:32,085
discussion here, first of all, going back

1774
01:26:32,145 --> 01:26:35,645
to last August when Chris and Mark and,

1775
01:26:36,105 --> 01:26:36,325
and

1776
01:26:40,595 --> 01:26:43,125
presented the community wildfire protection plan,

1777
01:26:43,935 --> 01:26:47,765
which was a big thing and a big audacious thing.

1778
01:26:47,765 --> 01:26:50,285
It took two years to put together.

1779
01:26:51,105 --> 01:26:52,525
We asked a lot of questions

1780
01:26:52,785 --> 01:26:54,765
and we said, yes, we're totally committed to this

1781
01:26:54,765 --> 01:26:57,125
because we don't, it's an existential threat to Ashland.

1782
01:26:57,125 --> 01:26:59,325
We've gotta do something about our wildfire risk.

1783
01:26:59,955 --> 01:27:03,725
It's the highest priority of our, of our community members

1784
01:27:03,785 --> 01:27:05,245
to try to deal with that.

1785
01:27:06,825 --> 01:27:09,765
We didn't do it before, we didn't do it

1786
01:27:09,765 --> 01:27:11,725
after in response to the community wildfire protection plan.

1787
01:27:11,725 --> 01:27:15,605
But 'cause we approved the $7 wildfire risk fee,

1788
01:27:15,795 --> 01:27:18,485
monthly fee on the utility bill before that.

1789
01:27:18,545 --> 01:27:20,245
But it was with that in mind, knowing

1790
01:27:20,245 --> 01:27:21,685
that we were gonna put some money in place

1791
01:27:21,685 --> 01:27:22,805
to help implement it.

1792
01:27:22,805 --> 01:27:25,365
And I think you've done a pretty good job of showing how,

1793
01:27:25,825 --> 01:27:28,365
you know how little that is in comparison to

1794
01:27:28,365 --> 01:27:30,365
what actually needs to be done now.

1795
01:27:30,365 --> 01:27:31,805
It wasn't supposed to do everything that's city,

1796
01:27:31,805 --> 01:27:33,085
that's money that comes into the city.

1797
01:27:33,585 --> 01:27:36,645
We knew Chris and Marshall and, and,

1798
01:27:37,385 --> 01:27:40,165
and Mark told, told us that some of these things were going

1799
01:27:40,165 --> 01:27:42,485
to be paid for some of this cost,

1800
01:27:42,525 --> 01:27:45,125
a hundred million dollar costs that Chris estimated was

1801
01:27:45,125 --> 01:27:47,045
going to be paid for by the city.

1802
01:27:47,195 --> 01:27:49,165
Some of it's gonna fall to the community members.

1803
01:27:49,505 --> 01:27:51,245
So the $7 fee doesn't have to cover everything.

1804
01:27:52,345 --> 01:27:53,485
But you made a really,

1805
01:27:53,845 --> 01:27:56,645
I think a really important point when you personalize it

1806
01:27:56,645 --> 01:27:58,085
to your own personal situation

1807
01:27:58,085 --> 01:27:59,805
where you can do whatever you want in your house,

1808
01:28:00,065 --> 01:28:03,005
but if your neighbors around you don't do it to make sure

1809
01:28:03,005 --> 01:28:07,085
that they're putting screens of the right, you know,

1810
01:28:07,885 --> 01:28:11,485
aperture so that embers don't get into your attic or your,

1811
01:28:12,785 --> 01:28:14,965
or your ground, your crawl space, you know,

1812
01:28:15,395 --> 01:28:16,405
that house is gonna go

1813
01:28:16,405 --> 01:28:18,405
up, landscaping and all that sort of stuff.

1814
01:28:18,405 --> 01:28:20,005
So we're all, we are all in this together.

1815
01:28:20,105 --> 01:28:24,245
So every one of us need to do something here.

1816
01:28:24,245 --> 01:28:26,165
And, and the bottom line is not everybody

1817
01:28:26,165 --> 01:28:27,205
has the ability to do it.

1818
01:28:27,675 --> 01:28:32,045
Some people do have the ability to, to use savings or,

1819
01:28:32,265 --> 01:28:33,805
or borrowing to do some

1820
01:28:33,805 --> 01:28:35,285
of these things on their house and others don't.

1821
01:28:35,945 --> 01:28:37,285
So we wanna make sure that everybody can do

1822
01:28:37,585 --> 01:28:41,205
So Councillor Yeah, just for a moment, we are at 6 58.

1823
01:28:41,425 --> 01:28:43,765
If we would like to continue this conversation, we need

1824
01:28:43,765 --> 01:28:45,245
to contract for some additional time.

1825
01:28:45,535 --> 01:28:46,925
Councillor Dale, move to

1826
01:28:46,925 --> 01:28:47,925
Extend for 15 minutes.

1827
01:28:48,305 --> 01:28:50,125
Is there a second? All in favor.

1828
01:28:50,485 --> 01:28:52,685
A Okay, carry on. Councillor Katherine. Great.

1829
01:28:52,985 --> 01:28:56,325
So we, we talked, we, we talked in the,

1830
01:28:56,345 --> 01:28:57,485
in approving the wildfire,

1831
01:28:57,865 --> 01:29:00,045
the community wildfire protection plan about what is it

1832
01:29:00,045 --> 01:29:01,965
that the city only the city can do.

1833
01:29:01,975 --> 01:29:03,565
There are certain things that only the city can do

1834
01:29:03,565 --> 01:29:05,725
and we need to make sure that we're resourcing that.

1835
01:29:06,225 --> 01:29:07,845
And there are other things that we know that

1836
01:29:08,545 --> 01:29:10,165
others in the community can do,

1837
01:29:10,465 --> 01:29:13,045
but it's really important that the city do certain things

1838
01:29:13,065 --> 01:29:14,125
to make that possible.

1839
01:29:14,175 --> 01:29:16,125
There are homeowners that need to do certain things

1840
01:29:16,305 --> 01:29:18,525
and the city can do some things to make that possible.

1841
01:29:18,745 --> 01:29:20,605
Or there are community groups that are doing things

1842
01:29:20,625 --> 01:29:21,805
and the city needs to do certain

1843
01:29:21,805 --> 01:29:22,885
things to make that possible.

1844
01:29:23,185 --> 01:29:26,605
So I'm looking at all of this as the constellation of money

1845
01:29:26,605 --> 01:29:28,565
that's gonna be there, making sure

1846
01:29:28,565 --> 01:29:32,125
that we've got enough resources to be able to stand behind

1847
01:29:32,125 --> 01:29:34,085
what the city needs to do to make sure that we can

1848
01:29:34,685 --> 01:29:38,165
help our community members who don't have the resources

1849
01:29:38,745 --> 01:29:40,605
to do some of that home hardening.

1850
01:29:40,605 --> 01:29:42,245
That they're gonna have the ability to do that

1851
01:29:42,265 --> 01:29:46,885
as well without overspending to, to on people

1852
01:29:46,885 --> 01:29:49,965
that really probably could, like you said,

1853
01:29:49,965 --> 01:29:50,965
you could do it on your house.

1854
01:29:51,435 --> 01:29:54,205
I've ideally we wouldn't give you a $3,000

1855
01:29:54,225 --> 01:29:55,285
to do the work on your house.

1856
01:29:55,385 --> 01:29:56,925
You would, you would do it yourself

1857
01:29:56,925 --> 01:29:59,165
or you maybe the city would facilitate some sort of

1858
01:30:00,755 --> 01:30:02,085
loan for, for, for that.

1859
01:30:02,265 --> 01:30:04,565
That's right. So it seems to me that all of this,

1860
01:30:04,995 --> 01:30:06,925
what you've stood up is a, we've got a bunch

1861
01:30:06,925 --> 01:30:09,005
of design questions that we need to current.

1862
01:30:09,245 --> 01:30:11,565
'cause you put, you put a whole bunch of options here. Yep.

1863
01:30:11,745 --> 01:30:13,005
And I'm trying to boil it down.

1864
01:30:13,005 --> 01:30:15,485
So it seems to me now this is where the, my question is,

1865
01:30:15,835 --> 01:30:18,445
what are our, what are our questions that we need

1866
01:30:18,445 --> 01:30:20,045
to really get to as a, as a council?

1867
01:30:20,145 --> 01:30:21,445
And I think there probably does need

1868
01:30:21,445 --> 01:30:23,765
to be a working group on this if we wanna, if we want

1869
01:30:23,765 --> 01:30:25,245
to chase it down.

1870
01:30:25,825 --> 01:30:28,645
One thing is, you know, you, you talked about a revenue bond

1871
01:30:29,255 --> 01:30:31,165
leveraging the wildfire risk fee.

1872
01:30:31,355 --> 01:30:33,005
It's $7 or it could be higher,

1873
01:30:33,025 --> 01:30:34,925
but whatever it is, that's one avenue.

1874
01:30:36,005 --> 01:30:38,925
A second design question is whether it should be, instead

1875
01:30:39,235 --> 01:30:42,605
that goes into equal parts on every single person

1876
01:30:42,605 --> 01:30:46,005
that pays a water bill in this hou in this town versus a

1877
01:30:46,005 --> 01:30:49,365
general obligation bond, which is to taxpayers based on

1878
01:30:50,005 --> 01:30:52,565
dollars per thousand valuation.

1879
01:30:52,785 --> 01:30:56,525
Yep. So that's a progressive application of the,

1880
01:30:56,585 --> 01:30:58,005
of, of raising this money.

1881
01:30:58,345 --> 01:31:02,405
Either way it would fund, it would fund a re a bond

1882
01:31:03,115 --> 01:31:05,685
that would give us money upfront to do the work that needs

1883
01:31:05,685 --> 01:31:06,765
to be done, how whatever that is.

1884
01:31:06,765 --> 01:31:08,125
And we need to estimate how much that is

1885
01:31:08,125 --> 01:31:09,925
and how who gets access to it and all those things.

1886
01:31:09,985 --> 01:31:11,925
So who gets access to it?

1887
01:31:11,985 --> 01:31:14,965
How much it is, is, is another design question then.

1888
01:31:16,265 --> 01:31:18,765
Is this gonna be equal grants to everybody

1889
01:31:18,765 --> 01:31:20,565
that's in all homeowners and assets?

1890
01:31:20,585 --> 01:31:23,085
You, you mentioned $3,000, is that right? The right thing?

1891
01:31:23,085 --> 01:31:25,085
So there's another design question, which is how much

1892
01:31:25,085 --> 01:31:26,525
of it is grant, how much of this

1893
01:31:26,525 --> 01:31:27,965
loan, all those kinds of things.

1894
01:31:29,185 --> 01:31:30,485
And what do we need to do in

1895
01:31:30,485 --> 01:31:31,565
order to get sufficient coverage?

1896
01:31:31,745 --> 01:31:33,525
So where are we gonna prioritize it?

1897
01:31:33,745 --> 01:31:35,045
And this is just the portion

1898
01:31:35,105 --> 01:31:38,245
that's within the city limits on the urban areas,

1899
01:31:38,505 --> 01:31:41,125
around residences, around commercial buildings.

1900
01:31:41,435 --> 01:31:44,405
It's not even talking about the, the continuing the work

1901
01:31:44,405 --> 01:31:46,885
that was we've done for many years up in the watershed.

1902
01:31:47,145 --> 01:31:49,845
So that's the other design issue, which is how much

1903
01:31:49,845 --> 01:31:51,925
of this is down here in the city, how much

1904
01:31:51,925 --> 01:31:52,925
of it is in the watershed?

1905
01:31:53,105 --> 01:31:55,685
Do am i, have I missed some of the design issues

1906
01:31:55,685 --> 01:31:58,805
that we need to tease out there. There, there

1907
01:31:58,805 --> 01:31:59,805
Are others.

1908
01:31:59,805 --> 01:32:00,565
But that, that's the core, core.

1909
01:32:00,755 --> 01:32:01,845
There's, that's the core of it

1910
01:32:01,845 --> 01:32:04,005
Right there because I'm, I'm sensing that if we can get to

1911
01:32:04,005 --> 01:32:06,925
that core and try to really tease it out,

1912
01:32:07,195 --> 01:32:09,285
then we can have a lot more, you know,

1913
01:32:09,285 --> 01:32:11,925
practical conversations about, you know, what, you know,

1914
01:32:12,275 --> 01:32:15,005
what else we can, would, can accomplish. Is that okay?

1915
01:32:15,405 --> 01:32:16,805
Excellent. Thank you. Councillor

1916
01:32:17,085 --> 01:32:18,085
Duque.

1917
01:32:18,965 --> 01:32:22,565
Goodness. Thank you.

1918
01:32:22,815 --> 01:32:24,485
Thank you for your presentation.

1919
01:32:24,945 --> 01:32:26,885
And this is a wealth of information.

1920
01:32:28,705 --> 01:32:31,125
So my thought around this is just kind

1921
01:32:31,125 --> 01:32:33,565
of dialing it back a little bit is this is

1922
01:32:35,925 --> 01:32:37,885
wildfire mitigation.

1923
01:32:37,885 --> 01:32:39,365
Well, I wish we could mitigate it,

1924
01:32:39,365 --> 01:32:41,445
but the risk is important to all of us.

1925
01:32:42,025 --> 01:32:44,445
So looking at this hardening something

1926
01:32:44,445 --> 01:32:47,765
that I know from my experience living here, there's

1927
01:32:47,765 --> 01:32:51,805
so many HOAs in Ashland that have taken it upon themselves

1928
01:32:52,345 --> 01:32:56,885
to actually make sure that their neighborhood is resistant.

1929
01:32:57,745 --> 01:32:59,205
I'm grateful to live in one.

1930
01:32:59,425 --> 01:33:03,285
We have put in, we put fireproof fences, gates

1931
01:33:03,285 --> 01:33:04,445
around and fences.

1932
01:33:04,505 --> 01:33:06,525
And I see that happening more

1933
01:33:06,525 --> 01:33:09,285
and more in so many neighborhoods, not just HOAs.

1934
01:33:09,705 --> 01:33:13,285
So I applaud everybody that has the means to do that.

1935
01:33:13,945 --> 01:33:15,885
And then there's others that don't have

1936
01:33:15,885 --> 01:33:16,965
the means to do that.

1937
01:33:17,425 --> 01:33:19,445
So something that my colleague ca,

1938
01:33:19,755 --> 01:33:22,965
counselor Kaplan mentioned is shaking this out.

1939
01:33:23,785 --> 01:33:27,405
My concern is we added a $7 surcharge to

1940
01:33:27,405 --> 01:33:29,565
that water fee for this purpose.

1941
01:33:30,545 --> 01:33:33,845
And, and at that time we added additional fees

1942
01:33:34,065 --> 01:33:35,765
to our utilities.

1943
01:33:36,915 --> 01:33:40,205
Some people, a lot of people are in a bad way.

1944
01:33:41,065 --> 01:33:44,965
So when I look at this coming in front of people

1945
01:33:45,585 --> 01:33:47,925
at a $33 rate per month,

1946
01:33:47,925 --> 01:33:51,685
that means 40 bucks per month just looking at this

1947
01:33:52,215 --> 01:33:54,605
$40, that's gas, that's food.

1948
01:33:56,465 --> 01:33:59,445
And I appreciate what was brought up earlier.

1949
01:33:59,915 --> 01:34:02,165
However, I believe

1950
01:34:02,165 --> 01:34:05,365
that Flagstaff in Marin County, it went to the voters.

1951
01:34:05,505 --> 01:34:06,505
Is that correct?

1952
01:34:07,305 --> 01:34:08,565
In both cases? Yes.

1953
01:34:08,825 --> 01:34:11,845
Yes. And so looking at Ashlyn,

1954
01:34:14,565 --> 01:34:17,285
I, are you proposing that it goes to the voters?

1955
01:34:18,915 --> 01:34:20,165
That is not my decision.

1956
01:34:20,915 --> 01:34:22,925
There's two paths that have to be debated

1957
01:34:24,785 --> 01:34:27,365
And I, I believe they definitely have to be debated

1958
01:34:27,875 --> 01:34:30,685
because I just want to say

1959
01:34:30,685 --> 01:34:32,365
that the way I look at it right now,

1960
01:34:32,365 --> 01:34:35,045
implementing this now is not the time.

1961
01:34:35,825 --> 01:34:37,685
You know, and it's like, when is the time?

1962
01:34:37,845 --> 01:34:40,725
I don't know, wildfire could happen any given day.

1963
01:34:41,465 --> 01:34:44,205
And so i I am not, you know, God,

1964
01:34:44,285 --> 01:34:46,645
I can't make say hey or nay on that.

1965
01:34:46,915 --> 01:34:50,685
However, what I do know is that an additional fee.

1966
01:34:51,485 --> 01:34:53,045
I don't see it happening right now.

1967
01:34:53,665 --> 01:34:56,405
And, and something that was asked earlier about

1968
01:34:56,835 --> 01:35:01,805
what can we do as a body, I am not in favor

1969
01:35:02,185 --> 01:35:06,645
of any type of code enforcement on any individual

1970
01:35:06,945 --> 01:35:08,045
to have to do this.

1971
01:35:08,865 --> 01:35:10,925
So a work group

1972
01:35:12,345 --> 01:35:14,045
and get more information.

1973
01:35:14,945 --> 01:35:17,765
But I'm sure that I'm just looking at the faces.

1974
01:35:17,985 --> 01:35:20,845
It seems like you have a lot of support here,

1975
01:35:21,785 --> 01:35:24,885
but I would like to look at other opportunities

1976
01:35:25,425 --> 01:35:28,045
or send it to our community and let them vote on it.

1977
01:35:28,855 --> 01:35:29,925
Thank you. Thank

1978
01:35:29,925 --> 01:35:30,925
You Councilor Dale.

1979
01:35:31,535 --> 01:35:35,605
Thank you mayor. So I know that all of us in this room,

1980
01:35:35,625 --> 01:35:38,205
or most of us could spend correct hours.

1981
01:35:39,105 --> 01:35:42,245
So my question to you would be for someone, you know,

1982
01:35:42,585 --> 01:35:45,365
my neighbor that I'm going to speak to this about

1983
01:35:45,365 --> 01:35:46,965
that has very limited attention

1984
01:35:47,035 --> 01:35:48,205
span is going about their way.

1985
01:35:48,265 --> 01:35:52,965
So what would you say in 30, 60 seconds max,

1986
01:35:52,965 --> 01:35:56,445
where I'm having a brief conversation of relative

1987
01:35:56,465 --> 01:35:58,965
to this program and counselor sll talked about value.

1988
01:36:00,275 --> 01:36:02,405
Tell me what success looks like

1989
01:36:03,025 --> 01:36:05,205
and how is it going to be measured to someone

1990
01:36:05,205 --> 01:36:08,125
that can only has 30 seconds to get that in explanation?

1991
01:36:08,955 --> 01:36:11,925
Yeah, I think success is that we have

1992
01:36:12,755 --> 01:36:14,125
insurance period.

1993
01:36:14,545 --> 01:36:17,565
And to the extent you have a mortgage, you probably do.

1994
01:36:17,765 --> 01:36:20,485
I do. You're gonna continue to own your house

1995
01:36:20,625 --> 01:36:21,925
and not lose it to the lender

1996
01:36:21,925 --> 01:36:23,205
because you can't get insurance.

1997
01:36:23,625 --> 01:36:26,445
That's what success looks like at the, at its highest level.

1998
01:36:26,935 --> 01:36:29,325
Right. Thank you. Yep.

1999
01:36:30,265 --> 01:36:32,925
So we are coming to the, the end of our time here.

2000
01:36:34,685 --> 01:36:37,525
I wanted to just add in a couple of thoughts.

2001
01:36:37,695 --> 01:36:39,725
First, thank you Woolsey for both this

2002
01:36:39,745 --> 01:36:41,205
and for the conversations that we've had

2003
01:36:41,205 --> 01:36:42,485
leading up to this conversation.

2004
01:36:43,425 --> 01:36:47,405
One of the things that we have seen in the last 10 years is

2005
01:36:47,965 --> 01:36:50,845
wildfire go from being something that sometimes used

2006
01:36:50,845 --> 01:36:52,125
to come in and, and,

2007
01:36:52,225 --> 01:36:54,925
and grab a couple of houses at the outskirts of town

2008
01:36:54,985 --> 01:36:56,965
to being something that has the potential

2009
01:36:57,545 --> 01:37:00,405
to cause catastrophic damage to this community

2010
01:37:00,405 --> 01:37:03,365
that we might very well not be able to recover from.

2011
01:37:03,985 --> 01:37:07,285
So when we think, when I think about what does the wildfire

2012
01:37:08,045 --> 01:37:09,925
situation look like for us, to me it's safety.

2013
01:37:10,355 --> 01:37:12,365
When people ask me what keeps me up at night,

2014
01:37:12,725 --> 01:37:15,605
a fleeing event in this town with us built up the side

2015
01:37:15,605 --> 01:37:17,725
of the mountain and having the demographics

2016
01:37:17,755 --> 01:37:20,005
that we have is the part that keeps me up at night.

2017
01:37:20,795 --> 01:37:23,805
What we know is that wildfire risk is

2018
01:37:23,805 --> 01:37:25,485
increasing year over year.

2019
01:37:25,665 --> 01:37:26,925
It is moving very quickly.

2020
01:37:27,305 --> 01:37:29,645
It is outpacing communities across the west

2021
01:37:30,665 --> 01:37:33,125
and the risk that we have, I mean,

2022
01:37:33,125 --> 01:37:34,125
when we look at these numbers,

2023
01:37:34,125 --> 01:37:37,405
when we think about things like $50 million, you know,

2024
01:37:37,405 --> 01:37:38,485
when we're looking in those kind

2025
01:37:38,485 --> 01:37:39,725
of ranges, it's a lot of money.

2026
01:37:39,985 --> 01:37:43,805
It is serious to my colleagues' point, to ask this community

2027
01:37:43,825 --> 01:37:45,125
to make that kind of investment.

2028
01:37:46,345 --> 01:37:49,245
And it is also an enormous amount of money

2029
01:37:49,945 --> 01:37:53,405
and people that are at risk if we don't figure something out

2030
01:37:53,405 --> 01:37:58,245
that allows us to go forward quickly to get to a place

2031
01:37:58,245 --> 01:38:00,885
of maintenance rather than taking the risk of trying

2032
01:38:00,885 --> 01:38:03,285
to do the incremental piece year over

2033
01:38:03,285 --> 01:38:04,485
year, decade over decade.

2034
01:38:06,485 --> 01:38:07,605
I think there are a couple of things

2035
01:38:07,605 --> 01:38:09,725
that are really important that I've seen from this council

2036
01:38:09,785 --> 01:38:12,405
as we've gone through conversations about utility billing

2037
01:38:12,905 --> 01:38:16,485
and about how this is impacting different kinds

2038
01:38:16,485 --> 01:38:17,885
of things are impacting our residents.

2039
01:38:17,885 --> 01:38:19,645
And that comes back to Councillor Hanson.

2040
01:38:19,645 --> 01:38:23,485
Your point around, you know, how do we build a system

2041
01:38:23,515 --> 01:38:25,685
that is equitable, right?

2042
01:38:25,685 --> 01:38:27,045
That that, that actually works

2043
01:38:27,665 --> 01:38:29,725
for the people in this community, for the people

2044
01:38:29,725 --> 01:38:31,285
who can't afford to pay it, for the people

2045
01:38:31,285 --> 01:38:32,685
who can't afford to pay it.

2046
01:38:32,985 --> 01:38:36,365
And how do we move together as a community into a place

2047
01:38:36,365 --> 01:38:40,325
of greater, greater resilience and greater safety

2048
01:38:40,545 --> 01:38:43,365
and greater protection, which is, which is right at the top

2049
01:38:43,365 --> 01:38:44,525
of of the list for me.

2050
01:38:45,875 --> 01:38:47,245
What the, the question in front

2051
01:38:47,245 --> 01:38:51,525
of the council this evening is, would we like to continue

2052
01:38:52,075 --> 01:38:54,085
down this path with Woolsey

2053
01:38:54,085 --> 01:38:56,285
and his team of identifying

2054
01:38:56,285 --> 01:38:58,485
what those different pathways could be?

2055
01:38:58,705 --> 01:39:00,445
So of course, we're in a study session now,

2056
01:39:00,445 --> 01:39:02,765
we all know we're not making a decision here, but,

2057
01:39:03,145 --> 01:39:05,725
but what I am envisioning is that we would continue to work

2058
01:39:05,725 --> 01:39:07,525
with them and we would come back to the council.

2059
01:39:07,825 --> 01:39:10,645
We some options that have been clarified.

2060
01:39:10,985 --> 01:39:13,405
So would the coun, is the council interested in these

2061
01:39:13,405 --> 01:39:17,205
different kind of pathways and, and whittle it down?

2062
01:39:17,585 --> 01:39:19,645
And then if the council is still interested,

2063
01:39:19,795 --> 01:39:23,045
then we continue to develop whatever the pathway is

2064
01:39:23,045 --> 01:39:24,325
that the council believes is the

2065
01:39:24,325 --> 01:39:25,685
best interest of the community.

2066
01:39:26,145 --> 01:39:29,885
So with that, what I would recommend that we,

2067
01:39:29,915 --> 01:39:31,605
what I'd ask the council to do is

2068
01:39:31,605 --> 01:39:34,765
to essentially authorize me and another one

2069
01:39:34,765 --> 01:39:38,605
or two counselors to continue to work on this with Woolsey

2070
01:39:38,625 --> 01:39:40,925
as an expression of interest in this potential program.

2071
01:39:41,765 --> 01:39:43,845
And what I'd like to do is just go around the horn

2072
01:39:43,865 --> 01:39:45,725
and find out each person's,

2073
01:39:46,515 --> 01:39:49,325
each person's thoughts on moving forward in that way.

2074
01:39:50,115 --> 01:39:53,685
Whoever would like to start. Councillor Sherell? Yes. Okay.

2075
01:39:54,125 --> 01:39:55,165
Councillor Dale. Yes.

2076
01:39:57,825 --> 01:39:59,125
Yes. But I, I don't think

2077
01:39:59,125 --> 01:40:00,605
that we should pursue even having a

2078
01:40:00,605 --> 01:40:01,925
conversation about the revenue bond.

2079
01:40:02,185 --> 01:40:03,325
That's just my piece of it.

2080
01:40:03,825 --> 01:40:07,325
So in, in this, if we, if we move forward,

2081
01:40:07,325 --> 01:40:09,845
then we would come back with a variety of different options

2082
01:40:10,345 --> 01:40:11,965
for the, the council to consider.

2083
01:40:13,345 --> 01:40:15,805
And may I actually have a qualifying just question

2084
01:40:15,905 --> 01:40:19,845
to staff and Sabrina is, is you good with staff involvement

2085
01:40:19,845 --> 01:40:22,005
as part of this and have the resources to be able

2086
01:40:22,005 --> 01:40:23,085
to allocate to this?

2087
01:40:24,035 --> 01:40:26,485
Yeah, I think what will be key for us is

2088
01:40:26,835 --> 01:40:29,845
what financial mechanism you want us to model

2089
01:40:30,865 --> 01:40:32,285
or if we're modeling both.

2090
01:40:32,625 --> 01:40:34,965
So we'll need to kind of figure out

2091
01:40:34,965 --> 01:40:36,845
where this fits in the work plan.

2092
01:40:38,035 --> 01:40:39,405
Back to you Councilor Bloom. So,

2093
01:40:39,505 --> 01:40:41,885
So yeah, I think that that raised the question is we can,

2094
01:40:42,285 --> 01:40:43,885
I think we can go around and say, yes, we want

2095
01:40:43,885 --> 01:40:45,325
to have a working group and pursue this,

2096
01:40:45,325 --> 01:40:47,245
but I think we should also make a decision.

2097
01:40:47,245 --> 01:40:49,325
Do we want to explore both or do we wanna explore one

2098
01:40:49,325 --> 01:40:51,845
because it it costs staff different amounts of time,

2099
01:40:51,845 --> 01:40:53,045
different amounts of effort.

2100
01:40:53,625 --> 01:40:56,205
And why spin our wheels if we kind of all agree

2101
01:40:56,205 --> 01:40:58,445
that maybe there's a, a better singular path

2102
01:40:58,505 --> 01:40:59,505
On that.

2103
01:40:59,505 --> 01:41:01,445
So let me clarify the, the request in front of the council,

2104
01:41:01,665 --> 01:41:04,805
the request is for the working group to assess

2105
01:41:05,325 --> 01:41:07,445
multiple pathways that include the revenue bond

2106
01:41:07,905 --> 01:41:11,365
and come back to the council with those pathways for further

2107
01:41:12,335 --> 01:41:15,205
refinement and decision about whether that's a way forward.

2108
01:41:15,455 --> 01:41:18,125
Councillor Rell? Yes. Councillor Dale?

2109
01:41:18,745 --> 01:41:22,605
Yes. Councillor Bloom. Okay. Councillor Kaplan? Yes.

2110
01:41:22,975 --> 01:41:27,285
Councillor Duque. No, I don't wanna pursue the bond. Okay.

2111
01:41:27,555 --> 01:41:30,685
Counselor Hansen? Absolutely, yes. Okay.

2112
01:41:31,065 --> 01:41:34,845
So we have our, our guidance from council.

2113
01:41:35,565 --> 01:41:38,365
I would, I will plan to be part of this conversation

2114
01:41:38,505 --> 01:41:40,525
and then also looking for two other people.

2115
01:41:40,625 --> 01:41:43,565
So if you are interested in being on this working group,

2116
01:41:43,565 --> 01:41:45,085
please reach out to me and let me know.

2117
01:41:45,465 --> 01:41:48,205
And then if we have more than two other people interested,

2118
01:41:48,235 --> 01:41:50,005
then we'll we'll have some conversations

2119
01:41:50,025 --> 01:41:53,005
and see who should serve on it with me.

2120
01:41:54,115 --> 01:41:56,725
Okay, great. Well that takes us to the end

2121
01:41:56,725 --> 01:41:58,005
of our agenda this evening.

2122
01:41:58,255 --> 01:41:59,885
Thank you all so much for coming.

2123
01:41:59,885 --> 01:42:01,205
Thank you again, Woolsey and,

2124
01:42:01,225 --> 01:42:02,365
and all of the folks who've come out

2125
01:42:02,365 --> 01:42:04,645
to hear the conversation meeting is adjourned.