West Linn homeowners and builders could face new rules on gas hookups, tree removal and stormwater management if recommendations from the city's Sustainability Advisory Board advance to the City Council.

The SAB meets Thursday, Aug. 20, at 6 p.m. at West Linn City Hall, 22500 Salamo Road, to discuss an immediate tree canopy recovery and wetlands protection action plan, energy-related code changes including fee structures to discourage natural gas use, and rainwater management goals.

The meeting will be livestreamed on YouTube.

Among the board's proposals, outlined in a supporting document posted with the agenda: all new housing in West Linn would be required to be all-electric with no natural gas connections, all new homes would need electric vehicle charging capacity, and apartment parking spaces would include EV charging stations.

The document also calls for the city to replace its own gas furnaces and stoves with heat pumps and electric units as existing equipment becomes unserviceable, and to swap fossil-fuel city vehicles for hybrids or EVs on the same timeline.

Tree canopy and wetlands

The agenda frames the tree canopy recovery plan as "work for main carbon footprint mitigation." The discussion builds on months of groundwork. At the SAB's June 18 meeting, members reviewed a tree inventory and previewed a "Make Polluters Pay" presentation intended for the City Council.

Staff proposed updates to the Community Tree Code in September 2025 when Parks and Recreation Director Megan Big John presented Ordinance 1765 to Mayor Rory Bialostosky and the City Council. That proposal, prepared by a team spanning planning, engineering, building and code enforcement alongside the city's on-staff arborist, would shift maintenance responsibility for newly designated Heritage Trees to property owners while the city retains responsibility for trees designated before Sept. 8, 2025. West Linn's tree code states its goal is to "maintain and increase tree canopy coverage within the City."

Stormwater and green infrastructure

The SAB's proposals also include amending the city's Comprehensive Plan and building codes to require onsite stormwater management for new development where practicable, and adopting design criteria mandating rain gardens, permeable pavements, green roofs and rainwater harvesting systems.

New member, next steps

Thursday's meeting will also welcome new board member Michal Segal Rozenhaimer. The SAB is an advisory body. Its recommendations would need City Council action to become binding ordinances, and no timeline for Council consideration has been announced.

The board separately proposed steep fee cuts for apartments and smaller homes earlier this month.

The SAB's next meeting is Sept. 17. Residents who want to comment can contact City Recorder Kathy Mollusky at 503-742-6013 or [email protected].