Sylvan-Highlands Neighborhood Association (SHNA)

February 2003 Newsletter

Feb 19, 2003

February 2003
SHNA Newsletter

Topics discussed at the January 14, 2003 Neighborhood Association Meeting:

Annual SOLV Neighborhood Cleanup
Our fourth annual neighborhood cleanup is scheduled for Saturday, April 26,
from 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Tom Barnes, SW 57th Avenue resident, has
volunteered once again to chair the effort. A dumpster will be located at
the KOIN corner, SW Barnes and Skyline, to collect larger items. Clean up
supplies and instructions will be located at three locations:
Barnes/Skyline, Fairview/Skyline, and Montgomery/Skyline. Please plan to
help. Volunteer hours for students are available. If you have questions,
contact Tom at
503-222-4209.

Senior Neighborhood Officer (SNO) Program Launched
Portland Police Officer Jeffrey Myers was designated as the Senior
Neighborhood Officer for Sylvan-Highlands. He?’ll work closely with our
Crime Prevention Chair, PK Wall, to address crime and safety issues within
the neighborhood. To request attention on a specific issue, relay your
concern to PK at her office number (503-833-1626) or via her e-mail address,
pk_wall@rsausa.com. Remember to report all crimes either to the police
non-emergency number, 823-3333, or dial 911 for an emergency. Without a
report the police have no way of tracking patterns.

Experimental Parking Program at Washington Park
Kathy Kiaunis, Deputy Director of the Oregon Zoo, presented information
about the experimental parking program coordinated by the CM2, World
Forestry Center, and the Oregon Zoo. The details of the current plan can be
found on the Oregon Zoo website.
Neighbors commented about the excessive cost of monthly parking, security
concerns for patrons using the parking lot, and a need for greater
flexibility in the design of the program to accommodate daily use. Judy
Filsinger, Arlen Sheldrake and Joel Levy volunteered to serve on a committee
to work with the Zoo, CM2, the Forest Discovery Center and the City of
Portland to create a workable program.

Proposal Affecting Open Reservoirs at Washington Park
Tim Hall, Public Involvement Coordinator for the Portland Water Bureau,
presented the case for covering the open reservoirs at Washington Park and
explained the City?’s urgency to protect water sources from contamination.
The pressure for municipalities to bury water resources in underground tanks
has come from the state and federal governments for many years and was
heightened after the events of September 11. Portland is one of few cities
that still have above ground reservoirs. The SHNA Board of Directors will
consider this topic at its February meeting. The meeting is open to the
public.

Fire Station 16 Now Open
The new fire station is up and running. An open house for the public will
occur once the colored glass windows are installed in late February. The
public meeting room is available for rentals by community groups such as Boy
Scouts/Girl Scouts, the neighborhood association, and others. The meeting
room has 4 tables and 25 chairs. Rental guidelines are posted on the
neighborhood web site.

Speed and Safety on Skyline
Word from our contact at the Department of Transportation, Will Stevens, is
that Portland Police Bureau Traffic Division?’s commitment to enforce speed
and safety on Skyline is back on track. Sylvan-Highlands has been promised
regular monthly enforcement details. Watch your speed - the limit is 25 mph
all the way.

World Forestry Center Carousel project
The deadline for comment on a Type II land use application to install and
house a vintage carousel expired January 21, 2003. No objection from the
neighborhood association was registered; however, a letter requesting an
annual review of the sound levels emanating from the band organ was
submitted.

Next SHNA Membership Meeting: March 11, 2003, 7:00 p.m., Fire Station 16
Please park across the street at the Westgate Business complex or at the
Sylvan School.