January 2017
OP-ED
The Southwest Portland Post • 3
Community advisory committee appointed for future light rail project
SOUTHWEST CORRIDOR PLAN
By Erik Vidstrand
The Southwest Portland Post
(Continued from Page 2)
aesthetics are not simply a matter of
personal opinion; there is often a social,
cultural, and community identity that
finds expression in neighborhood
aesthetics.
I don’t oppose the building of every
larger-than-average home. I do oppose
thoughtless, short-sighted, wasteful
and destructive development.
Ava M. Stone
Multnomah Village
Replacement homes not in
character with surrounding
neighborhood
In response to Mr. Gillett’s letter in
which he takes odds with two readers
who criticize the building of large new
homes, he asks that owners of large
and expensive homes not be “hated”.
The real issue here is that many
people feel that the new large expensive
homes being built in older established
neighborhoods are awkward in scale
and style.
They seem to almost always replace
a bungalow or cottage which in itself
removes another affordable home in a
time when there is a drastic shortage
of such properties available in greater
Portland.
The result is striking—blocking of
direct sunlight, loss of sightlines and a
complete loss of any sense of privacy
in the backyard.
I can only imagine that the market
value of a house sited next to a large
building drops dramatically.
I encourage him to walk, drive
or bike over to the 2600 block of
Southwest Troy Street.
On the north side of the street, Mr.
Gillett can view a brand new four-
story home sited next door to an older
single-story home.
I do not object to the new home in
of itself but what upsets me is the
imposing presence of the new home
as it relates to its single story neighbor.
Mr. Gillett mentions having a large
new home at one end of a block while
on the other end would be a single-
story home.
The two houses I mention are not a
block apart but immediately adjacent
to each other.
I would like to have a conversation
with the owner of the single-story
home as to what he feels about his
new neighbor.
I also wonder about the economic
impact on the single story home.
This is a local example of poor
scaling of new buildings as they relate
to existing homes in a neighborhood.
I also urge Mr. Gillett to tour North
Mississippi Avenue and Southeast
Division Street to see further examples
of poor scaling and siting.
The question here is this: How do we
build replacement homes so that they
are more in character with our existing
neighborhoods?
Sim Hyde
Multnomah Village
Editor’s Note: Sim Hyde wrote two
letters this month on the same subject.
I took the liberty of combining excerpts
of the two letters, as both letters had
excellent points. – Don Snedecor
Editor’s Note: According to Craig
Beebe of Metro, a few weeks after
winning narrow support from Tigard
voters, a proposed Portland-to-Tualatin
light rail project proceeded to its next
stop as local leaders finalized the range
of routes, stations and related walking,
biking and roadway projects to be studied
in a federally-required environmental
review.
“A MAX line from the Portland Transit
Mall to Bridgeport Village is the backbone
of the Southwest Corridor vision, which
also includes a number of other bus,
road, bike and pedestrian improvements
and development strategies in the fast-
growing area,” wrote Beebe.
On Dec. 12, the Southwest Corridor
Plan Steering Committee reviewed
recommendations from project staff
and appointed 17 members to a
community advisory committee.
CAPITOL HIGHWAY PLAN
(Continued from Page 1)
overall project width,” Fitzgerald
added. “This also narrows the travel
lanes and street design as much as
possible to slow down traffic.”
But some commented that travel lanes
aren’t wide enough to allow TriMet
buses and delivery trucks to safely pass.
One question brought up was where
delivery trucks would park?
Crosswalks were suggested at every
transit stop, at a minimum, with use of
rapid flashing beacons or other safety
measures as appropriate.
Preserving as many trees as possible
that are 12 inches in diameter or greater
within the existing right-of-way was
listed.
Reducing the speed limit to 25 mph for
this entire stretch the highway was also
recommended even though some said it
wouldn’t be adhered to.
“One of the reasons why this highway
hasn’t been built in 30 years,” Fitzgerald
said, “is that the city hasn’t been able to
figure it [the complexities of the area]
out.
“Oleson Road is not what we want!”
asserted Patti Waitman-Ingebretsen,
long time historian and Capitol Highway
resident.
Bioswales seemed to be on everyone’s
mind and not widely liked.
“They are mandated for every inch
of cement,” John Gibbon of Markham
explained. “[Stormwater] needs to be
contained, treated, and then disposed.”
It was suggested that the Bureau of
Environmental Services seek alternatives
to bioswales, using permeable services
or existing regional water facilities.
And finally, visibility and safety were
brought up.
At the December Multnomah
Neighborhood Association meeting,
members unanimously approved
two letters composed by the Capitol
Highway subcommittee requesting $2
million from the Oregon state legislature
to ensure full funding of the Southwest
Capitol Highway Improvement Project.
The association also unanimously
approved the final set of comments
on the project’s design, which was
originally developed and approved by
the subcommittee.
Elizabeth Edwards, from Portland’s
Office of Government Relations, wrote
the association:
“The CAC will advise the steering
committee and project staff on public
and social issues throughout the
corridor,” said Eryn Kehe, a senior
communications specialist with
Metro.
“Committee members will start
meeting monthly beginning in early
2017 through spring 2018,” she wrote.
“One of their main roles will be to
review the selection of a route and
station areas.”
The committee includes balanced
representation from Portland, Tigard,
and Tualatin. One representative is
Michael Kisor from the Ashcreek
Neighborhood Association. He is
also active with SW Trails PDX.
Kathleen McMullen, manager of
transportation and parking services
at Portland Community College, was
also appointed.
Other southwest Portland
members include Jim Gardner, South
Portland Neighborhood Association
land use chair, and Roger Averback
who represents the Oregon Walks
and Portland Pedestrian Advisory
Committee.
“The steering committee also
u n a n i m o u s l y a p p ro v e d p ro j e c t
staff ’s recommendations,” wrote
Chris Ford, investment areas project
manager for Metro.
“There is an amendment of
directing staff to see if an initial
traffic analysis could support an
early decision to remove the I-5
alignment (between Southwest
13th Avenue and Barbur Transit
Center). This would not need a full
study in the draft environmental
impact statement.”
This action marks a significant
milestone for the light rail project.
“The environmental review is a
necessary step to qualify for federal
matching funds,” Kehe commented.
“The task ahead is to assess the
proposed alternatives and propose
ways to avoid, minimize, or mitigate
significant impacts.
“This information will help
inform decision makers in selecting
the locally preferred alternative
scheduled for early 2018.”
“I wanted to let you know that support
for SW Capitol Highway funding
[requesting $2 million] was included
in the draft state legislative agenda
considered by City Council last week.
“Thank you, Representative Lininger,
and other legislative and community
leaders for your advocacy.”
There will be a Portland Bureau of
Transportation town hall on the project
on Thursday, Feb. 23, at 6 p.m. at the
Multnomah Arts Center, 7688 SW
Capitol Highway.
“At this event,” Lyons said, “PBOT
staff likely will present a revised cross
section document that responds to our
comments, along with a horizontal
layout on an aerial map that will provide
us with a rough idea of how this cross
section could look for the entire stretch
of road.”
To receive updates or become involved
in the subcommittee, send an email to
chrislyons7@yahoo.com.