Development Services Newsletter | January 2026

City Warns of Financial Scams Targeting Land Use Customers

The City of Corvallis is investigating several attempted financial scams that targeted customers engaged in land use services at the City. 

In the scams, victims were identified using information associated with open land use cases. Scammers contacted those individuals and sent fake invoices under the names of City building officials requesting payment as part of a land use process. The fake invoices included instructions to send the payment via wire transfer.

City officials are reminding the public that payments will never be requested via wire transfer.

Keep in mind these tips to ensure you don't fall victim to a financial scam.

• Carefully examine emails to ensure they are coming from legitimate City email addresses. Sophisticated scams often use names of actual City employees, together with generic email address or unfamiliar phone numbers.
• Look for grammatical errors, improper punctuation, or unfamiliar department names.
• For land use services, payments are processed through a secure online service using your existing account information. If you're not asked to log in, do not make the payment.

If you have fallen victim to an online financial scam, call the Police Department at 541-766-6911 to file a report.

Design Standards Update – Effective March 1, 2026

The City has updated our Engineering Standards, Construction Specifications and Standard Details for public improvements, which were last updated in February 2024.  The updates are posted on the Community Development Publications webpage and are effective March 1, 2026.

There are major updates to the Standards in Chapter 2 – Transportation, which include standards for cul-de-sacs, delineation of private streets with a commercial approach, and prioritization of separated ADA ramps for each direction of travel.  Chapter 6 – Stormwater Management has been edited for clarity while retaining the same requirements.  There are also minor updates to other chapters such as a change from orange to yellow as the standard color for fire hydrants.  The Specifications and Details have been updated to be consistent with the Standards.  A summary of changes is posted along with the updates.  If you have any questions or comments, please email them to City Engineer Jeff McConnell at jeff.mcconnell@corvallisoregon.gov.

Development Services Drone Inspection Program

The Corvallis Development Services Drone Inspection Program is entering its second year with the addition of a new certified drone pilot. To operate our drone, affectionately nicknamed ARCHIE (Aerial Remote Control Home Inspection Expert), City Inspectors are required to be licensed as pilots by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to fly under the FAA Part 107 rules. The drone program has allowed Development Services’ inspectors to perform building inspections safely and efficiently, especially on large or tall buildings. Inspections that would traditionally require our inspectors to navigate ladders, scaffolding, or uneven surfaces can be done by deploying the drone to visually inspect the building or elements required under code. This results in more efficient use of City staff time, as well as reduced safety risks for our inspectors and permit applicants. Some examples of these types of inspections include rooftop mechanical work, solar installations, framing, roofing, and shear wall inspections.

The Division’s drone is only used to assist with inspections associated with active permits, and only after permission has been obtained from the property owner/applicant. If you would like your project to be considered for inspection(s) by drone, you can consent during the online application process.

The drone will not fly over adjacent properties, people, or the public right-of-way. The drone inspection program follows the Federal Aviation Administration, Part 107 requirements. For more information, go to Drone Inspection Program | Corvallis Oregon.