24. June 2008 by admin.

A hearing before the Portland City Council on the request to rezone Colwood will be scheduled soon. The date of the hearing is expected to be in mid-to-late August.  We have requested that this hearing be held during evening hours to accommodate the residents and others who are unable to testify at a hearing during the day.

As soon as a hearing is scheduled, we will post the date here as well as any instructions on how to testify. In addition, we will scheduling a community action meeting.

What can you do now? Spread the word!

Talk to your neighbors, co-workers, and friends about this issue. Tell them about this blog.

Contact your neighborhood association. Ask them to stand up for open space and the environment along with Concordia, Cully, Parkrose, the Central Northeast Neighbors Coalition, the Northeast Coalition of Neighborhoods, and others.

Contact your local businesses 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.

Posted in Uncategorized | Print | No Comments »

12. June 2008 by admin.

The Portland Tribune ran a piece on Colwood including a nice picture of the Columbia Slough going through the property. You can find the info on the article here:http://portlandtribune.com/news/story.php?story_id=121321827267952900

As with other press coverage on this issue, we encourage you to provide comment and/or letter to the editor in support of retaining the open space zoning. You may comment on the Tribune article directly or send a more formal letter to the editor via snail mail, fax, or their on-line form:

Portland Tribune
6605 S.E. Lake Road
Portland, OR 97222

Or fax: 503-546-0727

Or submit a letter to the editor via the Portland Tribune’s online form:

http://www.portlandtribune.com/forms/letters_form.php

Thank you for your support to keep Colwood green.

Posted in Uncategorized | Print | No Comments »

27. May 2008 by admin.

The Hearings Officer recommendation has been highlighted in a couple of local newspapers:

The Daily Journal of Commerce

The Portland Mercury

Portland Sentinel - June Issue

Hollywood Star - June Issue

It would be a surprise and grave disappointment if the City Council went against the objective recommendation from the Hearings Officer on this rezoning request. However, it is still a possibility. Please stay informed and be ready to contact the City commissioners and the Mayor on this issue.

Posted in Uncategorized | Print | No Comments »

16. May 2008 by admin.

City of Portland Hearings Officer Gregory Frank has considered the evidence related to the request to change the zoning of Colwood Golf Course from Open Space to Industrial.

To summarize the Hearings Officer recommendation:

“… the Colwood site open space is unique, is a practically irreplaceable asset, and therefore this application should not be approved.”

“…the Hearing Officer recommends that the application for a Comprehensive Plan Map Amendment from Open Space to Industrial Sanctuary be denied, the Hearing Officer also recommends that the Zoning Map Amendment from OS to IG2 also be denied.”

You can download the full recommendation report HERE.

What’s Next?

The Hearings Officer’s recommendation will be transmitted to the City Council for review. The City Council will hold a public hearing prior to making a final recommendation.

Until the Council acts, the request to allow industrial use of this open space is still alive.

We will post here when a Council hearing on this issue has been scheduled so you can send your comments and testimony to the Mayor and Commissioners and ask them to support the Hearings Officer’s recommendation.

A meeting to plan next steps is still scheduled for May 21, 8 pm in the Community Room of the Kennedy School (5736 N.E. 33rd Ave., Portland, OR 97211).

Posted in Uncategorized | Print | No Comments »

13. May 2008 by admin.

If you are reading this it is because like so many local neighbors, businesses and organizations you support retaining Colwood Golf Course’s current zoning of Open Space. Thank you for your support and for protecting our environment and recreational opportunities!

As reported the hearings officer has recommended NO REZONE of Colwood. This recommend will then go to the Portland City Council for review.

Proponents for keeping Colwood zoned as Open Space will be reviewing the hearings officer’s findings and planning next steps on May 21, 8 pm in the Community Room of the Kennedy School (5736 N.E. 33rd Ave., Portland, OR 97211).

Refreshments will be served, so please join us and help us Keep Colwood Green!

Posted in Uncategorized | Print | No Comments »

5. May 2008 by admin.

What is happening?: The current landowners of the Colwood National Golf Course (7313 NE Columbia Boulevard - 140 acres) want to rezone the area from Open Space (OS) - its present designation in zoning maps and in the Comprehensive Plan - to General Industrial 2 (IG2). You can find details on the application as well as a site map in the Bureau of Development Services March 14 Staff Report.

The Bureau of Development Services held a hearing on the rezoning request and we are awaiting a recommendation from the hearing officer, Greg Frank. UPDATE: The Hearings Officer has recommended that the rezone request be denied.

Unless the land owners withdraw the rezoning request, the Hearings Officer’s recommendation will be submitted to the Mayor and City Commissioners for approval. As soon as we know when Council hearing on this issue is scheduled, we will post that information here.

Why should I care?: The result of this proposed rezoning would be a permanent and significant loss of open space for Portland - 140 acres; and once it’s gone, it’s gone!

Further, the Colwood Golf Course encompasses sizable portions of the Columbia and Whitaker sloughs. The impact on the habitat areas of the sloughs - especially the critical riparian habitat along the sloughs - will be substantial. This is why a number of local environmental activists have come out against the re-zoning proposal.

Finally the conversion of the open space to industrial use will result in increased air, water, and noise pollution. Portland has gained the dubious distinction of being the 3rd Most Toxic City in America. This is a result of historic misuse and abuse of industrial lands in the city. Converting pristine open space to industrial use and risking the local health and habitat is NOT the direction the city should be going in.

The rezoning of this area is in direct conflict with many of the goal, objectives, and policies of Portland’s Comprehensive Plan. It is also contrary to the goals of Neighborhood Plans in the area and Metro’s Greenspaces Initiative which has targeted the Columbia Slough for habitat preservation and recovery.

I get it, so what should I do?

BE HEARD AND SPREAD THE WORD!

How can you be heard?

1) Contact the Press: Keep the visibility of this issue alive by letting the local papers know that you care about the future of Portland’s open space and environment. Click here for contact information for the local papers.

2) Contact the Mayor and Commissioners: When a formal hearing date is set, you can let your elected officials know your concerns. Click here for mailing and email addresses for the Mayor and City Commissioners.

Not sure how to express your concerns? Feel free to use any of the information in the FAQs section in support of retaining Colwood as open space.

3) Stay informed about the rezoning process. Sign Up for Email Alerts about this issue. We will keep you up to date on all developments including when formal testimony may be submitted.

We will NOT share your info with any other individuals or organizations or use it for any other purpose.

When the Council has a hearing on this issue, we will need as many people their supporting open space as possible, so please stay engaged.

How can you Spread the Word?

Talk to your neighbors, co-workers, and friends about this issue. Tell them about this blog.

Contact your neighborhood association and ask them to stand up for open space and the environment along with Concordia, Cully, Parkrose, the Central Northeast Neighbors Coalition, the Northeast Coalition of Neighborhoods, and others.

Contact your local businesses 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.

We CAN do this! Make sure your voice is heard!

Posted in Uncategorized | Print | No Comments »