Tag Archives: Friends of Trees

Join the King Neighborhood Tree Planting!

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In partnership with Friends of Trees, the King neighborhood is planning a tree planting project for February 12, 2011! Join us on Saturday morning to help plant trees and create a healthier community.

Planting a tree in your yard or parking strip creates long lasting benefits enjoyed by everyone. Did you know that trees remove pollutants from the air? A typical tree absorbs 10 pounds of pollutants, cleans 330 pounds of carbon dioxide, and creates 260 pounds of oxygen each year. Having cleaner air in your neighborhood has all sorts of health benefits, such as reduced asthma rates. Trees also help intercept and retain 760 gallons of rainwater each year, which help keep our rivers clean and help save us money on stormwater fees. Trees can cool our homes in the summer and shade our city which helps us stay cool all summer. Trees raise the property value of your home by up to 20%. Also, unlike many other things, trees appreciate in value each year. And by planting trees now, we can keep our city green into the future.

This winter, King residents will be offered street trees starting at $35.00. The cost will include a site inspection by the Urban Forestry Department to ensure you choose the right tree for your home, hole digging, help with planting your tree, stakes, mulch, ties, labels, follow-up monitoring, and information on proper tree care techniques. For more information, please visit www.friendsoftrees.org.

Planning has begun for the King Tree Planting event, to participate please contact Irek at (503) 828-6943 or king@plantitportland.org.

Safeway Agrees to KNA’s Requests

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Diane Phillips, Real Estate Manager for Safeway has informed the King Neighborhood Association that the company intends to fulfill KNA’s requests that the King Safeway store add covered bicycle parking and make a financial contribution to Friends of Trees. KNA made its support for Safeway’s requested adjustment from city landscaping code contingent on the fulfillment of the requests. If Safeway were not granted the adjustment, seven parking spaces would have been given over to additional trees and plantings. By making the donation to Friends of Trees, more low-income homeowners will be able to plant trees, thereby meeting the intent of the requirement. Also, bicycle parking at the store seems to have been an afterthought with wire loops welded on the bollards in front. A new, actual bike rack for 20 bikes is planned under the canopy by the door.

KNA Supports Maintaining Safeway Parking Conditionally

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Safeway sent representatives to the September meeting of the KNA to present their plans for landscaping changes that will take place due to the upcoming interior and exterior remodel of the store. In order to preserve the existing number of spaces in the lot, Safeway applied for an adjustment from city code that required more planted area. Seven of the 99 spaces would have been lost to comply. KNA agreed to support the adjustment on the condition that a financial donation to a Friends of Trees fund was made to assist low income homeowners plant more trees. Also requested was an improvement in bike parking at the store to standard bike racks for at least 20 bikes, preferably covered. Currently bike users must lock up to the bollards in front of the store which tends to be akward and leaves little room for pedestrian traffic between the bike trailers, etc. A letter in support with the conditions will be sent to the Bureau of Development Services.

Click here for the proposed exterior changes.

Click here for the landscape plan.

King Tree Planting Needs Volunteers

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Sixty-five new trees will get planted in King neighborhood this coming Saturday. Together with volunteers win Boise, Eliot and Humboldt neighborhoods, over 175 trees will make our part of town even greener. You can get involved–we are looking for pickup truck drivers (with their own trucks) as well as help with the planting. A pot of soup or two would also be a great help to feed the volunteers after the planting. If you wish to volunteer please come to the Friends of Trees office at 3117 NE Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd on Saturday, February 13th, 2010 at 9 am.

If you have any questions or concerns please contact King Neighborhood Coordinator Irek Wielgosz at (503) 793-2114 or panirek@yahoo.com

November 12th Meeting Agenda

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Revised 10/26/08

King Neighborhood Association General Membership Meeting
King Neighborhood Facility, MLK Room
4815 NE 7th Ave

November 12, 2008 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm

Introductions and review agenda
Approve minutes from 10/8/08

Standing reports
Update from Portland Police Officer –Brian Sims
Northeast Coalition of Neighborhoods –Sylvia Evans
Public Safety Action Committee –Charles Boardman

New Music School –Fara Heath

NE Going as a Bike Boulevard –Emily Gardner

NECN’s communication initiatives –Tammy Paladeni

Friends of Trees – Neighborhood canvassing project –Irek Wielgosz

PDC and Killingsworth Street Improvement –Charles Boardman
Grant from Metro Regional Council to spruce up Killingsworth

King School park – concerns about structures –Karen Trappen

Farmers market pilot committee –Charles Boardman

Form a King spring clean-up working committee –Charles Boardman

Proposal to amend the bylaws Board
to make the majority of KNA meetings general meetings
(see proposed changes on page 2 of agenda)

Short Updates
PDC Gateway Heritage Marker Program – update on process –John Tyler
Store at 9th and Alberta: Good Neighbor Agreement, etc. –Charles
PDC – is 24 hour Fitness still planned for Vanport? –Leslie Cormier
Bioswale stormwater project at King School –Trace Salmon
MLK Liquor Store – Good Neighbor Agreement __________
Oregon Convention Center Urban Renewal Advisory Comm. –John Tyler
Standing committee reports
Treasurer’s report – discussion of budget –Trace Salmon
Land use committee – board discussion of charter Board
Communications/outreach/website – charter? Update? Board
Other topics?
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Wrap up
Any upcoming events to publicize/share?
Review old action items
Summarize decisions and review new action items
Confirm next meeting date: 12/10/08
Suggest agenda topics for next meeting

Future topics:
Groundwork Portland: brownfields in King, Andrea Hamburg
Grant writing workshop, Allyson Spencer
Proposed Amendments to the King Neighborhood Association Bylaws

(Changes number of General Membership meetings from four to eight each year, and reduces number of Board Meetings from eight to four to encourage more neighborhood participation.)
ARTICLE VI

B. General Membership Meetings: There shall be at least eight (8) general membership meetings yearly. General Membership Meetings shall take place in January, February, April, May, July, August, October, and November.

ARTICLE VII

I. Board Meetings
1. Board Meetings: Board Meetings will be held in March, June, September, and December. All board meetings are open to the public, except when the Board is in Executive Session. The Board may go into Executive Session to discuss confidential personnel or legal matters, consistent with law. Any binding action of the Board must be taken in open session following the Executive Session.