About the Sustainable City Year Program
The Sustainable City Year Program is an innovative university-community partnership program founded by the Sustainable Cities Institute (SCI) at the University of Oregon in 2009-10. In this unique model, existing courses, faculty, and students from across campus are purposefully directed toward a single Oregon community over an academic year to address vexing issues identified by the community. SCYP and the students, faculty, and communities it partners with are a shining example of Oregon innovation, leadership, and how leveraging resources can contribute to meaningful, additional, and society-wide value.
SCYP is more than just students working on a project for a class. It is creating Oregon’s future workforce, developing a connection with local government and Oregon communities, and generating creative, out of the box ideas by high achieving students and faculty experts. The projects that SCYP works on are prioritized by our partners, which means they are important and relevant. It is difficult to put a limit on SCYP’s potential, just as communities have limitless possibilities to improve the quality of life for their residents, businesses, and visitors.
Funding Acknowledgment
Community partnerships are possible in part due to support from U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, as well as former Congressman Peter DeFazio, who secured federal funding for SCYP through Congressionally Directed Spending.
Partnering with SCYP
Cities and public agencies apply to partner with SCYP - learn more about the partnership process and how SCYP can help communities explore solutions to their biggest challenges.
2024-26 Partner
City of Oakridge
The City of Oakridge, Oregon, is a vibrant community nestled in the foothills of the Western Cascade Mountains, with a population of approximately 3,500 residents within city limits (nearly 5,000 when including nearby Westfir and surrounding areas). Surrounded by the extensive Willamette National Forest, the city provides ample opportunities for activities such as hiking and mountain biking, with nearly 500 miles of trails and five rivers in its vicinity. Oakridge's elevation (1,200-1,700 ft.) results in a favorable climate, characterized by over 300 sunny days annually, while avoiding the fog of the valley and the heavy snowfalls of higher elevations.
Governed by a council-manager system since 1972, Oakridge residents benefit from a robust and supportive municipal administration. The City offers a comprehensive range of services, including street maintenance, water, wastewater, and park utilities, as well as police, fire, and emergency medical services. Additional municipal services include library access, economic development, planning and zoning, and general administrative support. Funding for city operations is derived from property taxes, franchise fees, and other revenue sources, with special projects financed through grants and loans. In the past decade, Oakridge has secured nearly $11 million in grants and loans for community projects and maintains an annual budget of approximately $10 million.
The citizens of Oakridge cherish their history and cultural heritage, celebrating it through a variety of events and activities throughout the year. The long-standing Tree Planting Festival pays homage to Oakridge’s timber town roots, while the Concerts in the Park series offers free performances at the Banner Bank Amphitheater in Greenwaters Park. Additionally, Oakridge features four art galleries, three nearby hot springs, and is conveniently located just 25 miles from Willamette Pass Ski Resort. The Eugene-Springfield metropolitan area, approximately 35 miles away, further enriches the community’s cultural offerings with its vibrant arts scene, including music, theater, and access to the University of Oregon.
The City of Oakridge is committed to fostering a safe, livable, and sustainable environment for its residents while promoting economic development and community engagement. As part of its ongoing planning initiatives, Oakridge is exploring various strategies to enhance its sustainability and growth, ensuring that the community continues to thrive for generations to come. The partnership between the Sustainable City Year Program and the City of Oakridge is supported by local stakeholders, enabling University of Oregon students and faculty to collaborate on projects and provide recommendations to address city-identified challenges and opportunities.
SPRING 2024
GIS Alternatives for Small Cities
- Faculty: Yizhao Yang
- City Partner Lead: Rick Zylstra
- Class: PPPM 495/595 Advanced GIS
Project Description: In the realm of geographic information systems (GIS), open-source software has emerged as a valuable tool for smaller communities with limited funds. With a wide range of available options, the City of Oakridge sought to better understand which products would best meet their needs. Students researched and made recommendations on the ideal suite of GIS products that could 1) be used with basic GIS skills and understanding; 2) import, analyze, modify, and display commonly used vector and raster data; 3) incorporate and integrate data from the field; and 4) create understandable and visually appealing map products.
FALL 2024
Oakridge Industrial Park Marketing
- Faculty: Scott Day
- City Partner Leads: James Cleavenger and Rick Zylstra
- Class: Lundquist College of Business Oregon Consulting Group
Project Description: Acquired by the city in the mid-1990s, the Oakridge Industrial Park (OIP) has attracted a few successful businesses. The City of Oakridge still owns 13 parcels that are available for sale or lease and would like to develop a strategic marketing program for the OIP, leveraging industrial and commercial market trends to target specific industrial sectors. Oregon Consulting Group (OCG) will analyze targeted industry data and recommend measures to attract industry more effectively for parcels zoned Heavy Industrial, Light Industrial, or Mixed Use.
FALL 2024 & 2025
Middle Housing Development Ideas
- Faculty: Christina Bollo
- City Partner Leads: Rick Zylstra and Carmen Yalexa Artiles
- Class: ARCH 484/584 Architecture Design Studio
Project Description: The City of Oakridge recently completed a Housing Needs Analysis (HNA), which identified the need for higher density zoning and middle housing to meet workforce and affordability housing needs. Architecture students will design and propose higher density housing typologies that are contextually appropriate for Oakridge neighborhoods.
FALL 2024 & 2025
Tourism Development
- Faculty: Conor Henderson
- City Partner Leads: James Cleavenger and Jude Anderson (Chamber of Commerce)
- Class: MKTG 311 Marketing Management
Project Description: The City of Oakridge is looking to promote tourism and attract new residents to Oakridge. Students will work to develop a brand narrative and messaging framework that communicates Oakridge's unique identity as a destination for outdoor adventure and community vitality. Students will conduct background research and create recommendations for marketing offerings that could highlight local businesses, attractions, and events.
FALL 2024 & WINTER 2025
Wastewater Treatment Facility
- Faculty: Joel Hicks
- City Partner Lead: Rick Zylstra
- Classes: PPPM 415/515 Policy and Planning Analysis (Fall) and PPPM 636 Public Policy Analysis (Winter)
Project Description: The project addresses capital improvement planning and potential funding sources for the city’s aging infrastructure, focusing on the Oakridge Wastewater Treatment Facility. Students will provide preliminary analysis, identify constraints and performance goals, identify emerging technologies, and aggregate best practice research from comparable communities.
WINTER 2025
Community Service Diversion Program
- Faculty: Aniko Drlik-Muehleck and Amanda Ferguson
- City Partner Lead: James Cleavenger
- Class: PPPM 410 Real World Lane County
Project Description: The City of Oakridge operates a Municipal Court dealing with various violations and misdemeanors. However, many citizens can't afford fines, which leads to a lack of justice implementation. To address this, students are exploring a proposed "community service program", allowing defendants to fulfill their fines through volunteer work. Students are researching legal considerations and collaborating with local nonprofits to develop a sustainable program.
WINTER 2025
Co-Creating Knowledge in Local News and Civic Engagement
- Faculty: Andrew DeVigal
- City Partner Lead: James Cleavenger
- Class: J COM 463/563 Engaged Journalism
Project Description: In collaboration with the Agora Journalism Center, Highway 58 Herald, and local non-profits, the class is focusing on identifying the health of local news and civic information of Oakridge residents. Students are engaging directly with the community to evaluate the availability, accessibility, and quality of local news and information, ensuring residents’ information needs are met, and empowering them to participate fully in civic life.
WINTER 2025
TV Butte Environmental Impacts
- Faculty: Yizhao Yang
- City Partner Lead: Rick Zylstra
- Class: PPPM 495/595 Advanced GIS
Project Description: This project is analyzing the environmental impacts of the proposed TV Butte quarry in Oakridge, focusing on air and water quality, wildlife, land use, and community health using publicly available data. Students are considering and assessing aspects related to Oregon's Land Use Planning Goal 5, Natural Resources, Scenic and Historic Areas, and Open Spaces.
WINTER 2025
Destination Oakridge: Marketing Strategies to Improve Local Tourism
- Faculty: Conor Henderson
- City Partner Leads: James Cleavenger and Jude Anderson (Chamber of Commerce)
- Class: MGKT 490 Marketing Strategy
Project Description: Marketing capstone students are developing marketing strategies to boost tourism and economic development in the City of Oakridge, targeting travelers who pass through Oakridge on Highway 58 going to Willamette Pass Ski Resort. Throughout the course, students are conducting focus groups, developing and implementing surveys, performing secret shopping analyses, and creating detailed marketing plans to best reach these audiences.
WINTER AND SPRING 2025
Willamette Activity Center (WAC) Operational & Fundraising Strategy
- Faculty: Aniko Drlik-Muehleck
- City Partner Leads: James Cleavenger and Rick Zylstra
- Classes: PPPM 638 (Winter) and PPPM 639 (Spring) MPA, Capstone Applied Research Project and Research Methods
Project Description: The goal of the Willamette Activity Center is to transform the 29,000 square foot building into a resilience hub for various community services. Students are working with local and regional nonprofits to understand their space needs and developing budget estimates for operating the WAC. The City of Oakridge and its partners will use this information to plan and fundraise for the building’s redevelopment and reopening.
SUMMER 2025
TV Butte Surface Water and Groundwater Monitoring
- Faculty: Qusheng Jin
- City Partner Lead: Rick Zylstra
- Class: ERTH 406/606 Advanced Field Geology, Section 3: Field Hydrology
Project Description: This two-week course will focus on four main topics: soils, streams, aquifers, and water quality, with hands-on fieldwork at sites around TV Butte in Oakridge. Field Hydrology offers students practical, on-the-ground experience in applying classroom knowledge to environmental data collection and analysis.
FALL 2025
Public Art Advertising
- Faculty: Kym Rohman
- City Partner Leads: Carmen Yalexa Artiles and Jude Anderson
- Class: JCOM 406 Allen Hall Advertising
Project Description: Allen Hall Advertising (AHA) students will help design, create, and market public art projects in Oakridge, including murals, sculpture garden, an “Artist in Residency” program, the Oakridge First Friday Art Walk, and other arts related projects & events.
FALL 2025
Community Event Planning
- Faculty: Kathleen Dillion
- City Partner Lead: James Cleavenger
- Class: BA 308 Communications and Leadership
Project Description: Students will work in teams to support event planning aimed at attracting new visitors and promoting local tourism. Each team will develop a cohesive event concept that highlights Oakridge’s unique character and attractions—or propose an innovative new idea that aligns with the community’s tourism goals.
Acknowledgments
Thank you to the City of Oakridge for the opportunity to be a part of Oakridge’s future. Special thanks to Rick Zylstra, Oakridge Community Development Director, and James Cleavenger, Oakridge City Administrator, for serving as the lead contacts for project coordination and support. SCYP also acknowledges the Oakridge City Council, Mayor, and staff.
This SCYP and City of Oakridge partnership is possible, in part, with support from U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, as well as former Congressman Peter DeFazio, who secured federal funding for SCYP through Congressionally Directed Spending and the US Department of Education. With additional matching funds from the City of Oakridge, the partnership will allow UO students and faculty to study and make recommendations on city-identified projects and issues.