Hillsdale 
Neighborhood
Association

April 2, 2003

The meeting was called to order by President Wes Risher at 7:00. The agenda was approved with some additions. The minutes of the last meeting were approved. 

Greg Schifsky of Bridlemile Stream Stewards spoke about the Stream Stewards’ plans to do stream restoration along the creek below Robert Gray School. Trillium Creek runs under the school foot bridge, through a deep ravine bordered by 125-year-old trees, past Neveh Shalom Synagogue, to Dosch Road. On May 3 there will be an ivy pull, in preparation for revegetation along the creek. Volunteers are invited. The Stream Stewards have already done the creek in Hamilton Park so are experienced. They are applying for a grant to clean up and revegetate the creek in Kelly Park. Such restoration improves water quality in the creek and habitat for animals. 

Tim Reardon, an Amreicor Volunteer for Red Cross, passed out literature on disaster preparedness – both for natural disasters and for man-made disasters. He described preparations each household should make, showed a disaster kit, and gave a short quiz to assess our current preparedness. The Oregon chapter of the American Red Cross wants Oregon to be the best prepared state in the union. 

Rob Prasch, senior Project Manager and Shiela Fink, from the Housing Development Center, updated us on the Bertha Triangle Project. Portland Development Commission did not fund it last year because of environmental concerns. It now seams that the contamination can be dealt with on site. The necessary four quarters of monitoring the wells that have been dug ends this fall. A second issue is access, but the improvements along Bertha Court give more confidence. There are many amenities that make this site attractive for the development that is proposed. It is in the Town Center, and there is good public transportation. 

Wes volunteered to send a HNA representative to the next meeting with PDC about the Bertha Ct. development. There was some discussion of parking and traffic. Underground parking and more greenery was favored. We were told that eligibility for living in the project will be 50% - 60% of the area median income and that rent will be approximately $500 per month for a one bedroom apartment. 

Jayne Cronlund moved that we endorse the concept as presented and offered to draft a letter of endorsement. The motion passed. Wes requested that the old cement stair that led from Capitol Highway down to the Railroad Station under the bridge be kept for historic reasons. 

Don Baack has laid out a route for a wooden walkway across the creek in Stevens Creek Park. It would extent 400 – 450 ft each side of the creek. He will submit sketches for BES, Parks, etc., then go for funding. Maybe HBPA will give a grant. 

Don supports the idea of a surcharge on traffic tickets for moving violations, with the stipulation that the money to go to neighborhoods to do neighborhood improvements, especially focusing on pedestrian and bicycle connections to improve local traffic. SWNI has proposed that if such a surcharge is made that there be a limit of 10% on the amount that goes to administration. 

Next month Chet Orloff will speak on the Olmstead legacy to our city. Don Baack will show pictures of where we want entrance sighs to the Town Center to go. 

SWTrails Committee signs for trail 4 are up. 

Keturah Pennington, Secretary