Seventh Annual Buckman Summer Picnic – August 14, 2016

♫ “Summertime and the Livin’ is Easy”♫.

At least we guarantee it will be from 4-8pm on Sunday, August 14th, when the Buckman Community Association presents our 7th annual, “Buckman Picnic in the Park”. This all-inclusive, free event features live music, a delicious BBQ meal with hot dogs, potato salad and of course watermelon, kids activities, a bouncy house, fire truck tours, community service booth, the return of “Roho” the therapy llama and door prizes galore. We invite you to bring your family, friends and especially kids to Colonel Summers Park, SE 17th and Taylor St., that afternoon to enjoy all the fun!Of course we couldn’t do this event without volunteers and we need lots of them! We have two 1-2 hour shifts planned for the party where you can help serve food, help set up ‘n clean up, or come the day before to get the park ship-shape. Our new picnic volunteer coordinator, Rie Nakata is ready to help you get involved. Contact her directly at kanemasuoregon@gmail.com or by cell/text 503-830-4782.

Donations to the Picnic to ensure it remain free and accessible to all are needed and completely tax deductible. Send a check made out to: “SEUL: Buckman Picnic 2016” to: Katy Asher c/o Southeast Uplift 3534 SE Main Street, Portland 97214. We can also receive and value “in-kind” donations of goods and services from local businesses and professionals which we can use for door prizes.  All donors will be listed on our sign boards, receive a donation letter, and thanked at the event podium as well as in the September SE Examiner newspaper.  We would love your support and especially *you* joining us for the picnic.  So grab a blanket, brings some lawn games and make an evening of it! To contact the BCA Picnic Team: buckmanpicnicteam@googlegroups.com

This year’s sponsors include: Venerable Properties, Killian Pacific, Sera Architects, Zupan’s, Sheridan’s Fruits, Portland Spirit, Bolliger Insurance, Beam Development, Wentworth Subaru, Coca-Cola, Michael’s Italian Sausage, Mill Creek Residential Trust and several Buckman neighbors.  Your support helps ensure the picnic is an event the Buckman neighborhood can count on every year, so please volunteer!

Pre picnic park cleanup planned for Sat. August 13th, 9am-12pm at Colonel Summers. We’ll meet at the pavilion and will bring some snacks. Bring gloves…we’ll have grabbers and garbage bags.

Volunteers Beat The Heat To Paint The Street!

On Saturday and Sunday, June 4 & 5, the hottest days of the year so far, volunteers gathered to make Buckman more beautiful, more fun and to build community spirit.

The Fruit, Flower and Pollinator theme at SE 16^th and Ash was renewed on Saturday lead by Jim Forristal after a one-year hiatus.

A newly-enhanced graphic at SE 15^th and Alder, designed by Rebecca Jolli, depicting a vine coming out of the compost bin going around the traffic circle with colorful dots, leaves, lady bugs and butterflies, was painted on Sunday.  Both painting parties were followed by a Dinner Potluck.

These projects were supported by a SPACE Grant from the East Multnomah Soil and Water Conservation District, the BCA, City Repair, Southeast Uplift and enthusiastic neighbors.

Thanks to Matthew Simonet for all the great pictures!

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Want to Start an Urban Farm? – Full Article

By: L. Leland

*Article appeared in print version of The Buckman Voice… Bolded section was unpublished*

Have you ever thought about raising hens or keeping bees? Sorting out the permitting issues can be intimidating at first, but let me get you pointed in the right direction.

For chickens, ducks, doves, pigeons, pygmy goats or rabbits if you plan to have three or less (of any combination) no permit is required!

If you do need a permit, don’t worry. It’s a relatively easy process and the rules are pretty common-sense. The inspector is going to want to see that there is enough secured space, ventilation, and light for the animals to stay healthy. In addition, the structure must be at least 15 feet from homes, not including your own. For hoofed or loud animals this is extended to 50 feet. You will need to have a feeding strategy that will not attract rats, which can become a problem in urban environments. For chickens, I tried many different things before discovering a koi feeder that solved this problem. Absorbent ground cover needs to be replaced often in order to keep smells down, straw tends to work very well for this. Your permit application, plus $31 will go to Multnomah County Health Department Vector and Nuisance Control.

You can keep native mason bee houses without a permit, but all honey bee hives require a permit and some additional steps. You will need to notify all neighbors within 150 feet of your property. (It is no longer required to obtain their signatures.) Hives must be at least 15 feet away from any public walkways, streets, parks, public or private buildings (not including your own.) If the hive is closer than 150 feet to any of the aforementioned places, then it must be protected by a 6 foot high fence or hedgerow. Once you have met these requirements, you can submit your permit application along with $12 to Multnomah County Health Department Vector and Nuisance Control. If you plan to have more than 5 hives, you must also register with the Oregon Department of Agriculture. I’d also like to add please make sure that you have a reliable water source for your bees so that they don’t become a nuisance to your neighbors.

For any animal that you are thinking of introducing to your home or yard, please do research to find out what level of commitment it will to keep them happy and healthy. The Urban Farm Store and Bridgetown Bees are great resources in Buckman!

Portland is lucky to have our very own bee club! I’m Vice President of the Portland Urban Beekeepers. It is a great way to learn about beekeeping locally.

Spring and Summer are bee swarm weather! Bee colonies reproduce by sending some bees away to find a new home. If you see a bee swarm in Buckman (or anywhere else in the Portland area,) please call the swarm hotline to report it. The number is: (503) 444-8446. This hotline will call a list of beekeepers until someone is found that can save it.

Gardening for Pollinators

By: L. Leland

We have all read the news stories about the sad plight of pollinators today. Monoculture, pesticides, and loss of habitat are three big reasons they are having issues. With pollinators in decline, plants are suffering as well due to decreased reproduction. Maybe you are concerned, but you don’t know where to start? Luckily there are lots of options for ways you can help!

At a basic level, insects, birds, and mammals are attracted to certain flowers because they have food content. When they eat or collect pollen and nectar, they also pollinate the plant. Providing safe forage is key to their survival. Did you know that many stores carry plants that have been pre-treated with neonicotinoids? This is a class of pesticide that are systemic, causing the plant to produce the poison for years after your purchase! To avoid these, please find nurseries that carry untreated plants, buy organic, or start your own plants from untreated seeds.

One great way to help is to plant a perennial garden that provides flowers over the longest timeline possible throughout the year. If you search for “bloom calendars,” you can find some great resources for planning.

Not all flowers are created equal when it comes to providing food. Take some time to research great pollinator plants, there are some ideas to get you started below.

There are quite a number of native flowers that are great forage plants. A short list includes: Ceanothus, Rhododendron, Mock Orange, Red Osier Dogwood, Red Flowering Currant, and Oregon Grape.

Great perennials: Mint, Echinacea, Lemon Balm, Vitex, Hardy Fuchsia, Comfrey, Rosemary, Aster, Pincushion Flower, Penstemon.

Some fun annuals include: Borage, Poppies, Sunflowers, Crimson Clover, Calendula, Cosmos, Alyssum.

My favorite trees for forage include: Willows, Eucalyptus, Catalpa, Japanese Snowbell, Tulip Poplar, American Basswood, Sourwood, Maples, Magnolia.

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Relax a bit about your lawn. (Or even replace it!) Weeds can provide great food, including Dandelions, Clover, Purple Dead Nettle, and Queen Anne’s Lace.

Adult butterflies will drink nectar from a wide variety of exotic plants, but to support the entire life cycle you have to do some research. For our Oregon State Swallowtail the caterpillars will munch on Arctic Sagebrush, plants in the Sunflower family, and some plants in the Parsley family. Please make sure to research what their eggs, young instars, caterpillars, and chrysalis’ look like so that you do not accidentally destroy the butterflies you are trying to help!

Beyond plants, you can also provide water for our friendly garden visitors. For bees, create a water source that does not move very fast and is filled with rocks and moss so that they do not drown. Butterflies prefer mud puddles because they obtain minerals when they drink (for male butterflies you can add a bit of salt for sodium).

I hope this is enough to spark your interest and get you started! I teach a class called Gardening for Pollinators through the OSU Master Gardeners, so please let me know if your organization would like to host it!

2016 Kerns / Buckman Spring Cleanup

One of the surest signs of spring in Southeast Portland is the annual Kerns/Buckman Neighborhood Cleanup. This year’s event will take place on Saturday, April 16, from 9 am to noon. For those not familiar with the event, the Kerns/Buckman cleanup is a great way to divest yourself of the detritus of daily life that seems to have a way of piling up year after year. Old furniture, electronics, bulk waste, yard debris and more all find a home in the large Cloudburst Recycling bins that are provided each year. It’s a great way to get rid of items that are too large to just leave at the curb on trash day. Please note that certain toxic items cannot be accepted. This list includes fluorescent/CFC bulbs, batteries (including automotive, lithium and household alkaline), and styrofoam.

The cleanup will take place at its usual location in the parking lot of the Hinson Baptist Church, located at the intersection of SE 20th Avenue and SE Salmon Street. People bringing items to the cleanup are asked for a small donation on a sliding scale (typically in the $5–20 range), depending on the size of their load.

Anyone interested in giving their time to help organize and staff the event should contact the BCA board at buckmanboard@googlegroups.com.

26th Annual Buckman Art Show & Sell

A Benefit for Buckman Arts Focus Elementary Join us March 12 & 13, 2016 to explore 140+ art booths, art activities, and more. This beloved Southeast Portland tradition is now in its 26th year. 140 artists and craftspersons will sell their original artwork, furniture, toys, jewelry, textiles, paper creations, photography, paintings, ceramics and more.

In addition to these artists our own Buckman students will be selling their creations. Participating artists donate 30% of their proceeds to benefit the Buckman Elementary School PTA. The remaining 70% goes directly to the artists themselves. Thousands of volunteer hours make this event a win for both participating artists and our school. Free hands-on art activities will be available for kids and there will be food carts on site.

The Buckman Art Show & Sell is a fantastic event for the whole family. Don’t miss it!

Saturday, March 12, 10 am – 6 pm
Sunday, March 13, 10 am – 4 pm

Venue: Buckman Arts Focus Elementary School
320 SE 16th Avenue, Portland, Oregon

Admission: $2–5 suggested donation per person (kids 4 and under free)

For more information: http://buckmanartshow.weebly.com, or http://www.facebook.com/buckmanartshow/

2016 Candidate Forums: March 10 & April 14

Elections for Portland Mayor and Commissioner are happening May 17, 2016. The Buckman Community Association is holding election forums to encourage dialog between residents and candidates. These forums have been very successful in the past. All candidates who have filed for office have been invited to participate. The Commissioner Candidate Forum is Thursday, March 10, 7 pm–9 pm. The Mayoral Candidate Forum is Thursday, April 14, 7 pm–9 pm.

Both forums will be held in the Commissioners Board Room of the Multnomah County Building, 501 SE Hawthorne Blvd. Refreshments will be provided. This is a free event and is open to the public.

The format typically includes: 2–3 minutes opening statement from each candidate Questions from the audience* and prepared topics 2–3 minute response from each candidate 1–2 minute rebuttal Closing statements 1–2 minutes

*Questions from the audience: each candidate will have the opportunity to answer the questions. No questions will be directed at a specific candidate.

Spring 2016 Volunteer Opportunities

FAMILY FUN PAINTING Come out June 4 and 5, 2016 to repaint our street graphics at SE 16th and Ash (June 4) and SE 15th and Alder (June 5).  Festivities start at 9 am blocking off the streets; Painting begins at 10 am. These two events are supported by the neighbors and coordinated through City Repair as part of the Village Building Convergence. At potluck street party will complete the events. Information will be on posters near the sites.

GOT GARDEN? Garden plots are ready for weeding, tilling and planting at three locations. Picture a Garden provides small garden plots for those without yards. A small donation goes to the landlord to pay for summer water. Contact the Buckman Board for more information.

ADOPT A TRAFFIC CIRCLE Pollinator Friendly plants have been established in three Buckman Traffic Circles. Work Parties will be held this spring to clean up, replant (if needed) and maintain the circles. Look for posters in the neighborhood that will announce dates. What’s next, pollinator corridors?

Buckman Street Tree Inventory

The Buckman Street Tree Inventory was completed the summer of 2015 with help from Urban Forestry and local neighbors. Trees along our neighborhood streets were surveyed for species, size, and health.

Findings included:

• Buckman has 4,463 street trees with 98 different species.
• Maples account for 35% of the street trees in Buckman.
• 17 trees have a diameter greater than 4’ across.
• There are 2,363 empty spaces along neighborhood streets eligible for a tree.

Stay posted for details on the annual December Buckman tree planting.

Save Buckman Pool

For the 6th time in 14 years, the city is trying to close Buckman Pool permanently. While this pool is not as intensively used as other pools due to the limitations on its hours (not open to the general public on weekends, closed at 7 pm on weekdays, and not available during some afternoon hours due to school use), it is the only Parks facility in inner SE Portland.

This area of Portland has been promised a community center for over 40 years. Parks will come up with a proposed budget to meet the Mayor’s request for 5% cuts. Budget hearings will be held April 5, May 5 and May 12, 2016. Please participate in these hearings and/or comment on the proposed budget cuts.

If you would like to get involved or get updates visit the Save Buckman Pool Facebook page. An An advocacy group, Friends of Buckman Pool, will be putting together an online survey to help in e orts to support keeping the pool open. Please be sure to check the Buckman Voice e-newsletter or SE Examiner to find a link and fill out the survey when it is issued in March.

Volunteers & Donors Needed for 2015 Buckman Summer Picnic

The Buckman Community Association needs your help to make its 2015 annual picnic a success. The event is scheduled for Sunday August 9^th from 4pm to 8pm at Colonel Summers park and will feature live music, a bounce house, free hot dogs and cold drinks, kids activities, and more. This community event is 100% volunteer run and supported by the generous contributions of neighbors and local business partners. The sixth annual picnic promises to be a great event, but needs your assistance.

Sign Up for a Picnic Volunteer Shift

The BCA is seeking volunteers to work 2-hour shifts during the picnic, Sunday, August 9, 4–8 pm, Sign up to work in one of three areas: set-up, food service, and clean-up. Volunteers are also need to help organize and monitor kids activities.

By volunteering, you’ll have an opportunity to meet neighbors, have fun, and contribute to the Buckman community by donating your time to a worthy cause.

Please email buckmanpicnicteam@googlegroups.com if you are interested in helping out for a couple of hours on the 9th.  If you have a preference, please indicate a preferred duty (set-up, food service, clean-up, kids activities).

Join the Pre-Picnic Park Clean-up Party

Please also join us for a Pre-Picnic Clean Up the Park on Saturday, August 8,  9–11 am.  Bring gloves. Tools and rakes will be provided by Parks. No sign-up necessary, just drop by Colonel Summers Park.

Make a Donation

Businesses and neighbors, sponsor the picnic by making a cash or in-kind donation. Checks should be made by SEUL (SE Uplift) and please include “Buckman Picnic” in the memo line. Mail to: SE Uplift, 3534 SE Main Street, Portland, OR 97214.

Donations are tax deductible. All donors are recognized on the day of the event from the stage, on a large banner and in the next issue of the Buckman Voice, delivered to 4,300 homes and businesses.

Join the Picnic Team

The next Picnic Team meeting is Monday, July 20, 7pm at the Lucky Lab Brew House at 915 SE Hawthorne, and further gatherings will be announced on our Facebook page (Buckman Community Association group). All are welcome to come join the team and help plan all the fun!

Historic Alfred Webb Open House August 16th

National Historic Landmark
Buckman Community Viewing Day
Sunday, August 16, 2015
1–4 pm

The Alfred Webb properties consist of four identical Queen Anne era inspired cottages built by Alfred Webb in 1891. The ensemble of four homes is a Landmark on the National Register of Historic places located at the corner of SE 15^th and Belmont St., and you are invited for a viewing hosted by the owner on Sunday, August 16^th from 1–4pm.  The event will be family friendly, feature light refreshments and a tours every 20 minutes. The interior of one house will be available for viewing.

The 15^th Street gate – between 822 SE 15^th and 1503 SE Belmont – will be open for visitors to walk in and meet in the back courtyard.

Come support the current owner’s initiative to preserve and rehabilitate the properties by joining for the festivities and learning more one of the Historic treasures of the Buckman neighborhood!

Learn more at:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_Webb_Investment_Properties

Is there a Furball in Your Future?

House of Dreams Cat Shelter is a long-standing, local 501(c)3 non-profit. Our mission is to provide shelter and care for abandoned and homeless cats, with the goal of finding them permanent homes or providing them a lifetime home in our facility. We are a free-roam, no-kill, all-volunteer cat shelter located in NE Portland. We are one of the only area shelters with facilities for Feline Leukemia Positive kitties and have been helping kitties and reducing our region’s euthanasia rate since 1999.

We have many wonderful kitties of all ages, sizes and colors looking for long-term, indoor, caring homes. Please contact us today to tour our residential free-roam shelter and meet your furry soulmate.

There are many ways to help: from cleaning the shelter or socializing with the cats to crafting for one of our fundraisers or donating professional services. We have over 85 active volunteers of all ages and interests.

Mission: Adoptable

Current adoption specials:

• Adopt a senior kitty (8+ years) for only $25 – a $40 savings.
• Adopt a Feline Leukemia Positive kitty, any age, for only $25 – a $40 savings.
• Through our Seniors for Seniors Program a senior (65+ years) can adopt a senior kitty (8+ years) for no cost.
• All other kitties are $65 to adopt. Fee includes all vaccines, spay/neuter and home delivery within the Portland area.

Find out more at: http://www.kittydreams.org/ or 503-262-0703

See great photos on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube!

HoD is a network partner of the Best Friends Animal Society and Guidestar Participant – Silver Level.

Permit Parking Zone S is Here

In late May, residents in the inner Buckman area voted to begin a new Area Parking Permit Program (APPP) named Zone S. Fifty-eight residents were notified and 37 returned ballots, of those 30 voted in favor of the new zone. This summer the signs will be posted for a 2-hour visitor limit from 7 am to 6 pm Monday–Friday and a 90-minute visitor limit from 6 pm–midnight all nights. Residents who enroll in the program will pay $60 annually for each vehicle. Residents may purchase extra permits for frequent guests or purchase one-day scratch-off cards (a book of 10 for $10). No one has to purchase permits.  The Inner Buckman Parking Committee will wait until the new rules go into effect before deciding to add more block faces to the list below.  Inner Buckman has become a popular area to Park ‘n Ride and the impact of the businesses and events at Washington High School has added to the parking challenge.

Currently, the following blocks are part of Zone S:

• SE 14^th East Side: 300–600 blocks
• SE 14^th West Side: 300 block
• SE Oak South Side: 1400 blockS
• SE 15^th West Side: 600 block
• SE Alder North Side: 1400 block

Find out more about the program online:
http://www.portlandoregon.gov/transportation/article/83231

—Submitted by Nancy Oberschmidt

Neighborhood Small Grant Applications Due Jan 5th

Do you have a small but powerful idea for strengthening your neighborhood? Perhaps you want to revive a forgotten city tradition? Host a civics workshop? Organize a tenant rights forum? Paint an intersection mural? Create a community garden?

SE Uplift invites ordinary Portlanders like you to shape and create your neighborhood by applying for a Neighborhood Small Grant. Grants range from $300-$4,000 and are intended to spur small, grassroots community efforts aimed at connecting and engaging residents, building community capacity, improving neighborhood livability, or increasing community impact on public decision making.

Attend one of the Grant Information Workshops at SE Uplift (3534 SE Main) to learn more!

Saturday, November 15th: 10 am – noon

Wednesday, November 19th:  7 pm – 9 pm

For more information and to RSVP for a workshop, visit www.seuplift.org/NSG

Parking Strip Gardens

The Sustainability Committee of the Buckman Community Association manages small community gardens usually located in the parking (planting) strip. Do you have a location that we could develop? This is a much better use of the space than lawn! We have three locations that you can check out —SE 27th and Salmon, 714 SE 19th and SE 15th and Alder. The property owner gets a check from each gardener for the water and we provide a much needed service for the community. Note: Portland Parks and Recreation has Community Gardens, but they have a long waiting list. Email buckmanboard@googlegroups.com if you know of a suitable sunny spot.

Proposed Rezoning in the 2035 Comprehensive Plan

As part of the 2035 Comprehensive Plan, the Portland Bureau of Planning and Sustainability has proposed rezoning for several properties in the Buckman neighborhood along SE Stark Street, 12th Avenue, Belmont and Morrison. Some of the properties currently zoned for residential could be designated commercial, allowing for higher density development. Other properties, currently zoned for industrial use, could become EX, also allowing for commercial and residential uses.

While this process, criteria for selection and specific properties chosen have been proposed by Planning Bureau staff, all concerns are being directed to the Planning and Sustainability Commission which is currently receiving comments and feedback about the proposed zoning changes via the web, public hearing or mailed testimony. To see what specific changes are proposed, visit the graphic interface at http://www.portlandmaps.com/bps/cpmapp2/

You can then submit your feedback, opinions or concerns these ways.

Online: directly via the map app. Email: Send to psc@portlandoregon.gov  with “Comprehensive Plan Testimony” in the subject line.

To testify in person, attend the last public hearing, November 4, 2014 at 4 p.m. 1900 SW 4th Avenue, Room 2500A

Via mail: Send a letter with your comments to the Planning and Sustainability Commission, 1900 SW 4th Avenue, Portland, OR 97201-5380

Note: To be considered valid testimony in any form and included in the record, all comments must include the sender’s full name and address. Omitting this critical information will also deny the sender the option and eligibility to appeal. The deadline for public comment on all these changes has been extended to March 13, 2015, but don’t delay as the hearings are all winding down.

Your opinions do matter. Speak to your neighbors about the proposed changes and organize them to send comments too. To contact the BCA and get help with land use and zoning issues, email: buckmanboard@googlegroups.com.

Lone Fir Cemetery Cultural Heritage Garden Will Honor History

In 2011, National Geographic included Lone Fir as one of the top ten cemeteries in the world to visit. While Lone Fir is a jewel in the heart of the Buckman neighborhood, one part of the cemetery is strewn with gravel, old concrete, broken glass and weeds. This seemingly forgotten corner of the cemetery has a rich past and story to tell. Members of the Lone Fir Cemetery Foundation Board presented at the October 9th Buckman Community Association meeting and gave an update on efforts to develop the southwest corner of the cemetery at SE 20th and SE Morrison, known as Block 14, and to tell the stories buried there.

Block 14 is in the southwest corner of Lone Fir Cemetery. The Lone Fir Cemetery Foundation seeks to take this blank slate and aesthetically reunite it with the rest of Lone Fir to create a new, visible entrance to the cemetery in honor of those now-anonymous souls who were buried in this nondescript corner.

Block 14 is an empty lot that formerly housed a County building; there are no trees, greenery or headstones in this part of the cemetery. But the Lone Fir Cemetery Foundation and Metro, the owner of the cemetery, have plans to develop Block 14 into a Cultural Heritage Garden that will honor the early Chinese workers and patients from a pioneer-era asylum that are buried there and provide an inviting and beautiful entrance to the cemetery.

Plans include a new entrance to Lone Fir Cemetery that includes welcoming signs with information about the Cultural Heritage Garden and the history of the cemetery.

A master plan for the Cultural Heritage Garden was completed in 2008 with the support of Metro and the involvement of a diverse group of community members, including the Buckman Community Association, and history experts. Today the Lone Fir Cemetery Foundation is collaborating with government agencies to identify and secure the funding needed to bring the vision to life. The Foundation’s campaign has set a $3 million goal for the creation of the Cultural Heritage Garden. Foundation Board Chair Mary Faulkner invites everyone to get involved and help the Cultural Heritage Garden become a reality.

To learn more about the Lone Fir Cemetery Cultural Heritage Garden and how to get involved to support the project, visit the Lone Fir Cemetery Foundation www.lonefir.org. You can also follow the Foundation on Facebook.

Submitted by Lake Strongheart McTighe

Transportation Update: East Burnside Safety Project and Ankeny Diverter

The East Burnside Safety Project has implemented Phase One, restriping of the street from 14th to 32nd. There is now one westbound lane and a center turn lane. In the spring of 2015, Phase Two will add median islands and marked crosswalks at the intersections of 18th, 22nd and 24th. For more about the Burnside Safety Project: https://www.portlandoregon.gov/transportation/61206

At the October BCA meeting, PBOT presented a proposal to add a diverter at the intersection of 15th and Ankeny from the NW corner to the SE corner, preventing cut through traffic from using Ankeny to avoid the Burnside/Couch couplet. There will be a public meeting for community feedback, which will be announced through the BCA’s blog and Facebook page. To send feedback to PBOT about the Ankeny Divider, email Roger.Geller@portlandoregon.gov

Submitted by Greg Molliet

PDC Seeks to Make Changes in the Central Eastside Urban Reneweal Area

On December 17th, the Portland City Council will host a public hearing on amendments to six urban renewal areas (URAs). The package of changes includes a potential expansion of the Central Eastside URA that would provide funding for infrastructure and redevelopment investments that would create jobs, particularly near the new Portland/Milwaukie Light Rail station areas.

Background

On May 7, 2014, Portland City Council through Resolution No. 37072 directed the Portland Development Commission and City of Portland staff to begin processing amendments to six urban renewal areas (URAs). With approval, these amendments would reduce the impact of urban renewal on taxing jurisdictions; provide resources to meet economic development, redevelopment, and affordable housing goals; and support Portland State University. Specific to the Buckman neighborhood area, the package of changes includes a potential expansion of the Central Eastside URA that would provide funding for infrastructure and redevelopment investments that would create jobs, particularly near the new Portland/Milwaukie Light Rail station areas.

With amendment approval, the inner east side might see the following:

• More resources to invest in projects in the Central Eastside Urban Renewal Area, SE 12th Avenue west to the Willamette River, such as storefront improvement grants and other business assistance along commercial corridors (e.g., MLK and Grand).
• Increased funding would be available for PDC to purchase and redevelop the ‘ODOT blocks’ (the three vacant properties near the base of the Hawthorne Bridge).
• Additional resources to invest in infrastructure improvements near the Clinton Triangle area that would increase pedestrian and automobile access near the intersection of SE 12th and Powell Blvd.
• It is estimated that the changes would provide approximately $6 million in additional resources to invest in affordable housing. Portland Housing Bureau staff and the URA Amendment Advisory Committee have discussed the possibility of investing the ~$6 million in affordable housing in the Clinton Triangle area near the new light rail station.

On December 17, 2014, City Council will host a public hearing on the proposed amendments.

For additional information, visit the project website: http://www.pdc.us/for-partners/public-participation/ura-amendments.aspx

Submitted by Susan Lindsay