January 2011
The Southwest Portland Post • 3
NEwS
Despite concerns about Tryon Creek,
Portland Plan moves forward
By Lee Perlman
The Southwest Portland Post
There are no rezoning proposals on
the table, but the Portland Plan is mov-
ing forward.
The Plan will update the 1980 Port-
land Comprehensive Plan and set
policy, zoning and other regulations
that will guide public projects and pri-
vate development.
As part of the effort, the City is con-
sidering some 20 background reports
on subjects such as transportation,
housing and economic development,
and the Buildable Lands Analysis.
The latter is an inventory designed
to show the location of lands that are
either empty or occupied by uses well
below the level of activity allowed by
the zoning.
An overlay then shows where there
are “constraints” such as regulations,
geologic issues or lack of infrastructure
that would interfere with the build-out
of these lands.
In recent presentations to the Port-
land Planning Commission, planner
Eric Engstrom said that the City doesn’t
necessarily view the “constraints”
as bad or something that needs to be
eliminated, nor is the Analysis a policy
decision that would dictate anything
else. However, it would be an important
influence on actual decisions further on
in the process.
For that reason, Southwest Neighbor-
hoods, Inc. land use chair John Gibbon
asked the Commission to delay their
adoption of the Analysis, and other
background material, last month in
order to give neighborhood volunteers
more time to react to it.
He noted that an analysis of the possi-
ble build-out of land in the Tryon Creek
Basin had jumped suddenly from zero
units to 1300. “I know the city is trying
to increase the supply of single-family
housing, but we’re trying to re-establish
fisheries here,” Gibbon said. “That big
of a numbers change makes me a lot
less comfortable.”
Gibbon also noted that developers are
continuing to build in known landslide
areas. Engstrom later said that change
was due to an initial technical error, and
that the higher number (1300 units) still
left the Tryon Creek Basin with a very
low projected development potential.
Engstrom conceded that in an effort
to reach a broader public audience,
“we haven’t had as much contact with
traditional neighborhood groups as we
normally do.”
Despite Gibbon’s objections, the
Commission chose to pass the Analysis,
with the observation that neighborhood
groups and others will still have time to
give input before the document goes to
City Council.
Engstrom reported that even if all
“constraints” remain as they are, the
City has the capacity to meet goals for
the development of new housing.
It is deficient, however, in the amount
of land desired for industrial develop-
ment. The City is depending on the
expansion of health and education
facilities for a significant portion of job
growth, and both are located in cam-
puses adjacent to residential neighbor-
hoods, a source of friction when the
institutions try to expand.
Other findings included that 60 per-
cent of the city’s housing stock is single
family, but 60 percent of what has been
built in the last ten years is multi-family
(including condominiums.)
The city of Portland has 40 percent
of the region’s jobs (which Bureau of
Planning and Sustainability director
Susan Anderson is unusually high
among American cities today), but has
captured just 11 percent of recent job
growth.
The last two in a series of five lectures
related to Portland Plan sub-topics will be
held this month. On January 10 from 7 to 9
p.m., Cynthia Girling and Ronald Kellett of
the University of British Columbia School
of Architecture will lead a discussion on
“Design for Environment and Commu-
nity” at the Multnomah Arts Center, 7688
S.W. Capitol Hwy. On January 17 from
7 to 9 p.m. Bob Weissbourd will discuss
Economic Development at Mercy Corps,
28 S.W. First Ave.
PoSt ClaSSIfIEd adS
Computer Services
Dave’s PC Help
503-810-2881•www.davespchelp.com
MUSIC LESSONS = HIGHER SATs
Extraordinary Piano and Violin Lessons.
Home of the Complete Instruction Method.
Visit www.EliasonMusic.com or
call Eliason School of Music. (503)293-2390
Purchase a Classified Ad!
Print Only is $32 per column inch (up to 15
words per inch) Includes design! Print and
Online are $64 per column inch. Frequency
discounts are available. Online Text Only is
$2 per word (15 word minimum).
E-mail (preferred):
ads@multnomahpost.com
Online Form: www.multnomahpost.com
Phone: 503-244-6933
(Continued from Page 1)
a drop-off location
and free fundraising
space.
“We want to give
instruments to the
schools so when
someone wants to
play and they can’t
afford it, it’s theirs,”
Broten said, ex-
plaining the reason
WAAC’s new drive Music teacher Jeanne Berg leads the Robert Gray Middle
School Panache singing group outside Food Front Grocery
is important.
According to Bro- on December 5. (Post photo by Polina Olsen)
ten, “Kids often
can’t afford instruments and are too
embarrassed to ask for help.” The
group also hopes spare instruments
will be available when needed.
“We had one little girl who had
nothing to play when her clarinet
broke,” said Broten. “And, we have
only one instrument repairer. We
would also like to give a grant for
repairing instruments.”
11318 SW Barbur Blvd.
All instruments in any state of re-
Portland, OR 97219
pair are needed. Baritone saxophones,
503-245-6464
oboes, double French horns, and bas-
soons are particularly sought after.
Part of your SW Neighborhood!
Drop off the instruments at Food
Front Cooperative Grocery, 6344 SW
Work from home?
Capitol Hwy, 503-546-6559 during
• LetusbeyourBusinessCenter
regular business hours. Be sure to
• Mailboxes
leave your name and address if you
• Meetingroom
would like WAAC to send a receipt.
• GreenStorageSolution
Call Lisa Broten at 503-293-0903 for in-
• SolarPanels
strument pickup. To receive WAAC’s
• FamilyOwned&Operated
free newsletter visit www.wilsonarts.
org and select email list sign-up.
SW Multnomah Blvd Pedestrian/Bicycle
Improvement Project
PUBLIC OPEN HOUSE
How would you improve pedestrian and bicycle
conditions on Multnomah Blvd?
Please mark your calendar and plan on joining us on Tuesday, January 11th
anytime between 6:30 and 8:30pm to learn more about a project to provide
sidewalks, stormwater management, and improved bicycle facilities on SW
Multnomah Blvd between 21st and 31st Ave.
Staff from the Portland Bureau of Transportation and the Bureau of
Environmental Services will be on hand to present background information
and design options for public review and comment.
Solve your computer questions and issues
Learn to use your computer more effectively
Windows - Mac - Linux
Lessons
WAAC Rings in
Holiday Season
Massage
This project provides
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
a great opportunity
Drop in anytime between
to improve pedestrian
6:30 PM and 8:30 PM
connections between
Multnomah Arts Center Auditorium
SW Barbur Blvd and
7688 SW Capitol Highway
Multnomah Village, in
TriMet Bus #44 and #64
addition to improving
safety for both
pedestrians and bicycles. Current funding should allow for improvements
on the north side of Multnomah Blvd between SW 21st and 31st Ave. in
conjunction with the Bureau of Environmental Services sewer main project.
The project also intends to develop a design concept for the entire corridor
up through Multnomah Village to SW 40th Ave for future construction phases.
For more information please contact:
Rich Newlands, Project Manager, (503) 823-7780
rich.newlands@portlandoregon.gov