I live on SE 39th and am aware of the new apartments slated to go in on my block between Harrison and Hawthorne. There will be 40 plus apartments in a 3 story building (highest thing around!) -- all studios and one bedrooms with pull-down beds, so they must be SMALL, and a bunch of parking places. I am not against high density living, as long as it is livable and well-planned out. I'm sure it will look pretty, but this type of housing is clearly not for families, and will not attract many people who plan to stay long. I doubt the developer lives in our neighborhood or has any stake in making sure it's something that's GOOD for Richmond. Does anyone else share my concern?

My general plea... let's all go forward, even in our jobs, with a social conscience and do/create things that we would want to be done/created in our own neighborhoods.

By J. Range

Proposed Apt. Building on 39th

While a supporter of density-minded development, I am also concerned about the height (and its proximity to adjacent property) of this 45 unit proposed complex. I also get the impression that the builder is more interested in coming in under budget than producing an attractive project that might be an asset to the neighborhood. I just don't want us to end up with the kind of complex that was popular in the mid-to-late 1970's (clunky building design and cheap siding)and are all over SE Portland.

By S. F. Moore

Hearing date set for zone change

Ellen Wax, planner on the case of the proposed Cedarhurst apartments on 39th
at Market, said today (4/17/00) that the applicants turned in the details on the
traffic study necessary to make their application complete. She said that
as a result, the hearing on the zone change will be heard either June 5th or
June 6th. For the exact date and time, call Ellen Wax at 823-7836.

She also said that it is possible for the city to approve a zone change to,
say CN-2, even though some CN-2 uses would not be allowed because of traffic
impacts (say, a Burger King). The zone change would be conditional on the
development being a 45-unit apartment, for instance. Apparently the City
Attorney says they can do this. The problem with it is that the zoning map
will show CN-2, with no asterisk saying it's CN-2 only if it's the
apartments, so it's up to neighborhood vigilance in the future to check what
is proposed on the site.

By Charlene Degener via Doug Klotz

Hearing set for proposed change

I received the notice today of the application for zone change for the
"Cedarhurst Village" apartments on 39th at Market.

The application is for a zone change from R-5 to CN-2. The notice says:

"...The zone change application will be analyzed on a specific development proposal to build a 45-unit multi-dwelling residential development. If the zone change is applroved, a condition of approval will be applied that ties this zone change to a residential development of 45 units or less."

The neighborhood association and other responses are dub by May 16, 2000, so
discussing this at our May 8th meeting will work out fine. The nearby neighbors will need to be notified that this discussion is going to occur, as well as Mr. Smyth, the applicant needs to be notified.

VOLUNTEERS are needed to flyer the surrounding neighborhood regarding the May 8th meeting. If you can assist for 1/2 hour - one hour, contact Doug Klotz at 233-9161.

The hearing on the zone change will take place, according to the notice, on "June 5 or 6". The planner hadn't yet talked to the applicant to find out which day was better.

I assume it will be at 9 am or some similar time on one of those two days.