If you would like to be nominated for the SMILE Board, please give me a call or send me an email and I will be glad to put your name on the ballot.

One potential problem might be getting a quorum for the July meeting (20 SMILE members).  If everybody could bring a friend or two, we should be able to get the election done.

If you have any questions, give me a call any time.

Thanks,

Mat Millenbach
At-large Board Member

millenbach@aol.com

503-239-1134

Call Mat Millenbach, SMILE Land Use Chair, 503-239-1134, if you want to talk about this.

Any one is welcome to attend the charette.   You do not need special skills or knowledge to attend.    All you need is enthusiasm and a desire to help design a light rail station that enhances nearby Johnson Creek.

The charette will be held at the Watershed Council office at 1900 SE Milport Road, Milwaukie, 97222 (enter in back of the building, accessible from the parking lot off of McBrod Avenue).   Please RSVP to Matt Clark – matt@jcwc.org … or 503/652-7477.

We have a project that is scheduled to begin in your neighborhood association in about six weeks. It will be on SE 16th between Flavel and Duke. There will be 1800 feet of new 8″ main installed to replace the existing 2″ which will improve reliability and add water pressure. In addition, several new hydrants will be installed. Once the dates are confirmed, we will distribute door hangers and talk to the neighbors and businesses along the route, describing the project and its duration. I will be available by phone to answer questions and help with any access issues neighbors may experience during the construction.

Please let me know if you have any questions at this time or during the two month project. Thank you.

Susan Kelly
Community Outreach & Information Representative
Portland Water Bureau
1120 S.W. 5th Avenue, Room 600
Portland, OR 97204-1926

Phone: (503) 823-6020
Email: susank@water.ci.portland.or.us
www.portlandonline.com/water

“From forest to faucet, the Portland Water Bureau delivers the best drinking water in the world.”

5714 SE 15th Ave. This is the property proposed for subdivision into 4 very small lots.  The Bureau of Development Services had approved the subdivision with a few conditions.  SMILE appealed the decision and testified in opposition to the proposal at a hearing on March 4, 2010.  We lost our appeal and the subdivision was approved.

8220 SE 21st Avenue, and adjacent Right of Way in SE Umatilla, SE Tenino, and SE 21st Avenue. The Portland Bureau of Environmental Services proposes a stream and riparian enhancement project located on Crystal Springs Creek in southeast Portland between SE Tenino and Umatilla at SE 21st Ave.   The Culvert Replacement project will replace three culverts on Crystal Springs Creek.  We have received one suggestion from a nearby property owner for the replacement of the culvert at SE 21st and Tenino which we asked the City should consider.  Because of scheduling difficulties the project has been delayed until 2011 so we will have an opportunity to discuss this further with the City.

1724 SE Tenino Street. The Portland Housing Authority was seeking approval for a proposal to replace six new panel antennas on the roof of this building with similarly sized ones, and add small non-transmitting (diplexer) units to each installation.  All equipment will be painted to match the building.  We did not object to this proposal.  It was approved on April 4, 2010.

Sellwood Pump Station at Portland Rowing Club.  This is a long standing case involving the proposed construction of a sewer pump station at the foot of Harney Street on Portland Rowing Club property.  SMILE had objected to the original proposal to build the station because it did not require the construction of a portion of the Greenway Trail in conjunction with the project.  The Bureau of Development Services (BDS) decision to approve the project did not include SMILE’s objection; we did not appeal this finding because we intended to follow up on an earlier decision requiring that the trail be built.  However, the BDS decision was appealed by the Portland Rowing Club and Waverly Landing Condominiums.  The Hearings Officer issued a decision on March 12, 2010 approving the project with conditions, one of which is that the Trail is to be built.  The Hearing Officer’s decision has been appealed to the State Land Use Board of Appeal by the Waverly Landing Condominiums.  Construction is scheduled to begin soon.

7535 SE 21st Ave. This is a proposal to build a new house on this property which exceeds the building size and encroaches on the setback area of the lot.  We believe the applicant has submitted sufficient information to justify these adjustments and the new building will be an overall improvement to the neighborhood.  Comments are due April 12, 2010.

1025 SE Lexington. This is a proposal to add a dormer to a house which will lie within the setback zone.  The existing house lies within the setback.  Comments are due by April 26, 2010.

Llewellyn Elementary School Modular Classroom.  Portland Public Schools is proposing to add a modular classroom building to the school grounds near the corner of SE 13th and Tolman.  Comments are due by April 26, 2010.

Oaks Bottom Habitat Enhancement Project. This is a project of the Portland Bureau of Environmental Services to improve habitat within the Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge.  Click on the link to get more information.

Bus service cutbacks. Elayne Janiak and Mat Millenbach have been meeting with Trimet officials and testified at a recent hearing concerning proposed cutbacks in bus service which will affect the Sellwood Moreland neighborhood.

If there are any questions on any of these items, please call Mat Millenbach at 503-239-1134.

5714 SE 15th Ave. This is the property proposed for subdivision into 4 very small lots.  The Bureau of Development Services approved the subdivision with a few conditions.  SMILE appealed the decision and testified in opposition to the proposal at a hearing on March 4, 2010.  We expect a final decision from the City Hearings Officer by the end of the month.

8220 SE 21st Avenue, and adjacent Right of Way in SE Umatilla, SE Tenino, and SE 21st Avenue. The Portland Bureau of Environmental Services proposes a stream and riparian enhancement project located on Crystal Springs Creek in southeast Portland between SE Tenino and Umatilla at SE 21st Ave.   The Culvert Replacement project will replace three culverts on Crystal Springs Creek.  We have received one suggestion from a nearby property owner for the replacement of the culvert at SE 21st and Tenino which we believe the City should consider.  However, we generally support the project and do not plan to formally object to the proposal.  Comments are due by March 9, 2010.

1724 SE Tenino Street. The Portland Housing Authority is seeking Design Review approval for a proposal to replace six new panel antennas with similarly sized ones, and add small non-transmitting (diplexer) units to each installation.  All equipment will be painted to match the building.  Review is required because the site is within a Design Overlay zone.  We not plan to object to this proposal.  Comments are due by March 26, 2010.

Greenway Goal Exception to Accommodate the Sellwood Bridge. Multnomah County is requesting a Greenway Goal exception to allow the placement of fill to support bridge on-ramps in the Greenway Setback (considered a non river-related / non river- dependent development) within the Greenway overlay zone.  The project is located for the most part of the west side of the river so, while it does not directly affect any Sellwood neighborhoods, the visual impact will be visible form our side of the river.  There will be a hearing on this proposal on February 1, 2010 as specified in the notice.

1126 SE Sellwood Blvd. The owners of this property have proposed to remodel their house which will involvement encroachment on the setbacks along all three property lines (the property is triangular shaped).  SMILE objected to the proposal as did several of the immediate neighbors.  In response to our comments, the applicants have revised their remodeling plan and met with the neighbors.  SMILE is considering whether to further comment on this proposal.

SE 16th Ave. between SE Claibourne and SE Glenwood Streets. We have received a pre-application notice that the owners of this property intend to apply for a building permit to construct a 20 unit townhouse development on the site.  There will be a neighborhood contact meeting at the SMILE Station at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, January 19 to ask questions about the proposal.

5714 SE 15th Ave. This is the property proposed for subdivision into 4 very small lots.  SMILE objected to this proposal on a number of points and held a neighborhood contact meeting with the owner and immediate neighbors at the SMILE Station on June 6.  The City has sent out a revised Land Use Review Notice to deal with a setback issue along the front property line.  No decision has been reached on this proposal.

Sellwood Sewer Pump Station. The comment period on this issue has passed and the City has issued a decision on the proposal.  We had some concerns over the proposed Greeenway Trail and how it fits into this project as well as some concerns over potential noise impacts to nearby houses.  We commented on these two issues during the comment period.  The City furnished us with additional information on noise impacts which we believe will mitigate most problems.  The City rejected our request that the Greenway Trail be completed; at the October Board meeting it was decided to not appeal this decision because we felt our chances of success would be low.  Instead we will follow up with the City to determine why the trail has not been completed as provided in two previous land use decisions.  The decision has been appealed by two homeowners’ associations and there will be a hearing on the appeals on December 28.  The notice of the hearing can be found here.

Sale of Kasch’s to Les Schwab Tire Company. The property at 2500 SE Tacoma has been sold to Les Schwab Tire Company and rented out to a farm and garden supply center, Naomi’s Organic Farm Supply.  The long term future of this property is uncertain.  We will be contacting Les Schwab to let them know of the neighborhood’s interest in their future plans for the use of this property.

Greenway Goal Exception to Accommodate the Sellwood Bridge. Multnomah County is requesting a Greenway Goal exception to allow the placement of fill to support bridge on-ramps in the Greenway Setback (considered a non river-related / non river- dependent development) within the Greenway overlay zone.  The amount of fill, and its specific location, is not yet identified.  The Greenway Goal Exception is a required element of the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) that the County is in the process of completing.  Comments are due by December 9, 2009.

5714 SE 15th Ave. This is the property proposed for subdivision into 4 very small lots.  SMILE objected to this proposal on a number of points and held a neighborhood contact meeting with the owner and immediate neighbors at the SMILE Station on June 6.  The City has sent out a revised Land Use Review Notice to deal with a setback issue along the front property line.  No decision has been reached on this proposal.

5714 SE 15th Ave. This is the property proposed for subdivision into 4 very small lots.  SMILE objected to this proposal on a number of points and held a neighborhood contact meeting with the owner and immediate neighbors at the SMILE Station on June 6.  The City has sent out a revised Land Use Review Notice to deal with a setback issue along the front property line.  Comments are due October 29, 2009.

Sellwood Sewer Pump Station. This is the Greenway Review for the sewer pump station which has been in the works for over a year.  A lot has been done on this and it is coming down to the final planning stages.  We have some concerns over the proposed Greeenway Trail and how it fits into this project as well as some concerns over potential noise impacts to nearby houses.  David Allred from the City of Portland will be at the SMILE General Meeting on Wednesday, October 7, and we plan to address these issues with him.  The due date for comments is October 9, 2009.

Replacement and Upgrading of Wireless Equipment at 6404 SE 23rd Ave. Comments are due on October 7, 2009.  SMILE does not plan to comment on this proposal.

1911 SE Sherrett St. This property was approved for division into two lots in August, 2009 and now, because of the placement of the house which the owner has moved on to one of lots, there is insufficient room for the required on car parking without compromising the aesthetics of the property.  Comments are due October 9, 2009.  SMILE is considering a conditional response to this proposal.

Liquor License Application, 13 Degrees Celcius, 1665 SE Bybee. This establishment has filed an application for a liquor license.  Comments are due by October 11, 2009.

Sale of Kasch’s to Les Schwab Tire Company. An adjoining neighbor has told us that the property at SE Tacoma and McLoughlin may have been sold to Les Schwab Tire Company.  As this could have a significant impact on the neighborhood, SMILE will be keeping track of developments in this area.  Anyone with more information about this should contact SMILE.