CPO 1 March News

March 5, 2024   Community Involvement, CPO 1, Development, Library

CPO 1 March Program

Tuesday, March 12, 7-9 pm, hybrid via zoom and at Cedar Grove East Community Room, 13400 NW Cornell

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.

The new apartment building on Saltzman at Dogwood is nearly complete and a Grand Opening is planned for April 11. Pastor Paul Richardson, Christ United Methodist Church, will visit to give us a preview. CUMC is providing the land and some guidance for this affordable housing development primarily aimed at LGBTQ seniors, a severely underserved population. We look forward to learning more and welcoming new neighbors.

Around 7:40 the topic will be Fish & Wildlife and Smart Development.

Join ODFW’s regional habitat biologist, Ariana Scipioni, to learn why beavers and frogs both need connected habitat to move across the landscape, and how smart development can maintain critical wildlife movement. Common human wildlife conflict issues will also be discussed. Bring your wildlife and environment questions!

improvements area map

At around 8:10, we’ll learn about the Westside Multimodal Improvements Study.

Stephanie Millar, ODOT, and Kate Hawkins, Metro, discuss the study and how its results might affect CPO 1 neighbors and the county in general. Don Odermott, a member of the study Steering Committee, will join them. Don has been on both sides of Traffic Engineering in Washington County for most of his career, both as a consultant to developers and working for several area jurisdictions.

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.

CPO 7 meeting

Monday, March 11, 7-9 pm, Bethany Presbyterian Church and livestreamed on the CPO 7 Facebook page

Anne Kelly, Washington County Sr. Planner, will provide a description of the Middle Housing ordinances and the planning process. Check the CPO 7 Facebook page for more updates.

Development Applications

Preliminary review for two separate 2-parcel partitions in the R-6 District at 1975 NW 113th. Public Comment open until March 14.

Neighborhood Meetings

Proposed 2-parcel partition

Thursday, March 7, 7 pm, 2125 NW 111th Ave

The site is .87 acres in the R-6 District (Residential, 5-6 units per acre). Contact Katherine Rule at 503-550-6808 or Jacob Rule at 503-803-8930 with questions.

29-home subdivision on Thompson Road

A Neighborhood Meeting was held on February 27 by Westlake Consultants to present Noyes Development’s plans to subdivide a 4.75 acre property just west of Findley Elementary. Preliminary plans call for a road leading from what will be “Old Thompson” into the site, and another from NW Lois Elaine Terrace. The proposed stormwater facility will be at the northwest corner. Neighbors were concerned about the usual topics of traffic and construction disruption, whether the old farmhouse could be preserved, and impact to kids and families walking to Findley ES. Comments from the meeting will be considered by the developers. Noyes has developed many properties in the area so we expect to see the Development Application soon.

starbucks plan

Peterkort Starbucks Phasing

April 3, 6:30 pm, via zoom

Baysinger Partners Architecture requests approval of a Design Review Three application to allow two-phase construction of a previously approved single-phase development. In Phase 1, the applicant proposes to 1) expand the existing Peterkort Towne Square shopping center pad building that formerly housed Sunrise Bagels; 2) add approximately 1,120 square feet of area on the west end of the building, and 3) add a drive-through lane and pick-up window on the west end of the building. Phase 2 development is limited in scope to constructing a new 2,950 sq. ft. building on the portion of the site identified as Pad J.

Washington County Advisory Council on Racial Equity

The Advisory Council on Racial Equity (ACRE) advises Washington County’s Board of Commissioners and County leadership on the advancement of equity, diversity and inclusion best and promising practices. Meetings are hybrid (in-person and online) and are held on the first Monday of the month and open to the public.

February Meeting Notes

By Bruce Bartlett, CPO 1 Vice Chair

Service Provider Updates

The Washington County Sheriff’s Office, Tualatin Hills Park & Recreation District, Tualatin Valley Water District, and Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue visited us in February. 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. As the weather warms and activity increases, many volunteer positions are open to provide essential assistance to programs at the Tualatin Hills Park & Recreation District.

All Things Library

Liz Paulus, of Cedar Mill Community Library’s Adult Services, and Peter Leonard, Executive Director, provided a great “Library 101” presentation. (The library presentation starts at 38:45 minutes in the meeting recording.) They described the services and programs at the library; the Special Events they are hosting; how to volunteer at the Library; and an introduction to the CPO1 feature area which is in the far right-hand corner by the periodicals.

The Library of Things–an idea whose time has come!

Community residents organized the Cedar Mill Community Library Association (CMCLA) in 1974. It integrated a few years later into the Washington County Cooperative Library System (WCCLS). Last year, community members with a library card had access to over 1.6 million items: in-print, on-line, in-person. Checkouts of physical media and e-content (e.g. ebooks) are about equal now. Their Library of Things continues to grow and now has a garden seed library. Come in and get free seeds! Their collection of board games is the largest in the USA! Their Adventure Pass program provides passes for free admission to many of our region’s amazing destinations.

Volunteers are a key part of our library system helping with checking in, shelving, and repairing library items, helping with patron technology questions, lending a hand with Summer Reading, serving on Boards & Commissions, assisting with library events… and more! You can find out how to donate your time here and join others who contributed over 16,000 hours last year.

Funding for all 16 libraries in the system is provided from the Washington County’s General Fund. Unfortunately, this was cut by 7% this year to help address an imbalance in the county’s budget. Cities provide additional funds to their city libraries, but nonprofits like the Cedar Mill, and Bethany and Aloha libraries have to make up the gap with local option levies and fundraising efforts. Through the Second Edition Resale store, the CMCLA now supports both the Cedar Mill and Bethany libraries. A possible local option levy to allow the continued high-level of service is being considered and a study is underway to determine the best long-term way to fund and operate public libraries.

Book challenges and public safety concerns from inappropriate behavior, homelessness, and their own mental health issues affect library staff. Fortunately, the library’s philosophy is to let readers choose what to read rather than ban books. A press release from the Oregon State Librarian documented many of the issues and challenges facing our public libraries: one of the last free spaces in the country.