The owners of the building at 1426 NE Highland propose an adjustment to section 33.110.255 to legalize a fence constructed within the front yard setback. The maximum height allowed is 3.5 feet, but the masonry wall is 6 ft. with iron fencing several inches higher.

What’s really at stake here is land use. Until now, the building owners have followed code and maintained that this is a single family dwelling. Neighbors have long suspected that this is a care facility for the elderly, which is a much different use of the building. According to one neighbor, medical beds are visible in all rooms of the building. One of the adjustment applicants is currently providing senior care. From what I understand, no legal action can be taken until they are up and running as a business, then it can be disputed that they constructed this building under the auspices of a single family dwelling when really they’re running a business.

Woodlawn neighbors have until August 26th to submit written comment regarding the adjustment to the fence height code. There is no General Meeting scheduled for this month. How the written comment will be composed and sent is still being discussed. Hopefully a direct neighbor will want to be the lead person on this. If you’d like to be the person to spearhead this, please contact News//at//GoWoodlawn.com.

A copy of the proposal notice can be downloaded as a PDF here.

Have you noticed those white wooden barricades on the street corners? Those are for Sunday Parkways this weekend on. There are five of these traffic-free routes this summer and the first one kicks off in NE on Sunday! Woodlawn park will be hopping with activities and ton of walkers, rollers, strollers and bikers will be strutting through our neighborhood. The streets are closed to traffic with the support of hundreds of volunteers.

What an amazing sight it will be to see so many people coming through our neighborhood!

Project overview website: Click here.

Based on feedback from the City of Portland’s outreach, this project will move forward for the approval of the City Traffic Engineer and the Transportation Director.

The City of Portland has indicated that the future maintenance and design of the pocket park improvement at NE 13th Avenue will require further discussions with the neighborhood.

Project information for the NE Holman Street Project:

Updated: NE Holman Street – Existing Conditions and Route – Click here.

Updated: NE Holman Street – Project Proposal and Possible Intersection Improvements – Click here.

Updated: NE Holman Street – Possible Intersection Options for 13th, 15th, 33rd and 42nd – Click here.

Updated: NE Holman Street – Crossing at Martin Luther King Jr. Option – Click here.

Updated: NE Holman – Boulevard Evaluation Goals – Click here.

From BikePortland.org
It’s not very often that City of Portland Bureau of Transportation staffers hear rapturous cheers during neighborhood meetings, but it happened last night when over 50 northeast Portland residents packed into the Concordia University library to learn more about the NE Holman Street bike boulevard project.

This open house was a follow-up to an initial PBOT presentation about the project last month. Like they did at that first meeting, nearby residents expressed full support for the project. Cheers erupted from the standing-room only crowd when PBOT announced plans for two specific pieces of the project; the crossing of busy Martin Luther King Jr., Blvd. and plans for a “pocket park” at Holman and NE 13th.

Read the whole story on BikePortland.org

Portland Sunday Parkways is a festival that brings the entire community together along traffic-free streets. Over 125,000 people will walk, jog, bike and stroll together on routes in NE, N, SE, E and NW Portland. The first event for this summer is on Sunday, May 16 in NE Portland and it’s coming through Woodlawn!

The support of the entire community is needed to make Sunday Parkways possible. Over 300 volunteers assist with project such as park set up and roving bike mechanics at each event. The greatest need is for Intersection Superheros: the essential volunteers who staff every intersection along the course for safety reasons.

There are two cool ways to get involved. If you’re thinking of just yourself or you plus friends, you may volunteer by yourself or with friends and family to throw an intersection party, decorate it, make it your own, have fun.

The other option is to bring your group (organization, cause, riding club, etc) together to host an intersection and promote your organization. You get to “own” the intersection, decorate it, promote your cause, and have fun. With 25,000 people coming right past your station, this is a great opportunity to get the word out.

Check out the schedule and plan for a summer full of fun, traffic-free Sunday Parkways events!

PortlandSundayParkways.org

Saturday, March 20th from 1:00PM – 5PM

Believe Movement Studio invites you to join them, along with neighbors Buffalo Gardens, The Purple Garden and Good Neighbor Pizza to a celebration of the Vernal Equinox. You can take advantage of a spring sale on class cards, session packages and retail items. These businesses also have contests for April. There will be food, live music, and festivities for the entire family. Rae Minten will offer a free session of sun salutations to honor the return of the sun at 1:30PM and 3:30PM.

Saturday, March 20th
10a-3p – free
1158 NE Morton Street (map >>)

WHAT UP?
A bunch of friends (some of whom are gear reps) are getting together to sell off gear at great prices.  We dug through our basements and garages and found bins upon bins of stuff that has to go.

* Bikes * Bike parts * Wheels * Product samples * Accessories * Bags and panniers * New and used * Snowshoes * Snowboards * Climbing shoes * Boots * Life jackets + more

More info >>

<i>From Sophia St. James:</i>

You are invited to a community meeting regarding the current management and operation of the building space at 700 NE Dekum, which encompasses: Rumpspankers and the (just opened) Cannabis Café, The Second Time Around Boutique, and the (upstairs) Village Ballroom.

This is an OPEN FORUM for community leaders/members, those that have done business with the establishment, and the local press, to come and discuss the business practices of the venue management and the potential harm it can do to the community.

When: Saturday, November 21, 2009 from 1:00p-3:00p.

Where: In Other Words Bookstore, 8 NE Killingsworth St. (just West of MLK).

In Other Words is a non-profit books store and is donating their space for this meeting, so we are asking for a small donation ($1-$5). This is a child friendly event, so feel free to bring your entire family. If you cannot attend but have questions, comments, or concerns about this matter, please contact me at SavoryPink //at// Gmail.com.

Sincerely, Sophia St. James

[P.S. I grew up in Woodlawn and still own a house in the neighborhood. I am a mother, a nurse, and an event promoter, and I have had recent less-than-pleasant dealings with the current managers of this building.]

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Additionally you are encouraged to post your comments on this article and to attend the neighborhood association meetings, where such conversations take place.  Meetings are monthly on the third Wednesday at 7:15 pm, in the Woodlawn Community Resource Center on the 2nd floor of the Woodlawn Methodist Church, 15th and Dekum.

WNA General meeting Wednesday, 11/18 at 7:15. Meetings take place in the Woodlawn Community Resource Center, 1465 NE Dekum St. – 2nd floor of Woodlawn Methodist Church (enter on the west side of the building and go up the stairs).

Highlights
* Election of Officers
* Guest speaker Shoshonna Cohen about Columbia River Crossing
* Neighbor with a request: Katrina’s McGann’s People to People Trip
* An opportunity to meet neighbors, celebrate Woodlawn, share concerns, get more information and stay connected to your neighborhood

Also, there is now a collection point at the meetings for the Backpack Lunch Program.

Tonight is the neighborhood association board meeting at 7:15pm. The meeting takes place in the Woodlawn Community Resource Center on the second floor of Woodlawn Methodist Church (15th and Dekum). Enter on the WEST side of the building and head up the stairs.

This month’s board meeting will feature a discussion of future plans for the use of the space currently occupied by Rumpspankers.  Space is limited but the meeting is open to the public. The board will be discussing taking an official stance on the use of that space. Future information will be presented at the general meeting.

Board meetings cover board planning, the budget, future planning and large projects. They are open to all neighborhood residents and people who work in the neighborhood.  General meetings take place on the third Wednesdays, same location, at 7:00pm.

Huge thanks goes to our neighborhood board, elected neighbors who give of their time to offer guidance and direction to our neighborhood.  Elections happen annually, so if you have an interest in joining the board, talk to the current board members.