SW Portland Post

SERVING INSIDE: Burlingame • Capitol Hill New sidewalks, • Garden Home • Glen Cullen • Hillsdale trees and swales • Multnomah Village planned for • Raleigh Hills • South Portland • Vermont Hills Multnomah Village • West Portland Southwest Portland’s Independent Neighborhood Newspaper – Page 2 Volume No. 20, Issue No. 8 www.swportlandpost.com Portland, Oregon Complimentary June 2012 Macadam Avenue neighbors at loggerheads over Sellwood Bridge alignment to $6 million. By Lee Perlman Dennis Mitchell of ODOT said that The Southwest Portland Post his agency could not agree to install a new traffic signal anywhere on Macad- Last month some 60 residents along am because it did not meet professional Southwest Miles Place south of Wil- standards, or “warrants,” to justify lamette Park, and the Macadam Bay such an installation. The only existing houseboat moorage north of the Sell- signalized intersection on this part of wood Bridge, offered testimony on how Macadam is at Southwest Miles Street future access to Macadam Bay should and Taylors Ferry Road. be provided. Miles Place residents spoke to its Each of the two camps professed unique character. “I’ve never felt such a good will toward the other, and each sense of community as on Miles Place,” championed a solution that the other Denis Schure said. “That alley is primar- found abhorrent. ily a pedestrian and bike environment.” As part of the construction of a new Using it for Macadam Bay traffic Sellwood Bridge, Multnomah County would mean a phenomenal increase in and the Oregon Department of Trans- cars that would obliterate it,” Schure portation plan to move Highway 43 said. (Southwest Macadam Avenue) slightly Douglas Barbour, who said he was to the east, making the old Macadam “born and raised” on Miles Place, Denis Schure stands near his house on Southwest Miles Place. To preserve his Bay driveway unusable. recalled ice being delivered by horse- narrow street, Schure is in favor of a U-turnaround at Taylors Ferry Road as well Project staff has developed a dozen drawn carriage on the street, and coal as a new driveway to access Macadam Bay houseboats next to Freeman Motors. alternative proposals for a new access. by truck. (Post photo by Don Snedecor) Some would have the driveway go Denise Kronowski, whose father lives through Freeman Motors and utilize its on Miles Place, said, “I’d hate to see man Motors would involve “overall the Some Miles residents and businesses existing driveway. it changed.” A new access road there least risk, and remove the fewest trees.” belittled the negative impact to Mac- Others would create a new road would, among other things, necessitate Several business owners on Miles adam Bay of a Freeman Motors access. through Southwest Miles Place or Miles the removal of Butterfly Park on the Street said that additional traffic there Attorney Keith Benjamin, representing Street, expanding and improving that north end of Miles Place. would interfere with access and force Autoworks Northwest, said the pro- road to handle increased traffic. The “I think other options would serve them to move, or at least downsize and posed access will leave Freeman Mo- cost estimates ranged from $3 million Macadam Bay,” she said. Using Free- lay off workers. (Continued on Page 6) School district educates Hillsdale neighbors on possible construction bond measure buildings on May 17, 2011, school presentation May 2 before the Hill- One Hillsdale neighbor asked By Jillian Daley district officials have been reaching sdale Neighborhood Association whether students need buildings in a The Southwest Portland Post out to the community to find out seemed particularly timely. It was time when they can do much of their why the bond failed and what the just shy of the one-year anniversary work online. Hoover-Barnett said Since voters rejected a $548 million community wants. of the day voters said “no” to the many students may not have a place bond to upgrade Portland school Nearly a year later, an educational bond by a margin of about 600 votes. to study at home, and a teacher’s Hillsdale neighbors listened to guidance helps. Portland Public Schools spokes- One man said he might have voted woman Erin Hoover-Barnett, who for the construction bond had he touched on not only the failed bond known schools were suffering so but also massive cuts the school severely financially. district is proposing to close a $27.5 Hoover-Barnett said the failure of million budget shortfall next fiscal the construction bond is not directly year. The school board is scheduled tied to the school district’s financial to adopt the 2012-13 school budget situation because such a bond could on June 25. Next fiscal year begins only have been used to build build- July 1. ings. Hoover-Barnett pointed to sparks An informational sheet she gave of hope for Portland schools: student neighbors laid out the school dis- performance at academic milestones trict’s main financial problems: K-12 such as seventh grade writing rose education’s share of Oregon’s state by at least five percentage points biennial budget decreased from 45 from 2009-10 to 2010-11. The perfor- percent in 2003-05 to 39 percent in mance gap between white students 2011-13. Portland Public Schools' Erin Hoover-Barnett, HNA president Mikal Apenes, and students of color also narrowed, The recession, which lowered PPS board member Ruth Adkins and Wilson High School principal Sue Brent, Barnett said. home values, decreased property tax discuss the next construction bond at the Hillsdale Neighborhood Association She added that the outreach effort collections, so the local option levy meeting, May 2. (Post photo by Jillian Daley) has deepened the school district’s for staffing that passed last spring is community connection. Another bringing in less money than school Don’t forget to renew your subscription. Form on Page 2. construction bond could be on the officials had projected. Student en- table, depending on whether the rollment is growing. The Southwest Portland Post school board, after looking at com- Cuts to balance the beleaguered 4207 SE Woodstock Blvd #509 munity input, decides in June to refer budget could include 110 teaching Portland, OR 97206 a bond to the ballot in November positions (worth $10 million) and 34 2012 or May 2013. central office positions. Voters did approve a local option Neighborhood association presi- levy that also was on the May 2011 dent Mikal Apenes said at the May 2 ballot, which pays for teachers and meeting that his family stays in Port- operational support, but the con- land because of the quality schools. struction bond’s failure halted the As budgets cut school programs and school district’s plans to renovate pare back staff, other states’ schools and rebuild schools. (Continued on Page 7) 2 • The Southwest Portland Post EDITORIAL June 2012 New sidewalks, trees and swales planned for Multnomah Village works projects pay into. According businesses expressed interest in That will be reversed with this EDITor’S DESK to BES spokesman Stephen Sykes, sidewalk cafes during a recent open project. the city “anticipates construction in house, but Sykes said it is up to the Editor’s Note: Residents, how do the spring of 2013.” Portland Bureau of Transportation you feel about the Multnomah Vil- By Don Snedecor “We’ve been working closely with as to whether permits are issued. The Southwest Portland Post lage Stormwater Project? If you are a the Multnomah Village Business As- Current sidewalks are abut six feet business owner or manager in the core sociation,” explained Sykes. wide. area, how will you and your business At a cost of $422, 000 the Portland Sykes said that while business Because of the all the cement, the be impacted? Contact Don Snedecor Bureau of Environmental Services doorways will be impacted, “The core area can be very hot in the sum- at 503-244-6933 or e-mail don@mult- (BES) is planning a reconstruction City is working with businesses to mer months. So the new trees will nomahpost.com. We’ll include your project in Multnomah Village. minimize the disruption by limiting provide badly needed shade. comments in an upcoming story. The Multnomah Village Storm- duration of closure during normal When asked about the new street water Project will include new side- business hours as much as possible.” trees Sykes said “We’re looking at walks, 12 new street trees, two new Business owners had three major non-fruiting trees, perhaps an ash POETRY CORNER swales to handle stormwater and concerns: make a project that doesn’t or a flowering pear.” a reconfiguration of the on-street remove existing parking; improve Sykes said BES is considering trees The Tone of Voice parking between Southwest 35th and the north side as well as the south; that “aren’t too columnar, don’t th 36 avenues along Capitol Highway. and “make a place where people drop too many leaves, or grow so It’s not so much what you say, Money for the project will come want to hang out,” said Sykes. broadly as to cover necessary busi- As the manner in which you say it; from a “one percent for green pub- New sidewalks would range ness signage.” It’s not so much in the language you use lic works” fund that all city public from six feet to nine feet wide. Some The two new swales will face each As the tone in which you convey it; other on the corner of Southwest 36th Words may be mild and fair Avenue and Capitol Highway. And the tone may pierce like a dart; Cars, trucks and bicycles will Words may be soft as the summer air, share the new 17-feet-wide travel But the tone may break a heart; lane.

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