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Coos Bay Estuary Management Plan (CBEMP)

Empire Area Blueprint

Bay Area Hospital Housing Opportunity Site

Coos Bay Estuary Management Plan (CBEMP)

Coos County, City of Coos Bay, and City of North Bend have been working on updates to the Coos Bay Estuary Management Plan (CBEMP) (project AM-22-005)

(CBEMP map viewer)

Empire Area Blueprint

EmpireAreaBlueprintThe Empire District is a historic area on the far west side of the City. Founded in 1853, Empire was once an independent city and was the county seat, poised to become the economic and governmental center of the region. Commerce then shifted farther east towards the more protected bay and the City of Empire voted to consolidate with Coos Bay in 1965. The historic buildings and varied businesses still show the pride of the area and tie the area to the working waterfront.

The City of Coos Bay adopted the Empire Urban Renewal Plan and District to improve the function, condition, and appearance of the Empire Area and to strengthen the district’s economy. Additionally, the City adopted the Empire Waterfront Settlement Design Review Area, which requires private and public development to evoke the architectural styles which existed in Empire from the mid-to-late 1800s. In 2008, the City adopted the Hollering Place Master Plan after a citizen-led effort convinced the City to purchase the 3.68-acre property for purposes of redeveloping the waterfront. This property is located at the west end of Newmark, north of the Empire Boat Ramp.

The City recently completed the June 21, 2022 Front Street Blueprint for the Front Street Area located near the City’s downtown corridor to address objectives for development of a cohesive, multimodal transportation loop that will enhance the economic development potential, and safety of the area. The Mayor and City Council would like to see the same efforts done for the Empire Area. In February 2023, Council awarded a contract to David Evans and Associates to be the City’s consultant and lead the efforts for a Blueprint of the Empire Area. The Blueprint will consider the need for new policies, code amendments, and funding tools necessary to fulfill the Urban Renewal Area goals and objectives. It is anticipated this effort will take 12 months to complete. Volunteers interested in working with the City and their consultant to create, shape, and provide input on the Blueprint can email their letter of interest to the City’s Planning Administrator Chelsea Schnabel at cschnabel@coosbayor.gov.

Empire Area Blueprint

Details are on the Empire Area Blueprint project website.

Bay Area Hospital Housing Opportunity Site

map of project area, north of Myrtle Ave

Project Description and Overview of Services

The City of Coos Bay, – Bay Area Hospital Housing Opportunity Site (“Project”) will provide planning and preliminary design assistance to the City of Coos Bay (“City”) to advance residential development of a vacant parcel owned by the Bay Area Hospital. The Project has a direct positive transportation impact by encouraging smart-growth residential development, with the potential to incorporate limited mixed-use commercial, on underutilized and surplus urban land adjacent to the largest employer in Coos County.

The Transportation and Growth Management (“TGM”) Program is a joint effort of the Oregon Department of Transportation (“ODOT”) and the Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development (“DLCD”). The purposes of the TGM program are to strengthen the capability of local governments to effectively manage growth and comply with the Transportation Planning Rules, to integrate transportation and land use planning, and to encourage transportation-efficient land uses that support modal choice and the efficient performance of transportation facilities and services.

Project Area

The Project Area is a 16-acre parcel on the south side of the Bay Area Hospital, approximately 1 mile northwest of downtown. The southern boundary of the site abuts Myrtle Avenue (unimproved right-of-way for approximately 800 feet west of N 17th Avenue). The northeast portion of the site Pine Avenue and N 16th Street, both of which are unimproved rights-of-way. The site is zoned Medical Park (“MP”), which allows for single unit and multi-unit dwellings, as well as conditionally allowing non-residential uses deemed by the director to be compatible with the MP district and adjacent land uses. It is predominantly covered by tree canopy and has no existing development. The site generally slopes downward, with small drainages identified on the north boundary and in the southwest corner.

Background

Coos Bay is a small coastal city located in Coos County. Coos Bay comprises approximately 15.90 square miles with a 2023 Portland State University certified population estimate of 16,481. Housing availability and affordability are significant regional concerns in Coos Bay and along the Oregon coast. Coos Bay’s 2020 Housing Needs Analysis found that 604 new rental and ownership housing units are needed by 2040 to meet future demand. The Bay Area Hospital completed a master planning effort for their properties and determined that the Project Area site is not necessary for future expansion of medical facilities. City and the Bay Area Hospital are partnering in this TGM Quick Response project for development of housing on the site.

City Contact

Chelsea Schnabel, Community Development Director
cschnabel@coosbayor.gov, (541)269-1181 x3531

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Community Engagement Event 4-8-25

Community Engagement Event 4-8-25