Riverfront Master Plan

Newberg Riverfront Master Plan Update and Implementation 

Latest News  |​ About the Plan  |​  Timeline  |  Get Involved  |  Where is the Riverfront  |  Related Meetings  |  Frequently Asked Questions

Why update it now? With the completion of phase 1 of the bypass, the closing of the WestRock Mill, and recent planning efforts by the City, it’s a good time to update our vision for the riverfront. The City received a grant from the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) through the Transportation Growth Management program to update Newberg’s 2002 Riverfront Master Plan.

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When will the master plan be completed?  

Work on the plan began in April 2018, and was completed in September 2019. Click on the link for the project schedule. 

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Related Meetings

October 8, 2020 - Planning Commission legislative public heating Riverfront Comprehensive Plan and Map. Development Code and Zoning Map changes.

June 15, 2020 - joint City Council/Planning Commission Work Session draft Riverfront Comprehensive Plan and Map. Development Code and Zoning Map changes.

September 16, 2019 - public hearing with City Council to consider acceptance of the Riverfront Master Plan.

August 22, 2019 - public hearing with the Planning Commission to consider recommending acceptance to City Council of the Riverfront Master Plan.

July 15, 2019 - the Planning Commission and City Council will hold a joint workshop to review the draft Riverfront Master Plan. Public hearings on the plan start in August 2019. 

June 19, 2019 - Riverfront Citizen Advisory Committee Meeting starting at 6 p.m. The committee will review needed updates to streets and utilities for full buildout of the Riverfront. Final comments will be noted, and the committee will make a recommendation on the draft plan. This will be the last advisory meeting.

February 12, 2019 - Riverfront Citizen Advisory Committee Meeting 4 starting at 6 p.m. The committee will review the final alternative plan. Open to the public. 

December 4, 2018 - Public Presentation of plan alternatives. Provide input on which plan you feel represents your vision. 

November 6, 2018 - Riverfront Citizen Advisory Committee Meeting 3 scheduled starting at 6 p.m. at the Newberg Public Library. Plan alternatives presentation | Map of plan alternatives

August 23, 2018 - Newberg Riverfront Public Event at 6:30 p.m. Event details.  On-line public event for those who could not attend. Read event summary | View event presentation

July 23, 2018 - Riverfront Citizen Advisory Committee Meeting 2 scheduled from 6 - 8 p.m. Agenda & packet.

May 23, 2018 - Riverfront project introduction to the Citizen Advisory Committee (CAC) Meeting scheduled from 6 - 8 p.m. Agenda & packet. 

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Latest News

September 16, 2019 - The Newberg City Council accepted the Riverfront Master Plan at a public hearing. Regulatory changes related to zoning, Comprehensive Plan designation, development standards, and utility master plan updates will begin in 2020. 

July 15, 2019 - The Draft Riverfront Master Plan was presented to the Planning Commission and City Council at a joint workshop on July 15, 2019. The Plan was modified based on feedback from Councilors, Commissioners, and citizens. An updated version of the Riverfront Master Plan will be reviewed by the Planning Commission at a public hearing on August 22, 2019.

June 14, 2019 - The Draft Riverfront Master Plan was recommended for acceptance by the Citizen and Technical Advisory Committees. Planning Commission and City Council will review the draft plan at a joint workshop on July 15, 2019 before the public hearing process begins in August 2019.

January 14, 2019 - The summaries from public input are available for public view. Over 100 people participated. The consultant team has taken all of the feedback collected from you, participants at public events, agencies, staff, advisory committees, etc. and is implementing on a preferred alternative. The final alternative will be reviewed at the February 12, 2019 citizen advisory and technical committee meetings. These meetings are open to the public. View meeting details: Citizens Advisory Committee or the Technical Advisory Committee.

December 8, 2018 - The second in-person and on-line public events were held to present and get feedback on three plan alternatives. These alternatives reflected comments received from the public, advisory committee members, government agencies, commercial developers, and city staff. Over 100 people attended the event or participated on-line. The consultant team is reviewing all of the comments received on the alternatives to develop a preferred plan. This plan will be presented to the Citizen Advisory Committee on Tuesday, February 12, 2019. The meeting will be at 6 pm in the Public Safety Building at 401 E Third Street.

November 20, 2018 - The city and consultants presented three alternative plans for the Newberg Riverfront area. On November 6 the Riverfront Citizens Advisory Committee was presented with the common elements and differences of the three scenarios. The committee meeting was attended by eleven community members who provided feedback on the plans. Another presentation of plan alternatives is scheduled for December 4, 2018 at 5:30 PM, Public Safety Building 401 E 3rd Street, Newberg OR. This will be the last public event before the final plan goes through a series of public hearings for its adoption beginning in Spring 2019.

October 19, 2018 - The project team is scheduled to present the results of public comments, concepts, and recommendations for Newberg's Riverfront area to the Citizens Advisory Committee on November 6, 2018. We received a great turnout and had many good conversations about the project at the August 23rd Open House. Over 30 community members attended and shared their thoughts on both the current conditions and the possible future of the riverfront area. The in-person Open House was held in tandem with an Online Open House, which was viewed by approximately 150 community members and received 45 responses to questions about current and future conditions of Newberg's riverfront. Read summary results of the Open House.

August 27, 2018 - The City held a Public Event on August 23, 2018 to introduce the purpose of updating the Riverfront Master Plan. The consultants presented information regarding the project's timeline, study area, project vision & goals, existing conditions that include land use and transportation, potential types of development, and waterfront activities. The public had the opportunity to engage with city staff and consultants. The concerns and ideas collected during the event were recorded and summarized (read event summary | view presentation). Those that were not able to attend can go through the presentation online as well as submit their ideas.

July 28 and 29, 2018  - City staff will be at the Old Fashioned Festival International Stage on Saturday, July 28th from 1 - 4 p.m. and at the 5k Run/Walk on Sunday, July 29th from 6:30 - 8 a.m. Stop by and find out more about the Riverfront Master Plan.

July 23, 2018 - Information was presented at the advisory committee meetings about the types of businesses and development the Newberg Riverfront could support based on local and national real estate trends. The existing condition or lack of streets and sidewalks in the area was also discussed along with breaking down the 460 acre plan area into smaller neighborhoods or subareas. 

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Where is the Riverfront?

The Project Study Area is located on the south side of Newberg, bordered by 9th Street to the north and the Willamette River to the south. It contains approximately 450 acres and 443 parcels, and is entirely within the City’s Urban Growth Boundary (UGB).

The Project Study Area is primarily composed of low-density residential uses, rural residential uses, undeveloped open space areas, and developed neighborhood parks. It includes approximately 115 acres of the former WestRock Mill site (papermill), as well as Rogers Landing Boat Ramp and park. The recently-constructed Newberg-Dundee Bypass is elevated through the Project Study Area, although there is no access to or from the Bypass within the Project Study Area itself. 

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