THE DALLES — The Dalles City Council voted Monday to pass an ordinance amending many sections of the city’s land use code to increase housing supply in The Dalles.
The ordinance, General Ordinance No. 21-1384, updated the city housing code to fit with state standards, including House Bill 2001. According to the official website of the state of Oregon, HB 2001 is a statewide bill that intends to increase housing in Oregon by permitting middle housing — a term used to describe a range of attached or clustered homes such as duplexes and triplexes — in residential areas. Before the bill, these types of housing were previously outlawed in many neighborhoods.
In order to comply with and build upon HB 2001, the ordinance updated many of the city’s policies regarding middle housing:
• Duplexes will be exempt from all maximum density requirements in The Dalles.
• Detached duplexes will be allowed, as will duplexes with side entries.
• Minimum off-street parking will be reduced for all middle housing including townhomes.
• Developers will be encouraged to convert single-family housing to duplexes, and requirements and standards for this transition will be created.
• The temporary family hardship provision — which permits an RV or manufactured home to stay on a lot when a nearby family member is needed due to a physical or mental disability or impairment — will be allowed for duplexes.
• The minimum lot size for duplexes can no longer be any larger than the minimum lot size for single-family homes.
• Duplexes will no longer have subjective design requirements like “traditional” or “appearance of a single house.”
Part of the push for more affordable housing in The Dalles comes from limitations on the city’s expansion due to the urban growth boundary that prevents the city from growing outwards.
Several community members attending the meeting spoke out in support of the ordinance. No community members spoke in opposition.
The city council approved the ordinance unanimously.
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In other business, the city council voted 4-1 to opt into the servicing group created by State Accident Insurance Fund (SAIF) and Citycounty Insurance Services (CIS). The Dalles already has workers compensation through SAIF, but joining the servicing group will allow them to receive a 9% discount.
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