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About The Southwest Portland Post. (Portland, Oregon) 2007-current | View Entire Issue (April 1, 2017)
April 2017 NEWS Hayhurst Subdivision (Continued from Page 1) Screech owls were heard in Pendleton Woods last summer. The area is home to ducks, rabbits and coyotes plus a myriad of birds and a native, enormous wetlands iris. The area has not grown or changed dramatically over the years. A few homes have gone up with large lots in keeping with the R7 zoning (one home per 7,000 square feet) and the neighborhood. There are several of Vic Remmers’ faux Tudor houses, but no large developments such as the one proposed on Pendleton Creek Woods. The proposed development is at odds with Southwest watershed issues, including numerous open creek channels, clay and silt. Instead of keeping the natural slope and building homes with daylight basements, the proposed plan will re- grade the entire slope so that it is flat and build upon this. “This is a landslide waiting to happen,” said Hurwitz. “The proposal does not include improving all of Southwest 48th, therefore, the increased traffic will be on a Safe Route to School with no sidewalks. Additionally, if the street is through there will be cut through traffic to avoid the sharp turn at the top of Southwest Cameron. We are concerned about the safety of children,” said Hurwitz. The proposal calls for a high density development. Many large trees will be cut down. The developer will pay into a mitigation fund. The proposal’s homes are large, their yards miniscule. A tiny portion will be preserved as an Environmental Overlay Zone. “We believe that development is inevitable but this one is wrong. Eleven homes shoved into this area with nearly every tree cut down is not in keeping with the neighborhood,” said Hurwitz. “It necessitates impervious surfaces, requires a through road that will increase danger and does not respect the nature of our ‘green’ Portland.” The Southwest Portland Post • 7 SOUTHWEST CORRIDOR PLAN (Continued from Page 3) senior communications specialist, previewed the committee’s schedule. “In the coming months,” Kehe said, “the overall plans will be discussed including land use and the Barbur Concept Plan.” From April to June, Kehe said that impacts would be discussed and much more information would come out during the summer months. Three members were selected as liaisons to the steering committee: R o g e r Av e r b e c k , S o u t h w e s t Transportation Committee; Stephan Belding, Tigard Pedestrian and Bicycle Advisory Committee; and Michael Kisor, Southwest Bicycle and Pedestrian Neighborhoods. The next Community Advisory Committee meeting is scheduled for Monday, April 3, at 6:30 p.m. at the Multnomah Arts Center. A project tour is planned for the committee on April 15. Committee members sift through a plethora of materials and information on the light rail project. (Post photo by Erik Vidstrand) Gax tax-funded projects include bike lanes, sidewalks, and street repairs FIXING OUR STREETS By Jack Rubinger The Southwest Portland Post On May 17, 2016, Portland voters passed Measure 26-173, Portland’s first local funding source dedicated to fixing streets. One source of funding is a heavy vehicle use tax with total estimated revenue over four years of $74 million. Measure 26-173 projects include contract paving, base repair, safe routes to schools, sidewalks/shoulders, bike infrastructure. So Fixing Our Streets is a gas- tax funded four-year program to implement street repair and traffic safety improvements on Portland’s streets. Details were discussed at an open house meeting at the Multnomah Arts Center in March. Speakers/presenters at the open house included Jennifer Rollins from fixingourstreets.com, Portland City Commissioner Dan Saltzman, and Leah Treat, director of the Portland Bureau of Transportation, which manages $11 billion in assets and about 5,000 lane miles of streets. The program will allow the transportation bureau to expand preventive street maintenance that saves money, prevents potholes and makes it easier to move around the city. The program will also incorporate critical safety improvements like sidewalks, traffic signals, and bike lanes to increase safer traffic for children and commuters. Southwest Portland projects include “safe routes to school” safety improvements for Lincoln and Wilson high school clusters. Paving, bike lanes and sidewalks on Southwest Capitol Highway (2018-2020), paving on Southwest Vermont Street from Oleson Road to Capitol Highway (2017) and crossing improvements on Beaverton Hillsdale Highway (2017) are also on the docket. Basic street repairs began back in September. Beaverton-Hillsdale Highway improvements will begin this month. Southwest Portland pedestrian and bicycle improvements are planned for Capitol Highway from Garden Home Road to Taylors Ferry Road. The proposed improvements include continuous sidewalks on the east side of the road, protected bike lanes on the east side of the road, multi- use paths on the west side of the road, pedestrian crossings at consolidated bus stop locations, and stormwater management improvements. The Fix Our Streets program will also include an oversight committee — 16 community members who will monitor revenues, expenditures and program implementation and approve any necessary changes to the project list. The committee will monitor construction impacts and focus on minority-owned, women-owned, and emerging small business utilization. Another goal was to elevate conversations and raise awareness about block parties, walking safely in Portland and encouraging people to get creative and reimagine their streets, parking spaces, plazas and alleys to enjoy and engage the surrounding community. More than 100 community members attended the friendly open house which included pizza, salads and refreshments. Glenn Bridges, who lives in Hillsdale, was excited, but a bit skeptical. “The need exceeds the resources available, but let’s get started,” he said. At breakout sessions, community members asked transportation officials to reach out to individual households, PTA presidents of Jackson and Stevenson schools, nextdoor. com, the Jewish community, and neighborhood associations. For more information about p r o p o s e d p l a n s , v i s i t w w w. fixingourstreets.com. Advertise in The Post! Call Don at 503-244-6933 POST A-Z BUSINESS CARD DIRECTORY 503-244-6933 9715 SW Barbur Blvd. Portland, OR 97219-6097 Family & Cosmetic Dentistry Phone: (503) 246-3373 Fax: (503) 246-2767 Rx Hotline: (503) 246-0861 503-246-2564 Open 7 days a week www.mvdentalcare.com www.pacif icveterinaryhospital.com Email: clientcare@pacvh.com 7717SW34thAvenue•Portland,OR97219 (MultnomahVillage•SWCapitolHighway&34thAve.) The IDEA Today … The SIGN Tomorrow! •SIGNS •BANNERS •GRAPHICS •MAGNETICS •LETTERING •LOGOS&MORE 503.244.0980 9220 SW Barbur Blvd. #111 - Portland - OR - 97219
