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Development News July 2019

• “Mystery” business group appeals Life Time Fitness plan
• Cedar Grove Multifamily Affordable Housing
• Milltowner update
• Kirkland Place hotel and commercial at Timberland—Planning Commission hearing
  

“Mystery” business group appeals Life Time Fitness plan

Public Hearing Tuesday, July 16, 6:30 pm, Beaverton City Council Chambers, 12725 SW Millikan Way

Beaverton Business Owners, LLC, a Delaware company formed in April 2019, has hired E. Michael Connors, a partner at Hathaway Larson law firm, to appeal the decision of the Beaverton Planning Commission to approve Life Time Fitness’ application to construct a large fitness center with shared office space at the corner of Cedar Hills Bl. and Barnes Rd. Randy Matthews signed the appeal as Appellant with Connors as Appellant Representative. We were unable to find contact information for him.

The appeal is available to read on the Beaverton development website. Information from Beaverton is expected to be available on the site before the hearing. The Beaverton City Council will hear the appeal.

The appeal claims that the Planning Commission made several errors in approving the project: use of flawed traffic studies; a claim that outdoor pools are not allowed in this Beaverton zone; the parking lot building is too tall; inconsistency with pedestrian orientation guidelines; scale of project being inconsistent with Beaverton’s Design Guidelines; lack of open space; and tree removal on this and the property to the north.

Beaverton Planner Jana Fox, who has been the lead planner on this project, says, “A good source for response to the issues raised during the land use process (which are the same as the issues currently raised in the appeal process) can be found in the Revised Staff Report dated June 7 in the Staff Response section.” Included on page 11 is an extensive discussion of the origins of a seeming conflict in standards for outdoor uses. The report notes that many of the objections to the development, which are also in the appeal, are not issues that Beaverton can use to make land use decisions.

A separate group came together on the NextDoor social media space to oppose the development. Kyler Speich developed a website for the Not in Our Life Time Community Coalition and has been gathering signatures for a letter that will be sent to the City Council. Some of the content on the website is only available after signing up.

Some of their issues include water usage, light pollution, harm to the environment, and violation of Beaverton’s commitment to sustainable development. Many in the group think the property should be left undeveloped or used as a park.

Although Chuck Richards, owner of Sunset Athletic Club, supports the appeal, he is not the “mystery” appellant, as several people on the NextDoor postings claimed.

Cedar Grove Multifamily Affordable Housing

Community Partners for Affordable Housing is moving forward with plans to develop the currently-vacant property at the SE corner of Murray and Cornell into a four-story apartment building for low-income residents. Construction is expected to begin in October 2019.

Milltowner update

Bales/Findley Property Management finally received the grading permit from Washington County which allowed them to complete the demolition of the old site.

Kirkland Place hotel and commercial at Timberland—Planning Commission hearing

Wednesday, July 10, 6:30 pm, Beaverton City Council Chambers, 12725 SW Millikan Way

The applicant, Kirkland Development, proposes to construct a hotel and two retail buildings with associated parking and site improvements, on an approximately 2.89 acre site consisting of three lots. The subject site is part of the Timberland Planned Unit Development originally approved in 2004.

The applicant requests approval of a New Conditional Use permit for the Temporary Living Quarters use in the Town Center – Multiple Use zoning district, a Design Review Three application for the review of the proposed buildings, a Preliminary Partition to modify the boundaries of three existing lots and create an open space tract, a Parking Determination—Shared Parking application to allow the proposed uses to share parking, and a Tree Plan Two application, to remove selected trees.

Full documentation, including revised site plans, will be available on the Beaverton Proposed Development site prior to the hearing.

Planning Commission hearings are open to the public. If you want to testify, you can sign in at the door.

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