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LEE PERLMAN
THE MID-COUNTY MEMO
Editor’s note: The following are Gateway and Parkrose neighborhood news briefs from veteran beat reporter Lee Perlman.
In August’s compendium, Perlman reports on the tentative conclusions reached by the 122nd Avenue study and on Parkrose School District Superintendent Michael Taylor’s views on his territory. This month Perlman also reports on the state of pedestrian traffic safety along 122nd Avenue, the ever successful Rossi Farms Barn Bash, new rules regarding the operations of neighborhood associations codified by City Council, East Holladay Park planning and finally, Columbia Knoll, the 335-unit mixed-age development on the old Shriner’s Hospital on Sandy Boulevard, has its first renters move in.
122nd study reaches tentative conclusions
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| Gathered around one of the tables at the recent meeting of the 122nd Avenue study group are, from left to right, Mr. Peeps' Paul Dionne, Love Boutique's Donna Dionne, Postal Annex's Bruce Altizer, Metro Councilor Robert Liberty and Barry Barber. |
| MEMO PHOTO: TIM CURRAN |
As expected, their tentative proposals call for relaxing current development regulations on the avenue, especially relating to automobile sales, but less so at and near the intersections of Northeast Glisan, East Burnside and Southeast Stark streets.
“Because of its proximity to a major MAX station, the intersection at 122nd and Burnside is envisioned as a mixed-use ‘node,’ with housing as a main component,” the conclusions read. “The intersections of 122nd with Glisan and Stark are current locations for retail and services, and the concept calls for building on this foundation in a more pedestrian-friendly manner. To encourage the envisioned development at these three intersection ‘nodes,’ exterior display and storage would not be permitted in new development. Existing uses at the nodes with exterior display could be allowed to reconfigure under certain conditions.”
And what does an “intersection node” mean? Manning recommends it include everything within “200 to 300 feet” of Glisan and Stark streets and 122nd Avenue, and “300 to 400 feet” of the Burnside MAX station. Within this area, in addition to there being no exterior display, buildings can be set back no more than 10 feet from the sidewalk.
Elsewhere on the street, exterior display of cars and other merchandise would be allowed - a major goal of Ron Tonkin and other dealers - and buildings could be set back as much as 20 feet, although a landscaped buffer at the sidewalk would be required. Another requirement is that not more than 50 percent of the frontage be given over to “open vehicle parking, storage and display.”
The study calls for pedestrian safety aids such as curb extensions and center medians within the nodes. They also call for pedestrian islands at selected locations - specifically, at the Midland Library, north and south of Northeast Davis Street, and between Southeast Pine and Oak streets. The study is less specific on the touchy subject of on-street parking; it simply calls for further study beyond observing that “current on-street parking...is not utilized to its full potential,” and that some “unused parking areas are being used as de facto travel lanes, potentially endangering bicyclists and pedestrians.”
Previous studies called for the dedication of property for new streets when large parcels were redeveloped, with the intent of eliminating excessive driving or walking to get through the district. Currently, the study notes, the area has “a widespread and discontinuous network of streets.” However, as the study also noted during public input, “There was general consensus that a ‘tailored approach’ to circulation was appropriate in the study area. Specifically, attendees felt that this area of Portland has a very different street and block pattern from the grid found in close-in sections of Portland.” Thus the study merely calls for a “master street plan” for the area.
The study team plans to work on refinement of these proposals during the rest of the summer before bringing final recommendations for public review and City Council adoption by year’s end.
Contact Gay Greger at Portland Parks & Recreation at 503-823-5113
For more information about the process, or to pre-register for the design workshop visit http://www.portlandparks.org/Planning/eastholladaypark.asp.
Columbia Knoll tenants soon to start moving in
Residents will soon be moving into Columbia Knoll, a 335-unit mixed-age development on the old Shriner’s Hospital property on Northeast Sandy Boulevard at 82nd Avenue. Management spokespeople say that some of the buildings of the Terrace, a series of multi-unit structures providing affordable family housing, should be complete by late July or early August. Meanwhile the Heights, a senior housing structure at the top of the hill, should be complete by Dec. 15, ahead of its original schedule. For more information about the 10-acre complex, call 503-203-1094.
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