In the city of Coos Bay, it’s clear where cannabis businesses can be: processing or indoor grows go in the commercial and industrial areas and dispensaries are allowed in retail with some restrictions about how close they can be to each other.
While the city code says where these businesses can be, it’s not as specific about where they can’t exist.
So city staff is bringing this to the city council to make regulations more clear. The recommendations include no marijuana based businesses in the Waterfront and Heritage District, none in the hospital area and several other small plots owned by the city.
According to City Manager Rodger Craddock, this isn’t coming up because of any pending permits or complaints.
“We say where businesses can be, but not where they can’t and this will make things more clear,” said Craddock.
Additionally, On January 18, the Coos Bay City Council will consider annexation language at the request of the city’s planning commission. Annexation is rarely used in Coos Bay, according to Craddock. The last annexation occurred roughly 20 years ago when the Old Wireless Lane area was annexed to provide sewer services. That area was eventually wiped out by flooding and cannot be rebuilt.
While some communities consider expanding city boundaries as a way of generating more revenue through property taxes and extension of services, other such as Coos Bay have generally felt that the costs of expansion outweigh potential revenue.
However, a review of annexation policy may have an impact on buildable lands policy and capacity.
“Buildable lands inventory is due, so this helps us to make sure all the city’s documents are in order and policies consistent,” said Craddock.
Reviewing current housing inventory and where new homes could be built is likely to be discussed as the city considers annexation and inventory. Housing fell behind, said Craddock, after the last recession when new home construction substantially slowed.
Coos Bay is among the list of housing challenged communities where rent burdened residents pay half or more of their income for housing, according to Oregon’s housing studies.
The city council has considered this in other discussions about vacation rentals and partnerships to create more affordable housing such as the project soon underway on the site of the old Englewood School on Pennsylvania Avenue where more than 40 family housing units will be built.
Be the first to comment