Northwest District Association

In today's Oregonian, Fred Leeson reports that the Northwest District Association has again gone on record opposing developer Richard Singer's plan for a Holst Architecture-designed garage at NW 23rd and Irving. The city's Historic Landmarks Commission is reviewing the plan...

Saturday September 13, I campaigned non-stop from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., all on the east side of the river. First, I helped with the kick-off for a Bus Project canvass celebrating women elected officials, in the company of State Representatives Diane Rosenbaum, Mary Nolan, and Jackie Dingfelder, who have all endorsed me. I was introduced to the crowd by Congresswoman Darlene Hooley. I live in her district, but I've never had a chance to talk with her before and greatly enjoyed meeting her.

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The newest Portland City Commissioner, Nick Fish, has hired a chief of staff: It's Sam Chase, a well-regarded affordable housing advocate and former state Senate candidate (WW endorsed him). (That's Chase, left.) Chase, who headed up the nonprofit Community Development Network, helped found X-Pac with former Commissioner Erik Sten, whom Fish replaced. CDN is a sort of umbrella organization of area nonprofits involved in social services. By picking a maven in the field like Chase, Fish improves his odds at delivering on one of his most ambitious campaign promises: Steamlining Portland's convoluted "housing delivery system" to save money. "Currently, there are too many players?PDC, the City of Portland, Multnomah County, and Gresham?and too many silos," Fish put it to CDN in an endorsement questionnaire (PDF). Updated 4 p.m.: Here's a press release from Fish's office. Portland City Commissioner Nick Fish today announced his choice for Chief of Staff, Sam Chase. "Sam has an impressive record creating opportunities for vulnerable seniors and families with low incomes, supporting schools, and protecting the environment." says Fish, "His accomplishments reflect his strong commitment to consensus building and community input. Those are values I want front and center in my office." Chase will begin the transition to his new position immediately and assume the job full-time August 1, 2008. Chase's extensive experience underscores the new Housing Commissioner's commitment to affordable housing. Chase's leadership in coalition buildi...

Internal conflict might be fracturing a Northwest Portland neighborhood association just months after the group celebrated a major political victory. In February it appeared the Northwest District Association had won an extended battle with developer Richard Singer over a proposed parking garage ...

No one knows whether white stripes on the pavement would have saved Sara Cogan. Cogan, 66, the director of a Portland-based international student exchange program, died last year after she was struck by a car on Northwest 23rd Avenue at Quimby Street.

The Northwest District Association and Nob Hill Business Association had long asked the city for more marked crosswalks on the busy shopping streets of Northwest 23rd and 21st. After Cogan's death, and with a prod from City Commissioner Sam Adams, the city agreed.

Adams lobbied for $40,000 from the City Council to add striped crosswalks in five neighborhood business districts, including Northwest. Striped crossings have been installed on Northeast Alberta Street between 15th and 31st avenues. Other targets include Southeast Belmont Street between 30th and 39th avenues; Southeast Milwaukie Avenue between Tolman and Knapp streets; and Southwest Capitol Highway between 28th and 31st avenues.

Kim Carlson, chairwoman of the Northwest District's transportation committee, says the stripes tell motorists that they're passing through a pedestrian-oriented neighborhood. Adams says the crosswalks also show pedestrians the proper places to cross.

Read more here Thursday or in Thursday's inPortland print edition.

The contentious Irving Street Garage?most recently the subject of controversial closed-door neighborhood mediation with the developer?appears to have officially died at City Council today.

From Frank Bird, president of the Northwest District Association:

Application for the development of a parking garage was terminated today by the applicant. The NWDA and the developer will continue to meet in an open, public negotiation, the exact form of which is yet to be determined. Other transportation related matters will also be a part of this larger conversation. See today's 2PM council hearing online at www.portlandonline.com Go to council archives, then to council videos.

The Portland City Council's agenda for next week has several items that sound interesting. If I weren't having to spend time advocating for defeat of the Charter revisions, I'd consider watching this set of issues - varying between entertaining and educational, through annoying to excruciatingly sad. As it is, we have only a few weeks before the ballots hit on April 27, so I'll just give you a thumbnail sketch of particularly noteworthy items, and leave you to look into them if you have more free time than I.

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In a comment thread over the weekend, Chris Smith observed that using RSS feeds can greatly enhance citizens' ability to track issues and receive the kinds of information they're interested in. I responded that others, like me, might not be familiar with what RSS is or does, and would anyone care to write a Guest Post on it? Within an hour, Chris sent me a first draft. I had to ask for additional information ... and here it is.

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