Roseburg can be a place where families find more to do, businesses find room to grow and people can build a life. Getting there requires clear decisions, capable leadership and consistent follow-through.
These ten reforms explain what to ask for, who can act and how residents could judge the results. The Council is part of that work. So are County government, planning, utilities, business organizations and the communities around Roseburg.
Records reviewed November 9, 2026. These reforms are requests for discussion and adoption; they are not commitments made by public bodies.
THE REFORM AGENDA
Set expectations. Then show the results.
Choose a reform and open its delivery details. Each has a responsible group, a first output and a way to measure progress. Agencies and residents should refine the proposals before setting funded commitments.
01PROPOSED REFORM
Give the whole region a place in the plan.
Roseburg’s shops, jobs, roads and parks serve people from many communities. Their needs belong in shared planning and service agreements.
THE PUBLIC REQUEST
Ask the City, County and willing neighboring communities to adopt a public work program with named representatives, shared priorities and funding responsibilities.
Who leads, first step & how to measure it
Responsible parties
City and County elected bodies, participating municipalities and service districts
First deliverable
Publish a draft regional agreement, the communities invited and the decisions each body can make.
Measure the result
Participating communities, funded shared projects and progress against agreed dates.
A business owner should be able to find out what is allowed, which approvals are needed, what review will cost and who will answer the next question.
THE PUBLIC REQUEST
Assign a coordinator to complex projects. Give applicants a written approval roadmap, one consolidated set of comments and a code citation for each requirement. Assess the existing OpenGov service.
Who leads, first step & how to measure it
Responsible parties
City Manager and Community Development; County Building and reviewing agencies
First deliverable
Publish a plain-language process guide and a baseline of recent review times by application type.
Measure the result
Median and 90th-percentile review times, revision cycles and time awaiting the city, applicant or another agency.
Residents need to see which commitments have funding, who owns them and why a deadline changes. Leadership should be assessed against a public record of results.
THE PUBLIC REQUEST
Set a small annual delivery agenda, provide the staff and budget it needs, and publish quarterly progress. Use the proper management, appointment and election processes when documented failures persist.
Who leads, first step & how to measure it
Responsible parties
City Council and County commissioners for policy and budgets; managers for staff performance
First deliverable
Name a responsible official, budget, milestone and next decision for each adopted priority.
Measure the result
Milestones met, explanations for delays, corrective actions and completed public improvements.
Homes near services, occupied storefronts and family activities need a workable path through zoning. The specific rule causing a problem should be visible.
THE PUBLIC REQUEST
Review actual applications for avoidable use restrictions, incompatible standards and unnecessary review steps. Bring specific code amendments through public review, with infrastructure and neighborhood effects addressed.
Who leads, first step & how to measure it
Responsible parties
Community Development and Planning Commission; City Council for legislative changes
First deliverable
Publish a short list of proposed code changes, the problem each solves and examples of the resulting development.
Measure the result
Rules clarified or amended, feasible sites gained and the quality of resulting projects.
A promising downtown space needs an early answer on structural condition, fire safety, accessibility, allowed uses and historic review.
THE PUBLIC REQUEST
Offer a coordinated reuse conference with the owner, planning, building, fire and historic reviewers. Set out viable uses, necessary studies, acceptable design approaches and a realistic renovation budget.
Who leads, first step & how to measure it
Responsible parties
Property owners, City Community Development, historic reviewers and County Building
First deliverable
Select willing owners and publish the approval pathway for a small set of reuse pilots.
Measure the result
Buildings assessed, issues resolved, permits issued and occupied spaces; explain projects that prove uneconomic.
An attractive lot can still lack practical access, utility capacity or a viable building. Investors need those questions answered before they spend heavily.
THE PUBLIC REQUEST
For priority sites, establish ownership interest, zoning, utility providers, access requirements, flood constraints, likely off-site work and the next studies. Label every unknown and date each finding.
Who leads, first step & how to measure it
Responsible parties
Owners and development partners, with utilities, City or County planning and ODOT where applicable
First deliverable
Prepare a small, verified site register with named agency contacts and cost responsibilities still to be negotiated.
Measure the result
Sites with written agency feedback, unresolved constraints, estimated enabling costs and a clear next step.
Reliable routes matter to families, employers and emergency services. Rail delays, intersection queues and unsafe crossings need a shared evidence base.
THE PUBLIC REQUEST
Measure crossing delays and emergency access, coordinate signals and compare operational changes, alternate routes and grade separation with the responsible agencies.
Who leads, first step & how to measure it
Responsible parties
City and County transportation teams, ODOT and the railroad
First deliverable
Publish crossing locations, observed delays, near-term options and a scope for any major engineering study.
Measure the result
Travel reliability, emergency-route availability, safety and the benefit of each proposed dollar spent.
Micelli Park, sports facilities and everyday walking routes deserve a clear renewal program and dependable care after the work is finished.
THE PUBLIC REQUEST
Publish condition assessments and a phased repair program covering drainage, play and sports surfaces, restrooms, accessible paths, shade and connections. Include staffing and long-term maintenance costs.
Who leads, first step & how to measure it
Responsible parties
City parks staff, Parks and Recreation Commission, City Council and participating partners
First deliverable
Complete a Micelli condition-and-access assessment and identify an affordable first package of repairs.
Measure the result
Facilities restored, accessible connections completed, maintenance schedules and the cost of keeping them usable.
Show what business support and public contracts achieve.
Business recruitment, downtown work and visitor promotion should have clear roles. Public spending needs a current contract, useful deliverables and a fair assessment of results.
THE PUBLIC REQUEST
Publish government-funded scopes and performance reports. Ask business organizations to explain their priorities, referral process and conflict policies. Coordinate support for existing businesses and new entrants.
Who leads, first step & how to measure it
Responsible parties
Contracting public bodies; Chamber, UEDP, CCD and downtown or tourism partners within their own roles
First deliverable
Build a dated register of relevant public agreements and the results each agreement requires.
Measure the result
Contract delivery, timely referrals, occupied premises and business outcomes with a stated method; protect confidential commercial information.
Council seats, commissions and district boards need people willing to learn, ask good questions and do the work. A wider range of residents should know how to take part.
THE PUBLIC REQUEST
Publish eligibility and appointment information, offer accessible civic orientation and ask officeholders and candidates the same substantive questions. Keep responses intact and make the supporting record easy to find.
Who leads, first step & how to measure it
Responsible parties
City and County election or appointment officials; independent civic organizations and residents
First deliverable
Share a public-service guide and propose an open orientation covering budgets, land use, ethics and the limits of each role.
Measure the result
Access to information, breadth of participation and the completeness of published commitments and follow-through.
Several organizations can affect whether a project happens. Their powers are different. Search the guide to see what each controls, what we propose improving and how change can happen.
16 of 16 responsibility profiles · Open a profile for the proposed change and source.
Local governmentCity Council & mayorSet city policy, adopt the budget and development rules, and exercise the decision and appointment powers assigned by law.
What we are asking to improve
Adopt a funded annual delivery agenda, give regional coordination a defined role and report publicly on progress.
How change can happen
Public meetings, written requests, appointment processes and city elections.
Know the limits of the role
City authority does not cover every nearby community or every permit. The mayor votes to break a Council tie.
Local governmentCommunity DevelopmentAdminister city planning and development review under the adopted code, including review or referral to the proper decision-maker.
What we are asking to improve
Written requirements, coordinated comments, named project contacts and public review-time reporting.
How change can happen
A preapplication meeting, written interpretation, management review or the applicable formal appeal.
Know the limits of the role
The code’s 45-day action-or-referral provision applies to specified complete administrative applications. It is not a universal approval deadline.
Local governmentPlanning CommissionConsider the land use matters and recommendations assigned by the city code.
What we are asking to improve
Recruit broadly, explain appointment criteria, train members and review patterns in decisions and appeals.
How change can happen
Council appointments and participation in the appropriate hearings.
Know the limits of the role
There are seven members; at least six must be city residents and the seventh may live within the urban growth boundary. Appointees must judge individual cases on the applicable criteria.
Local governmentHistoric review bodiesReview work affecting protected historic resources under the applicable local criteria.
What we are asking to improve
Explain viable alteration and reuse options early, coordinate with building and fire review, and give owners a written path forward.
How change can happen
A property-specific designation check and early conference with the relevant reviewers.
Know the limits of the role
Historic designation does not automatically prohibit remodeling or demolition. Approval depends on the building, proposed work and applicable criteria.
Local governmentDouglas CountyCounty Planning handles land use in unincorporated areas. County Building administers building and electrical permitting in Roseburg and elsewhere in its jurisdiction.
What we are asking to improve
Coordinate City land use and County building review; publish the handoffs, responsible contacts and requirements.
How change can happen
County departments, commissioners, public hearings and the applicable appeal process.
Know the limits of the role
A Roseburg land use approval does not replace a required County building permit. Other incorporated cities have their own land use authority.
InfrastructureRoad agencies, ODOT & the railroadDifferent owners and regulators control streets, state-highway access, rail operations and crossing changes.
What we are asking to improve
Agree on a common delay and safety baseline, evaluate feasible improvements and identify who can approve and fund each one.
How change can happen
Coordinated City–County–ODOT–railroad work, with early access review for affected sites.
Know the limits of the role
Local leaders cannot promise to control train schedules or simply fine away blocked crossings. State regulation of blockage duration faces federal preemption.
InfrastructureWaterway & aviation agenciesState and federal requirements may apply to riverfront work or airport changes, depending on the action and location.
What we are asking to improve
Screen flood, wetland, waterway and aviation constraints early enough to shape a feasible project.
How change can happen
City project teams and the relevant state or federal preapplication and review processes.
Know the limits of the role
Routine park repairs and work in protected waters are different scopes. Airport expansion also needs a demonstrated aviation case and a funding plan.
Business & communityRoseburg Area Chamber of CommerceA private business membership organization that advocates, convenes and provides programs. It is not a land use or building permit authority.
What we are asking to improve
Ask its board to publish how advocacy positions are set, how new and existing businesses are heard, and how potential conflicts are handled.
How change can happen
Its own board and membership governance; government oversight of any verified public contract is separate.
Know the limits of the role
The reviewed material does not establish a blanket anti-franchise policy. The City cannot replace Chamber leadership through a Council vote.
Business & communityCCD & UCC business supportCCD provides a regional economic development planning process. UCC’s Small Business Development Center offers business advising and workshops.
What we are asking to improve
Use the regional project process for eligible priorities and connect prospective operators with business-model and market research support.
How change can happen
CCD’s economic development program and UCC’s Small Business Development Center.
Know the limits of the role
A survey result or inclusion in a project list does not establish financial feasibility or guarantee funding.
Business & communityDowntown & tourism organizationsDowntown revitalization and destination marketing are distinct activities with different organizations, scopes and resources.
What we are asking to improve
Coordinate owner outreach, storefront reuse, events and visitor work. Assess public contracts against their actual deliverables and funding restrictions.
How change can happen
The relevant organization and public body holding a contract; obtain the current agreement and reports.
Know the limits of the role
The new Destination Downtown Roseburg organization should not be confused with the former association. A past tourism award alone does not prove current contract performance.
This is a guide to responsibilities and proposed improvements, not a finding of misconduct. Current contracts, capacity and project records must be checked before attributing a delay or failure.
THE RECORD MATTERS
Make a strong case people can verify.
Real accountability starts with the actual decision, its reasons and what happened next. These records change how several familiar local stories should be told.
APPROVED BEFORE OPENING
Costco’s annexation came before the warehouse opened.
City adoption records show consent annexation, rezoning and Costco site-plan approval.
Costco lists this as the Roseburg warehouse opening date.
The packet also documents earlier disputes and changes in the review path. It does not support the claim that the City annexed a completed Costco only after it had opened outside city limits.
What this tells us to ask for
A complete project timeline, clear approval responsibilities and a record of what caused each delay.
Stewart Park’s expanded planning contract was approved.
8–0September 28, 2026 Council vote
Council approved a planning contract of up to $289,020 and, in a separate 8–0 vote, a $125,000 Ford Family Foundation grant. The earlier September 14 motion addressed an expanded scope and the lawful procurement route.
This is a public planning program for Stewart Park and connected spaces. It is not a construction appropriation or proof of the outcome of a different private riverfront proposal.
What this tells us to ask for
Public participation in the alternatives, a delivery timetable and a realistic construction and maintenance funding plan.
Roseburg has already replaced its permitting software.
In November 2024, staff documented problems with the former system. The City’s 2025 announcement set an August 1 launch for its OpenGov portal.
The useful next question is how well the service works: can applicants get complete requirements, coordinated feedback and a timely, defensible decision? This site has not completed a permit-performance audit.
What this tells us to ask for
Publish actual review times and reasons for delay. Assess the whole approval process, including staffing and agency handoffs.
A refusal, a withdrawal, an incomplete application and an approval that was never built tell different stories. A useful record should include the proposal, authority, staff recommendation, actual vote, stated reasons, dates and next action.
What is still missing
Have a record of another riverfront proposal? Share the project name, application number or decision record so its outcome can be checked. A complete record helps distinguish a denial, a withdrawal and an approval that has not been built.
Submitted privately for review. Nothing is automatically published.
A PRACTICAL STARTING PROGRAM
Use the first 90 days to make the process clearer.
A proposed sequence for willing public bodies and partners. The clock would begin when a lead, scope and resources are agreed. This work has not been commissioned or completed.
01
DAYS 1–30 · ESTABLISH THE RECORD
Find the actual points of friction.
Review a proposed sample of 20–30 applications from the last two to three years, including approvals, denials and withdrawals. Separate city review time, applicant revisions and outside-agency delays.
Collect dated application, decision and appeal records.
Ask applicants and reviewers the same process questions.
Inventory relevant public contracts and service standards.
Deliverable: a documented baseline and a list of unanswered questions.02
DAYS 31–60 · AGREE ON THE FIXES
Turn findings into a short work program.
Publish the evidence and invite corrections. Match each demonstrated problem to the right remedy: clearer rules, adequate staffing, coordinated review, infrastructure funding or management action.
Set named contacts and written approval roadmaps.
Identify code changes and utility or access studies.
Assign owners, resources and reporting dates.
Deliverable: a proposed improvement program that the responsible bodies can adopt.03
DAYS 61–90 · TRY IT ON REAL PROJECTS
Test whether the changes help.
Work with willing owners on a small set of real projects: a storefront reuse, tenant improvement or housing proposal. Record what becomes clearer, what still stalls and why.
Coordinate the reviews that can run together.
Track questions, revisions, costs and decisions.
Publish results and the next set of improvements.
Deliverable: evidence of a better process. Individual approvals still depend on the applicable rules.
SERVE GREATER ROSEBURG
More people can help shape what happens next.
Public service takes preparation and steady work. Residents can bring local knowledge to meetings, commissions, district boards and elected office. Information about those opportunities should be easy to find and open to everyone.
Consider city office.
Under the current Charter, the next regular cycle is 2028: mayor and four Position 2 Council seats. Position 1 seats follow the 2026/2030 cycle. Ask the City Recorder for the actual future filing calendar.
Current eligibility and nomination rules
City candidates must be legal Oregon electors and meet city residency requirements, including one year immediately before election or appointment. Council candidates must also meet the applicable ward residency requirements.
Current nomination rules call for 20 same-ward electors for Council and 50 city electors for mayor, with completed petitions at least 70 days before the election. Check the full requirements and current instructions before collecting signatures.
Planning, parks, public works and utility decisions also need informed participation. Read the responsibilities and eligibility for the body that interests you, then check its current appointment or election notice.
For example, Roseburg’s Planning Commission has seven appointed members; at least six must live in the city, and the seventh may live within the urban growth boundary. Other bodies have different rules.
Read a budget and a recent agenda packet. Attend a meeting. Learn the limits of the role, public ethics requirements and how land use decisions are made. Bring a specific improvement you are ready to work on.
We propose a short, accessible civic orientation open to residents across the region. The Chamber’s existing Project Leadership program is another resource to investigate.
Use these questions at a meeting or candidate forum. Ask for costs, responsibilities and evidence. A difference of opinion deserves a clear explanation.
Read the ten questions
Which three regional priorities would you work on first, and what would your office actually control?
How would you include Green, Winchester and neighboring communities in shared planning while respecting their own governments?
What should applicants be able to expect from development review, and how would you measure the experience?
Which specific zoning or building-reuse rules would you examine, and what evidence would justify changing them?
How would you fund maintenance, safer walking routes and practical upgrades at Micelli and other parks?
What would you ask road agencies and the railroad to do first about crossing delays and emergency access?
How would you assess contracts and support for existing businesses, new operators and downtown revitalization?
What staffing, studies and funding would your priorities need, and what tradeoffs would you make?
How would you handle conflicts of interest and fair treatment of individual applications?
What would you report publicly after 90 days and after one year, including work that fell behind?
A fair public discussion
If candidate or officeholder responses are collected, use the same questions and publication rules, retain their full answers and distinguish commitments from completed work. No responses have been solicited for this page. Silence should not be labeled opposition.
As of November 9, 2026, the County’s November election results were still labeled preliminary and unofficial. Check the official results page for subsequent updates.
Keep civic education and campaign activity clear
This page provides public information and does not endorse a candidate. Organized spending to support or oppose candidates or ballot measures can create election-law obligations, even without collecting donations. Oregon’s rules are changing from 2027; consult the current official guidance before that kind of activity.
Choose a priority, read the record and identify the body that can act. Ask what it would take, who would lead it and when the public could hear an answer.
Primary records are preferred. Local reporting is identified where used. A source may establish an organization’s authority without proving its performance; the proposed improvements are our recommendations.
The adoption summary records the September 28, 2009 annexation, zone change and Costco site-plan approval; the packet also documents the earlier review dispute.
Records the June 9, 2025 destination marketing contract award. The executed contract, amendments and performance reports are needed to assess delivery.
Agency governance and public budget records. District authority and available funding must be checked for each project.
Last researched November 9, 2026. This page is a dated account, not a live government tracker. New decisions, completed work and substantiated corrections should change the account. Opinion questionnaires on this site are self-selected community input, not representative polls or votes.