CPO 1 News January 2024

January 2, 2024   CPO 1, Development, Public Safety

January CPO 1 meeting: Road project update; Sunset Station development

Tuesday, January 9, 7-9 pm, hybrid via zoom and at Cedar Grove East Community Room, 13400 NW Cornell

CPO 7 (Bethany and Rock Creek) hasn’t been meeting regularly and we have been inviting them to attend our meetings. After the Land Acknowledgement and updates from our service providers, we’ll share any development information we have received and provide time for announcements from CPO members.

Around 7:45 we will get an update on WashCo transportation projects in CPO 1 & 7. Jessica Pelz, Policy Analyst; and Russ Knoebel, Division Manager, Capital Projects Services, will provide an “Overview of Washington County’s Major Streets Transportation Improvement Program and an Update on Transportation Projects Underway in CPO 1.” Early last year we learned that many of the large and controversial road projects planned for our area were on hold due to funding issues. We asked LUT to give us an update.

Conceptual image of the mixed-use residential and live/work building proposed for Sunset Station

At around 8:20 we’ll see the preliminary plans for the Sunset Station Development. The Peterkort Company is working with David Evans & Associates on a plan for the first development in the Sunset Station area (Barnes Road). It was presented at the Beaverton Central NAC in early December (the area was annexed into Beaverton several years ago). They have agreed to share the information with CPO 1 also. It includes mixed-use and some open space. They welcome our input on the project at this early stage. During the Beaverton meeting the Peterkort representative noted that they had learned their lesson from reactions to past proposals and including the community in planning is their goal.

You now have the choice of meeting online via zoom, or in person in the East Community Room at Cedar Grove Apartments at the corner of Murray and Cornell. If you are driving, please either park on the street or in the southeast corner of the Safeway lot. If you can’t attend the meeting, it is recorded and available on YouTube for viewing later. Visit our YouTube channel and subscribe! Our Facebook Group is a good place to discuss current issues and get timely updates.

Development applications approved

The two-parcel partition of the lot at NW 109th Terrace and Malia Lane was approved with conditions. The staff report included responses to neighbor concerns including increased traffic and construction vehicles.

A multi-family development was proposed on property between SW Park Way and SW Marlow that will replace a medical office building and associated parking. The 290-unit residential development will consist of four four-story buildings with surface parking and vehicle access only on Marlow. A hearing was held in October and the decision to approve the development was issued in November.

December meeting notes

The meeting was held on December 12 via Zoom. No in-person meeting due to illness.

Service Provider Updates

All agencies are having an extremely difficult time hiring enough people to serve our needs. If you are looking for a rewarding professional first-responder job, look into the Sheriff’s Office or TV Fire & Rescue positions.

Washington County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO): Deputy Huey joined the meeting to give us an update on real-time communications. Neighbors become concerned when they hear sirens, see police presence, or get caught up in traffic incidents. In the past, information could be found and shared over social media from FlashAlert news alerts posted online and on the Washington County Scanner Facebook page which is run by a volunteer. However, real-time broadcasting of calls for service and responses from WCSO have been suspended for several years, and most of the real-time information comes from TVF&R.

Deputy Huey explained that when the broadcast system was live, non-emergency community members would show up at scenes and complicate the work of the service providers. WCSO says that it is continuing to work with The Washington County Consolidated Communications Agency (WCCCA) to find a solution so the public can understand what is happening in the local area (traffic accidents, sirens, and other police activities). To receive the Sheriff’s Office monthly newsletter, sign up here.

Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue Station 61 at Murray & Butner reported that they served over 4,000 calls this year which is a 23% increase over the last five years. This strains their resources and the local ambulance service. An increase in the rate of their Local Option Levy will be required for salaries to remain competitive, for fire stations to be built in areas of high growth and for purchasing of equipment. They also discussed the recent fire at Commons at Timber Creek.

Tualatin Hills Park & Recreation District mentioned that many volunteer positions are open at THPRD for those who would like to give to our community.

The Sunset Station mixed-use development is proposing to create parks and trails in the Cedar Mill area in lieu of system development fees. A community visioning plan will guide the process. THPRD is likely to assume ownership of the completed amenities.

Starting in September 2023, a task force proposed THPRD pursue a local option levy to cover increased operating expenses which would be in the May 2024 election. For example, without the levy approval, facility hours would be reduced districtwide, after school programs for preschool through middle school students would be eliminated, collecting trash would happen less often and outdoor restrooms would be closed at several sites. It would necessitate closing the Sunset, Aloha and Conestoga pools and Conestoga and Cedar Hills splash pads. 31 full time positions and many parttime instructor positions would also be eliminated.

Tualatin Valley Water District requests that you do not call 911 if you have a water emergency. Call their 24/7 hotline 503-848-3000 with all water-related issues. Progress on installation of the large pipes for the Willamette River water supply system is being made in incremental phases, in concert with other major infrastructure projects wherever possible.

CPO 1 updates

Two development proposals were heard at the Central Beaverton Neighborhood Association, and Chair Virginia Bruce shared information about them. One would build a combination coffee drive-thru and carwash on Barnes opposite the Timberland shopping center. Neighbors asked about impact to the adjacent wetland and were surprised when the developer representatives said they didn’t know about that. They declined an invitation to present again at CPO 1.

The second proposal is for the first phase of the Sunset Station development north of the Sunset Transit Center. They will share info at the January CPO 1 meeting, see meeting info above.

The dramatic population increase of deer in the Cedar Mill area prompted a request for “Deer Crossing” signs. Road services, such as road signs, can be requested here.

The trees along NW Cornell Road have grown so much they are disrupting the sidewalks to the point of danger. The county reports that there is a solution being developed. See Road News for an update.

Crosswalks & Other Safety Improvements in the UUA

Neighbors have been concerned about the lack of pedestrian safety features and crosswalks in Cedar Mill and around the Urban Unincorporated Areas (UUA). The Urban Road Maintenance District (URMD) funds small-scale pedestrian and biking improvement projects, including sidewalks, pathways, and bike lanes. Information on requesting pedestrian and biking improvement projects can be found here. Requests can also be made through the Neighborhood Streets Program established to improve the quality of life in neighborhoods outside cities by reducing speeding and cut-through traffic.

We heard about signalized crosswalk and mid-block crosswalk location requirements, installation, and how residents can share input with the county’s Land Use & Transportation Dept’s Shelley Oylear, Traffic Analyst, and Sherri Grey, Program Coordinator for the Urban Road Maintenance District Advisory Committee (URMDAC). There are many requirements to be met before a new mid-block crosswalk can be installed.

If you weren’t able to attend the meeting, it was recorded and available here.