Leaders for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Council (LEDIC) - Feb. 24, 2026

Minutes

Staff: Maria Magallon
Members Present: Chair, Tory Blackwell; Joselito Tanega, Mike Foley, Montegomery Starr, Lori Bender, Desiree Thomas, Melissa Roy-Hart,   Sirius Bonner
Members unable to attend: Vanessa Huckaby, Gabrielle Blaug, Brandi Johnson, SandeBea Allman
Guest Presenter: Karen Buehrig, Clackamas County Department of Transportation and Development Planning Manager 

1. Welcome, Land Acknowledgement, Meeting Summary 

The meeting was called to order at 5:40 p.m.   

The meeting focused on two main topics: a presentation by Karen on Clackamas County's urban zoning and development rules assessment project, and a discussion of the group's relationship with county commissioners. Karen shared details about the ongoing ZDO diagnostic report and solicited feedback on how to make zoning rules more accessible and engaging for the public. The council discussed ways to improve outreach, including using simple language, social media, and community events. They also talked about resuming a liaison relationship with county commissioners.   The conversation ended with updates on upcoming community events, including a Neighbor to Neighbor community event and a panel discussion on Black excellence at the college.

2. Introductions, Check-in 

Chair Tory led introductions and introduced DTD presenter Karen Buehrig.

3. Presentation on Urban Zoning & Development Rules Assessment, Karen Buehrig, DTD Planning Manager

Karen presented an overview of the Clackamas County zoning development ordinance project, focusing on the urban area. She explained the purpose of zoning rules and highlighted issues such as the complexity of residential districts with varying lot sizes. The project team is working to make the zoning code more user-friendly and align it with state rules. Karen shared a timeline of the project's progress and mentioned that they have received a draft diagnostic report. The team is now seeking feedback from community members to inform the next steps in updating the zoning code.  Karen discussed the county's code enforcement practices, which are complaint-driven, and the need to review and potentially adjust zoning rules, Monte and Mike emphasized the importance of explaining the rationale behind zoning rules to increase public understanding and trust. 

4. Zoning Rules and Community Access

The group discussed the impact of zoning and development rules on communities, with Melissa from Disability Rights Oregon highlighting concerns about accessibility and public transportation for people with disabilities. Maria raised issues about language barriers for non-English speaking residents receiving zoning notices, while Mike shared a personal experience about difficulties in understanding and complying with zoning rules for a home improvement project. Karen expressed interest in improving outreach and engagement, particularly regarding language accessibility and reaching diverse community groups. The group discussed plans for community engagement, including using social media, community events, and libraries to reach a broader audience.

5. January Meeting Review 

Council members discussed revisiting the Retreat Goals to align with the Coalition of Communities of Color report.  They also discussed the need for a county liaison to strengthen communication with the Board of County Commissioners. Maria stated she has forwarded the LEDIC calendar invite and meeting information.  Finally, they reviewed upcoming community events and discussed the potential for creating a link to the community map to highlight community events and opportunities for community engagement. 

6. Action Items and Next Steps

• All LEDIC members: Review the Coalition of Communities of Color report and identify initiatives or actions that can be implemented within county departments, for feedback to Gary.
• All LEDIC members: ideas for activities or groups to include in this year’s Hispanic Heritage event.
• Tory: Bring information about the "Excellence is a State of Mind" and "Neighbors Helping Neighbors" meetings to the next LEDIC meeting for those unable to attend.
• Maria: Send out the link to the Coalition of Communities of Color report, retreat notes, and typed notes from today's meeting to the group.
• Maria: Request 10 English and 10 Spanish copies of the Coalition of Communities of Color report from Gary for distribution at community events.
• Maria: Connect with library directors to invite them to do a presentation to the group about library issues and partnership opportunities.
• Maria: Provide information about the upcoming "Neighbors Helping Neighbors" and "Excellence is a State of Mind" events to the group, including registration links.
• Maria: Follow up with Tonia regarding adding the link to the Community events calendar on the LEDIC webpage.
• Maria: Share contacts and information for the county's employee networking/affinity groups (Queers and Allies, Black Employee Networking Group, Roots, etc.) with the group for potential collaboration.

7. Meeting Adjourned 7:34 p.m.

Next Meeting Tuesday, March 24, 2026