November 2015
NEWS ONLINE EXTRA
The Southwest Portland Post • 9
Developers continue to demolish existing homes in Multnomah
By Erik Vidstrand
The Southwest Portland Post
Vic Remmers, owner and president of
Everett Custom Homes, was on hand at
the Oct. 13 Multnomah Neighborhood
Association meeting to field questions from
neighborhood members about a series of
projects in the area that have involved
demolitions and rebuilding larger homes,
and in some cases, several homes.
On Southwest 30th Avenue alone, a
recent demolition took place after Remmers
bought the property and planning to erect
three single-family houses at up to $650,000
apiece.
When asked about a sidewalk, Remmers
replied he’s working on an agreement with
the Portland Bureau of Transportation with
no waivers of remonstrance. He will most
likely have to install a bioswale.
“The city likes bioswales,” Remmers said,
grinning, “and that will most likely mean
removing the large bank and removing a
mature tree depending on city codes.”
The list of demolitions goes on: two
on Spring Garden Road, one on Troy
Street, two on Adolph Street, two on Alice
Street. Of course these aren’t all projects of
Remmers.
Mike Roche, former land-use chairs in
both Southwest Neighborhoods, Inc. and
Multnomah, asked how Remmers was
improving the neighborhood.
“All my homes are energy efficient,”
Remmers responded, “use tankless water
heaters, and have two garages (keeping
cars off the street).
“I also responsibly take care of asbestos
and lead paint removal,” he said.
When asked about the demolition tax
of $25,000 proposed by Portland Mayor
Charlie Hales, Remmers replied that the tax
is focused on politics.
Under new guidelines recently released,
however, builders who tear down a single
home and replace it with either affordable
housing or multiple new dwellings would
be able to apply for a rebate.
Multnomah neighbors discussed a motion
of which called for an end to exemptions
and rebates the demolition tax. Multnomah
member Jessica Wade reminded the group
that the $25,000 fee goes into an affordable
housing fund. The motion passed.
A single-family home at 8330 SW 45th
Ave was purchased by Renaissance Custom
Homes in April for $351,000. Sitting on
a 9,500 square-foot lot, the developer applied
for a process that would take four historic
lots as well as the west 15 feet of four other
historic lots and would turn those into two
lots for new construction.
B u t a l t h o u g h a n E a s t m o re l a n d
neighborhood found success with the delay
appeal, Multnomah did not fare as well at a
hearing the same day appealing a demolition
by the same developer.
The property is located within an R7 zone,
After a smaller, older home was demolished, a larger home (built by Everett Custom Homes) dwarfs
its neighbor. (Post photo by Erik Vidstrand)
meaning there can be one residential unit
per 7,000 square feet of land in future land
divisions. The developer worked around
loopholes in the code which allowed the
developer to circumvent current zoning that
is grandfathered into the current code.
Renaissance Custom Homes applied for
demolition of the 1949 Multnomah home.
Multnomah lost the first appeal to fund
preserving an existing house scheduled for
demolition.
According to United Neighborhoods for
Reform, a grassroots organization, last year
there were 273 demolitions in Portland and
this year that rate expects to top 400. Many of
these demolitions have occurred under the
guise of remodels. UNR says that the city does
not have a definition of demolition.
Mt. Sylvania neighborhoods form coalition to deal with high capacity transit
SOUTHWEST
CORRIDOR PLAN
By Erik Vidstrand
The Southwest Portland Post
At a meeting of the West Portland Park
Neighborhood Association on Oct. 8 at
Jackson Middle School, a small group of
neighborhood representatives announced
they are coordinating efforts regarding
the development of the Southwest
Corridor Plan.
Two members from West Portland
Park, Ashcreek, Far Southwest (Portland)
and Mountain Park (Lake Oswego)
associations have formed a coalition
which will be meeting on a regular
basis while the transit project is being
developed.
Even though Mountain Park is outside
the development area and in Clackamas
County, neighbors live on Mt. Sylvania
and citizens from that area will be
impacted.
“At this point we don’t know where
Portland Community College is at with
the plan,” said Ryan Blum, West Portland
Park webmaster. “We do know PCC
administrators are working feverishly on
the project design.”
The main concerns of the coalition
continue to be on Southwest 53rd Avenue
where a tunnel is proposed. Metro leaders
are studying it further, looking at other
direct connections between PCC Sylvania
and Barbur Boulevard.
The biggest news of the night was
that the Metro steering committee was
delaying any decisions regarding tunnels
in the coalition neighborhoods to PCC
Sylvania.
The committee is also delaying a
decision on the type of transportation
to be built, either bus rapid transit or
light rail.
The West Portland Park board shared
results from a short survey to their
members. They received 74 responses.
Light rail was favored over bus rapid
transit. Almost three-fourths supported a
high capacity transit connection between
PCC Sylvania and the West Portland
Park area but residents were mixed on
whether it should be a light rail tunnel
or bus service.
Under a different option, light rail or bus rapid transit could stick to Barbur Boulevard, serving PCC
Sylvania from a station here, at Southwest 53rd Avenue. The downside is the 1/3 mile walk to campus.
(Photo courtesy of Metro)
The Crossroads (Interstate 5, Capitol
Highway, Barbur Boulevard, and Taylors
Ferry Road) continues to be a priority.
Residents want better signals and
safe pedestrian crossings at the busy
intersection.
“There’s not even a way to cross Haines
Street,” said West Portland Park vice
president Britta Herwig who facilitated
the evening meeting.
“We want this project to bring in more
business,” said Sarah Jane Owens. “The
original plan was to only have one stop
between Barbur Boulevard and PCC. We
want the college community to spend
time in the area.”
She noted there are not many alternative
routes meaning construction disruptions
are likely to be serious for residents.
“An open house in
conjunction with Metro,”
Blum said, “is being
planned for January.”
The latest document
from Metro details the
technical evaluation
results to support the
decisions of the steering
committee. The steering
committee, which met on
Oct.12, kept April 2016
as the scheduled date for
confirming a final preferred
package of high capacity
transit options.
This will include road-
way, bicycle and pedestrian
projects, a funding strategy,
and land use matters for
the corridor. The committee
also directed project staff
to contact neighborhood
associations to ensure there
is adequate time for public
review of the February
decisions prior to its
decision in April.
The Metro report
reviewed components
that will be addressed
in the coming months.
These include comparing
performances of bus versus light
rail, access to transit, and advanced
transportation projects that encourages
physical activity.
The summary provides options that
reduce overall transportation costs,
ensure benefits and impacts, promotes
c o m m u n i t y e q u i t y, a n d l o o k s f o r
improvements to natural resources,
habitat, and parks in the corridor.
The report noted that the goals,
objectives, and measures may be refined
through the draft environmental impact
statement process once the project is
handed off for federal review.
For more information on the Southwest
C o r r i d o r P l a n , p l e a s e v i s i t w w w.
swcorridorplan@oregonmetro.gov or
call 503-813-7535.