A four-unit apartment building to house veterans got a thumbs-up from all members of the planning commission who attended last night’s hearing on a site design for the fourplex, to be built at 210 S. 9th Street in the city. Speaking in support of the affordable housing facility, Eric Enderle, veteran services officer for Polk County, noted that he had just spoken with two veterans who might benefit from it. One was using a car for shelter, the other was living outdoors, he said. 
 
The Ash Creek Terrace Apartments, as the complex has tentatively been named, was supported by Rep. Paul Evans, who wrote to the commission urging “speedy passage,” and predicting “it will transform lives.” The site design is expected to go before the Independence City Council at one of its summer sessions. 

Interviews with candidates for the new Independence city manager are scheduled to be held in mid-October, which makes the deadline for settling on a selection criteria the end of the summer, said Heather Gantz, branch director of Waldron, the Portland-based consulting firm hired by the city to conduct the search. 
 
At a city council work session held earlier this month, she told councilors that “the important piece of this are the short and long term goals of the city.” Several councilors urged public involvement. Online surveys on the city website, as well as printed materials available at the library, will be made available for soliciting citizen input, Ms. Gantz said. Additionally, town hall meetings are expected to be held this fall. 

A “big package” of coding provisions – including a change that would allow vinyl fencing -- will be discussed for possible amendment at the city council meeting this October, Zach Pelz confirmed at the planning commission last night. Mr. Pelz, the city’s contracted planner, told commissioners they would get a chance to look at the list of regulations in the city’s development code, as well, at a future meeting.  In a brief interview, Mr. Pelz acknowledged that there were some items in the development code that seemed to need a second look, “so we are going to moving that forward,” he said.