Civic Issues
Topics getting the most attention in Astoria public meetings, ranked by how frequently they are discussed.
7 issues with medium priority
City Government Overview
Ordinance 26-09 would let department heads approve purchases up to $10,000 without City Manager sign-off, up from $7,500, and would raise the small procurement threshold to match the state's $25,000 limit. City staff say costs have risen and dozens of purchases fall in this range each year.
Department head purchasing authority increase
Ordinance 26-09 would let department heads approve purchases up to $10,000 without City Manager sign-off, up from $7,500, and would raise the small procurement threshold to match the state's $25,000 limit. City staff say costs have risen and dozens of purchases fall in this range each year.
Liquor license recommendations moving to staff
Ordinance 26-10 would let the City Manager make liquor license recommendations to the state directly, instead of bringing each new application before the council. It applies only to new applications and name or license-type changes — not renewals or special events.
Parking Master Plan Ad-Hoc Working Group
The city paused its plan to hire a consultant to update the 2019 downtown parking study, deciding instead to talk about a full citywide parking master plan first. It affects downtown businesses, shoppers and anyone who parks downtown.
Astoria Municipal Code modernization, Phase 1
Staff proposed 10 code amendments, from raising the department-head purchase limit to $10,000 to repealing obsolete licenses for pinball machines and drive-in restaurants. Bigger policy items include making liquor licenses administrative and replacing the general occupation tax with a business license program by July 2027.
Riverwalk bicycle safety
Fast-moving e-bikes on the Riverwalk remain a concern, but staff say an outright ban would be hard to enforce and legally shaky. Instead, the city is installing reflective share-the-path signs and working with police on education — with a ban kept on the table if problems continue.
Building code modernization and outdated fees
Ordinance 26-08 modernizes building code administration; councilors also flagged that building fees are over a decade old and may be revised after a future work session.