CommissionerSam.com - Northeast Portland

The Future of Live/Work for Artists in Portland: A Conversation

Jesse Beason — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 17:07:30 -0700

Milepost 5 is hosting a panel discussion on the call for affordable live/work spaces for artists and creatives in Portland. The discussion will focus on projects currently in the works and the challenges involved in meeting this need throughout Portland.

The panel includes several developers involved in creating live/work opportunities, artists who are currently in live/work situations, artists who have had experience with live/work situations and Sam who has been a supporter and advocate for developing practical and affordable live/work spaces.

Artists interested in the topic are encouraged to join the discussion.

Panelists include:

Brad Malsin, Beam Development, Milepost 5
Ben Kaiser, Project X
Brian Wannamaker, Falcon Artist Community
Sam Adams, Portland City Commissioner and Mayor Elect
TJ Norris, Artist
Jenene Nagy, Artist

Moderated by Gavin Shettler, Executive Director of the Portland Art Center and Creative Director of Milepost 5.

When: 7-8:30 pm Tuesday July 8, 2008

More info at www.milepostfive.com.

Sam Adams Welcomes Old Town Pizza to MLK

Kimberly Schneider — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 14:22:51 -0700

Old Town Pizza opened its second outpost at the Portland Development Commission-backed Vanport Square development on Thursday with a pizza dough toss that had Sam tossing dough with finesse. The new restaurant is located at 5201 N.E. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. one block north of N.E. Alberta Street.

Adams was among six community leaders who competed to toss pizza dough the highest in order to secure a charity donation of $500 made by Old Town Pizza to the winning contestant's charity of choice.

Prior to the dough toss contest, Sam congratulated Old Town Pizza on becoming the newest business along N.E. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
"Vanport Square is here because neighborhood associations and community citizens collaborated to make it a reality," said Adams. "In opening here today, Old Town Pizza has made a commitment to residents and other business owners along MLK to do its part to renew and revitalize our city."

Vanport Square was started in 2001 when the Portland Development Commission selected developers Ray Leary and Jeana Wooley to convert the old Marco Manufacturing building and surrounding land into a commercial center.

When Adam Milne, owner of Old Town Pizza, first heard about Vanport Square he was immediately interested. So, when it was announced in the fall of 2004 that the conventional leased approach to filling the spaces was abandoned in favor of selling condominiums to businesses through low-interest loans offered by the Portland Family of Funds, Milne submitted his reservation to buy one of the largest units.

Old Town Pizza Vanport Square showcases the restaurant's philosophy of sustainability and environmental stewardship in many of the restaurant's design features - such as the weathered wood wall from an old Oregon barn, the giant beams from barracks that housed Italian immigrants at the San Pablo Fish & Wildlife Refuge, and the centerpiece chandelier that hung in the Portland Art Museum until a 1970s remodel.

Established in 1974 with the opening of its original landmark location in Old Town's Merchant Hotel building, Old Town Pizza is a Portland legend known for its incredible pizza, cozy atmosphere and bustling happy hours. Owner Adam Milne - a devoted Old Town Pizza customer since celebrating his ninth birthday at the restaurant - purchased Old Town Pizza from the original owners, the Accuardi family, in 2003. The second location, Old Town Pizza at Vanport Square, will open in June 2008. www.oldtownpizza.com

Vanport Square Opens on MLK

Kimberly Schneider — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 19:14:18 -0800

Commissioner Adams joined developers Ray Leary and Jeana Woolley, PDC Commissioner Charles Wilhoite and Carl Talton to celebrate the grand opening of Vanport Square - located on NE Martin Luther King, Jr Blvd & Alberta. Sam's remarks follow:

Thank you Ray for that introduction. It's wonderful to join you all here today on this brisk morning for a project opening that warms the heart.

As a resident of North Portland's Kenton neighborhood - who uses MLK daily -- I'm excited about this development and what it means for our City.

MLK is a critical boulevard in the City of Portland. It connects the Oregon Convention Center, the Central Eastside, the Lloyd District, Emanuel Hospital, PCC's Cascade Campus, Trail Blazers Boys and Girls Club, the Skanner, Observer and Asian Reporter newspapers, and numerous parks, churches and schools. The boulevard provides a connection through Portland's most diverse neighborhoods.

Studies show that 28,000 cars drive along MLK Boulevard each day. Now that's a tremendous opportunity for businesses located along MLK, but it's also an opportunity to get people out of their cars and onto the Streetcar system.

I hope you can envision with me a time in the not too distant future when the Streetcar line will extend from downtown to the Central Eastside and Lloyd District all the way up MLK. This will help reduce the congestion on the Boulevard, and will also make it a more walkable street, which is what retailers along here need to grow and thrive.

But today we are gathered for the opening of the Vanport project and there is much to celebrate about this project.

Vanport Square is a hard-fought triumph for Ray and Jeana, for Martin Luther King, Jr. Blouvard and for PDC - and we're grateful to them for that fight. We would not be here today if it weren't for their perseverance, vision and creativity.

The result is a project that will support 75 jobs - and 16 businesses that have the opportunity to own a business AND build equity in their property on MLK. At the same time, the large plaza will be a gathering place for the entire community.

With this success, this project sets the stage for new commercial activity, new vitality and new development on this Boulevard.

Ray and Jeana's tribute to the City of Vanport and the residents who lived there also sets the tone for any new development: the past is not forgotten; the past remains with us today.

I'd also like to acknowledge former Mayor Vera Katz - for her involvement in this project - and Mayor Potter - who could not be here today but sends his congratulations - for all the support he has shown in this effort.

So, to Ray and Jeana, to all the citizens who volunteered their time at countless meetings, to the City staff involved - a big thank you.

I look forward to joining you along MLK for other celebrations of this great boulevard.

Thank you.

Visiting Leatherman Tools

Kimberly Schneider — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 16:50:16 -0800

CEO Jake Nichol and Commissioner Sam at Leatherman Tools: It was love at first sight for Sam and Leatherman Tool's new gardening shearsSam visited Leatherman Tools' recently renovated headquarters and manufacturing center in NE Portland to hear about what the famously innovative folks are up to. Sam got a chance to talk about his work with workforce development, support of Manufacturing 21 and other ways the City of Portland is working to support our local economy.

Sam heard about athe company's adoption of "lean" -- efficiency -- techniques and toured the state-of-the-art facility. He also had a chance to hear about the company's commitment to the community. Leatherman has promised to keep its manufacturing in Portland - saying it's both the smart and the right thing to do. As part of the commitment, Leatherman focuses their outreach locally by sponsoring a local elementary school, and supporting Mercy Corps, the Mt. Hood chapter of Habitat for Humanity, and the Big Brother Big Sister program among other investments.

1,130 Transportation-Related Citizen/Biz Requests Handled in 2007: Whew!

Cevero Gonzalez — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 19:12:52 -0800

As Sam's Public Advocate for transportation, the year 2007 continued to provide me with abundant opportunities to assist citizens with their questions and concerns regarding City services and projects. Specifically, the insightful and passionate inquiries we received challenged me, along with other bureaus throughout the City, to "think outside the box" and in turn to provide action-oriented responses to citizens seeking results.

Generally speaking, over 1,130 requests for assistance were received in our office this year [see table below]. In addition, but not included in the table below, we also received and responded to over 1,000 constituent inquiries relating to the proposed renaming of N. Interstate Avenue, as well as over 300 e-mails, letters and phone calls from citizens concerned about improving cyclist safety on Portland City streets. All tolled, we had a very busy but exciting year - addressing and resolving issues to the best of our ability. A brief listing of the types of concerns we addressed includes - but is not limited to:

• Parking enforcement, including suggestions regarding ways to improve parking access;
• General assistance and referral - to internal bureaus within the City, and other external partners throughout the city and county such as local non-profits and housing agencies;
• Motorist and pedestrian safety improvements;
• Paving and other street maintenance concerns;
• Street signage and street lighting issues;A break-down of the 1340 or so annual constituent contacts and requests, by month

* Requests for assistance through December 16, 2007.

Of course, every request for assistance or direction is unique. That being said, however, an in an effort to better highlight the types of concerns and issues addressed this year, following are a few brief examples of inquiries for assistance received in 2007.

OVERVIEW

Abandoned Autos: Priscilla in Northwest called the Public Advocate to request assistance with an abandoned auto that she indicated had remained parked on her residential street despite several attempts to contact the City's Abandoned Autos Program to have the vehicle removed. Not only was the vehicle an eyesore, Priscilla offered, but there was a potential that the debris surrounding the vehicle presented a safety and public health risk. Working on Priscilla's behalf, I contacted the Abandoned Autos Program and investigated the matter further. As a result, the vehicle in question was "tagged" for tow within four hours of Priscilla's call, and shortly after removed from her street altogether. Priscilla called back, once the vehicle had been removed, to thank me for working so diligently and speedily to address and resolve her concern.

Crosswalk Request: Tony in Northeast contacted Commissioner Adams to request his help with the installation of a crosswalk near his neighborhood. The challenge, as Tony indicated, was that the Office of Transportation (PDOT) continued to refuse his request for assistance specifically indicating that no safety improvement was warranted - however, Tony and others in his neighborhood believed otherwise. Working with PDOT engineers and managers, the original request for a crosswalk installation was reinvestigated and surprisingly a final determination was made to rethink the original decision. A crosswalk was eventually installed in the neighborhood. In acknowledgement of our efforts, Tony and others in the vicinity contacted our office to offer their thanks for all the work initiated on their behalf.

Garbage Pickup: Ken in Southwest called to ask for assistance in dealing with garbage collection services in his neighborhood, specifically indicating that his attempts to address and resolve the issue on his own had proven unsuccessful. On Ken's behalf, I contacted several departments within and outside of City bureaus and eventually identified the neighborhood's garbage hauler. Then, after consultation with Ken and his building's management staff, I contacted the garbage hauler and informed them that they might not be in compliance with City guidelines regarding refuse pickup times and other policies. Ken called back after two months time and informed me that the call on his behalf had "done the trick," since he had not experienced any further disruptions since my initial call.

Parking Control - Construction: Dan in Northeast called to request assistance with parking and construction issues in his neighborhood. Specifically, Dan indicated that PDOT had blocked off access to the street in front of his business resulting in a significant loss of parking and easy access to sidewalks. Further, Dan indicated that PDOT had not provided advance notice to affected businesses, in turn causing unneeded disruption to business operations. I spoke with PDOT staff about Dan's concerns and indicated that communication regarding any parking or construction disruptions was paramount to ensuring that alternative plans by affected parties could be considered. Additionally, I asked PDOT to reopen sections of the street - and more pointedly to restore parking - in areas not currently needing to be restricted. Dan called back, once the corrections had been made, and thanked me for working so quickly and thoroughly to resolve his complaint.

Parking Control - General: Michael M., a business owner from the Lloyd District, contacted me to request assistance with parking challenges his patrons were experiencing as a result of an abutting property owner removing parking without property City authorization. Working with PDOT staffers we were able to quickly identify the potentially offending parking removal and return it to its original state. Michael M. called me back once the correction had been made and thanked me for working so quickly - and thoroughly - to resolve his complaint.

Parking Control - Handicapped Access: Helen and her husband John, residents of the Hollywood District, called to request assistance with the installation of handicapped parking near their residence - indicating that they contacted me because they had received a denial of their request by PDOT. As senior citizens with disabilities, they offered, it was difficult to find available parking near their residence. I contacted PDOT staffers on Helen and John's behalf and challenged them to rethink their original assessment. Thankfully, and after much negotiation, PDOT reconsidered their initial decision and agreed to install handicapped parking near Helen and John's residence. Once the installation was completed, Helen sent a thank you letter - with pictures attached - acknowledging our offices efforts on her behalf.

Parking Enforcement: Robert called to voice his concerns about inappropriate treatment he believed he experienced at the hands of a Parking Enforcement Officer. Specifically, Robert indicated that while he did not dispute the validity of the parking citation he had received he did not believe that the citing officer needed to act in a matter unbecoming of a City employee. I investigated the matter further by contacting the Manager of the Parking Enforcement Office and we spoke at length about Robert's concerns, identifying strategies that might be used in the future to improve customer service for all. Once my investigation was completed I contacted Robert again and updated him on the status and result of my inquiry. Robert acknowledged his appreciation of my efforts on his behalf, again acknowledging that he did not dispute the issuance of the parking citation.

Paving: Paul from Southwest called to request that certain street and paving improvements be made on W. Burnside, leading from Tichner to the Multnomah County line. Further, Paul offered that previous attempts to get this matter addressed by City staff had proven fruitless. As a result, I called and e-mailed several staff within the City to find out the status of Paul's request. Surprisingly, I discovered that the street improvement Paul had identified was scheduled to be implemented later in the year. That being said, no one within the City had responded to Paul about his request. I informed Paul of the impending improvement and too, offered my apologies for the lack of response he had received from various City bureaus he had contacted, including PDOT. Paul thanked me for providing the requested information and indicated that it was nice to simply receive a response to his inquiry.

Permitting - Construction: John in Northwest contacted the Public Advocate to voice a concern he had about impending construction in his neighborhood. Specifically, John indicated he was concerned that a developer in the area would not fulfill his obligation to complete repairs to an unimproved street. Further, John indicated that attempts to secure a response from PDOT regarding this matter fell on deaf ears. On John's behalf I met with PDOT staffers to determine the status of the request. We determined, after reviewing contracts and permits, that the developer would be required to make the agreed upon improvements and to guarantee that such improvements were made the City had required that the developer sign a performance bond. John was grateful for my efforts on his behalf and the matter was closed with no further action.

Permitting- Sidewalk Vendors: Jeff in Southwest called to share a concern he was having with the City regarding his street vendor cart and the location of said cart on the City street as a result of downtown construction. Of note, Jeff indicated that attempts to secure a response from the City had not been successful. First, I met with PDOT staff to identify the lack of response Jeff was receiving regarding his original request. Second, I worked with staff to secure a proper location for the vending cart. The matter was resolved within four hours of receiving the complaint. Jeff contacted me to offer his thanks and praise for working so quickly on his behalf.

Pothole Repair - Commercial: Roy in Southeast called Sam to complain about the lack of response he had received from PDOT regarding his original request for a pothole improvement near his business. After investigating the matter further, I was able to send out a PDOT crew to make the requested improvement; all within 48 hours of Roy's direct request to Sam's office. Roy called back once the pothole had been repaired and thanked me for such a prompt reply.

Pothole Repair - Residential: John in Southwest called to request the repair of three potholes in his neighborhood. Too, John indicated that he had received no response from PDOT regarding his original request. That being said, John's request was investigated by me immediately and crews were sent out to the identified area within 24 hours. Days later I received a return call from John thanking me for working so quickly to resolve his citizen's complaint.

Referral - ODOT: Tina from Southeast called to request assistance with a few traffic calming concerns for her neighborhood, specifically at a street that intersected with Powell Blvd - a state owned highway. I contacted ODOT on Tina's behalf and shared her concerns with ODOT staff. ODOT in turn contacted Tina and to this day they continue to work with Tina on possible and future solutions to the traffic calming issue she brought to our collective attention. Tina e-mailed recently to thank me for working so diligently on her behalf to address her concerns, and further for helping to steer her in the right direction.

Revenue Bureau: Greg from downtown Portland called to request assistance from the Public Advocate with a situation he continued to experience with the Revenue Bureau. Specifically, Greg indicated that he continued to receive billing statements from the City for a business that he had no association with. I contacted the Revenue Bureau directly to discuss the matter further and after considerable review it was determined that the billing statements were being sent in error. As a result, the Revenue Bureau indicated that they would make the correction immediately and cease sending inaccurate billing statements to Greg. For his part, Greg called to thank me for working so quickly to address and resolve his issue - which he indicated had been going on for several months.

Sidewalk Access: Nick in SE contacted Commissioner Adams to request assistance with a business in the neighborhood that was blocking proper access to the public right of way. Additionally, Nick indicated that he had, in the past, contacted City staff on several occasions in hopes of addressing his concern but had been told "nothing could be done." On Nick's behalf, I worked quickly to find a reasonable solution to his complaint. City crews were called upon to notify the offending business of the need to ensure proper access to sidewalks and within days the business was in compliance. Nick called later to offer his appreciation for the quick results.

Street Cleaning: Emily in Southwest contacted me to voice her concern about street sweeping procedures in place within the City whereby businesses are often left with little, if any, parking access as a result of the sweeps. Working with PDOT crews I was able to get the street sweeping crew to better manage their efforts so that minimal parking was impacted. Emily called me back after the sweeping had occurred to thank me for making her issue a top priority.

Street Signs - Directional: John in Southeast called to request improved street signage on a couple of streets in the Hollywood District. His intention in making this request was to help motorists navigate and manage parking while shopping in the area. John also indicated that his original request to PDOT had been denied. I consulted with PDOT about John's request and after some additional conversations regarding the need to make any improvements PDOT reevaluated their original decision and improved street signage per John's request.

Street Signs - Safety: Jerry in Southwest contacted Sam to request assistance with a safety problem he believed existed on his residential street. Further, Jerry indicated that attempts to resolve this safety issue through PDOT channels had proven unsuccessful - specifically because PDOT did not consider the requested improvements were warranted. After considerable debate with PDOT staff and a plea to have them "think outside the box," Jerry's suggested improvements were finally made. Jerry contacted me once the improvements were implemented to thank me for continuing to work so diligently on his behalf.

Street Striping: Tom in Old Town e-mailed Commissioner Adams to request his help with much needed upgrading to street striping in the area. Specifically, Tom indicated that he and other businesses in the area were concerned that the striping in front of the Portland Police Precinct station needed to be improved and better identified so that motorists would be able to accurately determine available parking and not risk being towed. At my request, this matter was investigated immediately by PDOT staff and striping completed. I e-mailed Tom later to verify that he was satisfied with the work performed by the City. Tom indicated that "yes," the City had acted quickly. He also expressed his thanks to Sam for taking this concern so seriously.

Traffic Calming: Mary K. from Southeast called to request assistance with an issue she confronts on a daily basis as a commuter. Specifically, Mary indicated that when exiting from the Morrison Bridge and onto 3rd Avenue the streets are not clearly marked and because of this motorists experience confusion regarding appropriate travel lanes. According to Mary K., her efforts to address this issue in the past have proven unsuccessful. Working with PDOT staff the area was investigated immediately and PDOT eventually determined that lane improvements should be clarified. Mary K. called me after the improvements had been implemented to offer her thanks to me and Sam for working so quickly to resolve her traffic safety concern.

Traffic Signaling: Jill in Southwest called to complain about traffic lights not synching properly during her morning commute in Southwest. Working with the Street Systems group within PDOT we were able to address the synching concern immediately. I contacted Jill to let her know the final outcome of her request and she in turn contacted me to let me know that her morning commute had improved significantly.

SUMMARY

The role of Public Advocate continues to provide me with many rewards and opportunities for assisting and connecting with the public. Mind you, while not every issue can be resolved to the satisfaction of the citizen, I will continue to make it my goal to work on behalf of the public. I look forward to the challenges and blessings of 2008.

Cevero Gonzalez, Public Advocate for the Office of Commissioner Sam Adams

More transparency in government by reducing the threshold for lobbying registration

Shoshanah Oppenheim — Sat, 08 Dec 2007 14:11:00 -0800

On Wednesday August 8, Portland City Council unanimously voted to reduce the hourly threshold that triggers a lobbying entity's obligation to register with the auditors offices. The City Council believes that the threshold reduction will require more entities to disclose their lobbying activities. This action builds on Commissioner Adams' efforts to "daylight" political decision making and create a more accessible city government.

Under the changes, lobbying entities who spend more than eight hours "attempting to influence the official action of City officials" must register with the auditor. Under the original ordinance sponsored by Sam, elected officials and bureau directors must publish their official calendars. This is an effort to disclose who is meeting with city leaders and whose interests are being represented in the decisions of the council.

Sam is pleased with the threshold reduction and said that "Portland is a very engaged City. Residents deserve to know how their money is being spent, how decisions are made, and why."

Please give us your feedback on this issue and how we can make the city more accountable to you.

Related Documents

Copy of Ordinance

Media Mentions

Blogs

Council Unanimously Votes to Reduce Threshold for Lobbying Activities

The Community Advisory Committe has Spoken: Now it's your Turn to Talk!

Kimberly Schneider — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 13:08:40 -0700

Proposed changes to the City of Portland's Transportation System Development Charge (TSDC) program, as well as the list of improvement projects, reflect the direct involvement of several hundred stakeholders over the course of the TSDC Update study. The Citizen Advisory Committee (CAC) -- representing a broad spectrum of Portland's residents, business community and interest groups -- oversaw the project from its inception.

The project to update the TSDC program is nearing its final destination: a public hearing before the Portland City Council on Sept. 5. Culminating a year-long study process, the CAC will present to Council its recommendations for TSDC program changes that will be effective through 2017. This includes a recommended list of "capacity-increasing" transportation improvements eligible to receive TSDC funding over the next 10 years.

You're Invited to voice your opinion online and/or at the Public Hearing:
Date: Wednesday, Sept. 5 Time: 2 p.m.
Location: Council Chambers, 1221 SW 4th Ave., Portland

The Council will consider the following CAC- endorsed TSDC program changes during the public hearing:

Phase out an existing Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) discount over four years.
Apply the principles of geographic equity - make sure projects are spread throughout the City - when determining a list of TSDC-qualified improvement projects, while also supporting projects that have identified leverage and/or are regional in nature.
Keep TSDC rates charged to new development comparable to current 2007 rates, recognizing that the phase-out of the TOD discount will generate additional TSDC revenue.

Proposed Project List:

The Council will also consider a list of 43 proposed capacity-increasing transportation projects. Besides 41 projects recommended by the Citizen Advisory Committee, the project list includes a Twenties (Avenue) Bikeway project and a proposed Flanders Bike/Pedestrian Bridge to serve areas with high potential for future non-motorized trips. (The full list can be viewed on the project's Web site.)

The TSDC project list was developed to maximize funding opportunities from local, state and federal sources in order to fund as many projects as possible. All TSDC projects require some amount of matching funds because none can be fully funded by TSDCs. Realistically, inclusion on the final TSDC project list is no guarantee of funding or construction.

Community Involvement:

Meeting 12 times over 16 months, the Citizen Advisory Committee worked with Portland Office of Transportation (PDOT) staff and the project team to evaluate rates, discounts and exemptions, geographical and modal equity, and prioritize a list of projects qualified to received TSDC funding.
To ensure affected citizens among Portland's business community, neighborhoods, and special interest groups had a voice in the process, interviews with 20 key stakeholders were conducted in September 2006. These included developers; property owners; business associations; bicycle, pedestrian and freight advocates; City staff and elected officials. These interviews were followed by presentations to 21 neighborhood and business groups. Information gathered during interviews and presentations provided important input to the Citizen Advisory Committee.

Finally, to involve other interested citizens, two public open houses were held in February and May, 2007. Those attending the first open house were asked to comment on project priorities and economic/equity issues, which later helped the Citizen Advisory Committee refine the TSDC project list. At the second open house, participants were asked to comment on TSDC rates, geographic equity and the TOD discount. Again, this feedback helped the Citizen Advisory Committee draft its final recommendation to Council.

The project team wishes to thank all those who participated in the TSDC Update Project.

If you have questions about the project, contact Kathryn Levine, PDOT Project Manager, (503) 823-7085, Kathryn.Levine@ pdxtrans.org. You can also learn many details about the project on its Web site: www.portlandonline.com/transportation/index.cfm?c=40692.

City Council Concludes Work Session on Eastside Streetcar Loop Funding

Roland Chlapowski — Tue, 14 Aug 2007 18:40:04 -0700

Sam's comments to Council during today's work session:

Thank you for participating in this work session, where we will have the opportunity to discuss at length the status of the city, state, regional and federal efforts to secure capital and operating funds for the Portland Streetcar Loop Project.

This discussion is extremely important for many reasons, not the least of which is the fact that we have assembled more outside matching funds for this project than any previous Portland streetcar project. A big thank you is in order to U.S. Representatives Earl Blumenauer and Peter DeFazio for their efforts on the federal level and to the Oregon State Legislature for helping us get to where we are today.

If we can come up with an additional $18 million in tax increment funds, we have the potential of leveraging $128 million in matching federal, regional, state and local resources to build Portland's first eastside streetcar line from River District to OMSI.

This new streetcar line would move us towards meeting our Peak Oil and global warming goals and provide more Portlanders with a new cost effective transportation choice. Based on current zoning, this project will also help Portland meet its regional growth management targets by leveraging 2.4 million square feet of new development including opportunities for a large workforce housing component. It is estimated that this new streetcar line would incent an estimated $700 million in increased private development along its corridor.

While we do not have to finalize the details of exactly how we will fund our commitment to the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) until December, 2007, in order to seize this opportunity, Portland City Council must to be ready to make a commitment to FTA for a total of $33 million by September 7, 2007. That said, I know I speak for all involved when I state that it is preferable that we are as clear as possible right now with how we plan to make good on our commitment to the FTA in the future.

In light of my ongoing conversation with Portlanders about the need for more resources to pay for basic street maintenance and safety requirements, as part of this discussion I want to emphasize that the proposed resources for this eastside streetcar expansion will not come from funds that could be devoted to basic street or bridge maintenance: lottery; tax increment; MTIP transit funds and FTA resources by law cannot be used for basic street and bridge maintenance.

The cost estimates you will hear about today should be treated as low confidence estimates. To date, we have built streetcars on-time and on-budget. However, this proposed streetcar line has two unique challenges: we have to put tracks on an existing draw bridge, the Broadway Bridge, and construct a new bridge over the Union Pacific railroad tracks from Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. and Grand to OMSI. We will have 50% preliminary engineering work done by January, 2008, at which point we can generate cost estimates that can be treated with higher confidence for accuracy.

If the 50% preliminary engineering design work shows that the project cannot be built with the $146 million in resources on hand, I will return to the Portland Development Commission and the Portland City Council with budget balancing options to increase resources or to reduce the project's scope, including the possibility of reducing the length of the alignment.

The Portland City Council will have the ultimate say on whether or not to approve the construction contract in Spring. To ensure the reliability and stability of project cost estimates, I anticipate that this project will be built with an incentive-based or guaranteed maximum price contracting approach.

The proposal before you today is not without risks but I want to compliment Ken Rust, Bruce Warner, Greg Jones, Vicki Diede and Rick Gustafson for helping to draft a proposal that appears to be prudent, workable and a good investment for PDC, City government and the businesses and citizens of Portland.

I now want to highlight a few key issues pertaining to the proposal being discussed today:

River District Urban Renewal District

The $17 million request from River District Urban Renewal District ($2.5 million of which is currently in the River District Urban Renewal District Plan) would be used for rail alignment construction and a needed expansion of the streetcar storage and maintenance facilities under the I-405 bridge.

This would be the River District Urban Renewal District's first streetcar contribution. The River District Urban Renewal District did not exist when the first streetcar through the River District was constructed. With $38 million in parking garage bond and system development charge (SDC) proceeds, the Westside streetcar has helped leverage the Pearl District's portion of the $2.5 billion in private investment leveraged.

The current $17 million streetcar request of the River District Urban Renewal District can be achieved without impacting other budgeted tax increment projects and programs by raising the debt limit of the district when we consider expanding its boundaries.

Oregon Convention Center Urban Renewal District

The $4 million request from Oregon Convention Center Urban Renewal District ($2.5 million of which is currently in the Oregon Convention Center Urban Renewal District Plan). The request to the Oregon Convention Center Urban Renewal District is limited due to its looming expiration date.

Central Eastside Urban Renewal District

The $6.2 million request from Central Eastside Urban Renewal District ($4 million of which is currently in the Central Eastside District Urban Renewal District Plan). The streetcar request of Central Eastside Urban Renewal District is limited to reduce short-term impacts to other budgeted projects in the District.

The overall value of the proposed projects within Central Eastside Urban Renewal District currently exceeds the increment projected to be created within the district. Because of this, the timing and cash-flow issues that already exist within the district will likely be further complicated by the funding needs of the streetcar project. On the other hand, however, it is important to note, that unlike other projects currently slated for the area, the streetcar is projected to generate a net positive amount in tax increment proceeds.

The Office of Management and Finance (OMF) has worked with Eric Hovee to prepare financial projections of future tax increment revenues in the Central Eastside Urban Renewal District based on investments in the Streetcar Loop Project. Based on Hovee's analysis, the one-time $6.184 million investment from Central Eastside TIF for the proposed streetcar project will induce, conservatively, a $54 million increase in the area's assessed property values by FY 2019-20. This translates into a minimum of $840,000 a year in additional property taxes collected in the area by year 2020. In today's dollars (using a total net present value analysis calculation) the investment in the Central Eastside streetcar line will create a roughly $7.3 million return to the public coffers. In other words, investing in an eastside streetcar line will pay for itself and then generate an additional $1.165 million for other public priority projects within the Central Eastside that would not otherwise be available.

Operating Costs

In terms of operations, the Portland Streetcar Loop Project service between OMSI and NW Hoyt Street is projected to cost $3.6m annually. The City and TriMet have agreed to pay for this annual operation from the following sources:

- $1 million from TriMet general fund
- $430,000 from savings from changes to the line 6 bus enabled by the new streetcar
- $945,315 from net new streetcar revenue
- $1 million from City of Portland -- likely source will be parking revenues
- $175,000 in sponsorship

Funding Idea for Future Rail Transit Projects

The discussion of funding this project, the Milwaukie to Portland lightrail line, and my vision to more rapidly expand Portland's streetcar system begs the question of how will we fund future transit rail projects.

While I am still early in my thought process, I am working with staff on a possible new rail transit funding tool. My idea is to create a funding tool conceptually similar to the existing tax increment mechanism but unique in that it would take only 30% of the annual increment created in a district, leaving the rest to be collected by the school districts, the City, and the County. I would also include a modest ongoing amount to pay for continued operations in the future.

For the City, County and school districts it would mean they would immediately start receiving their annual portion of the 70% of the increased property taxes leveraged by the streetcar or lightrail line investments. There is still much to flesh out, but want you to know I am working on the challenge and that I look forward to discussing potential solutions with you further in the future.

___________________________________________

The Council identified the following questions and necessary follow-up items for staff for the unfolding streetcar project:

Bicycle Facilities - Commissioner Leonard made clear that he wanted to explore adding bicycle facilities on all of the bridges that are a part of this project. There are two new bridges slated for this project: one to cross railroad tracks near OMSI, and one that will cross the Willamette and connect OMSI with the SouthWaterfront. The Willamette bridge is already being designed with the expectation that it will have bike and ped facilities, but that was in doubt for the OMSI rail crossing.
Project Management Clarification - Mayor Potter asked that a line-item on the submitted budget be further broken down. On page 14 of the PowerPoint (document attached below), a chart identifies $10.66 million for design engineering and project management. Project management is overseen by Portland Streetcar, Inc. (PSI), which in turn subcontracts with another company for day-to-day management. Mayor Potter was interested in seeing the breakdown of design engineering and project management costs, as well as PSI's subcontract.
Creation and Expansion of an East-West URA- Commissioner Leonard questioned PDC staff on the city's ability to extend the River District from NW Portland across the river into east portland - in order to have the flexibility to use funds collected in one area for project needs that exist in other areas.
Beef up accounting oversight - PDC recommended that the project manager be required to engage the services of a project accountant who would in turn ensure that all of the funding sources being used are spent in accordance with the various conditions and legal restrictions that exist for each funding source.
Unused Financial Cost - Since OMF uses conservative figures and assumptions in its financial analyses, the question arose of what would happen should it turn out that the actual financing costs for the project ened up being less than is currently estimated and budgeted. What would happen with those excess funds if this were the case? Similarly, if the contigency funding currently included in the project cost goes unspent, where would that money go?
Fareless Square Reevaluation - Fred Hansen of TriMet discussed with council his desire to have a seamless fare system between TriMet and Streetcar, but explained that a conversation about the role of fareless square would have to be part of the discussion. Fare revenues are very low for the existing streetcar line because it is almost entirely inside of fareless square. Discussions about the operation costs of a growing streetcar system would need to revisit this issue.
Light Rail Funding - Mayor Potter raised the question of where the funding would come from for the city's expected contribution to the construction of the new MAX line to Milwaukie. Sam explained that since it doesn't substantially go through any urban renewal districts, the traditional methods of tax increment financing would not be possible for this project. There is no easy answer to the mayor's question at this time, but Sam reiterated that he and staff are working vigorously on finding a solution.

To view the PowerPoint presentation given at the council work session earlier today, it is attached below as a pdf file.

Attachment	Size
Streetcar Loop Presentation 8.09.071.pdf	1.55 MB

Porltand Tribune: Wanted More Butts on Bikes: Portland Looks at how to make cycling more attractive to all

Fri, 20 Jul 2007 11:21:18 -0700

Jennifer Anderson

The Portland Tribune

The unexpected downpour this week didn’t throw Eva Frazier for a loop at all.

The 24-year-old snapped on her bike fenders, zipped up her blue jacket and rode her bike over the Hawthorne Bridge into downtown, the route she takes nearly every day.

Thousands of cyclists throughout town also were unfazed by the weather, pedaling furiously in a bike lane or along with cars, trucks and buses in the rush of midmorning traffic.

This is Portland, after all, where there certainly is an abundance of fair-weather riders but also a serious collective of bike commuters who don’t let a little precipitation get in their way.

If the city has its way, that number of regular riders will grow exponentially, building on the momentum that already exists.

“We want to make Portland a world-class cycling city,” says the city’s bicycle coordinator, Roger Geller, who’s leading the effort to update Portland’s 11-year-old Bicycle Master Plan.

“If you look at what other cities have done – the investments they’ve made, the quality of their facilities and way they’ve integrated it into all forms of transportation and land-use planning – we still have a pretty good ways to go.”

A lot of people, however, feel excluded by this line of thought and think the city shouldn’t be in the business of funding bike infrastructure improvements.

“If people want special amenities for bikes, they need to find a way to fund them,” says Craig Flynn, a Parkrose resident who ran for Metro Council in 2002 and speaks around town on transportation and density issues. “If bikes are getting more than their fair share, they need to find a way to fund it through their user fees. We need money for cars.”

Flynn doesn’t support bike lanes or bike boulevards, which are low-traffic side streets marked with “sharrows” to indicate shared use between bikes and other vehicles. Stretches of Southeast Lincoln and Ankeny and Northeast Tillamook streets, for example, are designated as bike boulevards.

He thinks city transportation funds should go toward relieving congestion on freeways and other main roads, specifically adding lanes or building new freeways. Bike lanes, he says, make the vehicle lanes even narrower and take up more space on the crowded roadway.

When he does occasionally ride his bike for fun, Flynn says, he avoids bike lanes because he fears getting hit by car doors. He prefers to stay on neighborhood streets – yet he doesn’t see the point of creating bike boulevards since he says they don’t connect him to where he wants to go.

Surveys point to local streets

Flynn’s sentiments aren’t shared by anyone working on the city’s bike master plan update. Geller now is midway through the process of gathering information to update the plan, which includes holding monthly “bike master plan network rides” to solicit public input on existing conditions and desired routes.

The rides are held the first Tuesday of each month, starting at Terry Schrunk Plaza at 5:15 p.m. They span all parts of the city; next month’s ride heads to Southwest.

According to the Portland Office of Transportation, bike boulevards will go a long way toward attracting the 300,000 or so people (about 60 percent of the city’s population) who are dubbed “interested but concerned” about riding on the city streets.

They would ride more if there were more safe, quiet networks around town, the city has found through various surveys. Since funding sources are scarce, the expansions would take place little by little, over time, mostly through state or federal money with limited city investment.

Such initiatives would make a seasoned rider like Frazier worry a lot less about getting killed, she says.

“There’s definitely close calls, all the time,” she says. “It’s buses mostly – they’re so wide, they creep into the bike lane. I’ve had them brush my shoulder.”

Other groups plan rides

Another series of bike boulevard rides is being held in Southwest Portland, sponsored by a group called SWTrails – a volunteer pedestrian advocate committee that’s part of Southwest Neighborhoods Inc.

The group will hold its next ride Sunday to map out potential routes to recommend as part of the master plan update. It starts at 3 p.m. at the Gabriel Park Community Center parking lot.

Southwest has lagged behind Northeast and Southeast Portland in bike amenities because of its geographic challenges: sloped terrains, winding roads and blind curves, as well as more storm-water runoff due to the clay soil.

While there are bike lanes on some major roads in Southwest, the need for safer facilities is there, says Keith Liden, one of the organizers. “A lot of people are not comfortable on busy streets, and in a lot of cases not even busy streets with bike lanes,” he says. “If the local streets are available but you don’t know where they go, you just don’t do it.”

The nonprofit Bicycle Transportation Alliance sponsors a separate bike boulevard ride set for Wednesday. It will begin at 6 p.m. at Alberta Park and wind through identified gaps in North and Northeast Portland to see what street features riders like and don’t like.

The BTA also will get community feedback, advocate for the supported features in the city’s master plan process and help the city secure grant money for their construction.

Some question speed bumps

Scott Bricker, the BTA’s director of policy and education, said his group has an internal working list of 112 miles of potential bike boulevards which would cost about $20 million to implement.

“We already have low-traffic neighborhood streets,” he said. “We just need small improvements such as on-street pavement markings like the sharrows, speed traffic calming; they could even go through some neighborhood parks.”

Currently, low-traffic bike boulevards have no more than 3,000 cars per day, but that threshold might be lowered in the new bike master plan, Geller says.

The city also adds speed bumps and other devices to slow vehicle traffic, which seems like a waste to Flynn, the former Metro candidate.

“When you put them on one street, it pushes everyone else to the next street,” Flynn says. “I feel like honking my horn going over a speed bump to irritate the people who want them there. They’re just unintended consequences of not having more capacity on the roads – cars stay off main roads and cut through neighborhoods.”

Joshua Bass, a Portland State University instructor who commutes daily by bike, thinks everyone on the road will benefit more by slowing down a bit. To pit cars against bikes is “a false dichotomy,” he says. “It’s a problem between good travelers and bad travelers. It’s disrespectful of people of all types.”

jenniferanderson@portlandtribune.com

Portland’s Transportation System “In Trouble”

Guest Author — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 16:10:20 -0700

Peggy Anderson

On Sunday, June 17, Portland City Commissioner Sam Adams joined ten Nob Hill business owners and residents in a walk along NW 23rd Avenue to assess the street's proposed reconstruction and to hear the views and concerns of those who live and work in the area. Adams oversees Portland's transportation system - which Adams says is "in trouble." The commissioner's website www.commissionersam.com outlines the following facts about the city's transportation infrastructure:

• 157 (22%) of Portland bridges are in poor condition.*
• 992 (43%) of Portland traffic signals are in poor condition.*
• Each year of deferred maintenance adds an estimated $9 million to future maintenance costs.*

During Sunday's walk with merchants, Adams saw first-hand many sections of the heavily-traveled NW 23rd Avenue that have become crumbling hazards due to buried trolley rails and rotting rail ties that have compromised the streets cobblestone and asphalt layers. Clearly, much more work than continued patching has been needed, but area residents and business owners have opposed reconstruction efforts that would shut down large sections of the street for months at a time, jeopardizing many businesses' very existence.

Adams has asked city engineers to develop multiple alternatives for tearing up and reconstructing NW 23rd Avenue that would last no more than two weeks along any block and that work be done at times that are best for businesses struggling to stay open during the project. These new approaches would condense the NW 23rd Avenue Reconstruction Project from its original 10-11 month timeframe to 2-3 months.

While Adams admitted there is no good time for businesses to be so impacted by a major construction project, he is currently exploring a schedule to last late-winter '07 to early spring next '08.

Adams has been hosting a series of town hall meetings on the Portland transportation crisis. Upcoming meetings include:

• Tuesday, June 26, 7-9 p.m., North and Northeast Portland King Neighborhood Facility (4815 NE 7th Avenue)
• Wednesday, June 27, 7-9 p.m., Northwest Portland Friendly House Conference Room (1737 NW 26th Avenue )
• Monday, July 2, 7-9 p.m., Central Northeast and East Portland Firehouse #12 (4415 NE 87th Avenue)

Since the earliest days of the NW 23rd Avenue Reconstruction Project, the Nob Hill Business Association has worked directly with Commissioner Adams, PDOT, area residents, and business owners to ensure that the reconstruction project has the most minimal impact possible on those whose livelihoods rely on the primary arteries of NW 21st and NW 23rd avenues.

(*Source: City of Portland Transportation System Status and Condition Report, July 2006)

Attachment	Size
23rd1.jpeg	65.87 KB

Out on a Walkabout in Parkrose

Shoshanah Oppenheim — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 16:50:42 -0700

Out with the people in ParkroseSam visited the Parkrose Business District today for a walk about. Parkrose was once the gateway to the Gorge before I 84 was opened. It was the last urban center on the road to Mt. Hood. Since then much of the traffic to the mountian has been diverted, but the main arterials, Prescott and Sandy, still carry a good amount of traffic both to Gresham and west though town. The District runs from about 70th to 122nd along those main thoroughfares.

We were able to learn about some of the main concerns of businesses in this traffic heavy part of NE Portland. Speed is a significant issue. Many businesses want traffic to be calmed, so that cars don't fly by their storefronts and safety is improved.

Businesses can thrive in this district. For example Parkrose Hardware,At Parkrose Hardware which currently carries a full line of both hardware and housewares, plans to expand to include a green house. They are able to match any fastener or nut you bring in with you. The staff is knowledgeable and interested in your projects. Please visit David Ableidinger at Parkrose Hardware 10625 NE Sandy.

A M Moss for all your flowers in ParkroseAcross the street at AR Moss Floral Design and Event Embellishment, Anita Tabyoyon has a thriving wedding services business. Visit Anita for your next event, large or small at 10604 NE Sandy.

While you are driving in the area or biking along the 205 bike route, look at the new plantings at the Traffic Island where 99th, Sandy and Killingsworth cross. This project was paid for by an APNBA business association grant.

If you need a key, be it skeleton or automotive, Quick Key has what youQuick Key has a key to help unlock your world. have been looking for. With 40,000 keys in the shop, and over 8,000 in the van service, they are able to serve your lock needs. Visit quick key at 7540 NE Sandy.

Bob Brown Tires helps you get on the road.Think local and buy your tires local at Bob Brown Tires. Owned by Bob and Cindy Brown, Bob Brown Tires provides a full range of tire and suspension related services. Bob Brown Tires is located at 120th and NE Sandy.

Updated: The Theme at Central North East Neighbors is Safety.

Shoshanah Oppenheim — Fri, 12 Jan 2007 15:30:21 -0800

Residents of the Central North East Neighborhood Coalition discussed their safety concerns at the budget town hall meeting Monday night. Unsafe intersections, unprotected pedestrian crossings, unmarked islands and poor pedestrian routes were primary concerns of residents in the district that spans the Cully, Rose City Park, Sumner, Hollywood, Beaumont-Wilshire, Roseway, Madison-South and Sunderland Neighborhoods.

Sam and Clarence Larkins, President of 42nd Avenue Business AssoicationCommissioner Adams clearly stated that his top priority is safety; when having to choose between dangerous intersections and unimproved roads, he will choose to spend money to save lives.

Neighbors highlighted many intersections they felt were unsafe and asked pointed questions about the plans both PDOT and BES had for the community. They discussed their traffic safety concerns and the impact of the CSO project on sewer rates.

We met in the district firehouse, which houses a sculpture byEverday Hero by Bill Will, housed at Central North East Firehouse Bill Will titled Everyday Hero. The sculpture was constructed in relief of hundreds of common objects, inspiring us to see the heroes all around us. Region Arts and Culture Council (RACC) has awarded grants to the Central North East Coalition district for music classes, theater productions, performance art and the 2007 Disability Pride Art and Culture Festival. For more information about RACC or how to take advantage of the grant program, go to www.racc.org.

Watch the budget town hall here.....src="http://video.google.com/googleplayer.swf?docId=1050787959127685434&hl=en" style="width: 400px; height: 326px" id="VideoPlayback" type="application/x-shockwave-flash">

Below are constituent questions from the meeting and answers from BES.

1. How can we get the Columbia Slough to qualify for a Green Street pilot program?
There has been a green street in the Slough area at 131st & NE Fremont for more than a year, and the Bureau is currently scoping another green street project on NE Shaver. Scaling up to a broader green streets program will be most effective in areas where significant redevelopment is occurring, and will be greatly enhanced by additional federal funding, which the Bureau is currently seeking.

2. Can we work together to come up with a better vision than a big box for the former landfill at 82nd and Siskiyou?
Yes. In fact, there may well be alternatives more attractive than sewer facilities, which would argue for broadening the participation further.

3. Can you explain Clean River Rewards?
Clean River Rewards is Portland's stormwater discount program. When you manage stormwater on your property, you can qualify for as much as a 35% discount on your stormwater management charge. There are many resources available for finding out more about the program. You can get more information about the program and even register online at www.CleanRiverRewards.com. Homeowners can also register by calling the Clean River Rewards hotline at 503-823-1371.
The Bureau also conducts Clean River Workshops around the city to show homeowners how to manage stormwater on-site and how to register for the program. A list of locations and a schedule is available online at the website.

4. Why are Portland environmental costs exceeding those of Gresham?
A large part of Portland's system consists of combined sewers that overflow to the Willamette River when it rains. The City is spending $1.4 billion to control these overflows. Gresham's sewer system does not require comparable work.

5. Is it viable to sell sewage for fertilizer?
The Bureau has in the past operated a composting facility, but has discontinued that activity in favor of biosolids application to rangeland in eastern Oregon. Land application is a sustainable, cost-effective alternative for the Bureau. Although we do not sell the biosolids applied to the rangeland, the cost savings relative to composting far exceed the loss in revenue.

6. Why don't we charge developers a higher percentage of the CSO price tag?
System Development Charges (SDCs) are charges paid by new development connecting to the sewer system. The only costs that can legally be collected in Oregon exclusively from new development are sewer facility costs necessary to accommodate that development. CSO costs do not qualify, since they are necessary to change the existing system. New development does pay a share of these facility costs through SDCs but only proportional to the portion of system capacity that they use.

7. When we are done paying for CSO will we be able to enjoy the Willamette?
When CSO controls are complete in 2011, the quality of the water in the Willamette River leaving Portland will be at least as good as the quality of the water entering Portland. While this should mean that the river can be enjoyed a greater percentage of the time than in the past, upstream water quality issues will still be a matter of concern.

8. Who audits expenses?
The Auditor's office periodically examines City bureau programs, but rotates these audits across bureaus from year to year. The Bureau of Environmental Services has in the past worked with the Auditor's Office and outside firms to audit selected construction contracts. In addition, the Bureau hired an outside firm for a management and cost audit on the West Side CSO Project.

ates for the remaining budget meetings are posted at www.commissionersam.com/node/1954. See Portland Community Media for telecast listings.

Relevant Documents

PDOT One Time Requests for improvements to the Central Northeast Neighborhood Coalition district.

PDOT Capitol Improvement Projects for the Central North East Neighborhood Collation Districts

BES Budget Overview