Civic Issues
Topics getting the most attention in Astoria public meetings, ranked by how frequently they are discussed.
17 issues
Doughboy Monument centennial and Veterans Day
The council is set to recognize 100 years of the Doughboy Monument and Veterans Day on November 11, with the Bells of Peace ringing at 11:11 a.m. citywide.
Masquerade liquor license at 1020 Commercial Street
Seedborn LLC dba Masquerade is applying for a Limited On-Premises Sales License for its new location at 1020 Commercial Street. Police reviewed the application and raised no objections.
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.
Shelter First policy implementation
The city is hiring its first homeless liaison under the Shelter First policy to connect unsheltered residents with services and shelter providers.
LED streetlight conversion proposal
Pacific Power wants Astoria to convert roughly 700 street lights to LED, with incentives cutting the city's share to about $50,000 and saving around $25,000 a year — a two-to-three-year payback.
Homelessness and 11th Street Camps
Residents split sharply: business owners and nearby residents want existing camping and nuisance ordinances enforced and repeat offenders held accountable, while others argue homelessness shouldn't be criminalized and services need to be more trauma-informed and individualized. A work session on the city's homelessness response followed the meeting.
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.
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.
Coast Guard City Designation
Astoria is renewing its Coast Guard City status, first earned in 2011. The designation honors the deep ties between the community and Coast Guard members, who serve as neighbors, mentors, and part of the local workforce.
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.
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.
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.