County, City at Odds Over Accessory Dwelling Units Landlords Say Renter
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
Will Oregon’s ‘D’ improve? Pac-12 offenses up next — SEE SPORTS, B1 PortlandTUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2015 • TWICE CHOSEN THE NATION’S BEST NONDAILY PAPERTribune • PORTLANDTRIBUNE.COMb • PUBLISHED TUESDAY AND THURSDAY County, city at odds over accessory dwelling units Some see property taxes double when adding granny ats By STEVE LAW The Tribune As the city giveth, the county taketh away. James Peterson found out the hard way. Last year, he added a 522-square-foot, one- bedroom apartment above the detached garage at his Northeast Portland home. The city of Portland actively encourages such accessory dwelling units, or ADUs, allowing them on most lots and waiving several thousand dollars in de- velopment fees. This year, a Multnomah County assessor came by to figure out what Peterson’s new apartment was worth, to add it to his property bill. It was then that Peterson “I think it learned the county also could kill would reassess his main house, valuing it for tax roughly half purposes as if it also were the ADU brand-new construction. As a result, his annual proper- market ty taxes will double, to here.” about $8,000 a year. — Kol Peterson, “Because of new con- ADU consultant struction on one part of the property, now the entire property is treated as new construction, which is nonsense — it’s a 1926 Supporters of house,” says Peterson, a real estate broker for Dave Walters Living Room Realty. embrace him The city prizes ADUs because they add den- after he sity to existing neighborhoods and often pro- rappelled down a vide more affordable dwellings with less envi- sequoia where ronmental impact. They also allow more fl exi- he spent four bility for families, enabling aging grandparents TREE-HUGGERS SAVE days in protest. or relatives with special needs to live on site. Advocates say the county’s actions could TRIBUNE PHOTOS: JAIME VALDEZ have a chilling effect on ADUs and run counter to the city’s goals. “It doesn’t seem right to me,” says Kol Peter- son, an ADU consultant and blogger (no rela- See ADU / Page 3 THE GIANT SEQUOIAS A four-month effort to save trees ended in a deal Friday By SHASTA KEARNS MOORE ing and moving the way so The Tribune many people came out to support this effort,” said Called “Lorax Dave” by Arthur Bradford, who lives supporters, tree-sitter next door to the site. Dave Walters came down Developer Vic Remmers around 6 p.m. Friday after could not be reached for COURTESY: KOL PETERSON having lived in a 150-foot comment and the voice Sam and Megan Parrish built this detached tall giant sequoia for mailbox at Everett Custom Portland accessory dwelling unit for Megan’s more than 72 hours. Homes was full. mother, who moved in last November. Walters and around 100 Bradford negotiated a other protesters — together deal to buy the property with a hefty sum of money from Remmers for an un- — succeeded in halting the disclosed amount with help removal of the stand of from Mayor Charlie Hales three redwood trees to and Neighborhood Associa- make way for two Everett tion Chairman Robert Mc- Landlords say Custom Homes on South- Cullough. Law enforcement personnel are dwarfed by three 150-foot sequoias in Eastmoreland, where east Martins Street, south Bradford, who is a writer tree-sitter Dave Walters and protesters blocked developer Everett Custom Homes from cutting of Reed College. down the trees. The stand was slated to be cut down Monday, Sept. 14, leading to a multi-day renter relief “It was incredibly touch- See TREES / Page 2 stand-off between protesters, law enforcement and developers. proposal isn’t lawful Saltzman calls for greater notice to tenants on huge rent increases, evictions Eastmoreland By JIM REDDEN Neighborhood The Tribune Association chairman Robert Landlords are questioning the legality McCullough of a plan by Commissioner Dan Saltzman speaks to to extend eviction and rent increase noti- citizens who fi cations for tenants. were concerned Saltzman announced last Wednesday that with three he will introduce an ordinance to the City threatened Council extending the requirements in the sequoia trees on state Landlord-Tenant Law. Southeast “Portland renters need additional protec- Martins Street, tions,” Saltzman said. “Our city is experienc- south of Reed ing record low vacancy rates coupled with College. record high rents, creating the perfect storm of housing uncertainty for many Portland families.” “Pamplin Media Group’s pledge is to Portland Tribune OPERA’S NEW ERA deliver balanced news that re ects the But state law preempts local regulations stories of our communities. Thank you like the one Saltzman is proposing, according — SEE LIFE, PAGE B10 for reading our newspapers.” See RENTERS / Page 4 Inside — DR. ROBERT B. PAMPLIN JR. OWNER & NEIGHBOR A2 NEWS The Portland Tribune Tuesday, September 22, 2015 Trees: ‘South Park’ co-creator gave cash ■ From page 1 and contributor to several tele- vision shows, says his friend, South Park co-creator Matt Stone, agreed to help fund the proposal. “He didn’t contribute all the money,” Bradford said. “He just made a contribution that made a difference.” He adds that they still need more. “The developer came down signifi - cantly on his price, but we still have to raise a lot of money to meet it.” The group had previously raised around $550,000, includ- ing money from a different de- veloper. They are now raising money through Friends of Trees, with a closing date of Oct. 1. Remmers previously had re- quired $900,000 to sell. The county tax assessor puts the two lots’ combined value at $591,000, including the house built in 1922 that was demol- ished. Everett Custom Homes bought the lot in April for $653,000 and split it in two. Bradford says the current plan is to have developer Ethan Beck build a small home on the western edge of the property, with the lot contain- ing the three trees turned into a public space of some sort. ‘I’m not a protester’ The protest got dramatic Thursday afternoon around 2 p.m., when Portland police offi - cers opened gates to allow tree-cutting equipment through to the property, but protesters formed a human fence, blocking the vehicles. Bradford gave an impas- sioned plea to television cam- eras after the trucks drove out of sight. “They are trying to cut down these trees while we are talk- ing,” Bradford said. “I was two remaining old-growth with these duct-tape style res- on the phone Demonstrator Douglas fi rs near Southeast Fingers pointed at tree code olutions where things are just with the may- and 41st Avenue and Southeast Bogren argued that the group glued together,” he said. or. This is un- environmentalist Clinton Street. Two other protesting was from across the Remmer seemed to agree believable. Dave Walters trees there have reportedly political spectrum. “It doesn’t with that. In a letter sent to Vic Remmers, lived on a already been removed by Ev- matter. Any of it. The one thing neighbors in June, he urged what are you platform about erett Custom Homes. Radio in this little village that we’ve them to direct their concerns doing? This is 50 feet off the station KBOO reported that created is we don’t want the to the city. wrong.” ground from 2 the Saturday, Sept. 12 removal trees to come down.” “Your concerns should not It is unclear of those trees sparked pro- About a dozen Portland Po- be directed at our work, but p.m. Tuesday why the tests and another tree-sitter, lice Bureau offi cers were on rather a City of Portland code until 6 p.m. chainsaws Elizabeth Bennett, an assis- the scene to attempt to resolve you take issue with,” he wrote. showed up af- Friday last week. tant professor at Lewis and the situation, including a tree- “The tree code is laid out for ter the may- TRIBUNE PHOTOS: Clark College. climbing crew. developers. As homebuilders, or’s offi ce an- JAIME VALDEZ Bogren said she will re- Sgt. Pete Simpson, a bureau we study these parameters nounced a deal had been of about 100 protestors gath- the stories surrounding the quest a meeting with Rem- spokesman, said they were and make sure we are within reached at 1 p.m. that day to ered on Southeast Martins neighborhood’s 150-foot trees. mers in an attempt to work to- hoping to resolve the situation the code. The tree ordinance save the trees. Street near Southeast 36th Av- The legend is that the three gether with him to restore his without arrests. at the City of Portland is one of Tree-cutting equipment fi rst enue. trees were planted in 1857 to image. Neighborhood chairman Mc- the most rigorous in the na- came in Monday, Sept. 14, “I’m not a protester. I’m not commemorate a niece’s 12th “There are people that Cullough said he was grateful tion, but we encourage you to sparking a social media call to this,” Bogren said. “I’m a birthday and are part of a don’t want you to do what for the mayor’s intervention, work with your city represen- activists. mother. I’m a homeowner. I trail of large old trees across you’re doing,” Bogren said. but noted that the tree code tatives to make the changes Beth Bogren answered that live on 52nd and Martins. I the city. “Hopefully he can recognize needed more work to prevent you wish to see.” call and was then nominated don’t go to stuff like this.” Bogren said she is relieved that and we don’t have to do similar situations.