Next Up at City Council, 10/22/08

The Portland City Council Agenda this week begins with two Citizen Communications by members of the Montavilla In Action group. They are working to address and eliminate prostitution on 82nd Avenue. According to the students in Matt Sten’s class at Madison High School on 82nd, where I visited on Friday, newspaper reports that prostitution has diminished in the area are not accurate.

*1429 TIME CERTAIN: 9:30 AM – Approve the 30-year tax exemption requested by the Shaver Green Limited Partnership for the Shaver Green rental housing project (Ordinance introduced by Mayor Potter)

As the economy worsens, City Council will need to work harder than ever to ensure that tax breaks provide public benefits, and also that affordable, decent rental housing is available to the citizens of Portland. I haven’t had time to look into this one – comments welcome.

There are a bunch of contracts on the Agenda, which you may or may not find interesting. I’m intrigued but unable to delve in further… for another couple of weeks.

Wednesday afternoon:

1445 TIME CERTAIN: 2:00 PM – Tentatively deny the proposal of Haertl Development Company, applicant and Colwood Partnership, owner and uphold the recommendation from the Hearings Officer for denial of a Comprehensive Plan Map Amendment and Zoning Map Amendment for Colwood National Golf Course located at 7313 NE Columbia Blvd (Findings; Previous Agenda 1301; LU 05-138386 CP ZC)

The formal vote on the legal findings regarding the case in the Cully neighborhood.

1446 TIME CERTAIN: 2:30 PM – Appeal of Eastmoreland Neighborhood Association against the Hearing Officer’s decision to approve with conditions the application of Reed Institute for a conditional use master plan amendment for Reed College at 3203 SE Woodstock (Hearing; LU 08-114298 CU MS)

This is the fourth Wednesday, so current Code doesn’t allow the Council to hold this hearing in the evening (only on third Wednesdays). Many neighbors are likely to want to participate, since the Reed College request certainly impacts the adjacent residents. See Testimony Tips if you want to make a difference, whether or not you can take the afternoon off work to attend the hearing. I’d like to see the Code changed to allow evening hearings any Wednesday or Thursday.

No Thursday afternoon meeting this week.