PP 25-0005: Foothills District Plan Update

What is the Foothills District Plan Update project?

The City of Lake Oswego is updating the 2012 Foothills District Framework Plan. The Plan outlines how the Foothills neighborhood—located between downtown and the Willamette River—should grow and change over time. This work comes at a time when the City is reimagining what the Foothills District could be in light of the proposed Wastewater Treatment Facility Project.  The update is guided by a Community Advisory Committee and supported by a Technical Advisory Committee made up of City staff, partner agencies, and organizations.

The updated Plan will:

• Reflect current community values like sustainability, housing choice, and equity;

• Incorporate changes related to the proposed Wastewater Treatment Facility;

• Address City Council goals to increase housing affordability, protect natural resources, and improve access to parks and the riverfront;

• Include updates to the City’s Comprehensive Plan, Zoning map, and development code; and

• Lay the groundwork for a new Urban Renewal Plan.

This effort aims to create a clear, actionable long-term vision for revitalizing the Foothills District over the next several decades.

The project team recently completed a detailed technical assessment of existing conditions in the neighborhood, including a comprehensive analysis of opportunities and constraints for the forthcoming Plan update. The results of these tasks can be easily reviewed in a Story Map developed for this phase of the project, which includes several survey questions for members of the public to provide input. Please click on this link, or the link in the sidebar to the right, to begin interacting with the Story Map and help guide the vision and actions that define the District's future!

Why a Plan Update for the Foothills District?

While a community vision for the Foothills District was adopted in 2012, several key changes have prompted the City Council to restart the planning process, including: 

• The existing wastewater treatment plant has reached the end of its useful life and must be replaced on an adjacent site.  

• The City created goals to increase housing affordability, protect natural resources, and improve access to parks and the riverfront.

• A need has emerged for a newly proposed Urban Renewal Plan to help fund infrastructure, affordable housing, and floodplain mitigation.

• Changing needs and future desires of the community as it relates to housing, transportation, economic development, and overall livability. 

City Council has made updating the Foothills District Plan a priority in both its 2024 and 2025 goals.

What is a Framework Plan?

A Framework Plan is a high-level guide that shapes the long-term future of an area. It outlines key strategies, development concepts, and infrastructure needs that set the stage for more detailed planning and action.

In the Foothills District, the updated Framework Plan will address:

• Land use, zoning, and development goals;
• Transportation and parking improvements;
• Infrastructure like water, sewer, and stormwater;
• Urban design, building height, and neighborhood character;
• Parks, open space, and access to nature;
• Floodplain mitigation strategies;
• Sustainability and environmental stewardship;
• Public art, community facilities, and educational needs; and
• Cost estimates and an implementation roadmap.

How Does the Plan Support Revitalization of the Foothills District?

The Foothills Plan—and its related Urban Renewal Plan—aims to uphold the community’s vision of the District as a vibrant, connected, mixed-use neighborhood. To do so, it creates a roadmap on how to make that community vision into reality. Here's how:

1. Remove Barriers to Development

• Realign streets, add new connections, and replace aging infrastructure.
• Address floodplain constraints through mitigation projects.

2. Improve Access and Connectivity

• Create walkable streetscapes that link downtown, Old Town, Tryon Creek, and the Willamette River.
• Add safe crossings bike routes, and other ways to access parks, the riverfront, and other community amenities.

3. Support Affordable and Diverse Housing

• Use public-private partnerships and urban renewal tools to help deliver a variety of housing options and affordability.

4. Encourage High-Quality Design and Public Spaces

• Encourage high-quality design and public spaces.

5. Fund Critical Infrastructure Through Urban Renewal

• Invest in sewer, water, stormwater, and transportation upgrades.
• Use tax increment financing (TIF) to reinvest future tax revenue into revitalization projects.

The updated Plan sets the stage for our long-term vision of Lake Oswego -- —enabling meaningful investment, new housing, better community connections, and upholding our community values.

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