6. September 2008 by admin.

The Mercury’s Sarah Mirk posted a piece on the Colwood Golf rezoning proposal. Check if out!

What can you do now to Keep Colwood Green? Submit your testimony, tell your friends and neighbors to do the same, plan on joining us at the hearing at City Hall on 9/17 at 6 pm to testify or just provide moral support.  We can do this!

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3. September 2008 by admin.

There are many reasons to ensure that Colwood does not become an industrial area. One of the biggest is that this area is the one of the last areas on the Columbia Slough that has not been contaminated or abused by industrial development.

Why is this important? Consider Johnson Lake which is part of the Columbia Slough near I-205.  For decades Johnson Lake was a recreational retreat for Portland residents. The lake was crystal clear and boasted a beach house and dance hall.  People swam, fished, and enjoy the serenity of this special area.

The Owens-Illinois Glass Factory set up shop on the land adjacent to the lake in the 1950’s.  They soon began dumping industrial waste into Johnson Lake, much of it containing PCBs (a known carcinogen). Needless to say, Johnson Lake has not been open to swimming for the past 50 years and fish caught in the lake is unsafe for human consumption.

The clean-up of Johnson Lake continues - slowly. Most recently the DEQ has come up with a plan that will require a partial cleanup of the lake. The Owens will be required to dredge some of the contaminated sediment at a cost of $1.3 million. But this won’t solve the problem. Instead nature will still need to do the rest of the work over a number of decades. Find out more about the clean-up of Johnson Lake here.

Let’s learn from the past.  Keep Colwood Green!

Send in your testimony to Keep Colwood Green today!

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3. September 2008 by admin.

The Colwood Golf Course issue was recently covered in the Portland Sentinel.  Read the full article here.

Be sure to submit your testimony to Keep Colwood Green by 9/17!

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30. August 2008 by admin.

The Keep Colwood Green Coalition meeting is still on September 4 at 7 pm but has been moved to Grace Presbyterian Church, 6025 NE Prescott, Portland, OR 97218.

In other news, the Youth and Elders Council of the Native American Youth and Family Center (NAYA) has signed on as a supporter of keeping Colwood green!

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26. August 2008 by admin.

Please join us for our Keep Colwood Green Coalition meeting on Thursday, September 4, 7 pm - 8:30 pm at  Grace Presbyterian Church, 6025 NE Prescott, Portland, OR 97218.  Central Northeast Neighbors, 4415 NE 87th Avenue 

Be sure to submit your testimony ASAP and/or come and testify at the Council hearing on September 17th.

Not sure what to say? Use our sample letter: colwood-testimony-sample-letter.pdf

Or send our sample email to the Council Clerk right now!

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23. August 2008 by admin.

The Portland City Council hearing will be on Wednesday, September 17th at 6 pm but you can submit written testimony NOW!

So don’t hold back, send in your letter of support today!

Submit your testimony to the Portland City Council Clerk via email: kmoore-love@ci.portland.or.us

Or standard mail: Karla Moore-Love, Council Clerk, 1221 SW 4th, Room 140 Portland, OR 97204

Not sure what to say? Use our sample letter: colwood-testimony-sample-letter.pdf

Remember, you testimony in opposition of rezoning Colwood from open space to industrial must be received by the Council Clerk no later than 4 pm on September 17th. Thanks!

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19. August 2008 by admin.

Keep Colwood Green is launching a Google discussion group. Join the conversation, learn what is happening with Keeping Colwood Green here:

http://groups.google.com/group/keep-colwood-green

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14. August 2008 by admin.

You can catch a discussion about Keeping Colwood Green in Portland on Cable Channel 23 from 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm this Friday, August 15th.

Regina Williams of Northwest County Community Outreach will be interviewing Mike Houck from Urban Greenspaces, Concordia residents Ry Thompson and Jim Gersbach, Tamara DeRidder from the Rose City Park Neighborhood Association, and Bill Barber from the Central Northeast Neighbors Coalition.

The program will be live, so you can even call in with questions if you want!

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14. August 2008 by admin.

The Keep Colwood Green Coalition met last night. Please join us for our next strategy meeting on Thursday, September 4, 7 pm - 8:30 pm at Grace Presbyterian Church, 6025 NE Prescott, Portland, OR 97218. Central Northeast Neighbors, 4415 NE 87th Avenue.

The Keep Colwood Green Coalition is working on a two key things: 1) opposing the rezoning of Colwood from open space to industrial; and 2) supporting acquisition of the property for a new regional park.

Keep Colwood Zoned Open Space!

We support the Hearings Officer’s findings on the rezoning proposal, namely that the rezoning request should be denied by the Portland City Council. Colwood is one of the last parts of the environmentally sensitive and diverse Columbia Slough area that has not been lost to development. Our region cannot afford to lose another inch of open space in this unique natural area.

The Hearings Officer outlined many reasons why the existing open space zoning should be maintained. In addition, there are a myriad of other issues that need to be addressed before the Council could ever seriously entertain a reversal of the Hearings Officer’s recommendation.

For instance, no environmental impact analysis has been done for the site but there are significant health questions related to industrial development in this area due to increased air pollution, noise pollution, and storm run-off. The neighborhoods in the Colwood area are already being impacted with some of the highest levels of carcinogen-laden air pollution in Portland. Adding this area which as never been part of the city’s industrial land inventory to the pollution mix, will further jeopardize the health of residents in Northeast Portland. These health concerns are in addition to the impact that industrial development would have on the local habitat and environment - such as affecting threatened native species that reside in this area and losing the nearly 500 mature trees that are on the property now.

Finally, the area surrounding Colwood is extremely deficient in parkland, natural areas, and other open space. The Cully neighborhood access rate is 2,780 people per park acre, compared with a citywide average of 40 people per park acre. Loss of this last significant open space in the neighborhood would mean that this deficiency could never be adequately addressed.

Create a “Colwood Regional Park”!

Following Council action upholding the open space zoning for Colwood, the Keep Colwood Green Coalition supports acquisition of the area for a regional park. Without permanent public ownership we believe there will always a chance that this unique area could be permanently lost.

Given the landowner’s desire to sell the property, the overwhelming need for public open space in this area, and the regional goals related to environmental stewardship and enhancement of livability, the creation of a “Colwood Regional Park” seems like a logical outcome.

Possible funding sources for acquisition include Metro’s Natural Areas Bond and the City’s parks system development charges. It is important to note that both of these funding sources may only be used for park and open space acquisition. Use of these funds would not affect the funding of other pressing needs in Portland or the region.

What would you find at Colwood Regional Park? There are a lot of ideas out there: a canoe launch and interpretive trails like those found at Smith and Bybee Lakes, a learning farm similar to the Sauvie Island Center, new bike and pedestrian access to the Columbia Slough Trail and 40-mile Loop Trail System, more play fields and playground space, a state of the art driving range, cultural and sustainable industries educational facilities, and so on.

These are just some of the ideas out there. What is YOUR vision for a new 140 acre regional park?

Who is in favor of rezoning Colwood?

The Port of Portland has been the primary proponent for the rezoning. Their support is rooted in plans for possible expansion of the airport. However, a Port representative stated at the Citywide Land Use Group meeting on July 28th that the Port is not planning on providing any further testimony in favor of the rezoning.

Further, the Port’s primary impetus for supporting the rezoning was the possible development of a third runway. As reported in the Portland Tribune, the horizon for development of a third runway has been significantly pushed out.

Who wants to Keep Colwood Green?

People like Y-O-U! Some of the organizations who oppose rezoning Colwood:

• Youth and Elders Council of the Native American Youth and Family Center (NAYA)
• Urban Greenspaces Institute
• Audubon Society
• Sierra Club
• Oregon Recreation and Park Association
• Friends of Smith and Bybee Lakes
• Cully Association of Neighbors
• Concordia Neighborhood Association
• Wilkes Community Group
• Parkrose Neighborhood Association
• Central Northeast Neighbors
• Northeast Coalition of Neighbors
• Fox Chase Business Association
• North Northeast Business Association

How can I help Keep Colwood Green?

Contact the Mayor and Commissioners and tell them to Keep Colwood Green! Be sure to do this no later than September 17th!

Other things you can do:

• Talk to your neighbors, co-workers, and friends about this issue. Ask them to provide written or in-person comment the Portland City Council Members to Keep Colwood Green!
• Contact your neighborhood association. Ask them to adopt a formal resolution asking that the City Council deny the request to rezone Colwood and to let the Council know about it! Many neighborhood associations have already done this, including Concordia, Cully, Parkrose, the Central Northeast Neighbors Coalition, and the Northeast Coalition of Neighborhoods.
• Contact your local businesses and business associations and ask them to join the North Northeast Business Association, Fox Chase Business Association, and many local businesses in supporting the livability and health of Portland’s residents!
• Contact the environmental organizations you are part of, ask them to join the Audubon Society and others in opposing the rezoning of Colwood!
• Tell the press. Comment on articles related to the rezoning and send letters to the editor showing your support to Keep Colwood Green!

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7. August 2008 by admin.

The next Colwood strategy meeting is Tuesday, August 12^th from 7pm to 8:30pm at Central Northeast Neighbors, 4415 NE 87^th Avenue. Please join us!

Colwood is scheduled to go before City Council on Wednesday, September 17^th. Some of the key things we need to work on to ensure success at the Council:

• Make new connections, maintain connections, and reconnect where needed with individuals and organizations who support keeping Colwood green! We need a critical mass of testimony and support being provided to the Mayor and Commissioners. If you support keeping Colwood green, be sure to contact them!
• Develop a strategy for effectively working with the media.

What’s new?

• The Port of Portland has tabled its plans for a third runway for the foreseeable future. This removes much of the Port’s drive for supporting the rezoning
• The Sierra Club has taken an official stand opposing the rezoning.  They join a long list of organizations and individuals opposed to the rezoning of Colwood
• The City of Portland continues to meet with the land owners in hopes of acquiring Colwood as a permanent public space.  Despite what some proponents of the rezone have stated publicly, the City has always had an interest in this property.

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