Council Welcomes Civics Academy Graduates, Advances Water Distribution Plan Update
August 5, 2025 — At the August 4, 2025, meeting of the Wilsonville City Council, the Council celebrated the 2025 graduates of the Civics Academy, the City’s free “public engagement 101” program. This longstanding program, which prepares civic-minded community members for roles on City boards and commissions or area non-profits, details City programs and operations with monthly presentations from City management staff and elected officials, facility tours, and day trips to the State Capitol and Coffee Creek Correctional Facility.
The Council approved a $499,000 contract with Water Systems Consultants, Inc., to provide engineering consulting services on the Water Distribution System Master Plan Update. This project develops a 20-year assessment of the current and future needs of the City’s water delivery system to adequately support anticipated growth and comply with regulatory requirements.
The Council authorized the City’s acquisition of property and property interests associated with the Brown Road Improvements Project, which widens a half-mile segment of Brown Rd. between Wilsonville Rd. and Evergreen Dr. This project, which represents the last transportation upgrade funded through the West Side Urban Renewal District established to serve development of Villebois, includes bike lanes, sidewalks, enhanced turn lanes and pedestrian crosswalks, stormwater treatment facilities, and undergrounding of overhead utility lines.
On second reading, the Council adopted parking reforms that put the City in compliance with the State’s Climate Friendly and Equitable Communities (CFEC) Program, which is designed to eliminate or significantly reduce minimum parking requirements in local development codes. The State determined that parking requirements often lead to an oversupply of parking, contributing to inefficient land use, reduced walkability, and increased greenhouse gas emissions.
During Mayor’s Business, the Council voted to support a State transportation package that retains local revenue sharing, eliminates the threat of tolls on the Boone Bridge, and includes accountability measures for the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) to minimize the financial burden on Wilsonville residents and businesses. A special session of the Oregon Legislature begins on Aug. 29 to develop legislation to pay for basic road maintenance and operations at ODOT and to address the funding needs of local governments and transit districts.
The Council also ratified Mayor Shawn O’Neil’s appointment of three individuals to seats on City boards:
- Arts, Culture, and Heritage Commission: Creed Harmon, for a term expiring 6/30/27.
- Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee: Jason Smith, for a term expiring 12/31/26.
- Kitakata Sister City Advisory Board: Devan Olmstead, for a term expiring 12/31/25.
During City Manager’s Business, City Manager Bryan Cosgrove noted that the City has been awarded a $6 million to fund construction of the Boeckman Trail underneath the new Boeckman Bridge. Cosgrove also updated the Council on the City’s work to identify executive recruitment agencies to guide the City’s search for a new City Manager, and discussed preliminary strategies to gauge the sentiment of the Council and the community on how to proceed with the Wilsonville Town Center Plan in the community’s best interest.
At the work session prior to the meeting, Administration staff detailed ongoing work to inventory park assets for the purpose of updating the City’s website with more detailed information about each park’s amenities, including accessibility features, parking, seating areas, restrooms, trails and other information.
Additionally, Community Development staff sought the Council’s perspectives to inform an Economic Opportunities Analysis (EOA) underway for the Wilsonville Industrial Land Readiness (WILR) project, which provides strategic framework for the City’s pursuit of high-quality industry and expanded economic opportunities for the next 20 years. With the City’s Housing Needs and Capacity Analysis, the EOA establishes a comprehensive foundation for future decisions related to growth.
Because the Aug. 18 meeting has been canceled and the Labor Day holiday falls on the first Monday of September, the City Council’s next meeting is to take place on Thursday, Sept. 4, at 7 pm. A work session is scheduled to precede the meeting. Both the meeting and the work session are open to the public.
Community members can watch all City Council meetings on cable (Xfinity Ch. 30, Ziply Ch. 32) or online via the City’s YouTube channel: ci.wilsonville.or.us/WilsonvilleTV.
- # # # -
