Eliot Neighborhood Association
Meeting Minutes
June 18, 2018
6:30 – 8:30 pm
St. Philip Deacon Episcopal Church
NE 120 Knott St.

Meeting called to order 6:30pm

*MOVE to accept May meeting minutes as amended – Sue Stringer; Maggie Gardner seconds; approved

PRESENTATION: Albina Vision Trust (Rukaiyah Adams)

• 4 years ago folks started looking at the development of the Rose Quarter: buildings, land use, lack of community spaces and the history of the community of Albina
• 30 Portlanders (including Mayor, Trailblazers, and developers) talked for 1 year to build trust about the history of the Albina neighborhood: North of Broadway bordered by Steel Bridge to the South, Lloyd district, and the river
• Focus on values in development planning
• 1 year ago, 5 members started the Albina Vision Trust non-profit
• Albina was a German immigrant community and then black folks moved in after WWII
• Emanuel hospital acquired the land, razed homes and Interstate Avenue, I-5, and all the big buildings were built
• Moving forward, AVT would like developers to consider the core values of AVT in their design: should be a place where people live, work, and play, heal the community, art incorporated from the beginning of design, intentionally remarkable design
• Idea is to stitch in community around the municipal buildings: affordable housing funded by IRAs and retirement investing, community meeting places, parks
• Give folks on the East side access to the river by creating an open civic space where the Memorial Coliseum’s parking lots are (move parking underground)
• The community of color that was replaced can be brought back with a community of conscience with inclusion as primary goal
• Albina Vision was created because it’s making a stand in creating a long term role in overseeing growth in the area and curating in a way that doesn’t allow only opportunistic development

Johnny Englehart asks how the project will be funded. Zari Santner (AVT) says that they are looking for private, public, and non-profit foundations to fund because of the economic potential of the plan: Oregon community foundations, Moda, Ziba design, Wieden+Kennedy, NW Natural and public money as well

Jimmy Wilson brings up that there is a history of hurt in Albina, leaving a scar and the history needs to be acknowledged; Rukaiyah says that she is a 4th generation Portlander, grew up in Eliot and feels that this work is 40 years coming and finally there is enough power to make the plans necessary to make inclusion a priority

Shireen Hasan asks how black folks will be brought back to the neighborhood; Rukaiyah says monuments, accessibility, vision, trust can create the conditions to make this a vibrant black community again; Portland is losing its ability to create opportunities for the middle class, but this vision is possible in because in this area, there are only about 4 big property owners to work with

ENA asks Albina Vision Trust to return at a later date to share more about the project.

PRESENTATION: PBOT Tillamook Neighborhood Greenway Enhancement Project

• In the city of Portland, there have only been a few times that bike plans (policies and goals) have been changed: 1973, 1996, and 2010
• Tillamook Greenway is a major city bikeway with 1,160 trips a day
• Shared roadways create less stressful bikeways to attract new riders
• Tillamook Greenway is a safe route to school road
• 20mph for cars and hoping to have only 1,000 to 1,500 max auto trips on the greenway
• Plans for the Tillamook Greenway: turn stop signs in favor of greenway, adding more marked crossings, bike boxes, diverters
• Construction and design will cost an estimated $150,000 and will start in Spring 2019

Pat Montgomery brings up that Eliot neighbors have been concerned about parking issues, so there may be some resistance if PBOT plans to add more bike boxes that will eliminate some parking spaces.

Maggie Gardner asks what PBOT does with traffic feedback from neighbors; PBOT spokesperson says that feedback gets analyzed, reviewed, and sometimes set up counters to see what the numbers are

Karla Gostnell asks about Tillamook being a no truck street but there are still semi trucks that use it as a pass through to MLK, asks what can be done; PBOT says that trucks delivering to neighborhood businesses are permitted to use no truck roads

Brad Bakers asks if there is a way to make a raised roundabout to slow traffic at Tillmook and Rodney; PBOT says that a raised roundabout would not deter trucks because the design is intended to slow down everyone (bikers, autos) but allow trucks, school buses, etc. to go over them

Sue Stringer asks about the roundabout on 7th and says that bikes sometime cut the roundabout and almost get hit by cars

Jimmy Wilson asks if the community asked for the bike plan; PBOT says the plan is from original transportation plan made in the 90s and updated in 2010 based on community input

Pat Montgomery says that bikes tend to fly down the street by Dawson Park and don’t stop for pedestrians, is there a way to control the bike speeds; PBOT says there are painted markers to tell bikers to proceed slowly, but they cannot control the speed of the bikers

PBOT will have an open house July 19th (5:30-7:30pm) to discuss Tillamook Greenway and will decide on final greenway plans after the meeting

PARKING PERMIT CANVASSING: Brad Baker

• Main issues with new development has been parking; if we can figure out a solution for parking, land use meetings could be used to discuss other issues with new development
• Canvassing and steps of permitting process:
  • 50% of those polled must say that they are interested in permitting
  • PBOT will have open meeting with neighborhood
  • How long visitors can park, hours of permits, etc. will be decided after PBOT meeting
  • Ballots will be mailed to all addresses in permit area
  • 50% of ballots must be returned; of the ballots returned, 60% must say yes to parking permits
  • Cost of permits is $60/yr for street parking ($.16/day); folks can buy as many permits and guest passes as they want
  • Brad will be leading canvassing groups in the next few months in the permit area suggested: between Williams & MLK, bordered by Sacramento and Hancock

NECN REPRESENTATIVE

*MOVE to nominate Jere Fitterman to continue as ENA representative at NECN meetings – Sue Stringer; Jimmy Wilson seconds; approved

LIVABILITY COMMITTEE: Toyota Dealership

Karla Gostnell has been working with Toyota. There is a new owner (1.5 years) who has been managing the dealership from Seattle. They have agreed to give $2,000 for trees on their block. Employees will pick up trash in the mornings. Possibility of mural on Hancock across from PICA. Maybe discuss with PICA?

COMMUNICATIONS 

*MOVE to have Maggie Gardner as communications person – Jere Fitterman; Sue Stringer seconds; approved

• Send welcome emails to folks that come to meetings
• Send correspondence to the email list from neighbor@eliotneighborhood.org email address: events, meetings, etc.

PSAC: Police Community Meetings

• Jimmy Wilson has attended 3 times on behalf of ENA
• 40 community members have been going to PSAC meetings

Announcement:
Brad Baker is leading canvassing for parking permits on Thursday and also on July 10th; contact Brad for details.

Meeting adjourned 9pm

Guests/Residents present: Liz Rickles (PBOT), Adrian Jordan, Quanita Wilson, Scott Batson (PBOT), Tim Eddy (AVT), Roger Geller (PBOT), Matt Morrissey, Janet Bebb (AVT), Rukaiyah Adams (AVT), Zari Santner (AVT)

Board Members present: Anna Daggett, Brad Baker, Jere Fitterman, Jim Hlava, Jimmy Wilson, Maggie Gardner, Monica Choy Salazar, Pat Montgomery, Shireen Hasan, Sue Stringer