Neighborhood Association Meeting
In-Fill Development: One of the major issues of concern in West Portland Park continues to be in-fill development. A large crowd of neighbors came to the meeting in November to learn about the proposed development in the green space south of SW 43rd and Galeburn.
Basically, the developer would like to put in 12 houses while reserving a small heavily wooded green space. To put in the 12 houses, the city would have to change zoning on part of the site which is currently an environmental zone.
There are four basic bones of contention:
– The developer is proposing an alley that would border existing neighbors’ backyards.
– Those neighbors who would be impacted by the alley are prevented from building fences for buffers from the alley because they are in an environmental zone.
– Changing the zoning on part of the site to remove the environmental zone status.
– Going from trees to asphalt.
There will be further opportunity to influence decisions on this development at a public hearing with public testimony sometime in late winter/early spring. Check this column for further information.
Holly Farm Park Plant Salvage Party: WPP will be sponsoring a plant salvage party in mid-January. The parks bureau will be clearing those plants which are not going to be saved for the new planting scheme. There are many useful plants on the site. The salvage party will enable us to rescue those plants which will otherwise be lost.
We have a map of what plants there are and where they are. Just bring your digging tools and containers. Some of the plants are natives and some are exotics. You choose. Watch this column in January for the date/time.
Holly Farm Park Next Steps: Naming the park. It seems the name has already been decided as we have been calling it the Holly Farm Park. The truth is that is a temporary name, although it could be the permanent one if everyone likes it. Possible alternative name is West Portland Park. There currently is not a park with that name. A possible partner idea would be to rename the branch library next door the West Portland Park branch, to avoid confusion with Capitol Hill School. Other thoughts?
Come to the WPP NA meeting in December, where we will brainstorm possible names and plan ways to hear input from neighbors on the proposed name for the park. A recommendation will be forwarded to Portland Parks and Recreation from the neighborhood association.
The arts committee for the park has met to discuss what artwork to have in the park.
Signage. We need input on wordage for signs.
Transportation: Adam Grimshaw reported that the Jackson Middle School crosswalk will soon have flashing yellow lights.
David Gens, 503-244-8043
www.neighborhoodlink.com/wppna