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About The Southwest Portland Post. (Portland, Oregon) 2007-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 1, 2011)
September 2011 NEWS The Southwest Portland Post • 3 City hearings officer rules against proposed North Macadam jail By Lee Perlman The Southwest Portland Post Opponents of a proposed federal Im- migration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility at 4310 S.W. Macadam Ave. won a skirmish in their ongoing struggle last month. In an August 3 ruling, City Hearings Officer Gregory Frank denied property owner Lindquist Development’s re- quest for a conditional use permit to use 5,300 square feet of the 125,000 square foot building as a “detention facility.” It is at this facility where immigrants and refugees, either in this country illegally or accused of committing crimes here, would be held while being “processed.” Frank took issue with a single point: ICE’s plans to release an average of three people a week directly from the NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS (Continued from Page 1) their newest acquisition: 143 acres of steeply sloping open space purchased earlier this year from Riverview Cem- etery. Due to a decrease in demand for buri- al plots, the cemetery concluded the acreage was unneeded and represented a financial liability. Most of the $11.25 million purchase price came from the remains of a 2006 Parks bond measure, according to Fish aide Emily Hicks. Hicks told The Post that the Commis- sioner and Bureau have concluded in general terms that the land will remain a natural area like Forest or Tryon Creek parks rather than a developed one. For now, she said, the Bureau will concentrate on “stabilization and main- tenance” activities such as removal of invasive and non-native vegetation. In the future, the public will be of- fered the chance to participate in long- term plans for the land, such as the creation of new recreation trails. Multnomah County nears Sellwood Bridge construction Multnomah County has already started preliminary work on con- struction of a new Sellwood Bridge, spokesperson Mike Pullen told The Post. Crews are collecting soil samples on both sides of the river for the sup- port structures of a temporary bridge immediately north of the existing span. Beginning in January, crews will begin work on the structures. Then, in the spring, the existing bridge will be moved onto these structures. This temporary arrangement will carry traf- fic while a new bridge is constructed in the old location. At least one issue remains to be dealt with. The currently proposed building technique, and the simplification of the west side access, has lowered the cost of the project from an earlier $330 mil- lion to $265 million. However, this still leaves participating jurisdictions $20 million short. Beginning in September representatives of these jurisdictions will consider additional sources of rev- enue or cost reductions on the project. City revises leaf pickup procedures The City is preparing a new and im- proved procedure for leaf pickups this facility, freeing them on their own re- cognizance. ICE officials estimated an average of 10 to 15 people a day would pass through the facility, the vast majority bound for longer-term incarceration in Tacoma, Washington or a county jail. Elizabeth Godfrey testified that no detainees would be released in this way if they were deemed a “danger to the community,” and that if necessary they would be provided with bus fare or other assistance to ensure that they were not “stranded in an unfamiliar area.” This was not enough for Frank, who noted the lack of specifics about release criteria and the absence of a recommen- dation from the Portland Police Bureau “that plans to be utilized by ICE are adequate.” Absent this, Frank found, “the release of detainees directly from the Detention fall, Shoshanna Oppenheim of the Port- land Bureau of Transportation said. Oppenheim is currently discussing the issues with neighborhoods that are part of the City’s 30 Leaf Zones. These are areas with heavy tree canopy where the City cleans fallen leaves off the road. Last year, for the first time, the City began to charge for this service. Residents complained both because they felt they hadn’t been consulted or briefed, and because they felt they hadn’t gotten their money’s worth. An artist's rendition of the proposed ICE detention facility. (Courtesy Keith Skille, GBD Architects) Facility into the immediate neighbor- hood could pose an unreasonable threat to the safety of nearby uses and residents.” City staff had initially found that the facility was allowed by right, subject only to design review. Earlier this year City Council had approved a design for the building, but determined that the holding facilities needed a condi- tional use permit with a broader public review. After sifting through three hours of testimony and dozens of written docu- ments, Frank sided with Lindquist on most issues. He rejected arguments that the facility would be unsuitable for the area, that it would retard its develop- ment, that it would interfere with traffic (Continued on Page 4) This year, Oppenheim said, the City will widely publicize two dates upon which leaves will be picked up in a given district. Unlike last year, residents will be allowed to rake leaves from their sidewalks and yards into the road. When the process is complete, the City will bill most residents $30 for the service. Exceptions to the billing will be peo- ple living outside a Leaf Zone, people who don’t have a deciduous street tree, or people who choose to “opt out.” People can do this by clearing away the leaves themselves, Oppenheim said. Inspectors will look at the streets prior to the clearing, and if they judge that the street has been cleared, the owner will not be billed. For the sake of “opt outs,” or people living outside zone, the City will con- tinue to provide Leaf Depots. Residents will be able to bring their leaves to one of three dumping areas – one of which will be in Gabriel Park, on three weekends for a small fee. For more in- formation visit www.portlandonline. com/leafday or phone (503) 823-1784.
