Sustainable City Year Reports 2020-21 (Troutdale)

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SCYP Troutdale Compilation Report
(University of Oregon, 2021) SCYP Staff
This compilation report details the collaborative efforts of the University of Oregon’s Sustainable City Year Program (SCYP) partnership with the City of Troutdale during the 2020-2021 academic year. Troutdale is proud of maintaining its small town feel while advancing opportunities for sustainable growth in a beautiful natural setting. Students from fully remote courses worked on projects from affordable housing research and design to cottage cluster design standards to video production that encouraged tourism. The report includes a high-level summary of 16 projects across six schools and colleges, faculty list, and press book.
Open Access
Exploring Options for Wind Energy and Wildfire Hazard Mitigation
(University of Oregon, 2021-06) Buchanan, Ariana; Jannelli, Anthony; Adams-Schoen, Sarah
In Spring 2021, the University of Oregon School of Law’s Land Use Law class, led by Professor Sarah Adams-Schoen, was tasked with analyzing and preparing two sets of suggested amendments to the City of Troutdale’s Development Code—one set of draft code amendments to facilitate the development of small-scale wind energy conversion systems (i.e., small wind turbines) and another to increase the City’s resilience to wildfire. The class was divided into four student groups with two groups of students working on each project. The following report is a compilation of the groups’ suggested code amendments and analysis. Approaches presented in the wind energy development section ofthis report are intended to provide Troutdale with information to assist the city in determining how to appropriately incorporate wind energy conversion systems into its development code and permitting processes. The suggested ordinance language was designed to properly regulate andsite wind energy facilities and address potential complications that canarise. These potential complications include aesthetic and noise impacts, environmental impacts, socioeconomic impacts, and potential risk to wildlife populations and others. The Draft A ordinance also considers small- and medium-scale wind energy systems. Suggested best practices for regulating wind energy systems, relevant zoning and permitting considerations, and case studies of relevant examples from local communities around the country are also presented. When assessing each proposed code, it became apparent the two wind energy groups developed distinct approaches, either of which may appeal to Troutdale. The two approaches are presented here as Draft Ordinance A and Draft Ordinance B. Approaches presented in the draft ordinance establishing a Wildfire Hazard Overlay Zone are intended to balance the tremendous socio- economic benefits of implementing best practices against the socio- economic costs of implementing a robust hazard mitigation strategy.The students recognize that some of the proposed approaches may not align with Troutdale’s current scope or capacity; however, they are offered as possibilities that can be tailored to fit Troutdale’s specific needs. There are suggestions for language to use when creating a wildfire hazard overlay zone and supplementary development regulations to reduce or minimize the potential impacts of wildfire on properties, the occupants of properties, and the occupants of adjacent properties. Recommendations for how to implement robust hazard mitigation are also provided.
Open Access
Sandy Avenue Conversion
(University of Oregon, 2021-06) Kristof, Evan
SE Sandy Avenue is located in a suburban neighborhood acting as a local collector street that serves as a secondary route to navigate a steep hill. Historically, Troutdale has been attempting to create a trail connecting Gresham and Troutdale with a 40 mile loop since 1903. SE Sandy Ave has been considered a candidate for one of the trail alignments. Other initiatives such as the Sandy River Access Plan have interest in completing the 40 mile loop, and improve the accessibility of underserved communities to this unique institution.A geotechnical study in 2018 conducted by the engineering firm Shannon & Wilson found that the hillside along SE Sandy Ave between SE 3rd Streetand SE 4th Street was unstable and susceptible to landslides. There is a distressed area of pavement near the SE 4th St intersection. The cracking likely began sometime prior to 2001.Shannon & Wilson recommended some form of treatment to be completed on the hillside to prevent catastrophic damage from occurring.However, due to the hillside conditions, a geotechnical solution involving mitigation of the slope would be a high expense.The 2021 Troutdale Sandy Ave Conversion (SAC) PSUCapstone group was tasked to propose alternative transportation and geotechnical solutions. Four transportation and three geotechnical alternatives are outlined in this report. With the City of Troutdale’s input, the SAC team's alternative analysis found that a conversion to a multi-use road featuring one lane of motor vehicle traffic and a two-way cycle track would best serve the community. This solution is a balance of cost, safety, and accessibility that allows local residents vehicle access to their homes while also enhancing the safety of cyclists. Three intersections would undergo changes to accommodate the new cycle track at SE 3rd St, SE 4th St, and SE 8th St intersecting with Sandy Ave. The Northbound motor vehicle travel lane would remain intact while the southbound lane would be converted into the cycle track. The direction of traffic was chosen due to the location of emergency vehicle facilities and their ability to gain access to locations along Sandy Ave. For the geotechnical solutions, a design roadmap is outlined in this report. The solution chosen was reinforcement to the distressed pavement using geosynthetic mesh along the segment of Sandy Ave between 3rd St and 4th St. Cost and client opinion drove the design decision. This solution enables the City of Troutdale to make a short term fix to fracturing pavement. A roadmap laying out the steps, expectations, concerns, and construction information is included within this report.This report outlines a preliminary design at 30% completion.The team acknowledges that the proposed design solution shall be revised and modified.
Open Access
Troutdale Observation Deck
(University of Oregon, 2021-06) Kristof, Evan
The City of Troutdale has planned to construct Sandy Riverfront Park on a reclaimed site just north of downtown Troutdale, which previously housed an old water treatment plant. The park will be part of Troutdale’s Urban Renewal Project, which aims to create a natural space for walkers and bicyclists to enjoy the local flora and the Sandy River. The city requested a cantilevered deck designed at 30% to provide a commanding view of the river and serve as a rest area for park visitors. The design considerations include cost-effectiveness, minimal deck deflection, minimal obstruction to existing site conditions, and ease of access for long-term maintenance tasks. The proposed cantilever deck design was based on a “short and wide” layout, with a longer width parallel to the trail and a comparatively shorter cantilever length. After several design iterations and feedback from the City of Troutdale, the proposed design was restructured into a roughly square deck, with a width of 18’ and a cantilever length of 17’. The reasoning behind this ultimate design includes enhancing the view of the Sandy River and providing enough space for both visitors and amenities, such as benches. Materials involved in the design were chosen based on client preference, ease of maintenance, and overall resiliency. The decking material chosen was pultruded fiberglass paneling, the same material that will be used in the elevated walkway from the Sandy Riverfront Park Trail plan. These panels are a plastic product reinforced with fiberglass and are appropriately referred to as “fiberglass reinforced plastic” (abbreviated as FRP). The material is lightweight, weather-resistant, and manufactured to be ADA-compliant and slip-resistant. FRP can also be manufactured in grate panels, allowing easy maintenance and superb drainage. Six steel stringers support the decking; all six utilize the wide flange beam shape due to its universal application in most designs and high flexural strength-to-weight ratio. These stringers will be spaced 3.4’ on-center to keep the deflections of the deck panels within the allowable tolerance, while minimizing the number of stringers utilized. There will be two reinforced concrete girders below the steel stringers; these girders will span the 17’ cantilever distance and an additional 1.5 times the cantilever distance (25.5’), with a total girder length of 42.5’. The additional length extends behind the cantilever as the “backspan”, and acts as a balance against the bending force exerted on the cantilevered portion. This backspan will be buried below grade from beyond where the deck ends, and the weight of the topsoil will provide additional resistance against bending. Since the girders will be in contact with soil throughout their service life, they will be constructed of reinforced concrete. This material was chosen for its extensive corrosion resistance when compared to steel, as well as its great compressive strength. Since the site is sloped, a standalone retaining wall is recommended to prevent soil erosion from the loading on the deck. The retaining wall will be located at the beginning of the cantilever. The structure will be founded upon spread footings of reinforced concrete and connected to the backspan portion of the girders. This style of foundation was selected for its simplicity in construction. There was also a lack of deep soil data at the site - if more data was available, it could guide deep pile foundation design instead of spread footing design. Included in this report is the 30% design plan set and a construction cost estimate. This preliminary design report informs the City of Troutdale the magnitudes of cost and construction efforts needed to bring the project to completion. As such, the design may be modified according to the preferences and vision of the City.
Open Access
Bridging Historic Downtown Troutdale and The Confluence Site
(University of Oregon, 2021-06) Kristof, Evan
Troutdale’s Town Center District was established in the 19th century by pioneering families and is considered the cultural heart of their community.The Town Center District is 270 acres located south of Interstate I-84, and west of the Sandy River.The City of Troutdale has a robust Capital Improvement Plan with goals for the city's growth, supportable employment, civic-use spaces, and future economic development of the empty Confluence site behind the Columbia Gorge Outlets Shopping Center. Currently, there is no safe or direct route for pedestrian traffic from Historic Downtown Troutdale to the Confluence site as an active main-line Union Pacific Railway creates a barrier between these two areas. The purpose of this project is to connect the Downtown area to the newly developing Confluence site using a pedestrian bridge. This proposed design would be inclusive to pedestrians, cyclists, and neighborhood electric vehicles (golfcarts). The scope of this project is a 30% Initial design along with costing estimates for design, permitting, and construction that could take place in the next five years.The foundation design was performed in accordance with geotechnical standards of practice using resources available from previous nearby geotechnical investigations, United States Geological Survey (USGS) data, as well data gathered on-site.In all cases, conservative design values a reused in calculations and design as described herein. At this time, any design recommendations should be considered preliminary, and further geotechnical exploration and data collection should be done to verify the design recommendations of this report. A shallow foundation analysis was performed. A range of allowable vertical loads was determined for a variety of footing geometries, and the most reasonable geometries were selected and recommended herein as potential footing geometries for the loads calculated in the preliminary analysis. Preliminary CAD drawings andtypical detail are provided for these shallowfoundation geometries in appendix C. In general, the loads determined require relatively large shallow footing supports. Due to the space limitations of the project, it is likely that deep foundations will be preferred as they will take less space and perhaps be less costly. Cursory deep foundation analysis has been performed using SHAFT software, and those calculations and preliminary design recommendations are provided in section 3.4.1 and appendix C and D. For the structural design, the truss of the bridge is made out of W18x86 I-beams, except diagonal members that are made of W18x158. The horizontal perpendicular and diagonal members are made of W12x53 and W12x87 respectively since they are only for the lateral stiffness of the bridge. This means that they have a small axial loading where similar ones are used in the Lafayette street pedestrian bridge. The loading condition sand calculations followed the AASHTO LRFD 2012 Bridge Design Specifications 6th Ed (US) code, as shown in section 3.4.2 and the appendix.The columns of the bridge are constructed of a cast-in-place reinforced concrete with rectangular cross-section 3 ft x 6 ft, concrete compressive strength of 4000 psi, and grade 60 reinforcing steel.The longitudinal reinforcement is provided by 26-#9bar and the transverse reinforcement is provided by overlapping closed-loop #3 ties, following the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Bridge specifications. For the slab design, corrugated steel was used as a reinforcement with a two-inch concrete cover.U.S. BRIDGE provided the tests for the designed loading using different spans. Through two load combinations, the max moment of the floor beams was found and used to determine adequate members. A W10x17 section was selected and placed at a 4.33 feet spacing and at a 3-floor beam per panel.
Open Access
Designs for the Halsey Street-2nd Street Bridge and Off-Street Multi-Use Trail
(University of Oregon, 2021-06) Kristof, Evan
The City of Troutdale wishes to develop a proposal for a pedestrian bridge that crosses Southwest 257th Drive near downtown Troutdale, approximately 200 feet south of the intersection with Historic Columbia River Highway. The project is identified in the City’s Town Center Plan and is expected to be discussed in a three-city “Main Streets on Halsey” corridor planning effort in 2021. There have been no formal engineering studies done, though hypothetical designs have been rendered. This proposal would seek to connect a prospective off-street multi-use trail from Halsey Street (to the west) to 2nd Street (to the east) over 257th Drive, a major arterial road and freight route. This would enhance connections between downtown and residential areas to the west, and improve safety for pedestrians and bicyclists. The Portland State University Halsey-2nd Bridge Capstone group was employed to produce a 30% design or initial designs leading to a 30% design. Also desired are costing estimates for additional design/permitting/construction that could take place in a five-year horizon, plus feedback from Multnomah County and City engineers to highlight permitting requirements or conditions. The City would like design considerations to be made for bicycle and neighborhood electric vehicles such as golf carts. Inspiration should be taken from a recent bridge installation connecting Pier Park and Chimney Park in north Portland. In designing the bridge, the Capstone group determined through analysis that a steel truss would be the best structural system to use. Shop-fabricated steel trusses are widely accepted as the ideal option for pedestrian bridges. The proposed design is a 140-foot-long single-span truss with a deck that has 14 feet of clear width. The truss type is a Pratt truss, with 14 panes that are each 10 feet square and which have 45 degree diagonals. The truss will be composed of Grade 50 steel. The bridge deck will be a reinforced concrete slab that rests on 18-gauge corrugated steel decking, and which is simply supported in the transverse direction relative to the long axis of the bridge. The slab will be 6.25 inches high in total, with #9 rebar placed every 12 inches. The bridge will be simply supported by concrete abutments, one on each side of 257th Drive. Each abutment will be a 2-foot-thick stem wall, at the top of which is a 10-inch-thick bearing pad and a 6-inch-thick back wall that extends 2 feet above the stem wall. The abutments will each have a spread footing foundation with a width of 18 feet and a thickness of 2.5 feet. The foundation on the west side of the road will have a back wall height of 12.5 feet. On the east side the back wall will be 10.5 feet high. The foundations will have wing walls to retain the soil in the backfill, which will consist partially of Geofoam. The wing walls will be 8 inches thick and will extend 10 feet back, perpendicular to the stem wall. The bridge will cross 257th Drive in a direction perpendicular to the road. The vertical clearance between the bridge and the road will be 18 feet. Trails connecting the bridge westward to Halsey Street, and eastward to 2nd Street, will be shared-use pathways that are 14 feet wide. Ramps are used to connect the trails with the elevated bridge The bridge and trails will conform with the standards of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation (AASHTO), or with superseding local and state regulations where necessary. The start-to-finish construction time is estimated to be around 20 weeks. The total cost for the completed facility, if constructed in 2026, is estimated to be $1,943,538.
Open Access
Troutdale-Columbia River Gorge Passenger Rail and Transit Feasibility Assessment
(University of Oregon, 2021-06) Aksnes-Shanks, Bill; Marquez, Athena; Uminski, Dan; Cabinte, Ryan
Masters of Business Administration students worked with city of Troutdale staff to investigate the feasibility of Troutdale-based passenger rail and/or transit focused on the Columbia River Gorge. January 2021 initial scope of work for the project included: 1. Discuss lodging opportunities based on market analysis supporting future economic development in Troutdale. 2. Evaluate transportation congestion relief opportunities in Columbia River Gorge, particularly focused on passenger rail feasibility stimulating tourism. 3. Consult on optimization of the City of Troutdale’s current infrastructure and investigate possible alternative transportation mode expansion. 4. Evaluate tourism as it pertains to potential economic development stimulus. 5. Promote the City of Troutdale as the Gateway to the Gorge for its strategic location. 6. Identify, outline, and promote practical and effective solutions for the City of Troutdale to gain more inclusion in Statewide Transportation Strategies in Oregon. 7. Produce a final evaluation report summarizing key findings supporting the City of Troutdale’s next steps for collaborating with identified key stakeholders and recommending options to insert Troutdale into Oregon’s plans for rail, public transportation, highway, freight, bicyclists, pedestrians, and safety action in the future. Through research, due diligence, and coordination with Troutdale, project scope of work narrowed and adapted to focus on the following: 1. Identifying opportunities for the City of Troutdale to relieve tourist attraction and destination congestion throughout the Columbia River Gorge. 2. Determining how to utilize the City of Troutdale’s current infrastructure to alleviate congestion in the Columbia River Gorge. 3. Discussing potential infrastructure improvements the City of Troutdale can implement in the future to alleviate congestion. 4. Identifying key stakeholders to advocate for and collaborate with the City of Troutdale. 5. Providing recommendations to guide the City of Troutdale’s endeavors in creating economic development stimulus, especially in support of transportation expansion. Please see the following contents highlighting conducted research, analysis, and key findings gathered by the University of Oregon MBA team.
Open Access
Bicycle Transportation in the City of Troutdale
(University of Oregon, 2021-06) Gisler, Abby; Little, Daniel; Schlossberg, Marc
In this report, students critically examined potential redesigns to existing infrastructure with the intent of promoting higher rates of bicycle ridership in Troutdale. Students worked in small groups to create recommendations, using case studies of other cities and small towns, including both domestic and international examples. Teams focused on the following projects: • Redesigning Main Street in downtown Troutdale as a safe cycling route connecting a potential bike shop to the rest of Troutdale. This includes creating new protected bike lanes downtown, reimagining parking on Main Street, incentivizing the creation of a bike shop in the old City Hall location, and increasing bike parking capacity downtown. • Designing safe cycling infrastructure along Halsey Street to promote access to McMenamins Edgefield via bike, including the establishment of an off-street path adjacent to Halsey Street and a neighborhood park. • Redesigning 2nd Street to create a safe neighborhood bicycling corridor, including the development of bioswales, green-painted bike lanes, and other strategies that slow car traffic and encourage cycling on the route. • Connecting Glenn Otto Park to downtown via bike and promoting cycling at Glenn Otto Park. • Promoting Troutdale as the gateway to the 40-Mile Loop. • Planning events and cultural initiatives that instill a sense of pride in Troutdale as a regional leader in cycling. The resulting proposals utilize ideas from all groups and are categorized into ‘Gold,’ ‘Silver,’ and ‘Bronze’ tiers based on the strength of the proposal in improving bicycle infrastructure and the level of investment required for implementation.
Open Access
Assessing Hazard Vulnerability in Troutdale
(University of Oregon, 2021-06) Meng, Sian; Caudill, Lydia; Yang, Yizhao
In this report, students helped address Troutdale’s goal of understanding potential hazards and the social vulnerability associated with such risks. Students collaborated in four research groups to collect data and analyze the potential for hazard susceptibility in the City. Students employed a variety of methods to inform their research including: • Literature review of selected hazard plans • Collecting and analyzing U.S. Census and GIS data • Local resources, including conversations with City planning staff and other professionals in related fields Groups were each assigned one of four hazards to research and analyze: wildfire, flooding, landslide, and earthquake/liquefaction. According to the final comprehensive analysis, it was determined that the city of Troutdale has low hazard susceptibility. Overall: • Wildfire susceptibility is low. However, three main regions of high burn susceptibility exist: along the east of the Sandy Riverfront, near the McMenamins Edgefield/Halsey Corridor, and a free-standing area located in Troutdale’s southeast. • Flood susceptibility is low. Susceptibility is highest near rivers, particularly on the east side of Sandy River and along Beaver Creek. • Landslide susceptibility is low, with the highest susceptibility area on the eastern extremity of Troutdale’s city limits. • Liquefaction susceptibility is relatively high. The high susceptibility area is located on the north side of Troutdale, near the Columbia River, and along the Sandy River and Halsey Street. Despite overall low hazard susceptibility, students established recommendations for increasing citizen resources and infrastructure safety and resilience. Increased education and awareness of the existing hazards can benefit residents ability to prepare for emergencies especially residents in high-hazards areas with greater social vulnerability. Additionally, Troutdale could mitigate and prepare for hazards by identifying funding for building and infrastructure retrofitting, establishing and placing signs that indicate alternate routes for emergencies, and adopting land use codes to limit future development in high hazard areas. Finally, due to growing tourism in the areas located within high hazard areas, Troutdale could benefit from developing a plan to communicate dangers and respond to the needs of visiting tourists in the face of emergencies.
Open Access
Building Communities for the Future: Affordable Housing on the Overlook Tract
(University of Oregon, 2021-06) Reifsnyder, Katie; Mladinov, Jerolim
Fair access to housing is a global, national, and local issue. In 2017, about 38% of Troutdale overall households were cost-burdened with renters having a significantly higher percentage, 58%. The City’s recently adopted Town Center Plan identifies the 4.3 acre “Overlook Tract” as a potential location to construct affordable housing in collaboration with Home Forward, a Portland-based organization with a mission to provide affordable housing. Students explored the creation of dynamic and inclusive urban environments and their relation to housing typology at two different scales: (1) the city or public realm scale and (2) the home or domestic environment scale. After analyzing the site and region, student teams developed urban design proposals for the site based on four distinct frameworks: 1. Views of the Gorge (Linear Buildings) 2. Park with a View (Open Block) 3. Internal Central Park (Closed Block) 4. Neighborhoods (Smaller Housing Clusters) Design proposals endeavored to preserve a small town feel, create a unique gateway to the City, accommodate multiple generations on the site, and create privacy for residents.
Open Access
Mobile Food Facilities Policy Review
(University of Oregon, 2021-06) Meng, Sian; Yang, Yizhao
Students reviewed and analyzed mobile food facility (MFF) policies from seven case study cities in order to help the city of Troutdale as it evaluates how best to update its MFF ordinances and policies. Students collected materials from municipal codes, websites, reports, and news for their MFF policy analysis. Five Oregon cities and two out-of-state cities were selected as case studies due to their similar socio-demographic context to Troutdale or in the case of the two out-of-state cities, being identified as having noteworthy example zoning ordinances per the American Planning Association’s (APA) publication “Regulating Food Trucks.” The primary policy analysis includes three sections. First, students summarized how case study cities define MFFs. Second, students examined MFF policies, regulations, and practices by dividing them into three categories based on their spatial attributes, including general location restrictions, place-based regulations, and other non-spatial regulations. Lastly, students created a framework for reviewing the best policies and regulations regarding MFFs using four policy areas. These areas include: economic activities, public health, public space, and public safety. Based on policy evaluation results, students provided recommendations for improving definitions of MFFs, regulating system, three types of MFF policies, and management of MFFs in Troutdale. This report has three main conclusions: 1) General location restrictions may pose barriers for MFFs operators entering the market and sustaining profits, but would improve public safety and public pace. 2) most place-based regulations aim to mitigate the negative externalities of MFFs and reduce the conflicts with neighborhood zoning designations, which also addresses public safety concerns and enhances the quality of public space. In addition, specific place-based regulations, such as trash/ waste disposal, take public health into consideration. 3) The county-level health license and city-level business license aim to protect public health.
Open Access
Foundations for Strategic Growth
(University of Oregon, 2021-06) Dale, Emily; Hole, Jessica; Mattice, Brittany; Mason, Dyana
Cascadia Arts Association (CAA) is an exciting new arts nonprofit membership organization located in Troutdale, Oregon. Troutdale, nestled in East Multnomah County, is part of the West Columbia Gorge and uniquely poised to become a robust arts destination. Through various nonprofit, government, and business partnerships, Troutdale is an active, diverse arts community that contributes to the county’s community art projects, annual art shows, and educational opportunities. From our findings, CAA has the opportunity to become a key contributor as an arts association to develop Troutdale’s arts community. This report is intended to provide recommendations for best practices in creating and maintaining a sustainable arts organization.
Open Access
Explore Troutdale Communication Strategies
(University of Oregon, 2021-06) Sands, Jeredith; Mundy, Mundy
In the University of Oregon’s Public Relations Campaigns class, a team of five public relations majors worked with the city of Troutdale to establish and meet goals for its Travel Troutdale campaign. After the class concluded, “Travel Troutdale” became “Explore Troutdale” to reflect the city’s interest in connecting broadly. Report text will refer to Travel Troutdale. The students crafted a mission statement for the project, with the aim of attracting visitors to and keeping residents in Troutdale. After conducting research on the town and defining its primary and secondary publics, the team decided on social media as the best approach for influencing people to visit, stay, or move to Troutdale. In addition to creating visual and written content for social media and the Travel Troutdale website, the team developed various “how- to” guides to assist Troutdale’s staff in content management and production post-project. The students’ research, planning, content, guides, and additional recommendations for future implementation will ideally provide Troutdale with the tools and tactics necessary to meet its goals and communications needs.
Open Access
Connecting Troutdale: Options for Future Transportation Choices
(University of Oregon, 2021-06) Josephson, Brian; Brown, Anne; Haley, Clare
Sustained population and employment growth in the City of Troutdale have benefited the city in a variety of ways. However, this growth has amplified demand on the city’s transportation system and impacted people’s ability to get around. The class proposed several possible solutions to address these issues. For example, the City could paint crosswalks more clearly, stripe bike lanes, and ensure that sidewalks are continuous in their construction. This provides pedestrians and bicyclists with more certainty and comfort as they navigate the city. In addition, the class recommended different ways to connect downtown to the rest of the City via a shuttle or trolley. After assessing both options, it was concluded that a shuttle could provide a better replacement for personal vehicle trips to the downtown area. The class also recommended a golf cart zone be added to augment the shuttle in low speed zones and offer even greater flexibility in transportation choices. An additional system of electric bicycles and scooters throughout the City could also offer new and exciting methods of transportation for many residents, tourists, and commuters. These scooters could be paired with a multi- use path near a bus stop to transport workers to and from the Amazon and FedEx facilities in the Troutdale Reynolds Industrial Park. Finally, in order to facilitate the movement of goods and people in the City center, a system of three different loading/ unloading zones could be implemented during certain hours of the day to maintain space for deliveries and drop offs without obstructing the flow of traffic. These recommendations offer diverse alternatives to help improve and increase opportunities to get around within the City of Troutdale.
Open Access
Finance, Economics, and New Mobility: 21st Century Transportation Challenges and Solutions for Troutdale, Oregon
(University of Oregon, 2021-06) Keough, Nick; Brown, Anne
The following report reviews and synthesizes work completed by University of Oregon students regarding potential transportation polices for the city of Troutdale, Oregon. Students focused on three categories: transportation finance, transportation economics, and new mobility options. TRANSPORTATION FINANCE Students investigated transportation finance in Troutdale, which included current funding mechanisms used by Troutdale such as the State of Oregon Highway Trust Fund and a local gas tax. Students reflected on why there is a need for municipalities to start exploring other funding mechanisms and ultimately recommended pricing parking, implementing payroll taxes, increasing the current system development charge rates, raising the local gas tax, and enacting a street utility fee to enact more secure and sustainable transportation funding for Troutdale. TRANSPORTATION ECONOMICS Students researched transportation economics specific to alleviating congestion in Glenn Otto Park. Students began by reviewing the current conditions at Glenn Otto Park, analyzing congestion management literature, and highlighting existing parking pricing approaches at similar recreation areas. Students advocate for a tiered parking fee that has varying rates for residents and non-residents. Specific dollar amounts of the fees are suggested, with Troutdale staff encouraged to make modifications to the pricing structure based on demand. In doing so, students hope this approach will not only reduce congestion in the park, but will help the city raise funds for transportation maintenance and improvements. NEW MOBILITY OPTIONS Students turned their attention tothe ways new mobility options will impact cities, specifically suburban cities like Troutdale. The catgory defines and provides background on three key areas in new mobility: (1) autonomous vehicles, (2) micromobility, and (3) ride-hailing. A discussion of the major trends in new mobility and the impact that new mobility options will likely have on municipal policy follows. Recommendations include an autonomous vehicles corridor, an autonomous goods delivery service, a bikeshare program and hybrid micromobility system, and an expansion of ride-hailing, among other options. While all three categories consider different transportation challenges for Troutdale, there is a significant amount of crossover between the three topics suggesting that different areas of transportation policy do not operate independently. This highlights that transportation solutions will likely need to be multi-faceted as well as suggests that collaboration will help bring about transformative transportation change in Troutdale.
Open Access
Planning For a Vibrant Future: Land Use and Economic Development in Troutdale
(University of Oregon, 2021-06) Irsfeld, Brendan; Rebecca, Lewis
UO graduate students collaborated in four research groups to propose amendments to the Goal 2 and 9 chapters of the city of Troutdale Comprehensive Land Use Plan. Students employed a variety of methods to inform their research, including: * Comparisons of Troutdale’s Comprehensive Plan to other relevant planning resources (e.g., Metro 2040 Regional Growth Framework) * Review of relavent case studies * Literature review of mixed-use zoning and economic development trends * Collecting and analyzing U.S. Census data * Drawing on local resources, including previous public outreach efforts and conversations with City planning staff The mixed-use research groups emphasized how a mixed-use zoning designation in the Town Center could help the City both develop the area commercially and accommodate housing needs. According to students’ research, approaching mixed-use zoning through the “fine-grained” approach can reduce the cost of land, increase the number of destinations along a street, and help diversify the local economy. The result can lower barriers of entry to investors and entrepreneurs, thereby cultivating a more resilient economy and vibrant community. Recognizing the needs of the Town Center districts, the second mixed-use group envisioned three newzones. Along Historic Columbia River Highway, a Downtown Mixed Use (MU-1) zone would emphasize commercial development, with residential uses complementing the area. Where the Halsey neighborhood and land along SW 257th Drive are located, a General Mixed Use (MU-2) zone prioritizes residential land use complemented with commercial uses. Students reasoned that these zoning designations can preserve the existing character of the downtown (the MU-1 zone) while meeting residents’ expectations for developing vacant land (foundations of the MU-2 zone). Lastly, an Urban Mixed Use (MU-3) zone would accommodate the unique opportunities afforded by the undeveloped Confluence Site adjacent to downtown. The two economic development groups drew on similar themesand identified the emerging trends communities are using to boost their local economies. Emphasizing the risks posed by climate change, each group recommended that Troutdale prioritize a commitment to creating “green collar jobs” in its local economy. Operating an energy-efficient and less wasteful economy can support residents’ quality of life in the decades to come. In addition, each group presented a unique approach for supporting an emerging micro-retail environment and taking advantage of Troutdale’s available industrial land. One approach emphasized “industrial clustering” or the effort to encourage related businesses in a supply chain to locate near each other. Highlighting the increasing need for data processing capacity, students outlined how Troutdale could leverage its competitive advantages in available industrial land and support emerging micro-retail businesses to take advantage of the benefits data centers provide a 21st century economy.
Open Access
Climate Resiliency Crosswalk
(University of Oregon, 2021) Cohen, Rachel
The City of Troutdale is exploring its options to mitigate, adapt, and become resilient to the effects of climate change. As a first step, this report surveys policy and planning documents across local and regional jurisdictions to understand the current environment and explore what possibilities might exist for the future. The documents were assessed along three criteria: 1. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions 2. Identifying and adapting to the risks associated with climate change 3. Increasing access to clean and affordable energy Each report section summarizes the relevant key points in a plan or policy document and provides recommendations for how the content of these documents might be applied to future climate resiliency work. The table that follows summarizes each document reviewed as well as recommendations for how to connect the content with future climate resiliency work (Figure 1). In addition to these documents, Troutdale should also consider forthcoming state and federal climate policy, as well as Portland General Electric’s November 2020 announcement to meet the region’s electricity needs with net zero carbon emissions by 2040.
Open Access
Downtown Improvements: Special District Recommendations
(University of Oregon, 2021) Connor, Emily; Lewis, Rebecca
As an element of its recently adopted 20-year Town Center Plan, the City of Troutdale identified improvements and and revitalization of their downtown district and surrounding areas as a priority. Public Budget Administration graduate students were tasked with investigating funding options to improve and maintain their downtown commercial streetscape via a special district tax. This report examines the feasibility of two district types: Business Improvement Districts (BID) and Economic Improvement Districts (EID). Included in this report are recommendations for the size of the district, an examination of the creation of a Main Street Organization, and information on best practices gleaned from case studies conducted on the use of special tax districts in 10 different locations, including: * McMinnville, OR * Newport, OR * Durham, NC * Cottage Grove, OR * Hillsboro, OR * Bend, OR * Miami, FL * Oregon City, OR * Salem, OR * Corvallis, OR Using Troutdale's goals for an EID/BID program, as well as insights from the case studies, this report provides an estimated expenditure for the first five years of Troutdale’s EID/BID program, as well as funding options to help meet that goal. Five funding options are considered and analyzed for Troutdale’s EID/BID funding: • Option 1: EID based on the assessed value • Option 2: EID based on square footage of the lot • Option 3: EID based on square footage of the business • Option 4: EID based on square footage of the frontage • Option 5: BID- Business license surcharge • Option Overlay: Tiered systems based on proximity to downtown core (either EID or BID) Out of these options, the only one that reaches estimated expenditure goals is Option 2: EID based on square footage of the lot. However, Troutdale staff may also want to take into consideration the most politically sound options when it comes to combining EID and BID options and the possibility of tieredtax rates. This report includes tax rate options that could be further analyzed to determine which option or options best suit the goals and the needs of the Troutdale community.
Open Access
Capital Improvement Planning Recommendations
(University of Oregon, 2021) Hays-Alsin, Bethany; Lewis, Rebecca
A team of students at the University of Oregon has provided research and recommendations to aid the City of Troutdale in the improvement of their Capital Improvement Planning (CIP) system. This collaboration occurred through a partnership between the City of Troutdale and the Sustainable City Year Program. In this report, potential funding opportunities for the City of Troutdale are explored, including fees, grants, cost sharing, and debt financing. Three prioritization systems for project selection will also be discussed and the best system for Troutdale will be recommended. The first system blends the surrounding jurisdiction’s goals and values. The second model is based on relevant grant funding. The third model is based on best practices and the City of Troutdale’s City Council goals. After exploring these topics, final recommendations will be offered to the City of Troutdale.
Open Access
The Overlook: Affordable Housing in Downtown Troutdale
(University of Oregon, 2021) Irsfeld, Brendan; Arroyo, John; Brown, Anne; Sandoval, Gerard; Knudson, Kaarin
Graduate students in the University of Oregon’s Community and Regional Planning program collaborated inthree research groups to propose an affordable housing development on a parcel of land close to downtown Troutdale. The parcel is designated as Opportunity Site 7 (referred to as the Overlook Tract) in the City’s recent Town Center Plan. Each proposal examined affordable housing from a specific topical lens: climate justice, racial justice, and housing instability. Due to the restrictions in place resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, the three teams worked mainly in a virtual environment under the guidance of a faculty advisor. Students presented three forward- thinking proposals for developing affordable housing on the site. The groups incorporated many similar elements while also distinguishing each proposal by introducing unique recommendations. Using a mixed-use design to support future residents emerged as a predominant theme of each proposal. Commercial space can serve as a place that provides community services and introduces vibrancy to the area when incorporated with housing space. Another similarity among each proposal was to improve Troutdale’s downtown transportation network to better accommodate pedestrians and biking. To conceptualize their proposals, students employed a variety of research methods, including quantitative analysis, content analysis, a literature review, case studies, and participating in a virtual design charette led by faculty at the University of Oregon. This research period allowed each team to form a comprehensive understanding of Troutdale as a place and community. Teams envisioned affordable housing with an understanding of the socioeconomic and demographic shifts within the context of local housing markets, with particular emphasis on living spaces for low-income individuals. Efforts were concentrated on the potential of the parcel to provide affordable housing, in addition to residual benefits for the future growth of the downtown area, a vital concern to Troutdale’s city officials. Of the key recommendations from each group, notable features also include: • Utilizing open space within the development for community- supportive activities, such as maintaining a community garden. • Providing first-floor commercial space to introduce jobs and amenities to the area close to downtown Troutdale. • Creating connections between existing built infrastructure and the site, in addition to downtown neighborhoods in Troutdale. • Incorporating placemaking elements, such as public art and community centers, to reflect the cultural diversity of Troutdale’s citizenry. This report briefly presents the central themes, notable highlights, and key recommendations contained within each group’s proposal for an affordable housing development on the Overlook Tract.