October 2015 Corrdinating Committee Meeting Minutes

Post date: Nov 02, 2015 1:31:27 AM

FAN--FH Coordinating Committee Meeting

October 2015 Library 2nd Floor Meeting Room

Committee Meeting Minutes

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

Committee members absent: K. Ockert, C. Clee, A. Harris, J. Hennessey, D. Lowe, G. Lowe, M. Monto, J. Radich.

Visitors: D. Rocco, Council Member Jeff Gudman, M. Haladay, C. Haladay, J. Huffman.

Total of 14 attending.

Meeting called to order by Chair Ockert at 6:35 pm.

Treasurer report: D. O’Neil reported the Association has a balance of $331.11.

Trees. The Tree Sub-Committee member J. Huffman reported their effort to draft a Mission + Vision Statement for the sub-committee. This was read by S. Gustafson who then asked the Coordinating Committee to approve the statement. After we determined that there was a quorum present it was moved, seconded, discussed and approved. The approved statement:

Tree Sub-Committee Mission + Vision Statement

As citizens of our neighborhood and our planet we collaborate to protect, sustain, and replenish the trees we have inherited; our intent is to convey to our inheritors a robust community forest.

The next tree committee meeting is at the A.C.C., October 20.

Wizers block project. J. Bolland reported that the approval of the project has been appealed to the Oregon Supreme Court which may decide by November whether to take up the issue or not.

Stafford Grove. Chair Ockert reported that the two columns will be installed this coming Wednesday, October 14. They will be polished, but blank. $1,950 has been raised to have the columns engraved. The fundraising goal is $5,000.

East End Urban Renewal District. The City Council is considering putting the former West End Building property into the East End U.R.D.

Sensitive Lands. J. Bolland reported on a presentation Planning Director Scott Segal made at the LONAC meeting. In short, city staff is drafting recommendations to revise the Sensitive Lands rules.

Signs. Some oversized signs installed by Renaissance Homes on their properties in First Addition violate the City’s sign code. Chair Ockert confirmed this with city staff. The City Manager’s office has sent a letter asking for compliance.

Pre-Application for 853 G. This lot, east of 9^th, where G ends, is largely covered by the Sensitive Lands overlay and city staff noted that the footprint size of a new home is still determined by the applicable code for the zone, but that the current home would not be able to increase their footprint into the sensitive lands area.

Duplex/multi-dwelling. For property zoned R2 the City Council this week agreed on a refined definition of duplex. The City Staff now prepare findings and return to the Council within a few weeks for their final decision. Chair Ockert’s leadership in influencing the Council on this issue was lauded.

North Anchor. The City received one proposal in response to their request for proposals for development of the two properties that make up the North Anchor at First and B, (the two corner lots on the north side of B). The proposal for the North West corner lot is below ground parking, street level retail with three floors of hotel above – 90 rooms. The proposal for the North East corner is below ground level parking, street level retail and above that three floors of apartments or condominiums (60 units). City staff is simultaneously working on a development plan and negotiating a development agreement.

Brant Williams, City Redevelopment Director overseeing this project, will attend our November meeting. Vanessa Sturgeon, representing the developer will also be invited.

Councilor Gudman noted that, unlike other downtown projects, the City currently owns this property.

Demolitions. Previously discussed was the desire to have neighbors notified in advance when a house is demolished. The recent article in the Oregonian about Portland home demolition and the release of toxic substances such as asbestos was discussed. The Chair has contacted the Eastmoreland neighborhood for more information about that situation. The consensus of the Committee is that more information about the release of toxics should be gathered. It was noted that it’s important also for demolition workers to know if toxics are present.

Notification of neighbors prior to demolition is a separate issue that we want to pursue.

Garden at the school. Heidi Schrimsher is looking for neighborhood participation on the vegetable garden at Forest Hills school and inquired if anyone in the neighborhood association was interested. There was not any interested expressed by the attendees. Carole will ask if Heidi would like to attend our spring annual meeting to ask the larger group.

Other announcements.

D. Rocco asked if anyone on the Committee had attended CERT training. No one had. She is attending training now and may offer to coordinate in the future.

J. Huffman said the tree sub-committee is considering a fundraiser and asked for ideas on projects to support the mission and vision of the tree sub-committee. It was suggested that owners of outstanding trees in the neighborhood be sent cards recognizing the contribution of their tree and thanking them.

It was announced that one of the members learned that Assistant Planning Director S. Hamid Pishvaie is retiring at the end of November.

D. O’Neil shared two aerial photos of the neighborhood, one from 2005 and the second form 2014 showing the relative density of the tree cover.

Meeting adjourned at 8:00 p.m.