Minutes January 11 2018
Irvington Community Association Meeting Minutes
January 11, 2018
Prepared by: Doug Cooke
President Steve Cole called meeting to order at approximately 7:00 pm
Board members & directors in attendance: Steve Cole, Peter O'Neil, Susan Hathaway-Marxer, Barb Christopher, Doug Cooke, Pam Lindholm-Levy, Huck Bales, Jim Barta, Bob Dobrich, Sarah Burns, Liz Morgan, Alex Michael, Nathan Corser, Josh Plager, Jeff Jones, Tiffanie Shakespeare.
Neighbors and guests in attendance: Steve Austin, Bill Greene, Nick Falbo, Ryan O’Connor, Mark Reinuso, Alex Joyce, Madeline Kovacs, Jim Heuer, Meg Larson.
Minutes Approval
A motion was made to approve the distributed November 2017 minutes. A second was made and the minutes were approved.
Approval of new members for board seats.
Bob nominated Doug Cooke to be Secretary, another board member seconded the nomination. The board approved on a voice vote.
Nathan Corser nominated Liz Morgan for the open seat, and Bob seconded the nomination. The board approved on a voice vote.
Broadway Corridor and Vision Zero presentation
Nick Falbo and (associate) from PBOT presented the Broadway Corridor Planning Initiative and covered a range of topics:
The 1996 plan brought in features we may recognize today: wide sidewalks, bike lanes, etc. and is still the plan around which initiatives are guided today.
The transportation system plan 2017 is pending approval.
The I-5 Rose Quarter improvement project is a vision to improve that area.
Vision ZERO is the city’s goal to eliminate traffic deaths. More than 30 cities around the country have been using this to redesign their cities. High Crash Network streets are defined as the 20 most frequent crash areas involving automobiles with people walking and biking. Broadway is on all three networks having 2/3 of the car/bike accidents and 2/3 of car/pedestrian crashes. Most of these crashes involve right turns.
PBOT is currently pursuing measures to improve safety?
- More Green striping
Extend 1996 plan to Hollywood
More modern safety standards, etc.
A focus on “moving people, not cars”
Meeting attendees offered opportunities for improvement:
Letting people know what to expect when changes are made was suggested.
The “Better Broadway Project” received feedback after the experiment:
Several board members stated they received negative feedback.
Bike/traffic signal at Broadway and Williams was discussed
Parking separated bike lanes are good for bikers but potentially confusing for drivers.
Some wonder whether more people will use buses as traffic lanes are reduced.
Other conversation:
NE Broadway business association and their perceptions of needs and solutions.
Portland For Everyone: Residential Infill Project was presented and discussed.
presentation: Madeline Kovacs
Portland for Everyone is a coalition of community organizations, individuals, and local businesses that support those land use policies that will help provide abundant, diverse & affordable housing options in all of Portland’s neighborhoods.
Madeline presented a current proposal and some statistics that characterize the current situation”
6 neighborhoods is the focus of productive and wise land use.
Houses are getting bigger (today more than 3 times than typical 1950’s homes).
Two-thirds of households are 2 person households.
Affordability is different for different racial groups on average.
- “Missing middle housing” (duplexes and triplexes mostly), is in short supply and is believed to catalyze “walking densities”.
The current proposal includes:
- Reducing allowed size and height of structures
- Allowing triplexes on corners
- ADUs up to two if one is invisible/attached
“Cottage clusters” in longer/wider lots
“Internal conversions” condo units built in historic properties
Narrow lot construction
Residential infill project draft was released in October (www.portlandforeveryone.org)
Historic district implications:
No change to underlying zoning of city
Contributing structures would still be protected, non-contributing structure can currently be demolished.
Historic district reviews would still be required
ADUs were also discussed:
- All have to go through historic design review.
Duplexes are not being built currently and some are being converted to single family homes.
85% of Irvington consist of Contributing structures. Many of the other 15% are too expensive to tear down.
Fair housing council tour is scheduled for later this year.
Committee reports
There were no reports from Land Use, Budget, Trees, or Parks.
9:10: Meeting Adjourned