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.

New Apartments and Parking: Updated FAQ

The City recently provided us with an updated FAQ on parking requirements for new apartment developments. The document is attached below. Here’s the text of the City’s e-mail:

Attached please find an updated copy of the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) memo.  The memo includes three new questions (#1, #2 and #3).  Question #1 includes information from the November 13th Planning and Sustainability public forum and the January 10th City Council session.  It also includes information on next steps.  Question #7 has been updated to include four additional upcoming apartments: three on N Mississippi and one on N Vancouver.

A proposed set of near-term regulatory changes will be released the beginning of February 2013.  A public hearing with the Planning and Sustainability Commission is now scheduled for March 12, 2013 at 12:30 p.m. at 1900 SW 4th Avenue, Room 2500 A.  Public testimony on the draft proposal will be invited at the hearing.  Longer term solutions will be discussed as part of the Comprehensive Plan Update.

New apartments and parking January 2013

Survey on recent apartment building development projects

We recently heard from a Buckman resident about an online survey that was put together by a group of community members who are concerned about the recent spate of new apartment building developments without off-street parking. Read on for details:

Neighborhood Apartment Parking Survey
Sponsored by Citywide Land Use Group

Dear Neighbors and Community Leaders:

Our Portland community is experiencing unprecedented growth in the development of apartment buildings that include little or no off-street parking. Although a number of these types of older apartments remain along the former trolley lines, the approval of 28 new apartment buildings over the past 18 months has alarmed most of us.

Due to the recent community outcry regarding the approval of so many apartment buildings with no parking, the City’s Bureau of Planning and Sustainability (BPS) is conducting a study of residents and neighbors of eight of these older buildings. As a group of volunteers that make up the Citywide Land Use Group, we felt it was important to conduct our own, complementary survey. This survey is the result of our Apartment Parking Task Force and Editing Team’s work on the no-parking issue over the past four months. It is our attempt to clarify your concerns and needs.  We want to give neighborhoods the opportunity to provide constructive criticism to the City on this issue.

Click here to start filling out the questionnaire

In our view, the City, Metro, and the State are each dealing with competing goals. These include reducing air pollution, traffic congestion, and storm water run-off, while at the same time retaining and enhancing neighborhood livability, high density residential, affordable housing, living-wage jobs and vibrant local businesses. The recent development of apartments with little or no off street parking is a direct result of these policies.

Portland is not alone in dealing with reduced parking in new apartment developments. Other cities we reviewed included Seattle, San Francisco, and Denver.

Our contention is that the city needs to begin a dialogue with the neighborhood associations and business communities to help understand the impact of these goals and policies on our daily lives. We offer that Portland contains the most creative and enthusiastic community that could be brought to the table for this discussion. Together, it is likely we will come up with a range of ideas and equitable solutions.

The results of this Apartment Parking Neighborhood Survey as well as the BPS parking study will both be presented to the Portland Planning and Sustainability Commission at their November 13th Forum. This is but the first step in helping broker a dialogue between the City of Portland and its concerned neighborhoods on this issue.

The survey questionnaire should take you about 10 to 15 minutes to complete.

Buckman Community Association Land Use Meeting, October 18th

This Thursday, October 18th, a Buckman Community Association Land Use Meeting will be held to discuss proposed development at 2607/2625 SE Hawthorne Blvd.  The meeting will be in the Multnomah County Board Room, 501 SE Hawthorne Blvd., 7-8:30pm.

These two magnificent and grand 106 year-old historic houses were purchased at the end of last month.  The new owners plan to build a 4-story, 77-unit apartment building where these homes (currently full of commercial tenants) now lie.  Here is what they currently look like.

The tenants were unaware the property was being sold and were all given immediate 30-day eviction notices.  The former owner, who has held these properties for decades, has said he feels sick about the plans to tear them down and did not know this was planned.  These properties are now in real danger of being demolished imminently to make way for this new, large development..

The developer, Aaron Jones, and SERA Principle Architect Kurt Schultz have been invited to the meeting so they can hear concerns about this proposal, and give information to community members.  Concerned members of the community are asked to attend.  Ideas, suggestions and proposed solutions to save these important properties are welcome and wanted!

For more information on the proposal: http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2012/10/developers_are_planning_a_77-u.html

If you are unable to attend, but are interested in saving the buildings, please contact myself and/or Tim Askin, BCA Secretary and Co-Land Use Chair (tim.askin@gmail.com).  You can also contact the entire BCA Board anytime at buckmanboard@googlegroups.com.

Thank you,
Susan Lindsay
Chair, BCA

Washington High School Community Center Update

An important step towards the creation of a full-service community center at the Washington High School property has recently occurred. The City of Portland Hearing Officer has issued approval for a Master Plan to provide conditional use at the site of 12th and SE Stark for the construction of the community center in two phases.  The Master Plan remains valid for ten years.

Phase one of new construction would include the aquatics center, changing rooms, fitness, wood studio and parking lot/field. Phase two would be the gymnasiums.  While there is currently zero funding for the construction of the center, having land use approval in place enables phase one to be built as soon as funding occurs. This center, as well as other city-wide projects, will likely seek funding via a future, comprehensive Portland Parks bond. The BCA has been active and involved with this project for years, and all updates on the future community center are shared at monthly meetings when they occur.

The full decision can be read here: http://www.portlandonline.com/bds/index.cfm?c=46578&a=409397

BDS hearing on Conditional Use Master Plan (CUMP) for the Washington High Community Center

We recently received notice from the Bureau of Development Services that the hearing date for the Conditional Use Master Plan (CUMP) for the Washington High Community Center (WHCC) will be held on July 23rd at 9:30 am before the City’s Land Use Hearings Officer.  The hearing location is 1900 SW 4th Street, Suite 3000.  Residents who live within 400’ of the WHCC site will receive an individually-mailed notice of the hearing. There will be opportunity for the applicant and the neighborhood association to testify at the hearing.  Testimony from other interested parties also will be taken.  If you are unable to attend the hearing but want to submit comments, you can send an e-mail to the Senior Planner assigned to the case, Kathleen Stokes, at kathleen.stokes@portlandoregon.gov, up until July 22nd. She will then present all written communications to the Hearings Officer. You may also present written testimony at the hearing itself if you prefer that to testifying in public. Written testimony is given the same weight as oral testimony.

Once the public record is closed, typically at the end of the hearing, the Hearings Officer has 17 days to render his decision. Then follows a 14-day appeal period. Only people who have submitted written or oral testimony at the public hearing have “standing” to appeal. If no appeal is filed, the Hearings Officer’s decision will become final. If an appeal is filed, the City Council will schedule a hearing usually within one month. The appeal hearing at City Council is run in the same manner as the initial hearing before the Hearings Officer. The City Council’s decision is final at the local level, although opponents can carry their appeal further to the Land Use Board of Appeals.

Approval for the CUMP means that development of this project could move forward once funds are available.  This CUMP will be valid for 10 years.

SE Oak Street Sewer Replacement Project – DELAYED

We recently received this e-mail from the city about the SE Oak sewer replacement project.

SE Oak Street Sewer Replacement Project Delayed
April 1, 2012
Contact: Joe Annett, 503-823-2934 or joseph.annett@portlandoregon.gov

Environmental Services has delayed this project until spring or summer 2013. The city was not able to secure all the easements necessary to begin construction this summer. The project now scheduled for next year will replace sewer lines in poor condition on SE Oak Street between SE 10th and SE 18th avenues.

Email joseph.annett@portlandoregon.gov with “SE Oak Sewer Project” in the subject line to receive future project updates by email. You can also find current project information at http://www.portlandonline.com/bes/oakstreet.

Regional Green Building Hotline

We were recently contacted about a hotline service available to homeowners who are looking for information on green home strategies. Read on for details.

Going Green and Saving Resources
Metro, the City of Portland, Multnomah, Washington and Clackamas Counties offer a community resource serving our region: the Regional Green Building Hotline.  For over four years, the Hotline has provided practical tips and useful information about green home strategies, including resources and incentives for new and existing commercial and residential projects in the region.  The Hotline has answered thousands of questions about ways to reduce your carbon footprint, renewable energy, indoor air quality, salvage, doing more with less, training workshops and more.  The free service is a bridge to the information you need to help you begin, wherever you are.

Inquiries are welcomed from homeowners, renters, real estate professionals, non-profits, contractors, students, developers, business owners and design professionals in the tri-county area. It is the Hotline’s intent to inspire callers to incorporate as many sustainable choices, either material or behavioral, into their projects as they would like.  The Hotline can also help callers overcome perceived barriers and obstacles around green building.

Green Building Questions Answered Here!
Looking for effective ways to save money on utility bills? Which local green programs and incentives are available to me today? What is the WaterSense label? How can I retrofit my house to healthily age-in-place?  Where can I attend a free class to build a rain garden?

Can I get a rebate for planting a tree? Does my new water heater qualify for a tax credit?

Try this free community service from Metro, City of Portland, Clackamas, Multnomah and Washington Counties.

Regional Green Building Hotline 503.823.5431
A service within the Green Development Resource Center
http://www.buildgreen411.com
greenhotline@portlandoregon.gov

Connect:
Facebook ~ Green Development Resource Center
Twitter ~ @greenhotline

Save the date for the 11th Annual City of Portland Build It Green! Home Tour on Saturday, September 22, 2012.

TONIGHT: Meeting at SEUL about proposed new Portland Housing Bureau policy

This in from Christine Yun, a Buckman resident and Buckman Historic Association member:

The Portland Housing Bureau is proposing new areas to receive incentives that would expand a program that gives private developers 10 years free of taxes when they build new market rate apartment structures as long as they include some affordable housing.

The new areas include significant portions of Belmont and Morrison Streets in Buckman. You can see the map here.

This topic will be discussed tonight at the month SE Uplift Land Use and Sustainability Committee meeting. Details below:

SE Uplift
3534 SE Main Street
7:00pm

This is a link to a page on the Portland Housing Bureau’s website with more information on the tax incentive policy: http://www.portlandonline.com/phb/index.cfm?c=57699.

Update: We’ve received an info sheet with more details on the PHB policy.

Historic Preservation League of Oregon: Adaptive Reuse of Historic Schools, Thursday, February 9th

The Historic Preservation League of Oregon is hosting an event to discuss the reuse of historic school buildings, including our very own Washington High School. See below for details.

http://historicpreservationleague.ning.com/events/adaptive-reuse-of-historic-schools-1

Time: February 9, 2012 from 7pm to 8:30pm
Location: Buckman School, 320 SE 16th Avenue, Portland OR

How can historic school buildings find new life? Which schools in the Portland area are “historic,” and which are not? What will be the fate of the long-vacant Washington High School? Who is taking care of the historic schools that will continue to operate as K-12 facilities?

Join the Historic Preservation League of Oregon as we discuss some creative ideas that have been used to save historic school buildings across the Pacific Northwest. The program will include a Prezi presentation by HPLO staff, as well as a panel discussion by several regional experts in historic school use and reuse. Be it Portland or Salem or Corbett, if you have a vacant, underused, or at-risk historic school in your neighborhood this is a program to be sure not to miss.

Panelists include Cathy Galbraith (Executive Director, Bosco-Milligan Foundation), Kirk Ranzetta (Cultural Resources Specialist, Cardno ENTRIX), Melissa Darby (Principal, Lower Columbia Research & Archaeology), Jen Sohm (Project Manager, Office of School Modernization, PPS), and Bob Alexander (Program Director, Planning and Asset Management, PPS).

Suggested donation $5 at the door.

SE Oak Street Sewer Replacement Project Update

Date: January 5, 2012
Contact: Joe Annett, 503-823-2934 or joseph.annett@portlandoregon.gov

This project will replace sewer pipes which are in poor condition on SE Oak Street from SE 10th to SE 18th avenues and some adjacent streets (see map on back).

Schedule
Construction is scheduled to begin in late spring 2012 and continue through fall 2012.

Construction Method
The city’s contractor will primarily use the open trench excavation method which includes the following steps:

• Cut trench in pavement
• Remove pavement and material
• Install pipe
• Restore the construction site

Construction Impacts
There will be noise, vibration, dust, traffic congestion, temporary parking loss, lane reductions, street closures in the construction zone, and disruption to normal neighborhood activity.

Public Meeting
You’re invited to a public information meeting on Wednesday, January 25 at the Buckman School Library from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.  Project staff will present a short overview of the project at 6:30 p.m.

Marie Wright
Community Relations
City of Portland | Bureau of Environmental Services
1120 SW 5th Avenue
Portland, Oregon 97204
Phone: 503-823-5352
Fax: 503-823-6995
marie.wright@portlandoregon.gov

Training: The ABC’s of Land Use

The ABC’s of Land Use
Sponsored by the Office of Neighborhood Involvement, The Bureau of Development Services and SE Uplift
Saturday, January 28th
9:00 AM to 1:00 PM
SE Uplift Neighborhood Coalition
3534 SE Main Street
Portland, OR 97214

Learn the basics of how the City of Portland’s land use and development review process works. Get hands-on experience with a land use review case study, including review of a development proposal and site plan, identification of relevant issues and effective ways to respond to the approval criteria.

Introduction by Leah Dawkins, SE Uplift Neighborhood Coalition. Presented by Barry Manning, Bureau of Planning and Sustainability, and Paul Leistner, Office of Neighborhood Involvement.

Refreshments will be provided. The workshop is free, but pre-registration is required. Space is limited to 40 participants. REGISTER ONLINE HERE.

Who should attend:

• Neighborhood and Business Association land use activists
• Anyone thinking about getting more active with their Association’s land use committees
• Anyone interested in general city-related land use decision-making processes

What you will learn:

• What does it mean to be a neighborhood land use chairperson?
• Overview of the State, Metro and City land use planning framework
• The Planning Bureau’s Distric Liason Program
• The Comprehensive Plan and Zoning Code
• How to access and read Zoning Maps
• What is a Land Use Review and how it differs from a building permit
• Comparison of the Land Use Review Processes: Type I, II, IIx, and III
• How to read and respond to a Land Use Review Notice
• Perspectives of an experienced Neighborhood Representative
• The Appeal process

To register online, you need to have a PortlandOnline account. If you do not, you will be prompted to set up an account. Enter your contact information and select this workshop to register. Space is limited to the first 40 people who register.

For more information or help registering, please contact: Leah Dawkins at 503.232.0010 ext. 314 or leah@southeastuplift.org

Transportation and Directions:
Directions: SE Uplift is located at 3534 SE Main Street, two blocks norht of Hawthorne Blvd, and three blocks west of SE Cesar Chavez Blvd.
Auto: Parking is available in the lot located on SE 35th and Madison, behind SE Uplift.
Buses: SE Uplift is accessible by Tri-Met Bus Lines 14, 15 and 75. For schedules, call Tri-Met at 503.238.7433 or visit the Trip Planner online at http://www.trimet.org.

Accessibility:  
To help ensure equal access to City programs, services and activities, the City of Portland will reasonably modify policies/procedures and will provide auxiliary aids/services to persons with disabilities. Call 503.823.5284, TTY 503.823.6868 with such requests. Call 7 days advance to request assistance for any accessibility accommodation and/or language interpretation. Limited number of child care vouchers available. Workshop location is wheelchair accessible.

Co-Sponsored by:
SE Uplift Neighborhood Coalition, City of Portland Office of Neighborhood Involvement and City of Portland Bureau of Planning and Sustainability.

Accessory Dwelling Unit Class

We recently received an e-mail from a neighbor who is offering a class in how to design and building an Accessory Dwelling Unit:

Sir or Madam,

You are receiving this email because you are listed as a point of contact on a Portland neighborhood association website. I am reaching out to neighborhood associations to make sure that Portland homeowners are aware of a ~$10,000 incentive from the City of Portland that is available to homeowners who build accessory dwelling units on their property between now and June, 2013.

ADUs are small, standalone houses, sometimes converted from old garages, and sometimes built as new construction, are called Accessory Dwelling Units, or “ADUs”. Building an ADU on a property is neither cheap nor simple, but if you’re a homeowner with an inclination to have an ADU on your property, NOW is a great time to think about building one. Not only does Portland’s zoning code allow ADUs to be developed on most residential lots, but in an attempt to promote more ADUs within city limits, Portland has temporarily waived System Development Charges (which typically cost $7-12K) through June, 2013. Given that we’re now starting our way in 2012, many homeowners are thinking more seriously about building an ADU on their property.

If you are a homeowner in the area, maybe you’d like some flexible living space for a family member, or maybe you’d like to have some additional rental income, or maybe like me, you actually want to live in a smaller space that you built yourself and rent out the larger house. It’s also notable that building an ADU is one of the most ‘green’ decisions you can make for your city. Last month, Energy Trust of Oregon recently added ADUs to their list of residential structures eligible to receive a monetary incentive for energy efficient design (for qualifying structures, this incentive can be ~$2K).

In the course of building, and now living in, my ADU in NE Portland, I became so passionate about seeing more of them built that I have begun to offer classes to help other homeowners who want to build one. The one-day class is an on-ramp to the elaborate process of designing and building an ADU. The class will cover the spectrum of information that homeowners need to know to design and build an ADU on their property and is intended to help homeowner’s understand the ADU design, permit, management, and building process.

If you’re interested in learning more about building an ADU, visit http://pdxadu.blogspot.com/p/adu-class.html or http://accessorydwellings.org.

Class: Building an Accessory Dwelling Unit on Your Property in Portland, Oregon
Saturday, January 21st. 9am-5pm.  Register here: http://pdxadu3.eventbrite.com.

I would appreciate if you could post some of this information from this email to your neighborhood association website, to neighborhood association listserv, and/or post the information about the ADU class to your neighborhood association calendar. If you have other suggestions on how to help spread the word to homeowners in your neighborhood about ADUs, I’m all ears. Meanwhile, thanks for helping to spread the word to your neighbors,
-Kol
617) 834-4114

First Look: New development at 20th & Morrison

At our most recent general meeting on December 8th, David Mullens from Creston Construction visited us to speak about the new residential apartment building development going up at SE 20th & Morrison. Some may remember this location as the site of another proposed development project that aroused quite a bit of ire among neighbors several years ago. That project eventually fell by the wayside as a result of neighborhood input and the weak economy.

This new project appears to face no such hurdles. Although Mr. Mullens faced some significant questioning from the neighbors present at last week’s meeting, the general consensus seemed to be that this project represents an improvement over the last one. The main area of concern was around parking. The development will only have 12 on-site parking spaces, although it boasts over 70 units. Mr. Mullens stressed that the developers will be aggressively marking this property to tenants without cars, and will also be offering some perks to its residents such as TriMet passes. As for economic factors, the project is apparently well-funded enough that Mr. Mullens was able to speak with some confidence of a planned late-January/early-February start to construction. Construction is expected to last about a year.

Mr. Mullens shared some images of the plans with us. These can be viewed below.

 

 

Portland Plan Cheat Sheet

Got this e-mail from the always awesome Leah Dawkins at SE Uplift:

Hi Everyone- By now, most of you should know that the Portland Plan Draft is available for review. I have read the long version and with the help of Matt Wickstrom,  I put together a cheat-sheet to assist you in reviewing the document. I have highlighted sections I think will be particularly interesting or relevant to SE Uplift neighborhoods and I have hopefully addressed some of the more confusing parts of the document. The cheat-sheet is just full of suggestions, please read the whole document if you have the time and the interest! You can find the documents here: http://www.portlandonline.com/portlandplan/ and I have one photocopy of the summary document for each neighborhood which you can pick up here at the office. The hearings start on Wednesday, November 9th. The first one is at Jefferson High School from 5:30 to 9:00 PM. Please let me know if you have any questions!

Thanks, Leah

—
Leah Dawkins
Land Use Program Manager
SE Uplift Neighborhood Coalition
3534 SE Main Street
Portland OR 97217
503-232-0010 ext. 314
http://www.southeastuplift.org

Click here to check out the cheat sheet:

PortlandPlanCheatSheet

A Perspective on the Buckman Historic District

We recently received an e-mail from a Buckman resident with some questions and concerns about the proposed Historic District in Buckman:

I own an historic home in Buckman that we have lovingly restored over many years. I am concerned that it will become more difficult and more expensive to do the kind of good work that we are doing to our home. In addition, I am concerned that some of the good infill that is happening in our neighborhood will come to a stop while the old, ugly, and poorly build 70s development will continue to fall into disrepair. Is there a way for me to log my concerns and hear feedback?

We know there are many people in Buckman who probably have similar concerns. Tim Askin, a member of both the BCA board and the Buckman Historic Association, weighed in with his thoughts:

We thank you for your interest in the project and your concern. We in fact share many of your concerns. The city’s design review fees are both unreasonable and counterproductive. They are admittedly the highest such fees in Oregon and as research by the Irvington Neighborhood Association has shown, they are most likely the highest in the nation. The Buckman Historic Association and presumably the Buckman Community Association will be joining with Irvington, the Architectural Heritage Center, and many other neighborhoods in filing written complaints to the city and forcing current mayoral and council candidates to address the issue in public forums.

As to your own restoration projects and that of our neighbors’, presumably most of your work is interior. The historic district does not add any new regulation to interiors. It simply tries to assure that exterior changes are done sensitively and appropriately as yours have been. I am sure you have seen several beautiful 19th century houses all around Buckman and Portland where insensitive additions and changes have been made.

Finally, as to infill. Most of the recent projects in Buckman have been much more tasteful than the buildings constructed in the 60s and 70s. However, they have not necessarily been as respectful of their neighbors in size, scale, or massing as might have been liked (without regard to anyone’s preferences on design/style/aesthetics). Within the district boundary (http://visitahc.org/files/pdf/Buckman_Map.pdf) there is simply no inventory whatsoever of vacant, buildable land (Washington High School notwithstanding, the city that owns the grounds now and PPS which maintains ownership of the building are not going to part with those parcels under any circumstances). One of the primary goals of this project is to prevent demolitions of the wonderful buildings we currently have, which historically has been by developers who have no social stake in our community. Nothing in the city’s historic district regulations will prevent demolition of buildings constructed after 1938 (in Buckman’s district, the cutoff year is district-specific).

To this point, the Buckman Community Association has taken no official stance on the district proposal. I have been asked to draft the response, but I cannot speak on its behalf. I speak only for myself and the separate Buckman Historic Association.

As Tim mentioned, the BCA has taken no formal position on the Historic District effort. Our goal at this time is more to facilitate community members’ involvement in this interesting and important process.

Bosco-Milligan Foundation weighs in on draft Portland Plan

The Bosco-Milligan Foundation has drafted a letter containing their formal response to the draft Portland Plan. You can read the letter by clicking here: BMF_PortlandPlanCommentsNov2011.

 

Planning and Sustainability Commission extends deadline for written testimony on Portland Plan

Last week, the Planning and Sustainability Commission (PSC) completed the second of three hearings on the Portland Plan. I am encouraged by the depth and thoughtfulness of the comments we have heard so far.

The Commission will hold one more public hearing on November 29th and then will have work sessions in December and January. A final recommendation to Council is expected on January 10th.

Your comments are extremely important to the success of this plan. Originally public testimony was to end on November 30th, just after the last PSC hearing, however several people have asked for an extension. In response, we have extended the deadline for written testimony through December 28th. Oral testimony will be closed after the hearing on November 29th.

Thank you in advance for your thoughtful review and continued work with the Portland Plan.

All the best,
Susan Anderson
Director, City of Portland Bureau of Planning and Sustainability

Hearing and Work Sessions

Hearing: November 29, 2011 (oral and written testimony welcome)
1900 SW 4th Avenue, 2nd floor
Portland, OR 97201
5:30 p.m.

Work Session: December 13, 2011 (written testimony only)
1900 SW 4th Avenue, 2nd floor
Portland, OR 97201
12:30 p.m.

Work Session: January 10, 2011 (no testimony taken)
1900 SW 4th Avenue, 2nd floor
Portland, OR 97201
12:30 p.m.

To submit written comments

Written comments on the Portland Plan will be accepted until December 28, 2011.

By email: Send comments to psc@portlandoregon.gov with the subject line “Portland Plan testimony.”

By mail: Send a letter with your comments to the Planning and Sustainability Commission, 1900 SW 4th Ave., Portland, OR 97201-5380, Attn: Portland Plan testimony.

For more information or if you have questions, please call 503-823-1303.

Tips for commenting

When submitting testimony to the PSC (whether in person or in writing), please share the following:

*   What part of the plan are you testifying about?
*   What are the reasons you like something or would like to change something? Facts that support your reasons are always a good idea.
*   How does the proposal affect you or your organization?

Because of the anticipated volume of testifiers, oral comments at the November 29th meeting will be limited to 3 minutes per person.

Portland Plan Hearing with the Planning and Sustainability Commission

This is the final public hearing open to testimony about the Portland Plan. The written comment deadline has been extended through December 28th, 2011, so if you are unable to attend this hearing, you still have the opportunity to  comment on the Draft Portland Plan.

http://www.portlandonline.com/bps/index.cfm?event_id=56559&mode=calendar&cal=DisplayEvent&a=0&c=35452

Tuesday, November 29th
5:30 to 9:00 PM
1900 SW 4th Avenue, Conference Room 2500
Portland, OR

The Portland Plan Has Arrived!

Received this e-mail yesterday from SE Uplift with news about the Portland Plan:

 

The much anticipated Portland Plan Draft has been released and is available on-line for public review and testimony. I encourage you to take a look at the shorter document to at least get a feel for the Plan and its contents. You can find both the summary and the full-length documents here. If you would like to see the printed documents and are unable to print them, we have copies available at SE Uplift for review. We will also provide a copy of the summary document to each neighborhood association. Please come pick one up when you get a chance. Once you have had a chance to wrap your head around the Plan, you should tell the Planning and Sustainability Commission what you think! The PSC will be holding public hearings on the Portland Plan throughout November. The hearing schedule is listed below:

Portland Plan Hearings with the Planning and Sustainability Commission
This is your opportunity to make your voice heard about the Draft Portland Plan. Hearings are open to comment about any subject pertaining to the Portland Plan Draft. Please feel free to attend any or all of the hearings.

Tuesday, November 8th
5:30 to 9:00 PM
Jefferson High School
5210 N. Kerby, Portland OR

Tuesday, November 15th
5:30 to 9:00 PM
Parkrose High School
12003 NE Shaver Street, Portland OR

Tuesday, November 29th
5:30 to 9:00 PM
1900 SW 4th Avenue, Conference Room 2500
Portland, OR

Lastly, I am creating a “cheat-sheet” for SE Uplift Coalition neighborhoods to help you review the Plan. It will identify sections we think are especially important or interesting to our neighborhoods. This is meant to help people more efficiently read the Portland Plan and comment on sections that will directly affect your neighborhoods. We will post this on the SE Uplift website and send it out to people on our Land Use Committee listserve. If you have any questions or comments while reviewing the Portland Plan, please get in touch! I am happy to help you understand the Plan and find answers to your questions.

Thanks,
Leah Dawkins
SE Uplift Land Use Program Manager