1) Help conserve Overlook green space (Oct. 19)
2) Daimler’s construction on Swan Island
3) Share your thoughts about the Portland Water Bureau (Oct. 16)
4) Grants available for neighborhood conservation
5) Portland City Council to review transportation funding options (Oct. 13)
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1) Help conserve Overlook green space (Oct. 19)
Show your support for the environment in Overlook by joining Friends of Overlook Bluff (FOOB) at its fall work party at the Overlook Bluff Oak Savanna (meadow) on Saturday, Oct. 18, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The oak savanna/meadow in the 3900 block of N. Overlook Terrace is home to a gigantic Heritage Oregon white oak tree that shelters deer, birds and other wildlife. FOOB is commitment to conserving and restoring the native plants and environment of this special place, an environmental gem in our neighborhood.
FOOB has received a Metro Nature in Neighborhoods grant to help acquire this property from the private owner and thus save it from development. We need the support of Overlook residents to make this a reality, Our neighborhood’s stewardship of the property is an important part of demonstrating that we value this open space.
Participants on Oct. 18 will have an opportunity to learn about the oak savanna environment from Jim Schiller, Bureau of Environmental Services Revegetation Specialist, who will oversee the project and share his expertise and energy.
Please join FOOB in caring for native plant beds, planting more native shrubs and grasses, and getting to know this site, which will be a public natural area if FOOB can raise the necessary matching funds for the Metro grant.
This event is sponsored by SOLVE. Please register online in advance.
For more information, visit the Friends of Overlook Bluff Facebook page and the group’s website.
Meadowscaping on Overlook Terrace (map)
Saturday, Oct. 18, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
Register online.
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2) Daimler’s construction on Swan Island
Have you heard the pounding coming from Swan Island every day? That’s the sound of pylons being set for Daimler Trucks North America’s new corporate headquarters. The folks there were kind enough to share this rendering of what the building will look like when it’s done.
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3) Share your thoughts about the Portland Water Bureau (Oct. 16)
A public meeting of the City of Portland’s Utility Oversight Blue Ribbon Commission will be held on Thursday, Oct. 16, 6-8:30 p.m. in the Portland Building, Room C, 2nd Floor.
The purpose of the meeting is for the Blue Ribbon Commission to hear from members of the public on draft recommendations by the commission regarding oversight and accountability of the Portland Water Bureau and Bureau of Environmental Services. The Commission’s focus is on streamlining communications and transparency of the rate-making process. Members of the public and interested organizations are invited to come to share their views.
Commission resources can be found on Commissioner Fish’s website.
Draft recommendations and agenda will be available on the website prior to the meeting.
This location is ADA accessible. For more information, or if you have special needs and require special accommodation such as interpretation services, please contact Claudio Campuzano, City Budget Office, 503-823-6848. TDD: (503) 823-6868.
Utility Oversight Blue Ribbon Commission public listening session
Thursday, Oct. 16, 6-8:30 p.m.
Portland Building
Room C
Second Floor
1120 SW Fifth Avenue
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4) Grants available for neighborhood conservation
Education grants
Do you have an idea to connect people with nature? Teach people about water quality, fish and wildlife habitat or to support healthier communities? A conservation education grant from Metro’s Nature in Neighborhoods program could help your program grow.
Small grants up to $25,000 and large grants up to $100,000 are available for projects that connect neighborhoods with nature. A wide variety of projects can fit the bill, such as nature education for school-aged children, job training or internships for nature-based careers, or building capacity for groups to connect their communities to nearby natural areas.
How to apply
Click here to learn more about the conservation education grants and fill out a simple application by Jan. 13, 2015.
To learn more and ask questions, attend a grant workshop from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 5 at Metro Regional Center, 600 NE Grand Ave., Portland. Or contact the grants coordinator, Crista Gardner, at Crista.Gardner@oregonmetro.gov.
Capital Grants
Have ideas on how to make nature thrive in your neighborhood, park, school or city? Apply for a Metro Nature in Neighborhoods capital grant to help make your vision a reality. These grants are funded by the voter-approved 2006 natural areas bond measure and support efforts to preserve or enhance natural features and habitats that will benefit communities now and for generations to come. Grants fund only capital investments, but a wide variety of projects can fit the bill such as property acquisition, integrating habitat in urban redevelopment projects, restoring a degraded stream or helping your neighborhood become a place for people to interact with nature. Grant requests can range from $50,000 up to $750,000 with $2.25 million available in the 2015 review cycle.
How to apply
Click here to learn more about the capital grants, get a copy of the handbook and see all the Nature in Neighborhood Capital Grants that have been funded to date.
Need help?
Contact Mary Rose Navarro at 503-797-1781 or maryrose.navarro@oregonmetro.gov to discuss your idea, get advice on project planning, connect with potential partners and hear lessons learned from successful projects.
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5) Portland City Council to review transportation funding
options (Oct. 13)
The Portland City Council will discuss the Our Streets PDX transportation funding approaches recommended by two workgroups at a work session at 3 p.m., Monday, Oct. 13 in City Council Chambers.
The work session will be the first opportunity for council to review the workgroup recommendations. No decisions will be made at the work session. Public comments may be submitted in writing to TUF_Administrator@portlandoregon.gov. A first reading of a transportation funding proposal is currently scheduled during the Nov. 12 regular Council meeting.
The workgroups’ recommendations were published on Sept. 26 and are available at www.ourstreetspdx.com. The report summarizes areas of agreement and differences. Additional details of a funding proposal will be refined by Council in the coming weeks.
Areas of agreement by workgroup members include the following: our transportation system needs more resources, impacts on low-income residents should be minimized, and new transportation funds should be spent on prioritized maintenance and safety needs. The workgroups also recommend funding mechanisms that collect revenue from businesses through a fee correlated with transportation use and from residents through an income tax.
Consensus was not reached on the following four areas:
- Safety and maintenance split: Some workgroup members support allocating 50 percent of funds to maintenance and 50 percent to safety (e.g. sidewalks, crossing improvements, etc.). Some support a higher percentage for maintenance.
- Residential income tax rates: For the highest income residents, workgroup members considered three cap options at either $20 a month for taxpayers making over $250,000 (annual gross income for 2-person, joint filers), $100 a month for taxpayers making over $500,000 (annual gross income for 2-person, joint filers), or $200 a month for taxpayers making over $500,000 (annual gross income for 2-person, joint filers). Since all options are designed to raise the same amount of money, a higher cap for high-income people translates to lower taxes for some people with lower incomes, while a lower cap for high-income people translates to higher taxes for some people with lower incomes.
- Sunset: Some support automatically ending the program after six years of implementation, unless it is approved by voters at that time. Some support referring it only if an oversight committee and the city council decide to refer it, after six years.
- Reallocating current City resources: Many workgroup members supported a reallocation of additional City general fund resources. Some recommend increasing the share of Utility License Fee revenue to transportation.
Web Site Update
At the www.ourstreetspx.com web site, the public can learn more about transportation funding. The web site has been updated with three two-page summaries describing the planned investments in preventive maintenance, plus safety and maintenance on busy streets and residential streets.
Background
Public involvement in the Our Streets PDX funding effort began in January, when the Transportation Needs and Funding Advisory Committee was formed to advise Mayor Charlie Hales and Commissioner Steve Novick. In the months since, PBOT held nine town hall meetings, conducted two public opinion surveys, convened advisory committees and gave staff presentations at more than a dozen neighborhood coalition and business group meetings.
A Business Workgroup and a Nonprofit and Low-Income Workgroup were both formed in July to provide additional input from stakeholders. Throughout the summer, committee and workgroup members met to review the Transportation User Fee proposed in May and to provide feedback on alternative residential and business funding mechanisms. The members represent diverse interests from across Portland, including neighborhoods, businesses, low-income residents, community organizations and public institutions.
For more information, see the project web page: www.ourstreetspdx.com.