Mt. Tabor February 2014

By Brian Mitchell

 

Due to budget cuts, the days of the city land at 60th Ave. and Lincoln Street as a tree nursery are numbered. According to Heather McKillip, lead horticulturist with the Portland Parks Bureau, the land will be graded and seeded and once the trees are removed it will be maintained as a meadow for the foreseeable future.

There are no plans to sell this property and there will be a public input process at some point to help determine its future. No dates were announced. MTNA Board member Paul Leistner mentioned that there are a lot of ideas such as expanding the adjacent community garden or making a city orchard on the property. This space was officially designated in 2008 as part of Mt. Tabor Park and Portland Parks. Several neighbors expressed interest in forming a group to represent community interests in this project.

Heather Flint Chattow, urban planner and designer and member of the Richmond  NA, said there are significant concerns about rapid development along Division St. that has occurred since the Division Green Street/Main Street Plan was created in 2006. This plan covers SE Division Street from 11th to 60th aves. RNA is seeking our support and participation in the Division Design Initiative. Concerns include lack of focus on the design and architecture of the new buildings and rapid development on Division St. MTNA will submit a letter of support for this initiative written by Stephanie Stewart, MTNA land use chair.

Christine Egan from PCC gave an update on the redesign of the college’s SE Center on SE 82nd. Retail spaces are available for lease in the new buildings along 82nd. The historic German-American Society building is being restored. They have funding for public art for the building and are interested in finding works by local artists.

The community is invited to PCC’s Asian New Year Celebration on Friday, February 17 from 11:30 am to 2 pm at McGuire Auditorium at Warner Pacific College.

The next meeting will be Wednesday, February 19, at 7 pm at Mt. Tabor Presbyterian Church at SE 54th and Belmont, with a social time starting 6:50 p.m.

For information, see www.mttaborpdx.org.

 

Mt. Tabor February 2014

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