 |
||||||||
 |
||||||||
| Summer afternoon - summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language. – Henry James 1843 - 1916 American-born writer, gifted with talents in literature, psychology, and philosophy. James wrote 20 novels, 112 stories, 12 plays and a number of works of literary criticism. |
||||||||
|
||||||||
| Vol. 20, No. 4 • Mailed monthly to over 12, 400 homes in the Gateway & Parkrose Communities Free • AUGUST 2004 | ||||||||
|
||||||||
 |
FEATURE ARTICLES | |
Memo Calendar | Memo Pad | Business Memos | Loaves & Fishes | Letters | Home |
The neighborhood gathers for the 7th Annual Barn Bash held at Rossi Farms on N.E. 122nd Avenue at Shaver Street in Parkrose, in benefit for Parkrose youth activities. Over 1700 people attended this years event and over $16,000 was raised. In the lower left of the photo, people watch Turkey Creek Productions acting troupe (The Desperados) as they performed one of the many western comedy gags during the night. In the upper right, folks line up under the awnings for the barbecue chicken dinner. On the left, partygoers emerge from the barn, where the band performs until midnight and refreshments are dispensed. More photos, story on pages here. |
||
 |
||
|
|
||
|
||
Parkrose businessman cooks for National Night Out
|
||
|
||
|
|
||
|
||
| Wilkes leader calls new apartment development ‘de facto zone change’ 162nd development would mean more apartments, no stores LEE PERLMAN THE MID-COUNTY MEMO The Wilkes Community Group appealed an approval for a new apartment development last month, probably in vain. Developer Tom Skaar and his Pacific Western Homes want to build 77 units on a three-acre parcel near Northeast 162nd Avenue between Sandy Boulevard and Fremont Street. The property is zoned R3, for low-density multi-family, on its southern half and CN2, for local commercial, on its northern half. The issue for Wilkes is that Skaar plans to put some of the units on the northern part of the site, near Sandy, and that he wants a setback of more than 10 feet in violation of regulations governing transit streets such as Sandy. City planner Kristin Cooper granted the adjustment for the setback. Wilkes appealed to the city Adjustment Committee. Its issue: residential zoning development here robs Wilkes of one of its last chances for commercial development, and deviation from transit regulation means that in fact you will never get transit. At a hearing before the Adjustment Committee, Wilkes land-use Chairman Ross Monn argued, “We have no commercial development except for one little Plaid Pantry, and the south side of Sandy is the only place where it could take place.” Instead, Monn said, “Developers are putting in apartments after apartments with zone changes and adjustments.” Russell Neighborhood Association Chairwoman Bonnie McKnight called the request “a de facto zone change,” she said. “None of the intents of the zoning will be met. The development won’t have commercial services, it’s not transit-supportive, it will have higher density than the zoning envisioned.” Thomas Allen, the Adjustment Committee chairman, seemed to be leaning toward Skaar’s position. “I’m having a hard time understanding why this is a ‘de facto zone change,’” he said. By right, housing is allowed in the CN2 zone, he said. “But the only way they can achieve that is by waiving the transit street requirements,” McKnight said. “The setback is the essential element of the classification. You’re determining that the area will never have transit.” Both Allen and Skaar’s attorney Thomas Robinson argued that building more apartments made it more likely, rather than less, that the area will have transit service some day. The configuration of the property made it impractical to put commercial development there, Robinson said. His plans include a new bus shelter, a pedestrian path and a wide sidewalk. “Instead of pushing each building up to the street, we’re creating a safe place for people to walk and bicycle,” he said. “The whole point of the transit designation is to find a way to get people onto the street. This is a better way. “I understand what Ross and Bonnie are saying,” Robinson continued, but their issue was really the base zone of the property and what it allowed. “They’re disagreeing with a policy decision of the City Council, and it’s not appropriate to contest that at this time.” Monn asked that the hearing be continued because he could not hear Robinson’s testimony. The committee is expected to render a decision Aug. 23, 9 a.m., at 1900 S.W. Fourth Ave. in Portland. |
||
MEMO Advertising | MEMO Archives | MEMO Web Neighbors | MEMO Staff | Home