Lincoln City Mayor Delivers State of the City Address

Lincoln City Mayor Susan Wahlke delivered her annual State of the City address to the Lincoln City Chamber during their monthly luncheon last week, outlining progress on housing, public works, accessibility, and community engagement, while urging residents to stay involved in the city’s budget and planning processes.

She opened with a rundown of the current council: Nicole Peterson and Todd Barker representing Ward 1 (north end), Marci Baker and Riley Hoagland in Ward 2, and Kevin Hohnbaum and Rick Mark in Ward 3. Three council seats and the mayor’s position will be on the ballot in November. Mayor Wahlke reminded residents that the council directly hires only three positions — the city manager, city attorney, and municipal judge — with the city manager overseeing all other staff. Daniel Hunter was hired as city manager on January 26 after serving several months as pro tem. The city is also working with Local Government Personnel Services for legal support, and Municipal Judge Colonel Poole has been in place since January 2023.

Budget process:

The mayor noted that Lincoln City’s population is now only slightly smaller than Newport’s, a shift after years of a wider gap. Mayor Wahlke reported that the Budget Committee has finished its review of the proposed 2026 budget after three meetings. The proposed document includes $150,000 for nonprofit grants, a program that will roll out again soon.

The city council is scheduled to consider and potentially adopt the budget on June 8.

Parks, recreation and accessibility:

Parks and recreation was a major focus of the address, especially Schooner Creek Discovery Park. Phase one, which includes an inclusive and accessible playground, is complete and has already received multiple awards, including recognition from the Lincoln City Chamber and the Oregon Recreation and Parks Association. A League of Oregon Cities good governance award also recognized the city’s work on the project. Phase two of the park, including a stage, lawn, restrooms, entry plaza and a mural, will host its first event on Saturday, June 27.

Phase three is scheduled to start in June. Parks and Rec has secured more than $3.5 million in grants, donations and endowments toward the $11 million park project.

The city is continuing to add inclusive amenities such as Mobi Mats, beach wheelchairs, all-ages playground elements, assistive technology for people with vision and hearing impairments, and a universal changing table planned for every park restroom. With support from Travel Oregon, construction of an accessible kayak launch at Regatta Park is slated to begin in the fall. The Parks and Rec Advisory Board, which now includes youth members, remains active, along with Friends of Lincoln City Parks and Rec, which has helped fund programs and amenities.

Public works and infrastructure:

The Mayor highlighted recent and ongoing public works projects across the city. Those include:

• Southeast Third Street parking lot upgrades, with new lighting, improved visibility and added ADA spaces, providing better access to the River Wayside and the beach.• Substantial completion of improvements on Northeast 58th Street in the Roads End area, addressing long-standing pavement issues.• Completion of Southwest 10th utilities and street improvements in December.• Completion of upgrades to the Holmes Road sewer pump station.• Substantial completion of the Southeast 51st water line project in March.

At the D River Wayside, where Lincoln City has taken over management from Oregon State Parks, the old restrooms were quickly removed and work is underway on soil stabilization before construction of a new building. The site recently hosted a groundbreaking event.

Two new 45th parallel signs, installed in partnership with Explore Lincoln City, Public Works and Chinook Winds Casino Resort, now mark the halfway point between the equator and the North Pole near the ocean and along Highway 101, serving both as wayfinding and a visitor attraction.

Housing and economic development:

Planning and community development staff are focused on the local housing shortage. The city has created a new single-unit residential zone with a 2,500-square-foot minimum lot size to reduce land and development costs and encourage smaller-lot projects. Several housing efforts are underway, including the 28-unit Lighthouse Village workforce and special-needs development and clinic near the DMV and Wildflower Grill, tiny home projects at Vineyard Church and off Bard Road, new apartments in Taft, and the conversion of the former multiplex theater into 38 market-rate apartments.

On the economic development side, the city partnered with Northwest Coastal Housing and other agencies to turn a vacant city-owned parcel on Northeast 10th Street into a 12-unit tiny home development. The site was cleared of asbestos and solid waste using EPA Brownfields funding before transfer to Northwest Coastal Housing. The homes will prioritize people displaced by the 2020 Echo Mountain Fire Complex and others experiencing homelessness, up to 80% of area median income. About half the units are now occupied.

In the Historic Taft district, the old “To the Beach” mural was removed from a building at 51st and Highway 101 to allow it to be divided into smaller, more leasable spaces. New mural signage and wayfinding elements were installed on the north and east facades to maintain visitor navigation and preserve the area’s historic identity.

Community engagement, policing and code work:

Susan reported that “Engage Lincoln City” has spent nearly a year developing a framework to improve communication and cooperation among residents, business owners, workers, parents, youth, seniors, city staff and community leaders. That communication and engagement framework will be refined and then implemented in the coming months. Residents can use connectlincolncity.org to find information and provide input.

The planning department and planning commission are also working on long-overdue updates to Title 17 of the municipal code (zoning) after hundreds of amendments over the years created internal inconsistencies. Two amendment efforts are underway to clarify the code, address emerging issues and make it more accessible. The city plans public announcements and hearings before both the planning commission and city council, giving residents another opportunity to comment before changes are adopted. On public safety, the Lincoln City Police Department has issued its 2025 annual report and is accepting applications for its Citizens Police Academy. According to Mayor Wahlke, patrol positions are fully staffed, though the department continues to recruit dispatchers.

Urban renewal and access to the beach:

The mayor highlighted an urban renewal project improving beach access in Taft. The city, with a $50,000 contribution from Pelican Brewing, designed and built a new staircase to the beach to replace a steep, rocky slope. Public Works handled design, bidding and construction management, with the project completed last October. Mayor Wahlke closed her state of the city address by thanking attendees and encouraging residents to stay engaged, particularly around the June 8 budget hearing, ongoing zoning code updates and city committee vacancies, many of which include seats for youth participants.