Author Archives: King Neighborhood Association

KNA Meeting Minutes 1/7/2020 (Draft)

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If you missed Tuesday night’s King Neighborhood Association meeting, you can read the minutes here.

Guest speaker Mary Peveto of Neighbors for Clean Air talked about how her organization is helping to clean up diesel emissions; guest speaker Rana Uzzaman of Portland YouthBuilders talked about how his organization is helping under-served youth learn skills to obtain construction and technology jobs; and guest speaker Rachel Munzig of the Portland Fruit Tree Project talked about how her organization is helping feed the community by harvesting backyard fruit trees.

Portland Fruit Tree Project is Looking for an Executive Director

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Portland Fruit Tree Project is a grassroots 501(c)(3) non-profit gleaning organization that provides a community-based solution to a critical and growing need in Portland and beyond: access to healthy food. By empowering neighbors to share in the harvest and care of urban fruit trees, they are preventing waste, building community knowledge and resources, and creating sustainable ways to obtain healthy, locally-grown food.

Through their Harvest Program and Community Orchards, they strive to improve the quality of life for people in Portland through the shared harvest and equitable distribution of one of our city’s greatest natural resources: fresh fruit!

PFTP is thrilled to announce that they are hiring for an Executive Director to lead the organization into its next chapter. Read the full job description here!

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It’s Time to Provide Feedback on the Residential Infill Project (RIP)

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The Residential Infill Project (RIP) goes to City Council for hearings on Jan. 15 and 16 — that’s less than two weeks away.

RIP zoning would allow a 2,500-square-foot house, a 3,000-square-foot duplex, or a 3,500-square-foot-triplex or fourplex on a 5,000-square-foot lot.

In the King neighborhood, most lots are about 5,000 square feet, and duplexes are already allowed because most lots are zoned R2.5 — that means developers can build two houses (and two ADUs) on a 5,000 square foot lot (essentially a fourplex).

If you look at the latest real estate listings in Zillow, you’ll see that just one side of a new duplex in King is currently listed for sale at around $700K. For example:

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/803-NE-Jessup-St-Portland-OR-97211/2087055387_zpid/?fbclid=IwAR3gQtMdqQsTwHuABciu2qrF1UQ-SPSupJAxZIxgUL8ipZjSlHUV-McJGqE

Proponents of RIP say that it will lower housing costs because it will produce more housing units (i.e., supply vs. demand). Many also believe that expensive new housing will eventually “trickle down.”

Opponents of RIP say that it will increase housing costs (new housing is always more expensive than existing housing) and displace lower-income people. They believe that developers will buy the cheapest houses, typically occupied by renters, demolish those houses, and replace them with new housing that only wealthier buyers can afford.

You can testify online about RIP by using the Map App at https://www.portlandmaps.com/bps/mapapp/maps.html….

You can also email your testimony to City Council at MayorWheeler@portlandoregon.gov, JoAnn@portlandoregon.gov, chloe@portlandoregon.gov, and Amanda@portlandoregon.gov.

When RIP went to the Planning and Sustainability Commission (PSC), the large majority of submitted testimony was in opposition, and as a result RIP barely got through the PSC on a 5-4 vote. The commissioners that voted no were worried that lower-income residents would be displaced and that RIP would accelerate gentrification.

The PSC is appointed, not elected. City Council is elected, most of them are up for re-election this year, and they do very much care what you think.

For more information about RIP and anti-displacement measures, see Portland seeks to address worries about infill housing plan with anti-displacement push.

New Development/Demolition at 3802 NE MLK Jr. Blvd.

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William Kaven Architecture is proposing a series of four development projects at 3802 NE MLK Jr. Blvd. One of these proposals was submitted for design review in June of last year and is nearing the end of the land use process. The remaining three proposals will be submitted in the coming weeks. 

Each building will have 19 residential units, which means that the buildings are not subject to the Inclusionary Housing (IH) law (which kicks in at 20 units), and so are not required to include any affordable units or pay into an affordable housing fund. For more information, see https://www.portlandoregon.gov/phb/72698.

Site 1
Site 2
Site 3
Existing building

Update: Alberta Abbey’s Application for Commercial Use

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The Portland Bureau of Development Service’s (BDS) staff report for Alberta Abbey’s (126 NE Alberta St.) application to legalize commercial use is now available to review at https://www.portlandoregon.gov/bds/article/750789.

The staff report describes the conditions that the Abbey must meet for the City to legalize commercial use. Here are the highlights:

* The Abbey must strive to minimize on-street parking impacts to the greatest extent possible. PBOT requires that a transportation demand management strategy is implemented to proactively reduce the number of vehicles coming to the site. This strategy includes creating and maintaining a project website that encourages event attendees to walk, bike, and take transit. Further, the website should include a map of on-site bike parking opportunities and a map/link to TriMet’s trip planner.

* The Abbey must secure a separate building permit to meet all applicable Building Code (including Fire Code) requirements within six months of this land use approval. Those permits must be “finaled” (the work must be finished) within 12 months of this land use approval. The Abbey has been operating illegally with regard to Building Code regulations for 6-7 years.

* Maximum capacity of people at all events/activities occurring at the site at any one time is limited to 250 persons. However, up to eight times a year, this maximum limit may be increased to 251-330 persons. More than 330 persons onsite at any one time is prohibited.

* All events and gatherings at Alberta Abbey must cease by 11:00 pm. However, up to 12 events per calendar year may end by 12:00 midnight

A hearing is still scheduled for Wednesday, January 15 2020, 9:00 AM. Go to  https://www.portlandoregon.gov/hearings/article/741099 for more information.

To comment, you may write to the Land Use Hearings Officer, 1900 SW Fourth Ave., Suite 3100, Portland, OR 97201, or FAX your comments to 503-823-4347, or you may testify at the hearing, by January 15, 2020. Email feedback is not accepted. In your comments, you should address the approval criteria. Please refer to the file number (LU 19-137608 HPR AD) when seeking information or submitting testimony. Written comments must be received by the end of the hearing. Please note that all correspondence and testimony received will become part of the public record. The applicant and Bureau of Development Services staff will be at the hearing to answer questions and respond to comments.