Hillsdale 
Neighborhood
Association

The meeting was called to order by president Don Baack at 7:00 pm

The agenda was approved as amended.  The minutes of the last meeting were approved as emailed.

Rod Prasch, and  associates, gave an update on the Bertha Triangle.  The Portland Development Commission has granted $764,000 and a housing tax credit for constructing low-income residences has been applied for and is expected.  There will be 50 low-income residences for seniors, commercial space, parking and community space.  Elevations from two directions were displayed and were generally found acceptable.  Wes Risher asked if an elevation from the BH Hy to the west could be prepared since that is the view which will be seen as the entrance to the Hillsdale Town Center, and was told that it will be done.

The construction will be wood frame with a concrete parking garage.  It will be as green as possible, with a roof designed to channel rain water into a storage tank to use for landscaping.  There will be a pedestrian bridge between the buildings over an open space.   A dropoff site at the upper level will be on Bertha Ct.  It is possible that the old stairs the led from Capitol Hy to the station can be incorporated into the landscaping for historic reasons, but they would be very close to the residential part of the building and that might not be possible.

If the library agrees, the elevation drawings will be available in the library for those who want to see them.

A name for the complex has not been decided on and suggestions are welcome.

The Willamette is the only watershed with a council and it is getting a lot of comment and input at public meetings.  Dawn Guchiama discussed some of the proposed projects that will be done to improve water quality.  The council is looking mostly at retrofit projects that will improve hydrology, water quality, and habitat. One projects in the Hillsdale Neighborhood is at Texas St. The proposal includes a bioswale, maybe a wetland on vacant property (a piece of private property the city is trying to purchase).There will be a meeting with neighbors at the Hillsdale Community Church at 7:00 on  Aug. 3 to discuss it.

Bill Josephs gave a report on the Dog Off-leash Area in Hillsdale Park.  Portland Parks wants a neighborhood committee of volunteers.  There will be a meeting at the library at 7:00 on July 21 to discuss the past months, what worked, what needs changed, shall we do a Master Plan.

Parking at Barbur Shops is creating problems for the neighbors.  Permission to use part of the lot at A-Boy and the bank has been denied.  A discussion with Fred Meyer, trying to use part of their upper outdoor parking structure for employee parking, is going on.  In the mean time, people are parking of the residential streets.   There is talk of going to two-hour parking, but this has drawbacks.

It was generally felt that OHSU should definitely contribute the proposed $50,000, but that the money should NOT be used to help fund a study of the Terwilliger Corridor. If they pay for the study, it may bias the outcome. Wes Risher made the following motion:
 

I move that with respect to the updating of the Terwilliger Parkway Corridor Plan as included in the MOU between the City of Portland and Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) that the Hillsdale NA takes the following positions:

1. Object to the promise ot update a plan out of turn with respect to the other planning efforts that are expected in SW Portland.
2. Change MOU language to read, City will initiate update project within 5 years of effective date of MOU.

If an update to the Terwilliger Parkway Corridor Plan is moved forward HNA takes the following positions:

1. No OHSU funding for the Terwilliger Parkway Corridor Plan

Use that $50,000 from OHSU for implementation

Public planning projects should be funded by the public, for the public. Allowing particular stakeholders to fund the planning process introduces unacceptable bias.

If OHSU has a desire to enhance the parkway, they could start by funding some of the action items promised in the current Terwilliger Plan and in multiple conditions of approval of completed developments which were somehow forgotten after the occupancy permits were written, and by removing the ivy from their land.

If the MOU includes having them fund an update to the Terwilliger Parkway Corridor Plan, they will act just as they did in the Marquam Hill Plan – that by paying for it, they were buying THEIR plan
 

2. Include significant community representation o the Citizen and Technical Advisory Committees.
3. City bureau representatives on the CTAG should have strong landscape design &/or ecology backgrounds.
4. Acknowledge that excessive traffic remains the greatest threat to the scenic and recreational values of the Parkway; commit to reducing speeds on Terwilliger and to reducing institutional traffic on Terwilliger south of Campus Drive.
5. No change to “Forest Corridor” designation at Campus Dr.
6. Changes to Terwilliger Design Guidelines must strengthen – not weaken – protections for Terwilliger Parkway.

John Gould offered a friendly amendment: In the first paragraph under 1.  No OHSU funding for . . . ,  change “for implementation” to “for capital improvements”.

Don Baaack offered a friendly amendment: In #5, add an explanation about Burlingame/Terwilliger intersection.  And give an introduction explaining the Hillsdale Neighborhood interest in this issue.

Wes accepted the friendly amendments.

Motion passed.

There was some discussion about whether to skip an Aug. meeting, but it was decided that we need to meet. We need to discuss which of three possibilities for the Red Electric Trail we prefer:  A) on existing streets, B) through Himes Park (very steep), or C) through the cemetery, if that can be arranged.

Keturah Pennington gave an update on the new park at the Holly Farm.  Many different segments of the neighborhood are participating in the planning, funding is being arranged, and soon there will be an opportunity for public input.

Don Baack informed us that the trail under the Terwilliger Bridge is completed and will be open as soon as the bollards are removed.

Duane Hunting moved, and Nancy Church seconded, that the meeting be adjourned.   Motion passed.

Keturah Pennington,
Substitute secretery