Civic Issues
Topics getting the most attention in Astoria public meetings, ranked by how frequently they are discussed.
48 issues with high priority
Heritage Square Brownfield Cleanup
A $2 million EPA grant will fund cleanup of the Heritage Square site, including filling the pit, with the goal of future public open space downtown.
Downtown mail delivery crisis
Mail service problems in Astoria are delaying ballots and hurting local businesses. Councilors urged residents to use ballot drop boxes rather than relying on the mail ahead of the October 26 deadline.
Emergency water and sewer repairs on Marine Drive
A collapsed sewer pipe at 6th Street and a February waterline break at 30th Street are getting permanent fixes before ODOT's ADA ramp work starts this fall. The waterline fix costs about double the original estimate.
2027 State Legislative Priorities
Astoria's first formal legislative agenda targets $7 million in direct asks — a $6 million Clearwell water tank and lab, $500K each for Customs House workforce housing and the Aquatic Center — plus a Highway 30 chairwall study and SB 48 reform.
Housing Capacity Analysis and 20-year housing need
The city must reach historically underserved communities, tribal governments, and — per commissioners' suggestion — the general workforce and large employers. Two public meetings, surveys, and focus groups are planned, with a community meeting expected in September.
Community Development Department staffing and capacity
CDD has seven full-time staff but a workload that could absorb 13 or more — 200 land-use applications a year, 400+ permits, and a stream of state mandates. Council is weighing whether to hire another planner, use consultants, or table some projects.
Astoria Aquatic Center / Community Center investment
A resident has offered to donate up to $20,000 for a sauna at the Aquatic Center, plus possible maintenance support. Staff are still checking feasibility — power, code requirements, location, and upkeep.
Disc golf feasibility at Shively Park
Astoria may get a free, 18-hole wooded disc golf course winding through Shively Park's perimeter and connecting to Evergreen Fields. Baskets are donated and volunteers would build much of it, but residents have raised concerns about pedestrian safety, parking, weddings, and the park's quiet character. A public open house on August 19 will shape whether the board recommends the project in September.
Customs House Workforce Housing Redevelopment
Non-agenda comments raised missing garbage service near homeless camps on the Riverwalk and concerns about building 50 units of housing in a high-risk landslide area at the Customs House property.
Highway 30 Eastbound Merge Redesign at Columbia Street
ODOT redesigned the confusing eastbound merge near the Pig 'N Pancake after complaints, close calls, and queuing into the intersection. The new drop-lane design gives drivers 350 feet to merge instead of 170, with new signs and pavement markings. Councilors want bigger, clearer signage and asked how drivers who end up in the wrong lane will get back on track.
Demolition of historic garage at 1064 14th Street
The council upheld the denial of a homeowner's greenhouse conversion of a rare wood-frame historic garage. Several councilors agreed the preservation code itself may need updating.
Short-term rental licensing ordinance (Ordinance 25-07)
The mayor wants it suspended; a business owner described getting squeezed out by parking-rule confusion. The council will take it up at a work session rather than act now.
Vacant-residential-unit excise tax
Resident Paul Crocker opposed the ballot measure targeting second-home owners, arguing it creates hardship and treats three-day versus four-day occupancy arbitrarily. Councilor Davis reported constituent questions about exemptions.
BPA funding cuts to Select Area Fisheries Enhancement Program
Councilor Adams asked the council to plan a special meeting with stakeholders and legislators about the loss of Bonneville Power Administration funding for the SAFE program, which matters greatly to Astoria's fishing economy.
Chronic student absenteeism
The council proclaimed support for the school district's attendance campaign; about 500 of 1,750 students missed 17+ days last year, with chronic absence up from 10% pre-pandemic to about 30%.
Water and Sewer Rate Increase (4%)
Your water and sewer bill is going up 4% starting FY 2026-27 — roughly $7-8 more per month for a typical household. The money mostly keeps pace with operating costs; the city has no dedicated capital fund and about $250 million in unfunded infrastructure needs.
Stormwater utility formation study
Astoria has 35 miles of stormwater pipe but no dedicated funding source. The $74,025 study could lead to a new stormwater utility rate in FY 2027-28, phased in as CSO loans are paid off to limit ratepayer impact.
Recology solid waste rate increase
Recology's annual rate review brings a 3% collection increase (about $1.02/month for a typical 32-gallon cart), 7.3% for waste delivered by collection trucks, and a sharp yard-debris increase driven by third-party processing costs. Recology also committed to exploring a low-income assistance program.
Homeless Liaison Position
The council advanced the camping-code piece of its homeless-response strategy and hired toward a homeless liaison. The ordinance makes a shelter-first policy explicit and creates enforcement tools, while neighbors remain divided about how the 72-hour trespass works.
Copeland Commons Affordable Housing Infrastructure
A $550,599 state grant will fund the stormwater infrastructure needed to build about 60 affordable housing units at Copeland Commons.
Astoria's 2027 state legislative priorities
The council wants one clear, focused ask-list when talking to Salem: housing, infrastructure, the pool, the chair wall, and SB 48. It's a multi-year advocacy game — small, consistent asks beat one big swing.
Darigold redevelopment on hold
Staff say they can't get a Darigold RFP out this year — parking costs and project complexity are the sticking points. It's still alive, just not happening in 2026.
Highway 30 chair-wall system condition
The 100-plus-year-old wall holding up Highway 30 and downtown sidewalks has never been fully studied. The council agreed the first ask should be money for a comprehensive structural study — and some business owners have already spent $80,000+ shoring up their own sidewalks.
Senate Bill 48 and behavioral-health response
Council wants to keep SB 48 reform on the radar — a recent 911 case where the caller's threat didn't result in jail raised local concerns — and is framing the mental-health priority as 'enhancements to the behavioral-health response system.'
Transportation network companies (rideshare) in Astoria
The Council advanced an ordinance letting transportation network companies operate in the city, after bar owners, rental hosts, and residents described unreliable taxi service, drunk driving risks, and seniors unable to get to appointments.
2026 Paving Project
Five street segments get repaved starting late July, including Irving Avenue and Halsey Road in Emerald Heights. Daytime full closures are expected on some streets, and residents will get door-hanger notices.
Stabilization of historic Suomi Hall
Suomi Hall, one of Astoria's oldest buildings, has structural problems — sinking floors and foundation settlement — that threaten its future. The city's $50,000 grant closes the funding gap on the $330,000 Phase 1 stabilization project, letting construction start in October 2026. Volunteers raised over $226,000 themselves through years of fundraisers.
Mayor Fitzpatrick will not seek reelection
The mayor announced he won't run again after 13 years on the council, opening a seat in the next election.
Parks Master Plan Update
Nine months of public engagement produced a final draft Parks Master Plan with an implementation matrix for the next decade. City Council heard a largely positive work session and will consider adoption June 15. Recommendations are guideposts, not automatic projects — residents will still get input on specifics like the dog park.
Astoria City Charter Amendments
Voters will decide whether to expand the Council from five to seven members with two at-large seats, require Council consent for board appointments, and update vacancy and appointed-official rules. The expansion and consent measures passed 4-1 over the Mayor's objection.
First-Ever Public Works Capital Improvement Plan
Astoria now has a documented list of roughly $246 million in water, sewer, stormwater, and transportation needs — most of it unfunded — to use as leverage for state and federal grants. It doesn't create any new fees or taxes.
Camping Code Amendments
Trash cans between the museum and 39th Street overflow on busy weekends, and tents near the Riverwalk draw complaints. The city's updated camping ordinance takes effect mid-July with new enforcement tools.
Irving Ave. at 27th St. emergency road repair
December's storm washed out a stretch of Irving Avenue, a key bypass when Marine Drive is blocked. The change order covers extra damage found before construction plus a prevailing-wage adjustment triggered when costs crossed $50,000.
Community-Based Shelter Program
The city will partner with nonprofits, businesses and faith groups to host up to three micro-shelter sites (three spaces each) as part of Shelter First. Council voted to leave vehicle camping out of the program for now.
Downtown Public Safety Concerns
A downtown business owner told the council an 11-year-old was afraid to enter his arcade, and his letter about safety drew hundreds of Facebook comments. He's asking the city to schedule a public forum quickly.
Columbia Memorial Hospital street vacation
The street vacation and campus agreement complete the framework for CMH's $300 million expansion from 57,000 to over 180,000 square feet — a generational investment in local healthcare.
Camping near the fuel corridor
A resident read a formal complaint alleging open flames and smoking near the Fifth Street/Marine Drive petroleum facilities create a serious fire risk, and asked for an inspection and safety buffer.
Sewage lift station rehabilitation grant
Three 1970s-era lift stations are finally getting rebuilt, and the state kicked in another $170,000 to help keep utility rates down.
Maritime Memorial engraving funding shortfall
More families asked for engravings at the Maritime Memorial than budgeted, so the council moved $3,000 from the fund's contingency to cover the extra work — paid for by engraving fees already collected.
Securing leaning memorial panels
Fifty-eight panels at the Maritime Memorial are leaning, and a full fix could cost around $658,000. The city is starting with a single test panel removal (at least $18,000) to figure out what's really wrong before committing to more.
Parking enforcement at the Memorial
Officers still chalk tires to enforce two-hour parking. Staff want license plate readers — about $60,000 up front plus $2,000-$4,000 a year — to automate citations, online payments, and appeals, with privacy limits on data retention.
ODOT ADA Curb Ramp Improvements
ODOT will replace about 125 curb ramps at 30 intersections across Astoria starting July 2026, at its expense. The City reviews plans and maintains improvements in its own rights-of-way; downtown's historic vaulted sidewalks will be preserved with surface-applied red domes rather than reconstruction.
Sign Code Amendments and Columbia Memorial Hospital Campus Signage
Council adopted the sign code ordinance but pulled out a bed-and-breakfast definition change that would have restricted weddings and parties. Councilor Conklin argued weddings are vital to B&B economics; staff will revisit the definition in a broader transient lodging update.
Development Review and Permitting Reform
Astoria's permitting process has been slow and confusing, partly because the city has long accepted incomplete applications and engineering is stretched thin by capital projects. The audit will recommend fixes like a single intake point and a dedicated engineer for private development review.
Fire Department Grants and Equipment
Firefighters' 20-year-old breathing air system is failing and parts are unavailable, so the city will apply for a federal grant to replace it (about $21,000 city match). A no-match wildfire staffing grant application was also approved.
Astor East Urban Renewal expansion for workforce housing
Adding the Copeland Commons and Dairigold sites to the urban renewal district could unlock about 120 units, with a workforce housing focus. The final vote comes February 17. A transit district will lose about $40,000 in revenue through 2034.
Downtown Parking District Code Updates and Boundary
The parking district code dates to 1988 with a map last updated in 2004, and signage doesn't match code times. Council is considering expanding the district — roughly from 17th Street to Fifth Street and to the waterfront — which would affect nearby residential areas and require community engagement.
Community Development 2026 Workplan
2025 saw over half a billion dollars in development for a town of 10,000 — including the $300 million hospital project. 2026 brings the Tongue Point Area Plan, three state-funded housing studies, and monthly code amendments.