Next Up at City Council, 8/20 – 21, 2008
Jumping straight to the fascinating stuff: The Portland City Council Agenda this coming week features a set of land use hearings on Thursday afternoon.
1186 TIME CERTAIN: 2:00 PM – Accept Staff Report and Recommendation and Order of Council for Debra Byers Measure 49 Claim (Report introduced by Mayor Potter; PR No. 06-181332)
1187 Accept Staff Report and Recommendation and Order of Council for Robert M. Boyl Measure 49 Claim (Report introduced by Mayor Potter; PR No. 06-180160)
1188 Accept Staff Report and Recommendation and Order of Council for Augustine L. Calcagno Family LLC Measure 49 Claim (Report introduced by Mayor Potter; PR No. 05-117098)
1189 Accept Staff Report and Recommendation and Order of Council for Dean A. Grudzinski Measure 49 Claim (Report introduced by Mayor Potter; PR No. 05-126994)
1190 Accept Staff Report and Recommendation and Order of Council for Lahti and Sons, Inc. Measure 49 Claim (Report introduced by Mayor Potter; PR No. 06-180929)
Five of the seven Measure 37 claims the Council accepted prior to voter approval of Measure 49 are up for review. At issue is whether the claims are “vested” under post-M49 state law. The Staff Reports recommend that the Council deny four of the claims, due to the applicants not submitting the necessary documentation within state-mandated deadlines. One project, by property owner Dean Grudzinski, already recorded the approved zone change and land division application, and is therefore vested and likely to be approved by the Council.
There are two other approved Measure 37 claims in Portland. One has already been processed and approved as vested by Council, the other will be on the Agenda next week.
After the Measure 49 hearings, there’s another land use issue on Thursday afternoon:
1191 TIME CERTAIN: 3:00 PM – Appeal of Lamont Smith, TMT Development, applicant, against the Historic Landmarks Commission’s decision to impose certain conditions in approving the Cornelius Hotel rehabilitation at 809 SW Alder (Hearing; LU 08-108274 HDZM)
The appeal is over the replacement or repair of windows, with respect to preserving the historic features of the building. The Landmarks Commission recommended repair and replacement with painted wood-frame windows when necessary, the applicant wants to use painted aluminum for the frames. A nice challenge for the five Council members, to become more educated on historic design and window engineering before Thursday.
Moving back to the Wednesday morning agenda, there are several items that interest me. But time is precious, and I can only highlight three.
Here’s an old favorite, once more listed as an emergency:
*1174 Extend the effective date of a Comprehensive Plan Map and Zoning Map Amendment previously approved by Ordinance Nos. 180713, 180749, 181175 and 181639 for property located at 5828 N. Van Houten Pl at the request of the University of Portland and Triangle Park LLC (Ordinance; LU 06-132925 CP ZC)
Search for “Triangle Park” on this blog, and you’ll see something similar to this item on the Council’s agenda in January 2007, July 2007, and February 2008. What’s the hold-up here?
A big number in this item from the Bureau of Housing and Community Development:
*1181 Authorize subrecipient contract with Portland Development Commission for $11,304,796 for rental housing development and provide for payment (Ordinance)
PDC continues to work with its agency and community partners, to assess whether a new model of provision of affordable housing is needed for cost-effectiveness and efficiency. And if so, what the new structure should look like.
Oh joy, we get to vote on a Charter Amendment in November:
1185 Refer Charter Amendment adding an Office of the Ombudsman to voters at the November 4, 2008 General Election (Resolution)
The Resolution gives more information on why this is being referred:
“WHEREAS, in 2001 the City Council, by ordinance, added City Code Chapter 3.77 which established the Office of the Ombudsman, appointed by the City Auditor, to receive and investigate citizen complaints against administrative acts of City government; and
WHEREAS, the Office of the Ombudsman is not explicitly described in the City Charter along with other core duties of the City Auditor, and the Office of the Ombudsman is significant enough to the citizens of Portland to warrant more description than “other duties;” and
WHEREAS, the City of Portland finds that an Office of the Ombudsman to hear concerns and complaints from our citizens, and to respond in such a way that services are improved, is an important service in accountable governance; and
WHEREAS, adding an Office of the Ombudsman to the City of Portland Charter will make the public service more accessible through enhanced visibility; and
WHEREAS, an Office of the Ombudsman resolves conflicts involving City services in a fair and timely manner, and helps to preserve both resources and relationships; and
WHEREAS, it is of value to both citizens and City officials to have concerns and complaints reviewed by an independent and impartial Office of the Ombudsman; and
WHEREAS, the term “Ombudsman” is a gender-neutral term, recognized throughout the world for women and men who hold the office; and
WHEREAS, the 200th Anniversary of the Ombudsman institution will be celebrated at its origin in Stockholm, Sweden, in 2009, and represents international recognition of its value to the public; and
WHEREAS, the Office of Ombudsman has successfully responded to about 3,000 complaints or concerns from citizens and businesses in Portland, and received evaluations expressing over 85% satisfaction with services;
WHEREAS, the City Charter amendment will preserve, not change, the mission and duties currently being performed by the Office of the City Ombudsman; and
WHEREAS, the City Charter amendment will direct that an Office of the Ombudsman shall be guided by generally accepted standards for government ombudsman offices serving the public.
Even after reading and digesting all that, I wonder why this needs to be a Charter amendment.