Bringing shops and services to residential neighborhoods were among the amenities many Tigard residents ranked as important throughout the continued growth of the city.

That’s according to initial feedback from the 90 or so people who attended a recent community dinner discussion on how to make their community more walkable and connected.

On June 18, residents poured into Universal Plaza on Burnham Street to weigh in on what they would like to see as part of Tigard’s HOME program as the long-range planning project proceeds. 

While the city is still working on compiling results, several themes rose to the top.

“At the preference survey station, we noted interest in dining, cafes and deli shops (as well as) improvements such as continuous well-lit sidewalks, and design characteristics such as storefronts with multifamily housing, outdoor lighting, protected outdoor space, and creative signage,” said Trinity Miller, an associate planner for the city.

In addition to making neighborhoods more accessible, HOME, an acronym for Housing, Opportunity, Mobility and Enterprise, also wants to know what types of shops and services residents would like to see in their neighborhoods as well as how current homes and properties might address those services.

Miller said Tigard is not only focusing on those who want to walk, bike or roll to the city’s different shops and services but also how to navigate residential areas without a car. 

“This is the very first event, and it will get more focused as time goes on,” Miller said, noting that the city hopes to receive community input for the next year.  

Even early on in the program, Miller said she was impressed with the attendance of the event and suggestions residents were making.

“This is great. I had no idea what to expect,” she said. “This is awesome and I’m really trying to make this fun and interactive. I’m really being shaped by the community.”

One of the stations, entitled “Design Your Own Neighborhood,” displayed architectural renderings of possible neighborhood scenarios, which included small shops and services. There were also illustrations depicting possible new trails and parks and transportation options that included bike lanes with physical barriers to separate cyclists from car traffic.

“These aren’t prescribed options,” Miller said about the illustrations of possibilities. “This is just hearing from our community what they like.”  

Ramin Rezvani, a design principal and architect with First Forty Feet, the urban design and architectural firm participating with the city on the project, said the idea was to create more vibrant communities in Tigard.

A final station at the HOME discussion allowed residents to sit down one- on- one and talk to planning officials including Sambo Kirkman, the city’s community development director.

Tigard City Council member Jeanette Shaw called the gathering an “amazing community event,” adding she was excited to see the types of projects residents were interested in.

Tigard planners will continue to gather community input for the project over the next year.

An online Tigard survey conducted two years ago asked residents what types of services and entertainment and more they’d like to see in their neighborhood, receiving a variety of answers including a grandmother who wanted to be able to walk her grandkids to a local bookstore, toystore, bakery or ice cream parlor. 

Another respondent stressed the importance of having a grocery store. 

“I mean, people need food, grocery stores have them, yet downtown Tigard doesn’t (Rite Aid doesn’t count, let’s be honest),” the surveytaker wrote.