Page 4 * Letters: Continued from Page 2 area is unavoidable, but protecting its uniqueness is not. Every citizen can make a difference in the way a community develops. It is through careful planning that St. Johns will come to full bloom; this area holds much of Portland’s rich beginning as a city and it is a vital and charming neighborhood that is important to preserve. The ST. JOHNS REVIEW * #2-Jan. 29, 2016 * Email: reviewnewspaper@gmail.com * M The Desired Characteristics and Tra- ditions of the St. Johns/ Lombard Plans also states: “The early housing styles and small- town scale of the residential St. Johns area provide the context for new projects. As such, new develop- ment should refl ect and acknowledge this context by ensuring that main entrances are prominent, pedestrian connections are strong, landscaping is prominent and integrated appro- priately, and parking areas do not dominate the streetscape.” Building and site design elements that contribute to the residential St. Johns character should be carried out in new projects. New development should: • incorporate architectural and site development features of early twen- tieth century era houses, including eave length, siding materials and ap- pearance, window and door trim, and roof pitch; • continue existing front setback pat- terns; • use landscaping to buffer and soft- en edges; • provide strong visual connections between the public sidewalk and main entrances; and • locate parking and vehicle areas toward the rear of residential dwell- ings. The area north of Lombard Street includes several civic and institu- tional buildings (such as James John Elementary School, St. Johns branch library, St. Johns Community Cen- ter, and Pioneer Methodist Church) These buildings provide essential services to local residents and defi ne the characteristics of the adjacent residential area. New development must recognize and preserve the cen- tral roles of these buildings in the small-town character of St. Johns. New development should: • include landscaping that comple- ments existing landscaping of these buildings; • maintain adequate setbacks and spacing from these buildings; • be of a scale, proportion, and mass that ensures these buildings continue as the clear focus of the adjacent res- idential area; and • incorporate architectural and site development features that refl ect the quality of these buildings. The small-town atmosphere of downtown St. Johns resonates with many people. The Lombard Street main street is the center of this area, a remnant of the area’s origins as an independent city, characterized pre- dominantly by streetcar-era devel- opment. A unique block and street pattern has roots in the boundaries of land claims of the mid-1800s. The so-called slip lane is a part of that history and original street pat- tern. It was slightly altered during the St Johns Improvement Project, circa 1975 thru 1980. Before that the slip lane was a two way street into St. Johns. So what’s become known as “Ivy Island” was created to be a” Gateway” into St. Johns and to strengthen the identity of the St Johns Business district. It also served to ease the traffi c conges- tion that was on the Lombard Main Street at that time by creating a by pass onto Ivanhoe. Lombard Street is probably the largest and most diverse main street in North Portland. It is a historical Main street that runs through a neighborhood business district that is well served by tran- Color BUSINESS CARD ADS Pricing: 3 Months (6 times) $38 each ($228 total) 6 Months (12 times) $35 each ($420 total) 9 Months (19 times) $33 each ($627 total) 12 Months ( 26 times) $32 each ($832 total) Call 503-283-5086 for more information sit, and has good pedestrian access. Lombard also functions as a regional transportation arterial to other parts of the city. Main streets help give a neighborhood its unique identity, and are one of the ways we defi ne the area in which we live. The St. Johns/ Lombard Plan calls for Respect to the unique character- istics of the St. Johns town center and Lombard main street, and em- phasize human scale in new devel- opment. Additionally, it calls for providing for a broad range of hous- ing choices for residents of all ages, income levels, and abilities. Much of the new housing development in the St Johns area does not take this into consideration, and ”The Union At St. Johns” does not support this either. So where’s the affordable housing. This proposed development needs to go back to the drawing board and really fulfi ll what’s in the St. Johns Lombard Plan NOT just the part that supports this proposed development. Do not cherry pick the plan and short change St. Johns in the process! Gary Boehm ----------------------------------------- In Response Dear Editor, In response to the letter: “About the St. Johns Lombard Plan, “sub- mitted by Joe Adamski, and “St. Johns Main Street Beginnings: A Grassroots Endeavor.” by Barbara Quinn. I would ask that we look into “hierarchical involvement” as jux- taposed with the actual defi nition of the wo bottom and fi l M agains Ivy Is that t is nex uses c of the ized S corrid vide o along for a portati “havin ning p impor the re and n cil pas sition. misrep izens St. Jo Teply 500 si Ivy Is I am thousa the se land. The of St. Island gineer tional additio ment only in