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Published By Your City Hall

December 29, 2023

As 2023 comes to a close, a quick overview of the City Council’s 2023-2025 goals shows the following progress:

• Working Well Together: Promote DEI and Emphasize Beautification
  • DEI-Centric Proclamations-Black History Month, Pride Month, Juneteenth, Native American History Month
  • Tribal Oregon grant award for development/installation of interpretive signs at the Boardwalk, in partnership with the Coquille Indian Tribe, Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians, and Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians
  • Establishing apprenticeship program within the Fire Department, in partnership with Oregon Bureau of Labor & Industry, to increase opportunities for entering fire services, especially for BIPOC, women, and veterans
  • Partnerships with Oregon’s Bay Area Beautification, Bay Area Chamber of Commerce and United Way for community clean-up events
  • Adopt-a-Park program underway

• Working with Key Partners
  • Partnered with SWOCC to support replacement of Fire Training Tower
  • Continued cooperation between public safety agencies for sharing of training and facilities
  • Worked with Coos Bay Downtown Association for updating the wayfinding signage in downtown

• Maintain & Improve Public Infrastructure
  • Wastewater Treatment Plant 1 – Phase 1 improvements underway
  • Pump Station 6 & 9 upgrades underway
  • First Annual Road Report completed and presented to Council
  • 3^rd & Central parking lot construction underway
  • Front Street parking lot remediation work began
  • Developed parking lot maintenance plan (several downtown lots resurfaced/repaved)
  • Sidewalks replaced along Commercial Avenue
  • Completed Boardwalk improvements – lighting, replace flag poles, replaced brick work
  • North Coos 911 Dispatch Center remodel underway

• Addressing Housing & Homelessness
  • Award of grant to create housing site plan in partnership with Bay Area Hospital and private developer
  • Collaboration with several entities to expand warming center space in partnership with Salvation Army
  • Enacted shopping cart ordinance to address abandoned shopping carts

• Economic Development
  • Front Street Blueprint phased implementation included in FY24 budget
  • Empire Blueprint project underway
  • Planning for 150^th Birthday celebration underway

• Public Safety
  • Partnered with NW Natural to host “Get Ready Coos Bay” disaster fair
  • Fire Safety Inspection program implemented

• Communication Between City and Citizens
  • Walk with the Mayors implemented (monthly walk, partnership with North Bend)
  • Website update to include “Feedback” link on every page, regularly receive feedback each week
  • New newsletter platform fully implemented, subscribers increased to over 5,000
  • Added X (Twitter) and Instagram social media platforms
• City Manager Transition Plan – Completed
• Council Goal Tracking – presented quarterly and added to website

A lot was accomplished in 2023 and we are on track to tackled the rest of the identified goals in the coming year. To review the most recent quarterly City Council Goals update, check out the website: https://www.coosbayor.gov/government/city-council/goals-objectives

-Joe Benetti, Mayor of Coos Bay

City Budget Committee Openings

The City of Coos Bay is seeking volunteers to fill positions on the Budget Committee. Applications are available from the City Manager’s Office at City Hall by calling 541-269-8912 or on the City’s website at www.coosbayor.gov. Applications will be accepted in the City Mangers Office through 5 p.m., January 31, 2024. Applicants will be contacted to schedule interviews with the City Council. Applicants must be a resident of the City of Coos Bay and they are appointed by the City Council for three-year terms. The meetings are held in April at 7 p.m. There are two terms expiring on December 31, 2023, on the Budget Committee.

With Christmas 2023 in our past and the new year just hours away, many in our community will spend this weekend un-decking the halls and putting holiday decorations back into storage. But what do you do with the old Christmas tree? In an effort to rid homes within the community of a potential fire hazard, both the Coos Bay and North Bend Fire Departments will again be picking up Christmas trees within the city limits of Coos Bay and North Bend (respectively) on Saturday January 6, 2024. The fire departments request that you place your tree near the curb before 8 am. There is no need to call and request removal of your tree as fire department members will pick up all trees that are placed near the curb.

The collected trees will be brought to Les’ Sanitation. Most of the trees will be ground into mulch, but some will be utilized by ODFW for stream enhancement, bank stabilization and improving fish habitat.  

The fire departments are providing this service at no cost but would appreciate a canned food donation. Donations received this year will be passed along to the South Coast Gospel Mission to further their work with individuals and families in our community that need assistance.

The Coos Bay City Council public hearing scheduled for Tuesday, January 2, 2024, has been POSTPONED to Wednesday, January 10, 2024.

A Coos Bay City Council, North Bend City Council, and Coos County Board of Commissioners joint work session is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, January 10, 2024m at 6 p.m. in the Coos Bay City Hall Council Chambers located at 500 Central Avenue in Coos Bay Oregon in advance of the public hearing. The Coos Bay City Council public hearing will follow the joint work session.

The purpose of the joint work session and public hearing is to consider the proposed CBEMP Phase I Updates including proposed amendments to the text of the City of Coos Bay Comprehensive Plan and Development Code and multi-jurisdictional Joint Resolution committing to pursue additional future updates.

The Coos Bay Estuary Management Plan (CBEMP) Phase 1 revision represents Coos County’s first step towards improving the plan’s ability to meet the needs of the communities and local governments encompassed by the plan.

CBEMP Phase 1 revisions are intended to:

   1) improve plan usability

   2) digitize the zone plan map

   3) improve coordination between jurisdictions

   4) update the 40-year-old plan with current agency names, laws, and regulations.

CBEMP Phase 1 revisions do not include any changes to zoning or management unit designations—those will be addressed in subsequent phases.To review the current draft CBEMP Phase 1 updates, go to:

https://www.co.coos.or.us/community-dev/page/am-22-005-coos-bay-estuary-management-plan.

To review the City of Coos Bay record to-date on Land Use Application #187-23-000165-PLNG, go to: https://www.coosbayor.gov/government/city-departments/public-works-community-development-department/pwcd-planning.

Written testimony can be sent to Chelsea Schnabel, City of Coos Bay Planning Administrator, at cschnabel@coosbayor.gov. Written testimony is DUE January 3, 2024, by 5 p.m. Oral testimony presented at the meeting will be limited to three (3) minutes.

For more information about how to participate in these proceedings or if you have questions, please contact the City of Coos Bay Planning Division at (541) 269-8916 or email cschnabel@coosbayor.gov

Share Input on Trail System Changes

You may have heard that the Wasson Valley portion of the South Slough Estuarine Reserve is undergoing restoration to improve fish and wildlife habitat in 2024.

To achieve these goals, the work will require the current South Trail System to be altered and the Reserve is looking for trail input from the community. What would like to see on the South Slough Reserve lands? Please take our ten-minute survey by clicking below.

City of Coos Bay 500 Central Ave. Coos Bay, OR 97420

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