Buckman Community Association

BCA Oct 2008 Board Meeting

BCA Oct 2008 Board Meeting

Buckman Community Association

Board Meeting Minutes

November 6, 2008, 6:00-7:30pm

Buckman Elementary School





Chair Susan Lindsey led the meeting



School Meeting Arrangements

The Buckman Community Association has updated its meeting arrangement with Buckman Elementary School – our regularly scheduled use of the room is the first Thursday from 6:00pm to 8:00pm and the second Thursday from 7:00pm to 9:15pm (note that, per the school agreement, we all must be out of the building by our closing time).



Upcoming Meeting Schedule

We will keep our normal meeting schedule through November and December. In January, because the first Thursday is on the 1st, a holiday, we will shift our schedule one week later: The Board Meeting will be on January 8th at 6:00pm, and the General Meeting will be on January 15th at 7:00pm.



Election Results

Election results were discussed, along with several stories of people celebrating around our neighborhood.



Portland Plan

Don MacGillivray and Susan Lindsay described the Southeast Uplift citizens Livability committee (formerly the land use and transportation committee) and the committee’s role in the public involvement process for the Portland Plan (the citywide rewrite of the City of Portland’s Comprehensive Plan outlining future development in the city). In order to represent the community well, they are seeking input and consensus on a list of goals, ideals, and key points that the neighborhood would like considered as the city works out its future vision. Don distributed copies of draft goals for the group to review. Members and residents are asked to review these goals (which Don e-mailed earlier, and which are attached with these minutes) and provide written comments by Tuesday. The group would then have the opportunity to review the goals and comments and arrive at a final version at the 11/13 general meeting.



Hawthorne Rezoning

background: Tom Armstrong, from the City of Portland Planning Bureau, presented a rezoning proposal at the 10/9 general meeting: The city is considering rezoning several properties along Hawthorne that are zoned residential, but currently used for commercial purposes. The proposal arose when a particular property owner was seeking to develop their property, but ran into additional hurdles because of these zoning issues.



The group discussed this proposal and several serious concerns about it: additional development compounding parking problems because they would not provide additional parking, the possibility of development clashing with the historic character of the neighborhood, nuisance issues, potential negative character of development, etc. The group decided (motion by Mike McCarthy, second by Eric O’Connor, unanimous vote) to write a letter to the City of Portland outlining the BCA’s concerns about the development and asking why this separate rezoning effort is being considered while the Portland Plan is underway. The letter would also suggest that the city, neighborhoods, and property owner work together to figure out a solution that allows good development of this property, including the benefit of neighborhood commercial uses, without zoning changes on o ther properties. Susan will draft the letter for approval at the 11/13 general meeting.



Washington-Monroe Community Center

Susan reported hearing from a City of Portland staff person that the Washington-Monroe High School Community Center project has been put on a list for consideration for $45million in funding via a potential federal economic stimulus infrastructure package.



Agenda Items for 11/13 General Meeting

Environmental Services – sewer construction

Free weatherization program

Buckman Elementary field use proposal

Parking Issues (Mike will research the permit parking program and report back)

Survey Results (Cathy)

Washington-Monroe High School Community Center

Hawthorne Rezoning