November 2015 Meeting Minutes

Post date: Dec 15, 2015 10:50:48 PM

FAN/Forest Hills Coordinating Committee Meeting

November 2015

Library 2nd Floor Meeting Room

Committee Meeting Minutes

Committee members present: J. Bolland, D. Condra, S. Gustafson, M. Meneghin, C. Ockert, D. Rudawitz, L. Rudawitz.

Committee members absent: D. O’Neil, C. Clee, A. Harris, D. Hennesse, J. Hennesse, D. Lowe, G. Lowe, M. Minto, J. Radich.

Visitors: Brandon O’Leary, Sally David, Miles Haladay, Robert Pile, Nick Fritel, Brant Williams, Vanessa Sturgeon.

Meeting called to order by Chair Carole Ockert at 6:40 pm.

North Anchor[1]. [The North Anchor project consist of two city-owned corner lots straddling 1^st Street on the north side of B Avenue.] Brant Williams, city Redevelopment Director, sketched out the background and progress to date. City staff is now simultaneously working on a design plan and negotiating a development agreement between the City and Sturgeon Development Partners. An opportunity for more formal public input is planned.

The proposal for the north-west corner lot at 1^st and B is for a 90 room hotel with below ground parking. The proposal for the north-east corner at 1^st and B is for street level retail and residential apartments above.

Vanessa Sturgeon, president and C.E.O. of Sturgeon Development Partners, introduced Nick Fritel, their Chief Financial Officer, and Robert Pile, their Director of Operations. She said Bob Thompson of TVA Architects is the architect and Bart Ricketts of Lease Crutcher Lewis Construction will build the project. She fielded questions from the Committee and visitors.

Several people asked about traffic and parking - mostly parking. Sturgeon said parking will be under the buildings, taking advantage of the natural slope of the site, particularly for the north-east corner lot, where the hotel is proposed.

There was a question about how the design might take advantage of the views of Mt. Hood from the upper level of the building and concern expressed about existing business being displaced.

After our questions Williams, Sturgeon, Fritel and Pile left and the Committee continued our meeting.

Treasurer report: C. Ockert reported the Association has a balance of $331.11.

Trees. S. Gustafson reported that there were few applications for tree removal permits this month, none significant. D. Rudawitz reported on the city-wide Ad Hoc Tree Committee [charged with proposing revisions to the city’s tree code]. Mike Buck chairs this committee. Our own D. Rudawitz is vice-chair. Several other FAN/Forest Hills neighbors are members, also.

Signs. Last month Chair Ockert noted that some signs installed by Renaissance Homes in front of their new homes in First Addition violated the City’s sign code. These signs have been removed.

Stafford Stones at Stafford Grove on Sunningdale Road. Chair Ockert shared photographs of the October 14 installation of the two columns. About $2,000 has been raised to have the columns engraved with poems by William Stafford and an additional $3,000 is needed.

Tour of City Departments. See the November Hello LO for information on opportunities to tour city departments.

Joint meeting with Evergreen Neighborhood Association. Evergreen has many of the same challenges we do, meet the same day we do and often have the same items on their agendas. It was proposed we have a joint meeting. It was agreed that the best time might be the March meeting.

Upcoming Hearings. Planning Commission, November 23^rd, subject: storm water. The City needs to respond to proposed federal regulations.

City Council, early December, subject: Community Development Code House Keeping changes.

Demolitions. [Previously the Committee said we wanted to have neighbors notified in advance when a house is demolished.] Chair Ockert met with Planning Director Segal. He said that notifying neighbors of demolitions before they happen may fall under the existing the livability portion of the Comprehensive Plan code. He feels taking on this task would require Council approval.

Asbestos. Chair Ockert followed up and got some details on how the paperwork is handled as part of the demolition permits regarding asbestos in buildings about to be demolished. Apparently actually removing the asbestos hazard prior to demolition is not confirmed.

Multi-dwellings. Despite recent Council decisions on the subject, the City Council left the door open to discuss multi-dwellings in 2016. At the November 3^rd Council meeting our Chair shared with the City Council her disappointment.

4^th Street Townhomes (three lots between B and C avenues, in the center of the block, across from the Post Office and Rossman Park). Chair Ockert showed drawings of the revised project to build 6 townhomes. The developer is requesting the City approve four variances: 1) a requirement to extend the roof line to cover the third floor open air decks, 2) a requirement to provide hanging baskets and footings for art sculptures, and 3) a requirement to wrap the sides of the building with stone facing (matching the stone facing on the front). Variance 4) was to allow flat-topped roofs on the garage/studios on the alley. After some discussion the Coordinating Committee voted to support the first 3 variances which they thought would be acceptable for this project in this zone. There was a unanimous vote against the variance for number 4, the flat-topped roofs.

Meeting adjourned at 8:15 p.m.

[1] *For the complete North Anchor Project proposal go to the following site: https://www.ci.oswego.or.us/sites/default/files/fileattachments/lora/cityprojects/13207/north_anchor_proposal_-_sturgeon_development_partners.pdf