Hillsdale 
Neighborhood
Association

March 2, 2003

The meeting was called to order by President Wes Risher at 7:02. Items were added to the agenda and the agenda was approved as amended. The minutes of the last meeting were approved. Possible speakers and topics for future meetings were discussed. Wes circulated the Neighborhood Association mail for the last two months.

Joanna Guzzetta and Louis Wardrip brought us up to date on the improvements to Bertha Court. Money for the amenities the Neighborhood requested will be a problem, but the project will go to bid on May 8, and we will see what we can get. There may be cut-outs in the sidewalk to accommodate plantings for ivy to beautify the wall. Construction will start 90 days later and Bertha Ct. will be closed for about 6 weeks or less. During the closure, large truck traffic will be detoured up Bertha, west on Beaverton Hillsdale Highway, south on 30^th, east on Vermont, and into Hillsdale via Capitol Highway. Traffic that can make the right turn off Bertha Blvd onto Beaverton Hillsdale Highway will use that route into Hillsdale. Hillsdale businesses will be asked to inform their suppliers of the detour and suggest other alternatives, depending on which way the trucks are coming from. It was suggested that fliers be distributed to homes along the detour explaining why the truck traffic will increase.

On behalf of the SWTrails Committee, Don met with BES and found that grants for up to $5,000 can be applied for to do improvements in wetlands. The wetland in Stevens Creek Park is a key part of two of SWTrails urban trails and badly needs a bridge. The signs for SWTrail #4 are up. They are expensive and we need grants to do signs for the other trails.

Lillie Fitzpatric reported progress on getting the Safe Routes to School routes cleared of overhanging vegetation and brush that obstructs the walkways. Homeowners are notified of the need for improvements. The elderly, poor, or disabled may be offered help if they can’t do the work themselves. She is getting the schools involved in identifying sites that need work. Don reported that Robert Gray had $500 left from their SR to S grant and want to donate it to SWTrails to put up SR to S signs. Don says that is not a SWTrails function and the parents should plan to identify where the signs should go and get them made and put up.

Don took pictures of clogged drains along Terwilliger and sent them to POT. He reports that they are being cleaned.

Glenn Bridger showed maps of several school crossings that showed the stopping distance in relation to the school crosswalk of a vehicle traveling at several speeds. Maps for any school crosswalk can be had by dialing 823-SAFE. Check out the data for your school. Glenn also had maps showing collisions and fatal accidents in the City of both bikes and autos. There is a proposal to add a $10 surcharge to the tickets for all moving violations in the City to help fund the changes necessary to reduce accidents. It is proposed the 20% of the new money go to education. It was suggested that Neighborhoods be endowed to make whatever improvements they feel would work best. A motion was made to support the surcharge with a preference for using the money for block grants to Neighborhoods, to support Safe Routes to School bicycle and pedestrian improvements. The motion passed unanimously.

There are pedestrian improvements either finished or in the works on Beaverton Hillsdale Highway and on Barbur Blvd. Glenn Bridger distributed maps of the proposed improvements.

The Hillsdale Brew Pub is applying for a liquor license.

Where should the entrance signs to Hillsdale on the east be placed? At Terwilliger and Captiol Highway? Or at Burlingame? One at about 7^th?

In May we will have a presentation about Olmstead’s work in designing Terwilliger Blvd, possibly co-hosted by Friends of Terwilliger. Our April meeting will feature the Red Cross and disaster preparedness.

Elections are coming up. Any volunteers for the board?

There was a short discussion about the CC&R’s in the Hillsdale triangle. The City cannot force subdivision. Part of the problem is that nobody seems to know about CC&R’s. Where they are, what they say, etc, never comes up until there is a question such as occurred with the proposed development in the Hillsdale triangle. Even some of the homeowners were unaware of them.

The possible closure of Rieke School was discussed. The school board will make a decision soon.

The meeting was adjourned at 9:00.

Keturah Pennington, secretary