Mt. Tabor October 2015

By Laura Smith

Though it’s a year away, the date has been set for the 2016 Mt. Tabor Neighborhood Cleanup again a co-sponsored event with North Tabor Neighborhood Association. Mark your calendars for April 30, 2016 for the next joint cleanup held at the Mt. Tabor Middle School parking lot.

Movies in the Park at Warner Pacific was such a success that everyone agreed to do it again next year. The tentative date is August 6, 2016.

Portland Police Officer David McGarry gave an update on neighborhood crime issues, including reports of gunfire at the top of Mt. Tabor in the last couple weeks.  Officers investigating after midnight on one night of reported gunfire found shell cases on Mt. Tabor.

Jim Swenson, founder of PDX Commons, and the architects from Works Partnership, presented their proposed cohousing project to be located at SE 43rd and Belmont. This property is currently occupied by the Good Food Here food cart pod.  PDX Commons are 1, 2 and 3-bedroom condominiums ranging in price from $350K-$700K. All 27 units are already sold out. Though a setback of 11 feet is greater than required, the project will have it on all four sides of the property. There will be 24 parking spaces at ground level under the building along with bike parking. Groundbreaking is planned for December and completion is anticipated by December 2016.

Over 2,200 kids per night in Multnomah County are homeless. Paul Schroeder from New City Initiative provided information about their Race to End Child Homelessness which uses the proceeds for their efforts to aid homeless families. Their fundraising race event offers a family friendly 0.8 mile walk.  It will be Saturday, October 31, during the morning hours. For more information go to: newcityinitiative.net.

MTNA board member Paul Leistner gave an update on his meeting with City of Portland Bureau of Planning and Sustainability representative. Portland Nursery is lobbying City Council to rezone the nursery property as all commercial.  While MTNA supports Portland Nursery, MTNA has concerns that all-commercial zoning will create the opportunity for the property to be sold later to a “big box” retail company which could build a larger facility and cause bigger traffic issues than there are at that site now.  MTNA supports the Planning staff’s recommendation for conditional use.

Leistner will meet in October with the City of Portland Planning and Development to discuss the Planning staff’s recommendation to “downzone” on SE 50th Ave. between Division and Hawthorne. Downzoning reduces the size of future buildings.  At that meeting they will examine new institutional zoning that will affect Warner Pacific.

Stephanie Stewart shared highlights from the first monthly meeting with Portland Water Bureau and Mike Stuhr to discuss initial spending priorities for monies to restore historic structures at Mt. Tabor Park reservoirs. The disconnection work will begin at the end of September. The first step is cutting the pipes, which begins with Reservoir 1, then Reservoir 6, and Reservoir 5. Stephanie provided information about hotlines for reservoir disconnect construction issues and updates.  For online updates, go to:  www.portlandoregon.gov.

For human contact, call or email Terry Black, Sr. Community Outreach, 503.823.1168 or terry.black@portlandoregon.gov.

Green bike boxes will be installed at SE 50th and Lincoln St., and representative Alyssa Keny-Guyer offered to write a letter in support of MTNA’s efforts with the Thorburn Street traffic calming issues.

Twenty volunteers showed up for the September Weed Warriors meeting in Mt. Tabor Park.  The next meeting is October 31, 9 am until noon. Parke Diem activities are planned in Mt. Tabor Park (as well as other City parks) October 10 from 9 am until noon and you get a free t-shirt and goodie bag. For information about volunteering, see www.taborfriends.org. The annual Tar ‘n Trail Run benefits Friends of Mt. Tabor Park. It’s on Sunday, October 11.

FYI, Southeast Uplift has grants available for projects in the neighborhood. www.southeastuplift.org

Southeast Uplift is helping MTNA with their website which is in need of updates.  Please have patience until our website is improved.  If you’d like to volunteer to be MTNA’s webmaster, contact Southeast Uplift or MTNA.

The next meeting of the MTNA is Wednesday, October 21 at 7 pm at Mt. Tabor Presbyterian Church at SE 54th and Belmont (downstairs in the dining hall). Social time starts at 6:50 pm. For more information, visit www.mttaborpdx.org.

Mt. Tabor October 2015

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