Milwaukie Redevelopment Area 5-Year Action Plan

Consultation has concluded

The city would like to hear from you as we develop a 5-year Action Plan for Milwaukie’s Urban Renewal Area. The district, which allows for tax increment financing (TIF), was established in 2016. Although "tax" is in the name, your taxes will not be raised as a part of this process. Instead, the city will use the increase of assessed value within the zone to pay for projects and programs that facilitate economic development. Eligible projects can include construction or improvement of streets, utilities and other public facilities; assistance for rehabilitation or redevelopment of property; acquisition or redevelopment of property; acquisition and re-sale of property from willing sellers; and improvements to public spaces.

Here are the current opportunities to participate:

  • Initial surveys concluded on Feb. 7. We asked about development that you would like to see downtown and how this funding should be used to help businesses. The results have been added to the 5-Year Action Plan Final Draft.
  • Ask a question. Answers to your questions may be included in the FAQs. If not, submit any questions you have below. Staff will keep an eye on the page and answering questions as they are submitted.

Sign up for updates, so that you can share your thoughts as more details come available.

Thank you for participating!

The city would like to hear from you as we develop a 5-year Action Plan for Milwaukie’s Urban Renewal Area. The district, which allows for tax increment financing (TIF), was established in 2016. Although "tax" is in the name, your taxes will not be raised as a part of this process. Instead, the city will use the increase of assessed value within the zone to pay for projects and programs that facilitate economic development. Eligible projects can include construction or improvement of streets, utilities and other public facilities; assistance for rehabilitation or redevelopment of property; acquisition or redevelopment of property; acquisition and re-sale of property from willing sellers; and improvements to public spaces.

Here are the current opportunities to participate:

  • Initial surveys concluded on Feb. 7. We asked about development that you would like to see downtown and how this funding should be used to help businesses. The results have been added to the 5-Year Action Plan Final Draft.
  • Ask a question. Answers to your questions may be included in the FAQs. If not, submit any questions you have below. Staff will keep an eye on the page and answering questions as they are submitted.

Sign up for updates, so that you can share your thoughts as more details come available.

Thank you for participating!

Consultation has concluded

Staff will be monitoring this page and responding to questions.  Let us know what questions you have and we'll respond here so that others with the same interests can find the information as well.

  • Are funds available for things like siding and window replacement at the Milwaukie Museum?

    David Aschenbrenner asked over 2 years ago

    Hi David,

    I think the museum is just barely inside the boundary so it might be eligible.  We haven't developed the criteria for the grants yet. I'll certainly keep tourism in mind as we do since I think that would be the way it would tie into economic development outcomes.

    Kelly


      


  • Thanks for all the hard work on this important project! Any chance the Central Milwaukie Bikeway Connection Project will get Council blessing before the 5-Year Action Plan is adopted? If so, I'd love to see some of the almost $750k remaining (before reaching the $10M mark) spent on some of those improvements. I'm probably getting my hopes up too much, but thought I'd ask. - Jacob

    Jacob Sherman asked over 2 years ago

    Thanks Jacob!  Unfortunately, we won't have action on the Central Milwaukie Bikeway before the action plan is adopted. I'm hopeful we'll end up with clarity on that alignment as part of our work on the TSP though.  After we have the TSP in hand we'll need to take a fresh look at where to invest TIF dollars in Central Milwaukie and the Bikeway would be a great candidate. 

  • I am trying to find information about progress at the Milwaukie Greenway project. I live on Monroe between Linwood And Fuller. They recently were out and surveyed the street. I assume this means The project is still moving forward. I I would like to find timelines for the projects as well as find out the final plan for the route.

    Karalyn asked almost 3 years ago

    Hi Karalyn,

    The Monroe Greenway project funded with urban renewal dollars is entirely within the city limits.  The segment of the greenway east of Linwood will ultimately be constructed by Clackamas County.  Hope this helps.

    Kelly

  • People are well aware of it when government enacts ludicrous laws and then they end up being counterproductive. Why? Because lots of folks realize that government is enacting laws to push some agenda or another that is not based on fact but feelings and then they totally ignore them. A case in point is car haters using "Safey and Traffic calming" as a ruse to justify lowering speed limits to ridiculously slow speeds on main thoroughfares. It seems like a good idea, but now more folks than ever ignore them completely and drive even faster. I personally am law abiding and drive the speed limit, so people have always chosen to give up their right of way and speed past me so they can be ahead of me at the next stop light or sign. Okay fine, but now I'm being forced to drive at ridiculously slow speeds and people are totally driving at whatever speed they see fit. So, the end result of these crazy slow speeds on main streets is a much higher deference in speeds being driven and that is obviously a danger being played out around here signified by the souring traffic death rates that lowering the speed limits has wrought on us when they were supposed to lower them. Crazy slow speed limits also cost us all more than you think. Passed-on costs of freight delivery and call to call service truck charges don't just cost us more personally, but increased manufacturing costs which then ether makes our products cost more, so we lose market share, or lowers workers' wages and/or benefits lowering our community's status of living and tax revenue. I get that you folks are in government and it's easy to think government is a great thing for the people. But please try and remember that government is a necessary thing that is a drag on the economy, not a boon to it. Bottom line, please don't lower speed limits on main roads from 35 to 30 or 45 to 40 ext. Thank you for your consideration.

    Mostly happy asked almost 3 years ago

    Thanks for chiming in.  While the five-year action plan does not address speed limits, the city will soon start working on its Transportation System Plan (TSP).  The TSP would be an excellent venue to share your concerns with lower speed facilities.  If you haven't already, please sign up for updates through Engage Milwaukie so that you can get notified when that project kicks off.

  • Will individuals living in historic Milwaukie currently renting from LITCH be pushed out of their homes due to increased property value that could come with improvements?

    jaxplonkey asked almost 3 years ago

    The community advisory committee and the Metropolitan Redevelopment Commission talked about this issue at length.  Property values will go up with improvements so housing cost increases are certainly a concern.  To help address this issue the plan includes a direct allocation to the city's affordable housing program (CET) to help construct more affordable units over the same time period.  Our goal is to work on a concurrent path of building / preserving affordable housing, while also constructing amenities to prevent displacement. 

  • When would you project that an urban renewal grant process might open up?

    Rachel Austen asked almost 3 years ago

    We are aiming for fall of 2022.  

  • Urban Renewal does have a cost to citizens. It diverts and locks away general fund monies for some 30 years, sometimes more, The current Mayor himself bemoans that property taxes are not high enough to support the general fund; but at the same time he leads the charge to create an urban renewal district which takes from the City's general fund for a very, very long time. The public is not allowed a vote on this matter when Milwaukie's Urban Renewal is created some five years ago. If the public would have been allowed a vote on this Urban Renewal, there's a good chance it would not have passed if the public knows the actual tradeoff to the General Fund that is involved. Will the City Council please admit there is a substantial tradeoff to existing Milwaukie residents from this Urban Renewal District?

    ElvisClark asked almost 3 years ago

    Hi Elvis,

    My apology for the delay in my reply.  I won't speculate on what may or may not have passed and certainly can't speak on behalf of city council.  I can confirm that tax increment financing does divert increases in property tax value to the urban renewal area over the life of the district. Those funds are then used to construct improvements. My primary objective is to determine where the city should invest within the first five years so that we can maximize the value of the fund to Milwaukie residents and our partner taxing jurisdictions.

    Kelly

  • How do these two survey's help develop a plan? There is nothing in them that addresses what residents want to see in Milwaukie - a grocery store, maybe. Another project like SOHO is not going to revive downtown Milwaukie.

    Christi asked almost 3 years ago

    Thanks for the question and my apology for the delay.  The survey helps the city focus resources on the projects / outcomes that are most important to residents.  I've certainly heard loud and clear that people want another grocery store.  The good news is that it looks like that we will have a new tenant at the old Albertson's site starting improvements in the spring.  I don't yet have the details on who it will be but will share here as soon as it is public.


  • How much of an impact will the forthcoming TSP plan be in laying out transportation needs for urban renewal?

    Jay Panagos asked about 3 years ago

    The TSP (Transportation System Plan) update will have a major impact on what projects are funded in years 5-10 and 10-15.  

  • I just saw on the city of Milwaukie's Facebook page that a grocer has signed a lease at the old Albertson's site. Any chance there's info on which grocer?

    Mjeff asked about 3 years ago

    No word yet on who the tenant will be.