Hillsdale NA

Hillsdale Neighborhood Association

Meeting Minutes

7 February 2007

I.                    The meeting was called to order at 7:03 by Don Baack

A.      Welcome and introductions

B.      Number present Approximately 30

II.                  Approvals:

A.      Agenda: It was moved and seconded to approve the agenda. The Agenda was approved.

B.      Minutes: It was moved and seconded to approve the January minutes. January minutes were approved.

III.                Community Connect Presentation has been postponed until March or April

IV.                Trim Met presentation on status of line 39, ridership and other Tri Met issues. Tri Met Representatives presented:

A.      Hours of rider-ship were extended on Friday and Saturday nights until 9:00. The line was promoted, and direct mail was sent to every tax lot within ¼ mile of the route to inform about the route. Information was also disseminated at Wilson High School and Lewis and Clark College. There was a six months study of the route since it was extended to Hillsdale. Rider-ship goals were exceeded on weekdays. Rider-ship did go up on weekends, but did not meet the goals set by Tri Met. On board communications with weekend riders were performed. 10% were honored citizens. 10 of the 93 riders were dependent on the bus, and 2 of these were honored citizens. In March (about the 20th), there will be a public hearing before any decisions are made regarding the route. Lewis and Clark is very interested in working with HBPA for publicizing the route and building rider-ship. The Farmers’ Market will also be approached about advertising the route.

                                                   i.      It was suggested that cross promotion with lines that come from further away and come to Hillsdale (12, 54, 55, 56) would be a good idea.

B.      Process for placing stops and shelters: Rider-ship is the main criteria in determining the placement of shelters. Shelters are placed where there are more than 35 boardings per day. Placement of benches and garbage cans is less stringent. Most of the stops with more than 35 boardings per day have shelters. Those stops that do not have shelters but have 35 daily boardings are targeted for improvement. Exceptions are made for land use, for example, senior housing. The cost of a shelter is about $3000.00, excluding concrete work and sidewalk repair.

V.                  Should we rename Bertha Court? The criteria: a street has to named after a dead person. This leads us to the two families who had owned the property: Wardin and Raz. There is no rush for changing the name because nobody lives on Bertha Ct. nor will they –The Watershed will be on Bertha St.

A.      It is suggested that a Native American name be considered.

VI.                Results of SWNI Grant applications: Grant Requests were submitted –Plaza Planning, Wilson Plannin, Web Site. We did not get a grant because SWNI did not receive a grant proposal. However, a grant was received for planting on Wilson campus. Also, a grant was received for web site planning for the HBPA.

VII.              This Sunday, and in two weeks, there will be a tent set up for the Plaza planning. Input is needed, especially for landscaping, covers, bathrooms, etc. There will be a summary of results next meeting. There will be a March 3 charette for the Wilson/Rieke planning. Also, there is planning for landscape beautification projects including the plot north of the Capital Highway bridge, the reader board plot at Wilson High School, the land west of SW Nebraska and South of Capitol Highway. All people interested in participating should contact Don Baach. All grant applications have to be in February 28.

VIII.            Update of “The Watershed” project. Martin Soloway (CPAH) and Brooke Radding (site supervisor – Walsh construction). Start date was 2 January, and there is a schedule. Occupancy needs to be November 8. The shape of the building should be framed by the end of June. The tower will be six stories tall. Staging is problematic because the site is tight. Right of way work will be done on Bertha Blvd to widen it, then the fence will be moved out into the street. Bertha Ct will be reduced to one lane, or else the two lanes will be reduced to two 10 foot lanes, eliminating the bike lane during construction. Signage will also be put up to slow traffic on Bertha Blvd. HVAC mechanicals will be on the roof, so exhaust will not affect the sidewalks.

IX.                Update: Hillsdale Transportation and SDC and Bertha Ct. one way proposal- Robert Hamilton: We need three people on the transportation committee. Please contact Robert Hamilton if you are interested.

A.      We have been talking about ADA compliance in our neighborhood. This relates to transportation issues.

B.      One interest is reducing the speed limit on Bertha Blvd., Capitol Hill Road, and Capitol Highway by 5 mph.

C.      Crosswalk at Bertha and Chestnut. The idea was rejected by the city, but Don Baach is appealing the rejection.

D.      Four way stop at Burlingame Ave. and Chestnut is being pursued.

E.       Signal at Bertha Court and Capitol Highway. To extend the pedestrian signal is $75,000. The reason that it has not been extended yet is budget.

F.       Red electric study: A bike and pedestrian route between the Willamette and Fanno Creek is to be determined.

G.     There is a proposal to establish a ‘bike and ride’ –a bike garage at Bertha and Capitol Highway, across from the Capitol Café, so that people can park their bikes there and ride the bus downtown.

H.      Sidewalks: if you are interested in the sidewalk issue, you are welcome to join the committee

X.                  Lance Johnson Development and Hillsdale Triangle. Duane Hunting. Mid-December meeting went well. There needs to be a dedication on the east side of the Johnson property so that there is a right of way for a gravity fed sewer. We are putting in for the protection of the trees. We are trying to set a tone for the Hillsdale triangle so that as properties in that area develop, there are done according to a plan. The city is helping to create a master plan. How this plays out is in the hands of the city planning officer. It is moved to support the position that Duane Hunting and John Gould are taking in their letter to the city: utility planning, lights, tree protection, right of way, and streets are areas in which they are working. The motion was seconded and passed.

XI.                Other land use issues: Vacation of Seymor and 19th. Will be discussed next month. Also, on Vermont, a house was taken down and a multiple unit building is going in. There is also a three unit structure going in on Idaho (?)

XII.              Fulton Park Community Center: Christine Appleberry, Marsha Webber. FPCC had been termed a transition site. They have worked hard to increase usage, and the Center is no longer considered a transition site. However, it is important to keep working so that it doesn’t happen again. End of summer ice cream social: August 23. Emergency preparedness fair: October 6.

XIII.            Bicycle parking alternative for Hillsdale Town Center. Daniel Ronan. There is little bike parking in Hillsdale Town Center. The current parking is not convenient to the whole center. It would be a major step in encouraging bike use to add bike parking. Mike Roach proposed looking at spaces not being used: triangles created by angle parking, the space right in front of Wild Oats. Other possibilities: take one parking spot for bicycles. San Francisco ‘parking day’ was used as an example of the impact that can be had when open space is re-appropriated for pedestrian rather than automobile use.

A.      It is suggested that Dan approach the transportation committee.

B.      It is suggested that creating street parking on Capitol highway would be interested to tie into this idea.

XIV.            Music in the Reike Bowl: Wes Risher – (The program for Soutwest will be on Wednesday evenings rather than Sunday to avoid competition. There is no resolution yet from commissioner Salzman that PPS property can be used for summer concerts. Don Baach represented the idea that a concert could be in a park or a town center, which Hillsdale is. We are waiting for a response from Commissioner Salzman to see if he will allow the concert on PPS property. Parks and Recreation is focused on city parks. Hillsdale is ideal for the music program since we are well served by busses for families that want to come without bringing a car. It was added that bringing the concert series would bring people and activity which will really help us in the developing of our viability as a town center, a place where people work with people.

XV.              Wilson site planning: Wes Risher and Duane Hunting. Wilson Rieke campus plan charette: March 3, 9:00 am to 3:00 pm in the Wilson cafeteria. There will be candidate tables with issues such as the reader board and what it should look like. How do we incorporate the park bureau design to improvements in the Wilson entrance design. There will be a landscaping planning table to plan where the 50 trees to be added to the campus should go. It is an opportunity for people interested in the overall campus to come together. The grant from SWNI was received to provide refreshments and also a lunch for the Wilson PTA. With the architecture and design class, there will be a plan to create a visual plan for improvements.

It is suggested that transportation issues be included, especially regarding the problem of large numbers of parents dropping off students by the front door, creating a traffric back up.

XVI.            Schools: Ruth Adkins - Families are moving into the neighborhood according to the principal or Robert Gray. Robert Gray Multicultural night is February 27. There is a rally in Salem on February 19.

XVII.          Kiss Me Kate: Julia Stouber. . . It is proposed to put a banner across Capitol Highway. The purpose is to increase the numbers of people coming to the school. It is moved and seconded that the HNA support the placement of a banner advertising Kiss Me Kate by our partner, The Wilson High School Drama Department, and that the design of the banner be approved by the HNA and that said banner be allowed to be strung actross Capitol Highway on the utility poles closest to Key Bank for a period of 2 weeks, beginning approximately Sunday, Feb 11th and ending Sunday, Freb. 25th. The motion passed.

XVIII.        It is moved and seconded that a letter be written to Fred Hansen that shelters be installed at the bus stops at 18th on both sides of Capitol Highway. The motion passed.

XIX.            Announcements.

A.      Hillsdale Peace Vigil every Friday 5:30 to 6:00 at the corner of Capitol Highway and Sunset.

B.      March 3: Auction at Multnomah Art Center

C.      Parks bureau is considering selling naming rights to park facilities. It is moved that the Hillsdale NA oppose the selling of naming rights to parks and facilities to private corporations. The motion is seconded and passed.

D.      Saturday: Oak tree walk

E.       Feb 17: pulling ivy at Himes park.

F.       Feb 21, 8:30 at Three Squane Grill, HBPA meeting.

G.     The Jewish Community Center is now open for membership, and the facility has been redone well. The old auditorium is now like a ball room that is open to be used for events of up to 380 people.

H.      Stephens Creek walkway: still waiting

I.        Crosswalk: Still seen as not needed.

XX.              It was moved and seconded to adjourn. The meeting was adjourned at 9:15.

Respectfully submitted by

Philippe Kreiter

Secretary, Hillsdale Neighborhood Association