Page 6 * The St. Johns Review * #16 - Aug. 7, 2015
Email: reviewnewspaper@gmail.com * Mail: PO Box 83068, Port. OR 97283 * Web: www.stjohnsreview.com * Phone: 503-283-5086
LETTERS TO EDITOR
Continued from Page 3
from Richmond to Lombard it will
slow traffi c and provide a much im-
proved view and safety of the Lom-
bard/Charleston intersection. Cars will
be going slower after having to turn at
the new intersection. One suggestion
that has been made is to set the struc-
ture back from Lombard further than
proposed in order to allow traffi c to
have an easier view of the Charleston
intersection. I/we agree that a greater
setback would allow greater views of
persons, cars and bikes at Charleston.
However, I/we believe accordingly it
would enable vehicular traffi c to ac-
tually go faster than either the current
situation or the proposed new Lom-
bard/Richmond intersection would
permit for the very reason of greater
site visibility. Where there is great-
er visibility drivers tend to go faster
than if there are obstructions to being
viewed. Besides we should want traf-
fi c to slow down not speed up. The
addition of a marked crosswalk and
signage at Charleston would also help
for the grade school, library and other
traffi c. In the business district traffi c
needs to go slower, not faster.
St Johns is a designated Town Cen-
ter in the city’s Comprehensive Plan.
It calls for higher densities than sur-
rounding areas. This is refl ected by re-
quiring taller buildings and mixed use
in the town center. This proposal fol-
lows that requirement. We as a com-
munity should support that but also
want the development to be aestheti-
cally as well as functionally pleasing.
Residents should have that quality of
life. The architect notes how modulat-
ing the building proposed along Lom-
bard would help it fi t in with the sur-
rounding streetcar era architecture. It
would then fi t well when (years from
now) the streetcar is returned on Lom-
bard (Portland Streetcar Plan 2009).
The three building facades and styles
proposed are excellent! Hopefully
there are at least two different facades
facing Charleston. Also ground fl oor is
varied ——as well as roof overhangs
for shade as well as in times of inclem-
ent weather. The mixed use develop-
ment will have ground fl oor uses that
could utilize the proposed plaza where
people from the community and the
development could sit, relax and pa-
tronize the adjoining businesses.
The situation for parking presents a
conundrum. On the one hand the more
parking spaces that are provided the
more it continues our over-reliance
on the auto in a time when we are
trying to reduce our carbon footprint
(per Climate Action Plan adopted by
City Council in June 2015). Reduce
the number of off-street parking and
there will likely be more congestion
on St Johns streets. Off-street parking
spaces are expensive! They add to the
cost of commodities we buy, residenc-
es we buy or rent. Bottom line is we
pay for parking one way or another.
An underground parking space cost
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on the order of $30,000 per space to
construct and that was in 2002 (The
High Cost of Free Parking by Donald
Shoup, 2011, page 188). These costs
are passed on to the user. Portland is
concerned with equity and gentrifi ca-
tion. Not requiring parking, or further
reducing the number of spaces would
address these issues by reducing costs
and hence increase affordability. Add-
ing more spaces encourages addition-
al auto use and more congestion, not
less over time. What is the solution?
Let the ‘market’ determine the cost of
parking. Charge for parking by pricing
it according to demand — higher cost
when the demand is great and less or
zero when demand is slack. European
cities have been doing this for years.
Some US cities (Los Angeles and San
Francisco) utilize in high demand ar-
eas. If we are honest with ourselves
we will walk and bike and use transit
more and drive less. It’s healthier and
less costly. A winner for the communi-
ty and us as individuals.
All in all, our congratulations to
the owner and design team for a well
thought out project!
Curt Schneider and Cathy Hume
North Charleston
(Curt participated in the St Johns/
Lombard Plan in 2003/4, served as
a St Johns resident on the Portland
Streetcar Plan in 2009, was President
of the St Johns Boosters in 2012/3 and
is currently serving on the city’s Mixed
Use Zoning Planning Advisory Com-
mittee. Cathy was a Board member of
the St Johns Farmers Market in 2009-
2011)
==========================
Keep Ivy Island
Dear Editor,
I’ve been thinking about Ivy Island,
and how I will miss it, if this new
Charleston St./Ivy Island development
is approved. It will be gone under the
current proposal.
Consider the whole of Lombard,
essentially a succession of strip malls
and traffi c lights. It feels gritty with
asphalt, power poles and undistin-
guished architecture. And then you
come to Ivy Island. Ivy Island is a
unique and lovely segue into the busi-
ness district. Perhaps a little quaint,
but it is nice. It’s shady with trees and
it’s landscaped. And there it is right in
front of you. You can’t miss it. Only
St Johns has it and you know you’re
home when you see it. Not as iconic,
with a capital “I” as the bridge, but it is
distinctive to St Johns. And the Lom-
bard slip lane at Ivy Island makes an
easy entrance into St. Johns. It’s a nice
experience.
So let’s imagine that everything
from this proposed development has
been built, including the four story
apartment building. What will the
approach to St. Johns be like? Now as
you approach the business district you
are fi rst greeted by the dull red brick
7-11 building, then, right behind that,
the dull red brick strip mall, and then
the dull red brick four story apartment
structure yet to be built. Depending on
the time of day, you’ll also wait in the
backed-up traffi c in the right hand turn
lane to get into St Johns. On the left
hand side you have the dull gray brick
storage structure. Dull may be a severe
and unkind word, but from the draw-
ings the architect has presented, it is
that dull red brick kind of multi-struc-
ture we’re seeing everywhere - fl avor-
less and ubiquitous. This corner will
now be like the whole of Lombard.
The only justifi cation for razing Ivy
Island is an issue of safety, specifi cal-
ly, the blind Lombard curve and its
effect at Charleston. There are many
options other than razing Ivy Island
to make this safer, such as speed limit
signage and a pedestrian signal (like
we have at N. John St.). Also, once the
Huk Building is demolished the sight-
line for that curve can be moved back.
If you move the sight-line just four
feet back, the Charleston corner is no
longer blind and it becomes as safe as
any corner on Lombard.
There’s a lot that works with the cur-
rent Ivy Island and the Lombard slip
lane confi guration, and it’s not neces-
sary to destroy everything. There are
more elegant fi xes to the Charleston
corner.
John Teply, Atelier Gallery, N. Alta
To helpers at CPJF: Thank you!
Dear Editor,
Thank you Sponsors and Volunteers
for making the 35th Cathedral Park
Jazz Festival a reality.
I’m a free-lance photographer and
contributor to the St. Johns Review,
and had the privilege of being invited
backstage again this year. But early
Friday afternoon before the fi rst show,
I stowed my camera gear and began
learning fi rst hand what a massive
effort it is to stage this event. The
‘day of’ tasks started with bringing
the event paraphernalia from storage,
which was an ongoing effort. Then
erecting all the pavilions, populating
them with chairs, tables, and all the
equipment and supplies inside them.
The sound crew brought in and set up
a myriad of equipment. The IT crew
came in, setting up WiFi and net com-
munications. T-Shirts and other bulk
merchandise was prepared for sale.
The KBOO radio station set up their
mobile outdoor studio. Volunteer and
musician support was set up (espe-
cially the life-saving water in the 90+
heat). The beer garden with its liquor
license requirements, the food trucks
requiring traffi c control and electric
generator. Amenities and IDs for the
VIP area. Porta-potties, recycle, trash.
I could go on and on, but you get the
idea how every single thing from the
minuscule to the monumental has to
be done for a successful event.
Although major things were sched-
uled previously, it took the on-site of
skill and commitment of Marie Grae-
bener to manage and ensure that both
the scheduled and unscheduled tasks
were completed - Thank you Marie.
Key volunteers helping her were Dale
‘the General’ Dobbins, Kate ‘Ms Getit
Done’ Niaman, Bob ‘Guru stage man-
ager’ Luboch, Carol ‘silent helper’
Haywood and Marshall ‘I got it’ Sny-
der - Thank you. And less than a doz-
en more volunteers, all pulling way
above their weight to make it happen
- Thank you.
I only know a few of the many spon-
sors, but this newspaper, the St. Johns
Review, was one for printing and dis-
tributing the event program/schedule
at its own expense - Thank you. Safe-
way, I saw your truck by the beer gar-
den... Thank you. KBOO 90.7 fm for
promotion and LIVE broadcast during
Saturday - Thank you. Portland Piano
Company for providing the wonderful
grand piano onstage and West Coast
Piano for transporting it - Thank you.
It was a wonderful event, thanks to
all the volunteers and sponsors that
want to bring it to life each year, and
the generous audience that enjoys and
supports it. Thank you, very much.
Jim Moulton
Sending Letters To The Editor: Letters to the St. Johns Review are
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are not read or printed. Letters and the opinions expressed are not necessarily
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according to availability of room in the paper. The St. Johns Review newspaper
nor the editor are responsible for opinions or content of letters.
Racing for Kids - Come join the fun
Thirty years ago, a member from
Cascade Sports Car Club introduced
the idea for giving back to the com-
munity. It was decided that Cascade
would dedicate one race each year
toward raising money for children in
need. That’s when the “Dash” was
born. Over the years, the club has
raised close to a half million dollars
for kids!!
Doernbecher Children’s Hospital
has been the largest benefi ciary, but
a few years ago the race also began
benefi tting Take Action, a non profi t
that helps feed at risk children when
they’re away from school. Backpacks
are fi lled with food during the week
and then sent home with students for
the weekend. Schools in the St. Johns
area that participate in this program
include James John, Sitton, and Rosa
Parks. Take Action has been helping
at risk children for going on fi ve years
now.
This year’s event, the 31st Dash for
Kids, takes place August 22nd and
23rd at Portland International Race-
way. Admission and parking are free.
Money for charity is raised through
noontime race car rides (rides start at
$10 for 2 laps), a silent auction, a cou-
ple of raffl es, and t-shirt sales.
Please come join us for some of
the best amateur racing in the North-
west. Over 100 race cars will be in
attendance to provide some close and
competitive racing. You’ll be able to
wander the paddock and see many
different makes and models of race
cars, including NASCAR type cars,
INDY (Formula) type cars, BMW’s
and Mazda’s.
For more information visit www.cas-
cadesportscarclub.org