Victory for Sunnyside and Neighbors City Wide!

Clearwire withdraws cell tower applications from multiple Portland sites.

Hello neighbors,

We have some great news regarding some planned cell towers in our neighborhoods! Recently, Commissioner Amanda Fritz posted this on her blog:

Clearwire has formally notified the Office of Cable Communications & Franchise Management (OCC/FM) of the withdrawal of already-filed wireless applications for the following sites:
  • NE 37th and NE Fremont
  • SE Yamhill and SE 32nd
  • SE 65th and SE Reedway
  • N Greeley & Holman (Rosa Parks)
  • SE 70th and Flavel
You can read more on the Commissioner’s blog at: http://bit.ly/hWcKCJ

This is good news for the hundreds of Portlanders who spoke out at public meetings, wrote to officials, put signs in their yards and more to make it clear that they oppose siting cell towers in-front of people’s homes and near schools. While Clearwire was ultimately hampered by business issues, the strong reaction of Portlanders definitely resulted in a number of cell towers not being built in front of peoples homes as planned. We have heard from City Attorney’s office that any provider who wants to use a site previously approved “will have to go through the whole City siting process.” Thank you all for your hard work to date!

While many neighborhoods may have dodged a bullet, the story doesn’t end here. Clearwire will likely be back soon. Both AT&T and Verizon have recently announced that they will begin building new networks in Portland this year.

RespectPDX will continue to advocate for regulation that respects people’s investments in their homes and character of our communities.   In November last year, RespectPDX and Southeast Uplift co-sponsored a workshop.  There we presented a comparison of Portland’s ordinance with those of Glendale, CA, Hempstead, NY, and Bend’s proposed ordinance. All these cities strike a better balance in regulating wireless companies in a more responsible manner than the current Portland ordinance.

The powerful community response to date has helped make the City aware that we expect them to do everything possible to stop cell towers being built in front of our homes and our schools. Let’s continue to make ourselves heard and demand a better system so that what we have been through for the last year and a half doesn’t happen to others!

Thank you!

www.RespectPDX.org

 

February 2011 Board Meeting Minutes

SNA BoardMeeting Minutes – Approved

Feb. 10th 2011 7pm

Board Members: Michele Gila, Chuck Lawrence, Heather Wilson, Gina Binole, Reuben Deumling, Bill Stites, Jane Pullman, Paul Loney

Excused Absence: Tim Brooks

Guests: John Barker & Kari Briggs

1. Approve agenda/Minutes. Paul moves. MG 2nd. Approved.

Jan. board meeting Minutes: Gina moves to approve. Chuck 2nd. Approved.

2. BSF – Future Focus

Bill summarizes.  Joint venture. What are the responsibilities. A reorganization. Draft of Joint Agreement submitted/ on file.

3. By laws discussion continued.

No one is prepared to really pick it up. Would like to continue the discussion. Reuben mentions co-chair desire. Reuben won’t be Chair this year. Too much work travel. Might seek the position at another date.  Jane outlines a summary of last month’s minutes on this subject.

1. Do nothing?

2. Subcomittee study?

3. X or Y in May?

4. Table to next month?

4. Future of Neighborhood Clean up, proceeds distribution.

5. SNA Proposed 2011 Budget. Tim made a budget. Reflects the recent year’s numbers. We would like to have a budget. Move to next month agenda so we have more time to review the budget.

6. Follow up to SES Park Work Group.

7. Adjourn 9:02 pm.

February 2011 General Meeting Minutes

SNA General Meeting Minutes – Approved

Feb. 10th 2011 7pm

Board Members In Attendance: Michele Gila, Chuck Lawrence, Heather Wilson, Gina Binole, Reuben Deumling, Bill Stites, Jane Pullman, Paul Loney,

Excused Absence: Tim Brooks

Guests & Neighbors: Greg Dolinajec, Mildred White, Brian White, Sandy Miller, Serena Appel, Karen Hery, Scott McEwen, Jeff Cole, Kari Briggs, John Barker, Valerie Strickland, Jacob Mayhill, Amy Kleiner, Jeanne Longley

1. Introductions.

2. Approve agenda, circulate minutes. Approved as submitted.

3. Update from SES VP. Amy Kleiner.

Bond measure from PPS pitch. Hoping for Middle School students involvement. Sarah Taylor is retiring. Amy might be new Principal, but it’s not been determined. Under budget constraints. Plus another bond measure in November.  8 or 9 school cohorts and she wants to send one to the neighborhood for service outreach. To help people in need. Help folks in the yards to remove invasive species. Could start in September. Reuben mentions the emergency preparedness component, but seemed the ball was dropped. Would have to pitch it to the teens to get them to do it. Heather asks about the structural changes. Amy again hoping for the bond measure to pass to get a covered play structure. She doesn’t know where. Upgrade science lab. Convert boiler to natural gas. Stage area rigging and lights. Increase ADA & managed access (key card). Perhaps a crosswalk on SE Taylor. Jane presents an invitation to the school from EM soil & water conservation to get involved.

4. Senior co-housing project in Sunnyside

Greg is a RE developer. Retro fits of NW apartments to condos. H45 project was his. 38/Belmont site has his interest. Thinks what is missing is an Independent living, self governing community with a theme. Camerata Community 55 is the theme/idea. Focus on learning/teaching/engagement. Has talked to Umpqua about financing. Getting ready to publicize the concept. Needs members of the community to commit to living in it. ROUGHLY using co-housing as the model. 18 units. Ground floor community space/not commercial utilized by the community members. Leaving elevations and floor plans for our interest. Has a year option on the property. Assemble the group then choose form of ownership. Jane asks how this will be different than a building like a condo. Community would be themed/missioned. Lifelong learning and teaching is the mission/vision. Karen Hery asks the WHY question. He affiliates with a group who has a large profit market in Portland. Other senior housing facilities seems owned by public traded corporate entity. Wants to have an independent living community to define their own goals and policies. Variance was once made on height. He hopes that their project fits within that framework. They’ll be in compliance with those conditions.

5. Committee Reports

Sustainability – Jeanne reports the connection to Transition Sunnyside. Evolving into action. Adopted emergency preparedness as a means of resilience. “Walk our talk”. Committee is building an emergency kit. Hosting block parties with EP theme. Folks showed up and talked about crime prevention. Take on your blocks!

LUTC – Next week (v-day) is the meeting. On-going issues seem to be liquor licenses/establishments and neighbors. Review permits etc…Trying to come up with Universal GNA for Belmont. Ongoing discussions around illegal parking.

CP – Improve your lighting, keep shrubs pruned. Break ins on 48th. Graffitti has increased. Chuck’s going to ask our neighborhood police to come to next meeting.

SEUL – April 13th Powell Lanes bowling for neighborhood volunteer appreciation. ONI had no significant cuts in budget. 2 new board members seated. One from RNA, the other from Eastmoreland. SEUL is looking for a new treasurer. Looking for Land Use members. Do we want to use City archivist? EMSW offers free workshops for creating wildlife habitat. Naturescaping for Clean Rivers workshop for Sunnyside. 12/60th & Burnside trying efforts to attempt traffic calming.

6. Announcements

Karen Hery announces hopeful success of the carnival last Saturday in Feb. Useful goods & neighborhood clean up training. Going to charge for useful good exchange this year.ie $1 admission fee. Reminder no fall clean up. 3 day event. St. Stephens has it on their calendar.

Sandy Miller. 2924 SE Alder. Wants to open B&B on 2nd level. Applying for conditional use permit. Inviting neighbors over March 6th to learn more about it.

Jeff Cole from Friends of Trees coordinator. Planted Jan 22. THANKS!

Bill reports from BABA annual dinner meeting is next week.

Jane announces that she has found her replacement for newsletter delivery!

Jacob from Umpqua Bank. Dec 22nd opened Hawthorne & 36th location. Build Your Block challenge. Present an idea for community enhancement project. Would need to be sustainable. Heather asks about playground equipment. $10,000 max. Deadline is Feb 25th for input of idea. Then it gets voted. Anyone in this community. Business owners & residents. 20-40/Division-Belmont.

Thanks for the announcement for their March opening. Going to be on SE art walk. Secret Hideout.

7. Approve minutes from January. Reuben. Gina 2nd. Approved.

8. Next meeting March 10th/Newsletter articles due Feb. 15. Bill will write article on Bike corrals. Horse Brass tribute for Don Younger. Jeanne will write that. Heather suggests an update from Parks about Laurelhurst Pond.

9. Adjourn. Paul moves, Jane 2nd. 8:04pm

The Big Day at Blair Garden!

Great news! The Blair Garden is opening on Saturday March 26th at SE
33rd and Stark. The garden has 19 (200 sq. foot) plots and will have 2-3
raised beds. On March 26th we will have a work party and opening of the
garden. The work party starts at 9am and goes to 11am. The celebration
will be from 11-12. You are encouraged to participate in both the work
party and the celebration.

Registration materials will be available for people previously in the
garden and those from the current Parks and Recreation waiting list.

More gardeners in the neighborhood may sign up on the list at
www.portlandparks.org go to Nature and to Community Gardens.

Thanks go to many people for renovating this space and getting the
garden up and going!

Laurelhurst Village Care Center-property owner and cash
supporter
Sunnyside Neighborhood Association
Portland Parks and Recreation Community Gardens
Portland Fire and Rescue
Friends of Portland Community Gardens
Hands on Portland
Riverdale HS Honor Society
Grant High School Environmental Club

Blair Community Garden
SE 33rd and Stark
Work Party and Celebration
Saturday, March 26th 9am-12noon

See you there!

Leslie Pohl-Kosbau
Dan Franek
Portland Community Gardens
Portland Parks and Recreation
503 823-1612