The City of Coos Bay, in partnership with the Oregon International Port of Coos Bay, through a Business Oregon grant, commissioned a feasibility study to evaluate the potential for residential development on approximately 110 acres of Port-owned property on the Eastside of Coos Bay.

The study was initiated to explore opportunities to address the region’s housing shortage while identifying productive uses of underutilized Port property. AKS Engineering was contracted to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the site, including geotechnical conditions, environmental constraints, infrastructure needs, market conditions, and financial feasibility, along with a community engagement process.

Interested community members were invited to two open houses to learn about the project and background work completed and to share ideas for how to make the best use of this property.

Key findings of the final report include:

• Significant geotechnical challenges, including compressible soils, long-term settlement risks, and seismic vulnerability.
• Extensive wetlands that limit buildable area and introduce regulatory and mitigation requirements.
• Substantial infrastructure needs, including transportation, utilities, and stormwater systems.
• Development costs that exceed what the local housing market can support, resulting in a persistent financial feasibility gap.
• Community feedback expressing concerns regarding environmental impacts, access, and site suitability, with interest in lower-impact alternative uses.

Based on these factors, the study concludes that large-scale residential development of the site is not feasible under the current conditions.

 

Eastside Housing Feasibility Study