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About The Southwest Portland Post. (Portland, Oregon) 2007-current | View Entire Issue (May 1, 2016)
May 2016 PRIMARY ELECTION 2016 (Continued from Page 1) Candidates Lanita Duke, Amanda Fritz, Ann Sanderson, and David Morrison were up first. Amanda Fritz is the incumbent. Duke stated that it was time for a new voice. Sanderson said city hall wasn’t listening to the citizens. Fritz thanked the community for their partnership with the Sears Armory homeless shelter. Morrison warned the audience about the dangers of microwave radiation from Wi-Fi routers. Candidates for City Commissioner Position #4 were up next. Steve Novick is the incumbent. Stuart Emmons, an architect, responded that he had the experience to build the infrastructure and housing needed for the growing population. Shannon Estabrook, a teacher for 30 years at Portland Community College, said she had lots of excellent ideas to alleviate traffic. James Lee, the oldest of the entire candidates and physics specialist, would bring technical expertise to the transportation bureau and deal with a broken tax system. Novick said if the gas tax is passed there will be more money for community NEWS priorities like better roads and safer communities. Chloe Eudaly, an independent bookstore owner, was asked about reducing congestion. “It would be more appropriate for an office-holder to answer that question,” she replied. Suzanne Stahl, a city rights activist who sits on disability advisory councils, said that the city needs to address showers and clean clothes for the homeless in order for them to seriously look for work. Fred Stewart doesn’t feel city council members are doing their jobs. He’d create a new youth bureau focused on children becoming more involved in city planning. Eight candidates compete for Portland mayor Incumbent Portland Mayor Charlie Hales decided not to run for a second four-year term opening up the position with at least eight candidates in attendance this night. Jules Bailey, a county commissioner, was asked about the tree canopy which he replied needed prioritization. He also mentioned earthquake preparedness. The Southwest Portland Post • 3 Patty Burkett said she realized she was one of the lesser candidates and said many people don’t know how to pay their taxes and said homeless issues were a federal issue. Deborah Harris, a business woman and w r i t e r, a d d re s s e d stormwater questions. She said she would a s k t h e re s i d e n t s themselves to assess their needs and let the David Schor, Oregon assistant attorney general and mayoral mayor’s office know. candidate, speaks with Jim Peterson, Multnomah land use Sarah Iannarone, chair. (Post photo by Erik Vidstrand) a global advisor on environmental and energy solutions, Portland mayor, answered a question wants to keep the village quaint. on the homeless problem. “Addictions Iannarone sits on a mixed-use need to be treated,” said Wheeler. He comprehensive plan committee and made the only joke of the evening suggested more sustainable projects for saying that this event felt like speed development. dating since candidates were held to David Schor, an assistant attorney strict time limits and were allowed no general, supports working where you interaction with the audience. live and to increase routes for walking The audience was polite with no one and biking. clapping or yelling out questions or Ted Wheeler, incumbent state comments. The event finished early for treasurer who’s also running for more mingling. Comprehensive Plan amendment would allow middle housing in established neighborhoods MULTNOMAH NOTEBOOK By Erik Vidstrand The Southwest Portland Post The Portland City Council recently proposed an amendment, P45, to the 2035 Comprehensive Plan update. It states that clustered residential buildings would be allowed within a quarter mile of designated centers, where appropriate, and within the inner ring around the central city. Called “middle housing,” these smaller, more affordable housing units would be built in portions of select single-dwelling zones. This housing can be duplexes, triplexes, four-plexes, garden apartments, and cottage clusters. It can accommodate a greater diversity of household sizes, incomes, and ages. Robert McCullough, community activist and president of the Eastmoreland Neighborhood Association, was on hand April 12 at the Multnomah Neighborhood Association meeting. McCullough discussed this and other tactics to deal with challenges Multnomah has been besieged with. These included affordable housing, infill, trees coming down, large out-of- scale projects, and land use which he considers the number one issue. A letter drafted by the association states that this amendment was a radical and a last minute change to the 2035 Comprehensive Plan that is already too far reaching. According to the city, this policy is already part of the recommended draft of the Comprehensive Plan. However, this additional policy takes the concept further reflecting on the needs of and benefits of middle housing. “If the village is designated a neighborhood center as currently proposed in the Comprehensive Plan,” warned Carol McCarthy, Multnomah neighborhood chair, “zoning would be changed to R2.5 in Multnomah Village, Hillsdale, and West Portland. “This would eliminate most single- family residential zoning,” McCarthy explained. “On top of it all, many people are unaware that this amendment is Heritage Tree in Danger (Continued from Page 1) Sucec testified to the city council, “Your policies have not only promoted destruction of the prized tree canopy in many places, they have displaced many working class citizens and now they are displacing middle class citizens as the gentrification of their neighborhoods continues with frightening speed.” Sucec said she knew protesting the removal of the heritage tree might be a futile effort. “My feeling is that there’s nothing the neighborhood association can do,” she said. “It’s heartbreaking.” But the tree may yet be saved. Sebastian said Renaissance won’t know for sure if the developer can save the cedar until they do some excavation, which won’t be for a couple of months. But he warned that sometimes developers keep a tree that ends up being a hazard for the homeowners, who have to spend thousands of dollars taking it down later, and they’re not happy about that. Activist Sara Long climbs the Northern Deodar Cedar she hopes to save from the developer's ax. (Post photo by KC Cowan) “We always try to save a tree if we can,” he said. “But if it has to go, it has to go.” At press time the tree was still standing. Eastmoreland neighborhood chair Robert McCullough was a guest speaker at the April 12 meeting. In the background are Multnomah board members Martie Sucec, Carol McCarthy, Donna Bestwick, and Katherine Christiansen. (Post photo by Erik Vidstrand) even being considered.” “This means more infill, traffic, and the destruction of more trees,” McCullough added. Association leaders hope the city will make Multnomah Village a neighborhood corridor, not a center. It better fits the design and character of the village and is more in keeping with the semi-rural feel of the area. A new resident attending the meeting for the first time asked what was so bad about multi-family units. Jim Peterson, land use chair, responded that it was fine, but not in the neighborhoods. “It belongs in the main arteries,” he grinned. “It’s just not the right method.” Two days after the neighborhood meeting, over 70 people attended a public hearing on all the various amendments. McCarthy’s testimony stated that P45 was buried in over a hundred pages of amendments with just a little over a month for public comment. “At numerous planning meetings since 2014,” said McCarthy, “we have had repeated assurances from the Bureau of Planning and Sustainability that the zoning in our neighborhood would not be affected by being designated as a neighborhood center.” Open houses will be scheduled this summer throughout the city to further reach out to the public about these Comprehensive Plan amendments. In other news… Unprepared developers from Everett Homes were ridiculed for their lack of maps and other visual aids. They received terse responses on a large residential project they are building on Southwest Troy Street. The builders suggested future conversations between developers and community members. Southwest Capitol Highway improvements may come down to a gas tax on the ballot in May. Chris Lyons, transportation chair, leads a subcommittee that has been leading the charge for sidewalks and bike lanes. The Sears Armory will be shutting its doors as a homeless shelter on May 31. The city is looking for a tenant for the building to pay rent as it develops the emergency center. McCarthy wrapped up the meeting in a dismal state. “Could the large apartment building across the art center just be a start? What’s next? A Walmart by the post office? Townhouses next to the art center?” She sighed and closed the meeting. It takes a city to raze a village. For more information about the Multnomah neighborhood, contact Carol McCarthy at mnachair@gmail.com. For more information about middle housing visit the city project website at www. portlandoregon.gov/bps/infill.