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.