Phone: 503-823-7700
Fax: 503-823-7800
1900 SW 4th Ave, Suite 7100, Portland, OR 97201
Planning and Sustainability Commission to discuss project after closing hearing
On May 7, the Planning and Sustainability Commission (PSC) held a hearing on the West Hayden Island (WHI) project and took verbal and written testimony from the public. The written record was kept open until May 14 to allow the submission of additional testimony. The minutes from the hearing have been released.
The PSC will hold a work session on May 28, 6-9 p.m., to discuss the WHI testimony and suggested amendments to the WHI plan. The PSC will hold a final work session and plans to make a recommendation for the WHI plan on Tuesday, July 9, at the meeting beginning at 12:30pm on that date.
Please check the WHI calendar for more information.
The week-long event will pull together previous work, create new concepts and provide opportunities for the public to learn, observe and provide input.
The West Quadrant Charrette is coming up soon — the second week of June. As the culminating event in the second phase of the West Quadrant Plan process, the charrette will develop design concepts and layers, test them against CC2035 Concept Plan goals and policies, and provide opportunities for stakeholder, staff and public input.
There are several times during the week for participation, and the general public is invited to attend two open houses. All events will take place at 1900 SW 4th Avenue, Room 7A (7th floor).
To attend for a longer time and help develop ideas for the West End, Downtown and South Downtown areas, consider coming on Monday, June 10. There will be an opening presentation and three breakout sessions to choose from:
Project staff will be working with other agencies, City bureaus and the West Quadrant Stakeholder Advisory Committee the rest of the week. The general public is also invited to attend Report Back and Q&A sessions at the end of the day on Wednesday, June 12 (4 – 5 p.m.) and Thursday, June 13 (4:45 – 5:15 p.m.). A week-long charrette schedule with all event details is also available for review.
But what the heck is a charrette?
A charrette is an intense period of design or planning activity. Often used to bring together multiple stakeholders during one timeframe, a successful charrette will generate many ideas and promote joint ownership of solutions.
Roughly at mid point in the process, the West Quadrant Plan team is holding the charrette to synthesize the research and ideas gathered so far with stakeholders and the public in order to move into the next phase of the planning process ― concept planning. The West Quadrant Plan will ultimately guide growth, development and investments in the western part of Portland’s Central City.
For questions or comments regarding the West Quadrant Charrette or the planning process please contact Elisa Hamblin at (503) 823-9714 or via email at elisa.hamblin@portlandoregon.gov.
Photos courtesy of Bruce Forester and Sally Painter.
Engagement by the numbers | Summer outreach | District Mapping Conversations | Industrial Land and Watershed Health Working Group profile | PEG Updates
Community energy meets crowdfunding: Community members can support future solar expansion by establishing a revolving loan fund for solar installations on public facilities
For Immediate Release
May 15, 2013
Christine Llobregat
Portland Bureau of Planning and Sustainability
503-823-7007
Mark Ross
Portland Parks & Recreation
503-823-5300
Portland City Council voted today to accept funds from the Oregon Community Foundation's (OCF) Penstemon Fund in the amount of $100,000. The acceptance of these grant funds will enable the installation of a solar electric system at Portland Parks & Recreation's (PP&R) Southwest Community Center (SWCC) and will provide an opportunity for a wider range of Portlanders to engage in the expansion of clean local energy production.
“This $100,000 grant from the Penstemon Fund of the Oregon Community Foundation will allow us to install our first 'community solar' system, which will give an opportunity to renters and others who want to do their part to promote renewable energy, but can’t install a system on their own homes or apartments,” said Susan Anderson, director, City of Portland Planning and Sustainability (BPS).
OCF has provided grant funds to ‘kickstart’ construction of the first system at SWCC, but the goal of this pilot is to raise community contributions that will go into a revolving, community solar fund. Within six years, the community solar fund will be able to finance the installation of a second system. If the program works as planned, the community solar fund could run in perpetuity.
Community contributors will have the option of making a straight donation to the fund or they can elect to receive all of their funds back at the end of 6 years. In return, all of the contributors receive permanent recognition at the host site and the feel-good benefit of ‘paying it forward.’
Partners in this effort include Portland Parks & Recreation, Solar Oregon, SW Neighborhoods, Inc. and the City’s solar installation contractor, EC Company. Due to current utility regulations in Oregon, community contributors are not able to receive their electricity or a bill credit for the energy generation from this installation.
“One of Portland Parks & Recreation’s primary missions is to be stewards of our environment,” notes PP&R Director Mike Abbaté. “The new solar panels will generate clean power and lower carbon emissions, which are stated goals in both the City of Portland’s 2009 Climate Action Plan and PP&R’s current Strategic Plan. We are excited to partner with BPS. Without this grant and their efforts, this project wouldn’t be feasible.”
SWCC is offsetting a portion of their electricity consumption with clean power generation that will lower community carbon emissions. This helps Portland meet carbon reduction goals as outlined in the City of Portland and Multnomah County’s Climate Action Plan.
Community solar represents a new addition to Portland’s tools for transforming the local market for solar energy. Community solar is intended to make participation in the installation of PV systems available and accessible to a wider, more diverse audience of Portlanders, including renters, homeowners with shaded properties, and those wanting to fund PV in smaller increments than a typical residential system.
Follow this project at www.portlandoregon.gov/bps/communitysolar or call Andria Jacob at 503-823-7616.
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In their last meeting, PEG members will finalize a memo conveying key themes that have emerged from the group's discussions, and take part in an interactive mapping exercise to identify lead issues for staff to consider in Part 2.