Minutes for May 12th
Irvington Community Association
Meeting Minutes
May 12, 2016
Board Members present: Steve Cole, Peter O’Neil, Pam Lindholm-Levy, Tiffanie Shakespeare, Jason Messer, Jeff Jones, Barb Christopher, Nathan Corser, Jon Eaton, Aaron Stuckey, Christine Coers-Mitchell, Dean Gisvold, Jim Barta
Neighbors and Guests: Josh Plager, Bob Dobrich, Huck Bales, Cynthia Chase, Peter Steyger, Sandy Steyger, Robyn Steyger, Joseph Albert, Sean Green, A. Eliza Greenstadt
President Steve Cole opens meeting at 7:05 PM.
April meeting minutes approved.
Agenda approved.
No Police report. No Portland Police Bureau representative present.
Land Use Report
Dean Gisvold reports that one HRR application is pending and will probably be approved.
Portland Comprehensive Plan voting will take place in May & June. This is the most
complicated land use document in Oregon history.
There will be a hearing in regard to the zoning proposed in the Comp Plan for the commercial
lot at NE Brazee and 15th. It is currently non-conforming use in R-5 Zoning. The residential
Zoning helps neighbors control the commercial aspects. For example, The Hop House has a
Good Neighbor Agreement with the ICA and the neighborhood that says they will close earlier
than their liquor license would allow them to do so. Without the GNA and the residential
zoning, the owner of the liquor license could stay open until 2:00 AM.
The Land Use Committee is considering changes to the status of two homes. One is
Contributing to Non-Contributing. This home was designated Contributing in the survey
leading up to the Historic District designation, but was extensively remodeled and altered
prior to the official designation of the District. The other proposed change is Non-
Contributing to Contributing. The LUC believes it was mislabeled as Non-Contributing.
7th Avenue Greenway Update
City Council met and is still looking at both 7th Avenue and 9th Avenue as a potential bicycle
Greenway. Council has decided to table the idea until they have specific designs to consider.
Neighbor Eliza Greenstadt speaks to the matter. She says that the ICA supports a Greenway
on 7th Avenue, but 8th Avenue neighbors disagree with that position. 7th Avenue is not an
appropriate Greenway because the basic nature of the street would have to be changed. On
the other hand, 9th Avenue has low traffic volume and is better suited for bikes. Greenstadt
says that auto traffic should be calmed on 7th Avenue but that changing it to a Greenway is
not the way to do it. It is a poor method for traffic control. She suggests looking at this as
two separate issues: Greenway location and traffic control.
It is noted by a few people that until we can see proposals for the Greenway it is difficult to
discuss options. Discussion follows including the concern of putting a bike path through Irving
Park. The general opinion is that bicycles, pedestrians and dogs should not be mixed. Jeff
Jones notes that the initial plan for Irving Park called for bikes through the Park, but the
reality is that that would be a problem.
Most agree 7th Avenue needs traffic calming. There must be a plan to keep people safe.
There are too many cars driving too fast on 7th now.
Irvington School
Steve Cole reports that he spoke to PPS Board Member Paul Anthony about the proposal to
send King, Sabin, Boise and Irvington children to Tubman Middle School. Anthony says there
will be no decision until fall.
Jon Eaton reports that there is an email chain among Irvington School parents expressing
concern that if 154 middle school students are removed from Irvington School the Irvington
School building will be under-utilized which may result in a loss of funds. The email string
also suggests that moving that many Irvington students to Tubman makes Tubman over
crowded.
The discussion also points out the need for traffic control measures in order for Irvington
students and Sabin students to cross MLK and Williams/Vancouver Streets safely. It’s noted,
too, that there is no school crossing safety measure at NE 18th & Fremont.
It is also pointed out that it’s important to have stability in the schools. Too many changes
cause the children to suffer.
Non-Agenda Matter
Musician Chata Addy told the group that he is organizing a multi-cultural music festival and
hopes to use the Irvington School grounds. For information contact him at
BookingChata@chataaddy.com
Disaster Preparedness
Huck Bales reports that the disaster preparedness group has defined their Vision as Inclusive
Community and the Mission is to Promote Disaster Preparedness.
Each neighborhood is supposed to have a Beacon which is a cache of supplies including a tent,
first aid supplies and communication equipment. The cache that had been chained to a pole
in Irvington School, grounds was removed because of vandalism. Possible other sites include
Irving Park and Madeleine School.
Charitable Giving
Susan Hathaway-Marxer requests volunteers to form this year’s Charitable Giving Committee.
Steve Cole, Jeff Jones, Aaron Stuckey, Tiffanie Shakespeare volunteer to join Susan. Dean
moves and Jason seconds a motion to form this committee. Unanimously approved.
Better Broadway Update
Ryan Hashagen of Better Block reports that they spent approximately $13,000 to create the
Better Broadway test. The ICA had contributed $1500 toward the effort.
This was by far the largest project they’ve ever done and admit it was probably too big. They
reduced the size over the week which helped considerably.
During the Better Broadway test, auto traffic lanes were reduced from three lanes to two, a
protected bike lane was added, parking spaces were moved away from the curb on the north
side of Broadway creating an area for commercial street side activation. Better Block also
created a bus stop platform which Trimet thought worked well.
The feedback in the meeting was positive. Most agreed that the pedestrian experience was
improved tremendously. Traffic was slowed and with just two lanes of traffic to cross, it was
much easier to cross Broadway on foot.
Better Block along with PSU students are collecting comments about Better Broadway and are
analyzing data about traffic speed. They will report back.
Communications
Tiffanie Shakespeare asks what do we want to do with the home tour website? Should it be
moved to SquareSpace? The current home tour site is an old setup and needs improvement.
Should the current site be moved to a newer version of the current host? There was some
difficulty moving the ICA website to SquareSpace and the home tour passwords & security
issues make it difficult to move the home tour site. No action until after this year’s home
tour.
Home Tour
Scheduled for May 15. Pam Lindholm Levy asks for more volunteers.
Officer Nomination Update
Peter O’Neil reports that we need officer nominations. According to ICA bylaws, Steve Cole
and Jeff Jones are term limited as President and Treasurer respectively. Vice President
William Archer is also leaving the Board (and Portland) in June and Secretary Beverley Burn
will not be returning either. So far no one other than Steve Cole and Jeff Jones are willing to
take on the responsibilities of these positions.
It is suggested that the ICA could suspend term limits for some period. Discussion follows and
is agreement with the idea. Comments include that it seems particularly important that
Treasurer not be term limited to ensure continuity.
Nathan Corser moves and Tiffanie Shakespeare seconds a motion that Officer term limits be
suspended for one year and that revised articles shall be written into the bylaws during this
year.
Passes unanimously.
Board elections will be held at the June 9, 2016 ICA meeting. All Irvington residents and
property owners may vote in the June election.
New Business and Updates
Jeff Jones reports that there will be only one Movie in the Park this year. It will Star Wars on
July 15, 2016 in Irving Park. Other Star Wars themed activities will be included including Star
Wars music.
Jason Messer reports that the Irvington Clean Up produced less trash than in past years. They
only collected 2.5 dumpsters. The Clean Up no longer accepts construction debris so that
may have had an effect. Jason (and the Board agrees) especially thanks William Archer and
Arthur De Bow for their many years of enthusiastic support to the Clean Up. They will be
missed in years to come.
Josh Plager and Jason Messer will head up the Clean Up next year.
Meeting Adjourned
Prepared by Peter O’Neil