July 14, 2025 6:30 a.m.

The Roseburg City Council will hold public hearings on applying for a Community Development Block Grant from Business Oregon and on amending the Roseburg Municipal Code to reflect changes to the city’s floodplain development standards, as part of its meeting Monday night.

Staff are seeking the council’s approval to partner with NeighborWorks Umpqua to submit an application for $500,000. If awarded the grant, qualified residents within the city limits would have the ability to make necessary home restorations and repairs through licensed contractors. The CDBG’s come from U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development funds and are for homeowners with low and moderate incomes. The city successfully partnered with NWU in 2018 and 2022, utilizing this same program.

Amending the floodplain development standards is required by the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Pre-Implementation Compliance Measures for National Flood Insurance program participating communities. The Planning Commission has discussed the proposed amendments and concerns they had regarding what they felt was federal overreach from FEMA concerning the proposed regulations. The commission has asked staff to prepare Findings of Fact and Order recommending the council deny the proposed floodplain amendments.

Councilors will go over recommendations made by the Downtown Parking Committee and consider whether to implement some, none, or all of those recommendations.

Other items are on the agenda as well. The meeting will be held in the council chambers at City Hall on Southeast Douglas Avenue beginning at 7:00 p.m. It can be seen on the city’s Facebook page or viewed later at www.cityofroseburg.org