The Grants Pass City Council swore in its newest member, prepared for budget season, heard two presentations and considered an advisory committee motion during its Monday workshop session.
The workshop started with new Ward 3 Councilor Seth Benham being sworn into office by City Recorder Karen Frerk. Benham was appointed last month to replace former Council member and current State Representative Dwayne Yunker.
City Manager Aaron Cubic and Finance Director JC Rowley then led a Budget Committee Orientation for the new Council members and appointed citizens.
U-Turn for Christ presented the Built for Zero program to the Council, which included a video of the program's success in cities such as Denver, Colorado; Bakersfield, California; Rockford, Illinois; and Chattanooga, Tennessee. More than 140 communities across the nation are participating in Built for Zero, a national initiative with the goal of ending homelessness.
With between 400 and 600 homeless people in Grants Pass, the initiative would create a centralized Stabilization Center where various nonprofit groups could provide 24/7 staffing to provide services to the unhoused population. Organizers hope to get the program up and running in Grants Pass within 60 days. The City Council plans to meet with organizers on the plan again in the near future.
A second presentation by Associate Planner Laure Middleton unveiled potential for increasing maximum building heights to help increase affordable housing. A motion was passed to send a proposed text amendment to the Urban Area Planning Commission for consideration. Current height limits were approved in 1972.
The Council also unanimously approved a motion made by the Urban Tree Advisory Committee to consider creation of an Urban Forest Management Plan.
