Eliot Neighborhood Association
Meeting Minutes
July 16, 2018
6:30 – 9:40 pm
St. Philip Deacon Episcopal Church
NE 120 Knott St.

Meeting called to order 6:30pm

*MOVE to accept May meeting minutes as amended – Jimmy Wilson; Shireen Hasan seconds; approved

PRESENTATION: Meyer Memorial Trust – New Headquarters 

• Planning to redevelop 2045 N. Vancouver Avenue (Tillamook & Vancouver) for 22,146 SF office building
• project^ real estate developer and Fieldwork design & architecture will be working on the building design and construction
• Meyer Memorial Trust will be developing the existing Sergeant’s Towing site into their new headquarters; plan on keeping historical building and adding parking on site, community space on ground floor
• New zoning regulations require minimum setback of building from the sidewalk
• developers are asking for two adjustments to zoning rules:
  • 5 feet of setback required for buildings; developers are asking for 10-12 foot setback on ground floor, but have an overhang on the upper floors (that will only be setback 1 foot from sidewalk) so that the building will cover the sidewalk on N. Vancouver Ave
  • Zoning: parking cannot be closer than 10 foot setback from sidewalk; developers are asking to have surface parking be closer than 10 feet to sidewalk, but to enclose it with a wall and add plants, most of parking will be 3 levels of mechanical parking
  • surface parking will be reserved for visitors and most parking will be underground and Meyer Memorial Trust has many employees who bike to work
• Plan to start building beginning of 2019 and MMT will move in March-May 2020
• Public comment period for the zoning changes begins 7/30 and will last for 2 weeks

PRESENTATION: Dishman Community Center Events – James Frey

• Dishman gym & community center holds quarterly events for the community
• Planning a block party 8/18 from 12-4pm that will include food, games, activities, live music; Free to the public

NEW BUSINESS: Portland Pensione – Issues with neighbors

• Neighbors have been having issues with tenants and visitors of the Portland Pension; asking for more police patrols in the area
• Neighbors trying to get police involvement and to communicate to the owner of the property
• Jere Fitterman will ask the owner Alan Sanchez to come meet with neighbors about the Portland Pensione

COMMITTEE REPORTS: Parking Permit Canvassing

• Volunteers have collected 57 signatures so far from two canvassing outings
• July 21 at 10am is next canvassing event

COMMITTEE REPORTS: Community Gardening Co-op 

• The funds ENA granted to the Community Gardening Co-op have disappeared
• Heru-ka Anu who was consulting on the project with Shireen Hasan has not returned any communication with Shireen and has not returned the money ($1890 from ENA board and possibly additional funds from individuals in the community who signed up for the project)

*MOVE to file a police report against Heru-Ka Anu for embezzlement of $1890 that was given for Community Gardening Co-op – Jimmy Wilson; Sue Stringer seconds; approved

COMMITTEE REPORTS: Albina Cooperative Garden 

*MOVE to give Albina Cooperative Garden full amount of grant after they sign agreement that funds will be used for memberships – Sue Stringer; Shireen Hasan seconds; approved

NECN: Clean Air talking points

• Comments due by August 6th

*MOVE that ENA writes a letter to Oregon regulators (using EPAC points) based on comments from the Board – Jere Fitterman; Monica Choy Salazar seconds; approved

LUTC: Metro 2018 Regional Transportation Plan

• New plan released; look at map here for changes in Eliot: www.oregonmetro.gov/public-projects/2018-regional-transportation-plan

ELECTIONS PROCESS: October elections, November vote in officers

• Jessica Rojas or Adam from NECN will come to conduct election; slate method
• Elect officers in November: Chair, Vice Chair, Treasurer, Recorder, Newsletter Editor
• Chair Jere Fitterman will be out of town and vice chair Maggie Gardner will conduct meetings in September and October
• Plan to reach out to Clean Air folks to have a speaker come to October general meeting

Announcements:
– August meeting canceled so ENA Board can attend Dawson Park concerts
– Dawson Park Concerts spearheaded by Black Parents Initiative (BPI):
August 9 – Eldon “T” Jones & N Touch – Groovy Jazz
August 16 – EMBRACE – Contemporary Christian and gospel
August 23 – Zoulful Music and BPI’s Big Summer Party & National Night Out

Meeting adjourned 9:40pm

Guests/Residents present: Jessica Rojas (NECN), Gauri V (Fieldwork Design), Tim F (Fieldwork Design), Jim Benton, Angela Benton, James Frey (Dishman Community Center), Philip Wahl, Karla Gostnell (Livability Committee), Anyeley Hallova (project^), Michelle DePass (Meyer Memorial Trust), Elisa Ahn (project^), Johnny Engleheart

Board Members present: Jere Fitterman, Jimmy Wilson, Monica Choy Salazar, Shireen Hasan, Sue Stringer