September 2016
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
(Continued from Page 2)
investment at stake. So much easier
to claim community ownership of
someone’s trees, so why invest in,
purchase to own and maintain? But
now on to the bigger question,
the right to sunlight.
I am an Oregon woodland owner
and understand the value of trees
in an ecosystem for shade, clean air
and water, habitat, wood products
and aesthetics.
Oregon is a forested state with
multi-use forestry practices and
progressive environmental policies.
The City of Portland has also
encouraged gardens, local food
p ro d u c t i o n , c o n s u m p t i o n , a n d
alternative energy. But has the urban-
tree loving community considered
and addressed the potential conflict
with these other values?
Over the past decades I have given
up gardening on my Garden Home
lot and my fruit trees don’t ripen now
because of the oversized landscaping
trees in neighboring yards.
The [trees] have grown and
now block 70 percent of my direct
sunlight. Along with the unwanted
shade, I must now rake non-native
pin oak leaves (from September to
May) while the tree owners care little
about yard work.
When I investigated solar electric
panels for my roof, I was told, “too
much shade from neighboring tree.”
So now, after 40 years of yard
planning, I have a house that mildews
in the shadows, fruit that can’t ripen,
and a perfectly angled roof made
unsuitable for solar panels. All
because of overgrown landscape
trees beyond my control.
I s h a re M r. R o u n d s ’ d i s t re s s
over the region’s tree management
policies, but clearly for different
reasons.
Gary Orehovec
Garden Home
NEWS
Capitol Highway Tour
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the legislature.
“Legislators are willing to push for
this project,” Lyons remarked, “but
it needs to be associated with a state
highway.”
As the tour continued, periodic stops
drew discussions around parking
availability, tree loss, and water runoff.
Some of the homes have fences and
privacy shrubs in the city’s right-of-way.
“These homeowners should not be
alarmed when the city comes through
with their final plans,” one city staffer
said. “There’s some encroachment and
everything will need to be negotiated.”
“Some places will need to have a
pinch point in some areas due to lack of
available land to work with,” city staffer
Matt Brown said as he pointed to a steep
driveway and gully.
As the tour continued, staff diligently
listened to concerns, although from this
reporter’s viewpoint, no one seemed to
be taking notes. Marianne Fitzgerald
later submitted her notes of the group’s
observations which were sent to the
group listserv.
Speeding traffic was brought up
several times.
“Could a speed reader board be
installed?” suggested a homeowner.
Szigethy said with the upcoming
highway study, this could be a short-
term fix for slowing vehicles.
At Alice Street, a local improvement
district was introduced as creating side
projects that feed into the highway.
“This involves all the neighbors
agreeing and paying for a set of
improvements for their street,” Szigethy
explained.
Uchiyama, of the environment bureau,
noted the many unimproved side streets
and getting stormwater to the streams.
“BES will need to take a look at these
streets and the type of system needed
for better stormwater management.”
At Marigold Street, intersections,
crosswalks, bus stops, and road striping
were discussed. Szigethy stated that
there are various levels of creating
safe crossings from yellow striping to
flashing beacons to traffic lights.
“Every intersection will be analyzed
and assessed,” Szigethy assured the
crowd. “Several bus stops may be
removed for safety concerns but will be
left up to TriMet.”
Almost everyone agreed that only
one sidewalk would be proposed and
that it would be located where the goat
trail exists on the east side of Capitol
Highway.
“This makes sense,” said Lyons. “It’s
on the same side as access to the transit
center and the viaduct sidewalk.”
Bicyclists in the group chimed in
about bike lanes. Most want one on
each side of the street and they dislike
shared bicyclist and pedestrian lanes.
An example of one is on Multnomah
Boulevard near the former Sears
Armory.
The rest of the tour reviewed
additional shrubs, parking issues, and
clogged drains. Stormwater issues
are more prevalent as the shoulder is
steeper and many homes have suffered
flooding.
“We’re still at the beginning of the
process,” Szigethy said. “Chris Lyons
will use his email list to keep people
informed and the city will be setting
up a website.”
“In order to continue to utilize the
knowledge of our group and solicit
our preferences on the project,” Lyons
announced, “the city will use our
committee as a non-appointed project
advisory group.”
The city will present concept designs
this fall along with an open house.
Groundbreaking on the project is
expected in late 2018.
The Southwest Portland Post • 3
To be kept informed of the Capitol
Highway project, please email
chrislyons7@yahoo.com.
Spring Garden Park
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wrote the neighborhood listserv that
a new meeting would be taking place.
“The scope of the discussion is limited
to the gathering area,” she wrote.
“More specifically, Travis (Ruybal)
plans to present three design options
for the gathering area for the public to
consider: leave the design as is, remove
the concrete pad, or remove the concrete
pad and wall leaving a grassy bowl.”
Taing said that the purpose of the
meeting is to provide a space for the
community members to hear each other
and get public feedback on the design
options.
The park meeting will be held on
Tue., Sept. 20 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at
the Spring Garden Park community
gathering area. Even this decision
seemed to not sit well with some
neighbors.
“I think the [Multnomah
Neighborhood Association] and
[Southwest Neighborhoods, Inc.] are
saying the park is not an appropriate
place for the meeting,” Boltz said in a
letter to The Post. “I still hope to meet
with the parks department and have an
agreed upon method for the decision
process for the meeting.”
For those who cannot attend, visit
t h e p ro j e c t w e b s i t e h t t p : / / w w w.
portlandoregon.gov/parks/67420 and fill
out a comment form regarding preferences
for the gathering area.