All Meeting Minutes

BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT: Dean Gisvold, Susan Hathaway-Marxer, Tiffanie Shakespeare, Barb Christopher, Aaron Stuckey, Nathan Corser, Bev Burn, Christine Coers-Mitchell, Jeff Jones, Jim Barta, Michela McMahon, William Archer, Peter O’Neil, Steve Cole, Pamela Lindholm-Levy and Nathan Christensen. 

BOARD MEMBERS ABSENT: Jason Messer, Brian Schaeperkoetter and Thomas Mertes.

VISITORS: Susan Gisvold, Donna Wax, Anne Williamson, Woody Mosby, Gillian Carson, Ryan Carson, Colin Burn, Jon Eaton, Kay Mosby, Lynsey Stuckey, Peggy O’Neil, Linda Dodds, Harley Grovenor, Meryl Logue, Ted Wolfe, Johnston Mitchell, Jessie Bonham, Mark Bello, James S. Heuer, Coralie Stevens, Jennifer Burns, Dan Smith

President Steven Cole called the meeting to order at 7:05. There was no police officer present. Most board members present confirmed that they believe an officer is supposed to attend every scheduled meeting, baring police emergencies, of course. Susan reported that, according to the minutes, a police officer has not been present at an ICA meeting since October 2014.

MEETING MINUTES: Minutes for April and May have been distributed by email. Steven believes they need some revision and asks that they be scheduled for approval at the September meeting.

Jessie Bonham, Community Relations Manager of Clean Energy Works (CEW), gave a presentation about new services the non-profit local organization is promoting for homeowners: specifically, solar energy, seismic protection and radon detection programs. He took names from people wishing to subscribe to the organization’s newsletter and he reported that CEW has funding partners to make some low-cost loans available for their programs. He was questioned about rebates available for seismic work and window replacement. It was noted that Clean Energy Works is helping to sponsor the Summer Movies at Irving Park this year. 

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BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT: Susan Hathaway-Marxer, Nathan Christensen, Tiffanie Shakespeare, Barb Christopher, Bev Burn, Christine Coers-Mitchell, Jeff Jones, Jim Barta, Michela McMahon, William Archer, Peter O’Neil, Steve Cole and Dean Gisvold.

BOARD MEMBERS ABSENT: Nathan Corser, Pam Lindholm-Levy, Jason Messer, Thomas Mertes, Brian Schaeperkoetter, Aaron Stuckey, Kysa Kelleher.

VISITORS:  Antoine Dean, Melanni Rosales, Sandy Polishuk, Reyna Lopez (from A Better Oregon)

President Steven Cole called the meeting to order at 7:05 pm.  No police officer was present. There was discussion about why we haven’t seen an officer at a board meeting in several months.  Jeff Jones asked that we find out what their obligation is to attend neighborhood meetings.

Reyna Lopez from A Better Oregon gave a presentation about the plight of working families in the State of Oregon.  Her remarks focused on the high cost to the State and all Oregonians from the low wages being earned to support many working families.  She said that 25% of all Oregonians are on food stamps and that one in 12 Oregonians make less than minimum wage.  She also talked about the ongoing increase in corporate profits and the reduction in taxes paid by corporations.   She is not necessarily advocating a sales tax, but is advocating that corporations pay appropriate taxes. The organization has filed seven initiatives with the Secretary of State’s Office and is circulating information on them prior to the next election cycle.

Steve introduced Sandy Polishuk, who is circulating a “Resolution in Opposition to Proposed Environmental Overlay Zoning Code Amendment at Terminal 6 to Accommodate the Proposed Pembina Propane Export Facility”.   Sandy asked that the ICA vote to approve this resolution and the plan to submit it, with others, to Portland City Council.   Michela moved to pass the Resolution and Peter and Jim seconded it.  Jeff asked why there was nothing in it about fracking and there was more conversation about why Pembina wanted the facility in Portland and what the siting might eventually cost the City.  A vote was taken.  Seven people voted in favor, four abstained, two did not vote.  The Resolution, as presented, was approved.  The officers of the ICA Board were authorized to sign the Resolution, which was given to Ms. Polishuk, who will present it to City Council on June 24.  

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Steven Cole, President, called the meeting to order at 7:11.

Board members present:  William Archer, Steven Cole, Susan Hathaway-Marxer, Bev Burn, Dean Gisvold, Michela McMahon, Peter O’Neil, Barb Christopher, Jim Barta, Pam Lindholm-Levy, Aaron Stuckey, Christine Coers-Mitchell, Jason Messer

Board members absent:  Tiffanie Shakespeare, Jeff Jones, Brian Schaeperkoetter, Tom Mertes, Nathan Corser, Nathan Christensen, and Kysa Kelleher.  

Visitors:  Shirley Lewton, Kathleen (Kathy) Eaton from The Hollywood Star paper, and Antoine Dean  (Grant grad in 2011).

Dean Gisvold moved to approve the March meeting minutes and Jim Barta and Michaela McMahon seconded.  The minutes were approved.  

No police officer was present.  Concerns were raised by Steve and various board members about the lack of officer attendance for several consecutive meetings.  Issues about car prowls, “homeless” individuals entering private property, package thefts and crime statistics were mentioned.  Dean said that the turnover of police personnel as neighborhood contacts is not helpful if the City’s goal is to have a strong community-policing program.  Steve said that he would be contacting the Police Bureau to request that they resume attending our meetings and suggesting that both the police and the community could benefit from more frequent contact.

LAND USE:  Dean Gisvold, Chair of the Land Use Committee, said that the City’s comp plan approval activity is “rolling along”.  The ICA comments were submitted to the City on time and the ICA’s positions will be pursued through to the appropriate City Council meetings.  Barb and Jim talked about the PDX Coalition for Historic Resources, a group advocating for reasonable and appropriate City staff review of historic building permit issues and demolition requests.  The City Council is supposed to review this process after two years in practice (now) and the Type I review process is considered to be working reasonably well.  

There are two land partitions still pending.  In the first one, the ICA filed a response and is now waiting further notice and/or activity.  In the second one, the concern is a pre-application notice for turning a 100 by 150 lot into two lots, one 30 by 50 feet  and the other 50 by 100 feet.  The ICA rejected this request, which concerns property on the NE corner of 13th and Tillamook. There is a duplex there now; the owner wants more structures there.

There are three pending applications:  one for the Marquis Apts.  Jim Heuer wrote the ICA’s seven-page response to this and submitted it to the Landmarks Commission.  It concerns land at NE 11th and Schuyler, ten units built in 1960, which the owner will keep but he wants to remove the existing parking lot and develop 12 new units on that portion of the site.  

Christine Coers-Mitchell asked about the status of the Blackwater Tavern, the site across from On Point Credit Union.  Nobody seems to know if it is operational and there were questions about the owner’s intention to begin operation.   The next land use committee meeting is scheduled for Thursday, April 30.  

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