05/07/1992 - Minutes GREENWAY PATH CONNECTION OF GENESIS LOOP WITH 107TH WAY
Meeting Minutes
City Representatives and Staff:
John Acker, Planner
Elizabeth Hadley, Intern and Recorder
Bette Carter, Police Department
Marion Bither, Park and Recreation Board member
Judy Fessler, City Councilor
The meeting began at 7:00 p.m. on May 7, 1992. The purpose of the meeting was to
discuss plans to build an eight foot wide hard path through the greenway backing the
houses on Pathfinder Way.
John Acker reviewed plans for the completion of a foot and bike transportation system
which would extend the existing path in the greenway from the cul-de-sacs of Eden Court
and Morgan Court to S.W. 107th Way.
The goal of the city-wide path system is to provide safe and convenient pedestrian access
throughout the community, connecting parks, schools, neighborhoods and other public
areas. This particular path connection would provide access for children to walk to
schools in the area without having to use Fonner Avenue which is considered a difficult
street for children and/or bicyclists to negotiate.
The original planned route for the path was through public greenway and then north to
the Pathfinder cul-de-sac across lot#47 (see attached map). It was discovered, however,
that the property owner was not interested in providing an easement for access to
Pathfinder.
An alternative to the original planned route was to use already existing easements and
land in the public domain and construct a path on the north side of the creek through to
107th in the greenway backing Pathfinder homes.
Meeting participants had an opportunity to share with city representatives their concerns
about and opposition to the construction of a path behind their homes. The issues and
questions raised by the participants included:
* concern that a path may grant greater access to the area behind houses
and encourage, in some fashion, greater criminal activity which would be
difficult to monitor by the homeowners
* a wide path may encourage unwanted vehicular access and traffic
soil erosion problems could be magnified by the addition of a path
* the impact on wildlife
* aesthetics
* public safety; specifically, children falling off the path down a steep
embankment or unsupervised children accessing the water
Bette Carter of the Tigard Police Department was available to answer questions regarding
criminal activity in the Pathfinder area. She reported that the following criminal activity
was reported to the Tigard Police Department for the Pathfinder area between 1/1/90 and
5/7/92:
1 Auto theft
2 Burglaries
6 Theft
1 Criminal Mischief
1 Suspicious Circumstances
Along 107th, 4 auto thefts were reported during the same time frame.
Bette indicated that the presence or absence of a path behind the houses in the area
probably had little or no influence on the crime in the area. She also remarked that
having the area cleared for a path allowed for better surveillance of any activity taking
place there.
Participants were interested in learning what impact the path system in the Genesis Loop
had on crime rates. Although Bette was willing to research the information, a number of
the participants felt that the housing developments were too dissimilar to make
comparisons possible.
The path would be designed in a way that takes public safety issues into account and
meets soil erosion regulations.
All attending the meeting feel strongly that a pedestrian pathway connection from Genesis
Loop to 107th needs to be made. In fact, those who attended the meeting indicated their
willingness to give up on street parking on one side of Pathfinder for a dedicated
bikepath. The participants reviewed several alternatives to the current plan:
1. Have city representatives contact the owner of the flag lot (lot #47) and
attempt to negotiate an easement so the connection can be made at the
pathfinder cul-de-sac. Perhaps the city could find some inducements for
the property owner such as the creation of a driveway in exchange for the
easement.
2. Turn to the legal process and condemn a portion of the property for an
easement and pay fair market value for the easement.
3. Investigate an alternative route to the cul-de-sac between parcel 45 (Robin's
property) and parcel 46 (the rental).
ACTIVITIES
1. City staff will contact the property owner of the flag lot to discuss an easement.
2. Joanne Heintz will approach Robin and the owner of the rental to discuss
possible easements over their property to the cul-de-sac.
3. City staff will send these minutes to residents of the Pathfinder area,
meeting participants, and to the Park and Recreation Board.
John Acker suggested that those citizens who wished to continue providing input to the
city regarding pathway construction may make their views known to the park and
Recreation Board. The Board meets 5.14.92 from 7 to 9 p.m. in the City Hall conference
room.
The City intends that this path connection will be completed in some fashion this year.
However, the project will be put on hold while an attempt is made to find a solution that
is more agreeable to those in attendance. All those who attended the meeting and those
who received the letters will be informed prior to any change in project status.