2009-02-17

HIDDEN SPRINGS NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION MINUTES MEETING OF FEBRUARY 17, 2009 CALL TO ORDER. The meeting was called to order at 7:05 PM at the West Linn Adult Community Center by President, Lynn C. Fox. Other officers in attendance: Donna Baker, Treasurer; Charles Lytle, Secretary. QUORUM DATA. Thirty one members have attended meetings in 2009. Therefore the quorum was three. There were 20 members at the beginning of the meeting, 24 total. PREVIOUS MEETING MINUTES. The minutes of the January 20, 2009 meeting were approved as written. TREASURER’S REPORT. The current balance is $1873.12. POLICE REPORT. None. ANNOUNCEMENTS: 1) President Fox stated that the new mayor and council have set up a series of training sessions for neighborhood associations. The schedule has not been finalized, and she urged interested members to contact Kristen Wyatt at city hall. 2) In the city’s “Community Aspirations Report” to METRO on the future of the Stafford Triangle, Planning Director Brian Brown stated that the city “was eager” to see Rosemont Road developed into what METRO calls a “high-speed corridor.” This seems to fly in the face of the council’s going on record that the Stafford Triangle should remain in the rural reserve. A number of citizens have complained to both the Planning Director and council about this statement. 3) The METRO decision on the Stafford Triangle should be made within the month. If it’s designated as urban reserve, development most probably will go north from I-205 right up to Rosemont Road. GUEST SPEAKERS: 1) Kari Oakes, Marylhurst NA. Ms. Oakes reported on the proposed development on Suncrest close to the Carriage Way intersection. About one-third of the property is in a water resource zone and contains an ephemeral stream. At the pre-application meeting, this portion of the property was to be deeded to the city. The city supported this because it would be able to maintain the land and thus protect the water resource. This provision has now “disappeared,” and the developer plans on retaining the land. Ms. Oakes asked if the HSNA would send a letter to the Planning Commission and council urging that the original deeding to the city be kept. The following motion was made by member Jim Brown and seconded by Carrie Pellet: “Contingent upon review of the pre-application meeting tape and application documents, if the water resource part of the property was promised to be deeded to the city, the HSNA does not support the application without this provision.” The motion carried 22 – 0 -3. 2) Roberta Schwartz, Tanner Basin NA. Ms. Schwartz reported on the council’s recent decision to purchase all but 5 acres of the Tannler East property. She showed an animated PowerPoint highlighting the natural features of the tract. Five acres were retained by the owner because of good access and topography for commercial development. However, since that time the deteriorating economy has lessened the likelihood of finding anchor tenants, so the owner is now willing to sell the tract to the city. Ms. Schwartz circulated a suggested resolution in support of the city purchasing the five acre parcel (attached to end of minutes). A motion in support of the resolution was made by Charles Lytle and seconded by Richard Burkhartsmeier. During discussion on the motion, member Jerry Newville objected to spending money on a proposed park when the economy was in such bad shape. Ms. Schwartz pointed out that by statute, allocated money cannot be used for other purposes such as schools or streets and sidewalks. After further discussion, the motion carried 18 – 3 - 2. HSNA Meeting Minutes February 17, 2009 Page 2 3) Julia Simpson, League of West Linn Neighbors. Ms. Simpson reviewed the history and current status of the organization and then reviewed recent accomplishments and ongoing projects. The city withdrew recognition of the League a few years ago, and the League is now seeking to re-establish a formal relationship with the city. Ms. Simpson read a suggested resolution that the HSNA could pass urging the council to again formally recognize the League. After a brief discussion, no motion was forthcoming. 4) Kevin Bryck, Bolton NA. Mr. Bryck gave a presentation on the current status of Hwy 43 and urged the establishment of a Hwy 43 task force. Previously, the City received a grant from ODOT for a $50,000 (including a $7,000 of in-kind contribution of City Planning input) corridor study, addressing the lack of sidewalks, bicycle paths, and left turn lanes. However, by the time the funds were allotted, there were only three months left to complete the study. The consultant-led study was cursory at best and did not begin to address all the problems and concerns. Mr. Bryck urged members to contact city staff and the council, urging that the city support a citizen Task Force to complete the design in preparation for engineering and rally city-wide support to gain funding for construction. OLD BUSINESS: 1) Erickson Property. President Fox noted that interim planning director Chris Kerr never brought the file to the January meeting at which Dr. Woehl of the school district made his presentation. At that meeting, Mr. Kerr stated that there was no file, which is not true. Ms. Fox noted that there were several procedural errors made by city staff regarding notice to the neighborhood association, providing materials in advance of planning commission and council hearings, etc. The slip-shod rush through the process seems to be to accommodate the district’s desire to get the annexation on the May ballot. 2) Palomino Loop Trail. President Fox distributed an overlay map provided by Parks Director Ken Worcester showing the portion of the trail in back of Palomino Way and the dogleg north in back of Palomino Circle from the Pimlico intersection to the park. Mr. Worcester is still talking about a trail master plan. He wants to defer further discussions until the plan is written and vetted through the Planning Commission and council. Members living on Palomino again stated that long ago the city told them that they had to maintain the trail area because the city lacked funds to do it. Although no one stated that the city had given them written permission to build fences or decks or other structures into the trail area, it was generally believed by those living along the trail that the city had no problem historically with that being done. Thus the letter from Ken Worcester stating that all such structures and other intrusions into the trail, such as gardens and material storage, had to be removed came as a complete surprise. President Fox noted that only communications in support of vacating the trail were forwarded to her and that all communications to the contrary were not. Both Ms. Fox and Secretary Lytle voiced the opinion that the Parks Department was trying to cover its own mistakes by trying to blame the HSNA for the dust-up, where the city actually caused the problem long ago. Currently, METRO is pushing for the establishment of trails, and the city decided that an easy way to comply would be to formally “re-activate” ALL of the Palomino Loop Trail. When reminded by citizens that the city had willingly allowed intrusions into portions of the trail, they realized they had painted themselves into a corner and tried to push the whole thing off on the NA. Members living along the trail were still upset that the HSNA had forwarded a letter in support of removing all intrusions, even after it was pointed out that the areas in question still belonged to the city. Member Jerry Newville made the following motion, seconded by Scott Howard: “I move that the July 15, 2008 resolution regarding the Palomino Loop Trail that HSNA submitted to the West Linn City council be rescinded, and that the Secretary be instructed to so notify the City Council in writing, delivered via the US Postal Service within the next ten (10) days.” After a lengthy discussion on the legalities of occupying city property, the motion carried by a vote of 15 – 1 - 5. ADJOURNMENT. There being no other business to come before the membership, the meeting was adjourned at approximately 9:15 PM by President Lynn C. Fox. NEXT MEETING DATE IS MARCH 17, 2009. Recorded by HSNA Secretary Charles Lytle. HSNA Meeting Minutes February 17, 2009 Page 3