Land Use September 5, 2017

Present: PJ Morehouse, Aaron Willimans, Linda Nettekoven, Troy Doss, Dan Yates, Eric Hoffman, Lee Leighton, Debbie Kitchin, Peter F Fry, Michael Zokoych, Jason Tand, Fumi Kellener, Jill Riebesehl, Jon Adams, Susan Pearce, Melissa Hayden, Ann Wentworth, Yvonne Inserra, Julie Bennet

SE Quadrant Group helped the planning bureau with goals, objectives, zoning issues for the Central City 2035. 4 tracks going forward right now.

1. Zoning code to council on Thursday for first hearing
2. Scenic resource project next Thursday, however there are consequences on the zoning map for heights. Salmon Street Corridor. Height map this Thursday. Justification week after
3 Design Review issues, the overlays
4 Historic districts, emerging in terms of height issues in relation to historic districts

Troy Doss created our advisory committee. Our SAC did well at dealing with difficult problems, including the employment overlay and OMSI.

TDoss: The biggest change is that the Salmon Springs scenic corridor has been put back on the table. Planning & Sustainability Commission decided last year not to put it in the Plan. The view is of Mt Hood, right next to the Multnomah County building. The view was never protected. One of few places on the river to see Mt Hood in Central City is Salmon Springs. His point at the time was that you wouldn’t be sure to see Mt Hood. There would be 300,000 sq ft development loss and 1500 jobs if there was a full build out.

Hawthorne Bridgehead Heights would go down from 250ft down to 35-40ft. Bridgehead, Hawthorne, Grand Ave (MAX line) and ODOT blocks are the main impacts. Mayor wants to bring up discussion again.

The Mayor wants it up for discussion; someone brought it to his attention. Mayor didn’t say he was for it. During the planning commission, many testified for it. Many added this onto their own desires in Goose Hollow and West End for example. The SAC didn’t talk about this viewpoint in SE Quadrant. BDS Staff will provide facts about impact, jobs, employment and potentially property value.

The amendments to master plan provisions: none major and we’ve talked to all those effected. Only OMSI is affected in the Central Eastside, and the bureau talked to them, changing how they measure things. Fritz wanted to re-address heights at Morrison Bridgehead on westside. She’s always had an issue about height along the river. There are placeholders for conversation about parking code and transport systems at OHSU and PSU (parking ratios), Willamette River and environmental code (how to measure), exterior lighting, dredging and resource enhancement, and river setback from historic landmarks. He doesn’t recall substantive change. There is a proposal from Japanese Garden to maintain views and Salmon Springs.

So far there are only have amendments from Mayor and Fritz.

The ecoroof is still adjustable. Bonuses have not changed. Locus Group (architects, developers) were active in discussion about inclusionary housing (modify bonus system for more FAR in this case).

Waterfront Zoning: OMSI is not committing to uses, and the is masterplan available. They’ll be at Land Review next month.

PFry felt there were three main issues to look at 3: Salmon Creek view corridor, Grand Ave historic district view, and Volunteers of America daycare and battered women facility, Ash &7th. VOA would like to change their zoning to EXD. If this was converted to EXD, there would only be a one block wide I-G1 around where Wentworth is. He met with VOA and Juliana Lukasik. This CEIC’s position is that they don’t want to change zoning. The CEIC would support conditional use process for VOA to modernize. Zoning would not continue with sale of property.

TDoss: A women’s shelter is prohibited in IG. A solution would be a use provision more adapted for Central Eastside. They are not supportive of zone change either and would like to find scenarios that would be less complex than conditional. The process around this: there will be hearing on a lot of these issues this Thursday and next week will be around more resources, environmental and scenic issues. They’ll hear testimony and the end September is first work session. Commissioners will ask for staff recommendations.

SPearce: HAND is writing a letter reiterating the things that they’ve already said: they would not like to have a solid wall of buildings in our view- not height, but a hope for articulation.

PFry: There seems to be a misunderstanding by people on city council of bulk vs height.

SPearce: Other things they are advocating for : multi income development in Clinton Triangle, traffic on 11th and 12th . One of board members got hit by a truck turning left at Harrison and 12th- a separated crossing across 11th to address traffic problems. For some reason, there is some residential around 11th and 12th mixed in with the EX. They would like to address that. They have also been told by Trimet that there is funding for Gideon St Bridge (bikes peds) through contingency funding.

PFry- Salmon Street Scenic creates a height limit overlay in area with no height limits, without reparations.

TDoss: We quantify by FAR, not by height. This doesn’t have much of an impact on IG1. EX development will be impacted. The district won’t be able to build to full potential. Bridgehead Hawthorne-MLK-Grand, 9-6 to 1 FAR loss. The impact on industrial office is between Grand and Water. East of 6th not really impacted. In South Waterfront, they capped height for views from key locations at Terwilliger. The mass were required to be thinner than actual blocks and have visual permeability. It was very complex. That technique wouldn’t balance here. More expensive and complicated part of this process in the Central City Plan was view resource inventory. When Master Plans go through design commission (such as OMSI), its important for neighborhood and business associations to be there to to ensure they are conserving massings to allow for the views to public right of way.

PFry- The CEIC will endorse the planning commission’s recommendation to City Council. He will talk about Salmon Springs, and will put the river issues to the side for now.

DYates: City will protect river dependent but not river related. This is concern. They want a terminal adjacent to the river, but nothing to support it. It goes directly against goal 15.

TDoss: Urged Dan to stay for the entire conversation. With Terminal 1 south, there may be similar issues.

TDoss: You could testify and ask how long to submit written testimony. If there is a big change, a 2nd hearing will be held on those amendments.

PFry- CEIC needs to have something in the record on Thursday, but no time to write. We need to stay positive. The CEIC will be fighting such issues as height forever.

TDoss: Height is going to be the big topic on Thursday. It will be messy, and they’l look to us to resolve. Other issue: many are against 1-5 safety improvement widening. Some are asking that City not be financial partner in it, but we need to see what full package is.

PFry- The CEIC has a lot that they wrote about height/FAR. They have talked a lot about I-5; it affects our district. He will write that the planning bureau has done a “good job” and the CEIC agrees with their recommendations. He will also included that the CEIC views height in these ways (character, articulation) and support I-84/I-5 interchange improvements.

TDoss: Height Salmon Springs, East Grand Ave historic district (EXD). Historic bureau wanted to restrict it to 75ft across the city. They now are electing to eliminate bonus height in this amendment. You’d still be able to use most of your FAR in this district; this is not the case in other districts.

PFry- The CEIC will write to endorse the planning’s recommendations. Room is in agreement with Peter’s approach. He will reiterate our Salmon Springs opinion.

DYates: MTSA completely removed. Sally views MTSA as a negotiating point. Requested that CEIC requests a return of the MTSA to the plan.

TDoss: Important to have individual property owners there, 2pm this Thursday