Downtown revitalization will take center stage at Monday’s Philomath City Council meeting with City Manager Chris Workman presenting an update on North 13th Street improvements and seeking council feedback on a new summer initiative aimed at turning the corridor into a weekly gathering spot.
The meeting is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. May 11 at Philomath City Hall.
The downtown improvements, which tie into the city’s strategic plan, call for leveraging remaining urban renewal dollars to spur private investment as part of a follow-up to completion of the streetscapes project. Projects in the works include cross-street string lighting between the new light poles from Main Street to Pioneer Street, a 16-by-24-foot heavy-timber gazebo for the plaza alongside the Dizzy Hen, and an interactive touchscreen kiosk highlighting local attractions, events and resources.
Workman added in an agenda item summary that additional improvements may follow this fall through a University of Oregon Sustainable City Year Program class exploring concepts such as entry monuments, a portable stage and seating.
The presentation’s centerpiece is a proposal to brand the corridor as “Fridays on 13th St., Philomath” and close it to vehicle traffic every Friday from 4:30-10 p.m. throughout June, July and August. Staff is recommending the closures as a way to establish downtown as a place where people congregate, eat and shop, with the city committing to provide at least one activity per month and an open invitation for community organizations to host their own events.
A public hearing on an ordinance to approve assessments to be charged against lots in the Landmark Drive Local Improvement District is scheduled to take place near the beginning of the meeting.
Also on the agenda, councilors will vote on a resolution to accept a state allocation of $2.65 million through Oregon Lottery Revenue bonds to extend the city’s sewer infrastructure to the north end of town, a project that city officials have said will unlock housing development capacity that has been stalled for years.
The council will also recognize 30-year employee Eric Nittka, vote on a resolution to proclaim Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month and discuss staffing at a council booth at this year’s farmers’ market. The meeting’s consent agenda, which combines routine approvals into a single vote, includes several liquor license renewals in town.
The council will also convene an executive session following the regular meeting to “consider matters relating to cyber security infrastructure and responses to cyber security threats.”