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Apr
04
2008
| April 4, 2008 |
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| Written by Philippe Kreiter | |
| Thursday, 03 April 2008 | |
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HILLSDALE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION MEETING MINUTES 4 April 2008 I. The meeting was called to order by Duane Hunting at 7:05. A. Greeting B. Introductions C. Approximately 24 present. II. Approval of Agenda: The agenda was approved. III. Review of March 2008 Meeting Minutes--see Hillsdale web site (http://www.hna-pdx.com). The minutes were approved. IV. Panel of Local Real Estate Agents –Presentation and Discussion – Robert Hamilton: Pam Taylor (Remax) and Viola Wax (Hasson) A. People who come to the area are seeking 3 to 4 bedrooms, hardwood floors, quality construction, large yards, quiet streets, and walking distance to Hillsdale Town Center. Many like the walking and jogging trails in the area, and proximity to city and OHSU. The direction that Hillsdale town center is moving also draws people. In addition, the quiet of the area draws people. B. Buyers will pay a premium if kitchens have been remodeled and baths, master suites added, as long as they are well done. Buyers want high end, quality products. C. What is missing in Hillsdale is a grocery store and the type of easy walking that Multnomah Village has –with smaller streets, sidewalks, and plazas rather than the wide streets and extensive parking lots that characterize Hillsdale. D. Viola Wax presented graphs that show sales trends in the area. She is not alarmed at the last quarter’s slight downtrend. She feels that it is an adjustment from over inflated prices of the 2006 peak. E. Pam Taylor says that houses in the area are still selling well and not staying on the market much longer than usual. F. Families with school age children are looking for homes in Hillsdale. The neighborhood demographic is moving toward younger families. Rieke School and the other schools in the area are a big draw. G. As urban density will grow, this close in neighborhood is becoming increasingly attractive. H. Ways to draw people who move in to getting involved in the neighborhood: use the website, add other events (some geared toward young families with kids, such as something at Halloween involving pumkins), welcome letter or phone calls for people moving in, an information packet about the amenities of the area and what is going on, information about the association and what it is doing. This material should also be at the library because that is where many young families will go. I. Single/Couples looking for smaller homes/condos/apartments in Hilllsdale. People seeking to do this often have to go out of the area. Most people stay put and modify their home and garden so that it is less work or maintenance –or hire gardeners. Currently, there are only four condos for sale in Hillsdale. In the older condominium complexes, condominiums sell very quickly. There are several apartment complexes that have converted to condominiums. Now that the market is softening, there will probably be fewer conversions for quite a while. J. The Raz bus property that will be for sale, soon: there is a growing need for smaller, closer knit communities, with good walking space and proximity to a community, like Hillsdale. Green housing (sustainably built housing and low energy/low water) is also in demand. In the next five years, there will probably be an explosion in this area. Having a master or a bedroom and bath on the main level is also important. V. Discussion – Increasing Interest/Involvements in the Hillsdale Neighborhood Association. A. Welcoming packets: We need to get our welcoming packets together. They should be available at the library. The SWNI news should be available at the library as well. B. A central place in the community where information is easily visible about walks and other activities that are happening in the neighborhood. C. Take the meeting to the farmer’s market – take it to where the people are. D. We have events, like the pancake breakfast where people are gathered. We should take advantage of these events to get people involved. E. Get meetings structured so that people will contribute, and not just absord. During meetings, people should break into groups and actually work on something and accomplish something. It could operate as a PTA operates. Now, it seems like meetings mostly convey information that can be obtained via minutes or e-mail. F. Take on the restructuring of the meter boards at Wilson to communicate to people. VI. Discussion – Mid-block connection through Baker Spice & Grocery Store Breezeway. The best way to accomplish this is probably to become a shareholder and join the board of the store coming in so that the store will understand the importance of this issue to the community. The breezeway space is being used, and the store is hurting for space. Ideally we could get a lease condition that would incorporate work on the breezeway. It would be helpful to do a rendering of what this might look like. The information and the reasons for wanting the work on the passage should be presented to the owners and the lessee. Cost benefit and return on the investment should be part of what is presented –thus a business like approach it taken. VII. Reports A. Watershed Building Lighting Fund – Rick Seifert. Lights are on. The alliance has lent money to cover what has not been raised. We still need to raise $2000.00 for the lighting. We will do some events for fundraising: A McMenamin’s night and a Salvador Molly’s night, for instance. Donations can be sent to SWNI: 7688 SW Capitol Highway, with “Light up Hillsdale” written on the memo line of the check. B. Watershed Building Commercial Space Status – Sheila Greenlaw-Fink. C. Land Use – Proposal for 2926 SW Boundary Street – Dan Manning. The Mannings want to build a 1500 square foot house on part of the lot to replace an existing cement block house. The new house would be on a flag lot in the back of the lot, and another house could be built on the front lot, and it could be sold. The house would be completely green. D. Land Use – Land Division/Partition for 6209 SW 21st Avenue – Duane Hunting. Subdivision on Beaverton Hillsdale –R2 subdivision. A lot is being split to make two lots. E. NBPA Report – Rick Seifert. Alliance meeting - 7:00 at equity group next Wednesday F. SWNI report. Meet the candidates at the candidate fair. See announcements in Hillsdale News. VIII. Wilson Report: Nick Drushella - the architecture class is preparing plans for bringing down the reader board. · The HNA commends and offers its support for the senior class at WHS with the support of the alumnae association to continue their work to convert the present elevated reader boards into pedestrian oriented monument signs. Old Business IX. New Business A. A resident from the Watershed spoke of how much she enjoyed the Watershed and that other residents seemed very happy. She said that many did not have many financial resources and would benefit from donations, especially of furniture and or household goods. B. The stairs from SW 25th to SW Seymour (at the end of SW Hamilton Ct.) have been torn out and are lying on 25th. Many area residents are indignant. C. C. Check out the new Hillsdale News published weekly on line, you can go on line or get an email copy in your inbox: http://hillsdalenews.org/Content/default.asp XI. Adjourn: The meeting was adjourned at 9:06. Respectfully submitted Philippe Kreiter |
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