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10-03-2019 Council Newsletter • ouncel Newsletter S Provided to the Tigard City Council on a weekly basis to stay abreast of current city issues. October 3, 2019 1. Tigard High School Homecoming Parade Tuesday, Oct. 15 Combo Business/Workshop Tomorrow night is Homecoming—that means traffic Meeting impacts along Durham Road while the parade heads to 6:30 p.m. -Town Hall the school. Be prepared for hold-ups between 5—6 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 19 Multi-City Equity Summit 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., October 4. Lake Oswego High School 2. Project Homeless Connect Event 2501 Country Club Rd,LO Lauren attached a flyer for this popular service event. Tuesday, Oct. 22 Business Meeting 6:30 p.m. -Town Hall 3. Tigard Triangle—Planning for Equitable Development Tues., Oct. 29 Council Outreach Event Lauren attached a reminder for the next community Details TBA conversation on Building Advocacy. —Oct. 10, 6-8 p.m. at the Tigard Library. 4. Constituent Outreach Updates > 5'Tuesday& Chamber Good Morning Tigard schedules: Dates &locations sent and thank you for signing up! > Going Gold for Pediatric Cancer—Joanne called requestor for information,will share when it arrives. 5. News articles - Tigard joins in quest to make Hwy 99W a higher priority - Tigard mulls traffic improvements in bond package - Tigard's Universal Plaza gets project management services - More affordable housing coming to the Portland suburbs - Tigard Public Library shatters summer reading records - Ground broken on 48-unit affordable housing in Tigard Triangle - Our Opinion: Don't let light rail bottleneck Barbur 6. Council Calendar Tuesday, Oct. 8 Business Meeting 6:30 p.m. -Town Hall 13125 SW Hall Blvd.Tigard,OR 97223 1 Web www.tigard-or.gov Phone:503.639.4171 FAX: 503.684.7297 TDD 503.684.2772 item#/, Newsletter:lb,-3 1 FREE SERVICES Dental, Vision, Footcare, Chiropractic, Haircuts, Clothing, Massages and information on Transportation, Employment, Housing, Veterans, and more. Employment Fair at event. Over 20 employers seeking candidates! WHERE Northwest Christian Church (formerly Tigard Christian) 13406 SW Hall Blvd, Tigard, OR 97223 BUS STOP: #76 WHEN Friday, October 4th, 2019 e 9AM - 3PM PROJECT HOMELESS CONNECT INFO: kim@phcwashco.org VOLUNTEER:handsonportland.org Thank you to our sponsors who help make this event possible? ;' "-''"'1DENCE Heatth&Services Genentech 10 01 n sTRO �`�..� FociCO-V_ 1 jHillsboro ..,:. oeecoN Unoe�r�s!ty Beaverton item# P If Newsletter,./[)-300 1 © NewTigard i PLANNING FOR EQUITABLE DEVELOPMENT r Your Community, Your Voice! Community C:onversatior on Building Advocacy You spoke, we listened! Join us as we unveil YOUR priority projects for the Tigard Triangle. Learn about what's next and how you can stay involved and become advocates for the change you want to see. T H U R S D A Y Tigard Public Library 13500 SW Hall Blvd. OCT10 FREE Child Care, Interpretation, 6 : 00-8 : 00 P. M . and Dinner + RAFFLE PRIZES For more information please contact Lauren Scott 503-718-2595 III sit N ` y M y Item# News tetter./0.- j Tigard joins in quest to make Highway 99W a higher priority Ray Pitz Sunday, September 29, 2019 The city wants Metro to make Highway 99W a Tier 1 project, giving it the chance for bond funds. r COURTESY CITY OF TIGARD-Tigard is joining Tualatin, Sherwood and King City in a quest to make the Highway 99W corridor a top-ranking If 77-7117,211QW project when it comes to having a comprehensive study conducted TIG • . The City of Tigard is taking a lead role in helping to find ' funding to make sure a comprehensive study of the Highway 99W corridor is funded while at the same time pushing to increase the ranking of the highly traveled roadway when it comes to being on a list of major projects Metro will likely ask voters to support in a transportation funding package in 2020. On Tuesday, Sept. 24, the Tigard City council listened to a report by city staff that noted the failure of Metro, the regional government in charge of many transportation planning projects, to rank Highway 99W as a Tier 1 project, a ranking that could make the roadway eligible for improvements as the agency looks at a November 2020 regional transportation funding measure. (That measure will also ask for funding for the Southwest Corridor Light Rail project.) "Highway 99W, or Pacific Highway, provides regional connectivity from Portland to cities in and beyond Washington County, including Tigard, King City, Tualatin, and Sherwood," according to a Tigard staff report. "It sees approximately 48,000 daily auto trips while also serving as a TriMet bus corridor and, to varying degrees, a pedestrian and bicycle route where infrastructure exists." The report further stated that approximately 70,000 people live within one mile of the corridor, serving "a high concentration of people of color, low-income households, and people with limited English proficiency." Despite that, both Metro and the task force looking at the future transportation bond, identified Highway 99W as a Tier 2 corridor, making it unlikely that it will be included in that bond measure, according to the staff report. Dave Roth, a Tigard senior transportation planner, told the council that Metro looked at 75 corridors and whittled that number down to a smaller number before ranking them. That Tier 2 ranking "kind of raised the ire" of local officials and their staffs, Roth noted. Tigard is now hoping to join in a comprehensive study along with King City, Tualatin and Sherwood in a quest to make sure that Highway 99W is on a list of priority projects when it comes to future Metro funding and on the radar for future state study. Along with the affected cities, the Oregon Department of Transportation is planning to determine the scope of a comprehensive study this fall. At the same time, Tigard has hired a consultant to help secure state funding during the 2020 legislative session to aid in the study. In August, Tualatin officials expressed similar concerns about Metro's ranking of Highway 99W, and on Sept. 18, Tualatin Mayor Frank Bubenik presented Metro's Transportation 2020 Task Force with written comments about Highway 99W. "I am reiterating my request from last month that funding for Highway 99W, identified as a Tier II corridor, be included through region wide programs," Bubenik wrote. He stated that Tualatin voters approved a $20 million transportation bond package in 2018 proving that residents are tired of congestion on arterials and are willing to pay to fix the problems. Bubenik said a comprehensive corridor plan for Highway 99W needs to be similar in scope to the one conducted for Tualatin-Valley Highway and asked that both Highway 217 and Tualatin-Sherwood Road be ranked as Tier 1 corridors. "Tualatin-Sherwood Road should be elevate to a Tier I corridor Tigard mulls traffic improvements in bond package Ray Pitz Friday, September 27, 2019 The Tigard City Council will decide by.January whether to pursue a local option levy and bond. On Tuesday, Sept. 24, the Tigard City Council continued its examination on whether to place a public safety levy on an upcoming ballot, a proposal that is likely to include a request for 90 additional police officers. Having more officers would make the Tigard Police Department able to respond faster to emergency calls and spend more time addressing issues that arise in the community, But also in the mix is deciding whether a levy should include a "Safer Connection, Safer Community"—or what's commonly referred to as Safe Routes to Schools—component. Kent Wyatt, Tigard's communications manager, told the council that there did seem to be support for funding of seven neighborhood safety projects, with a recent written and online survey of 228 residents showing 80% support putting money into them. Of those same survey-takers, 85% stated they are likely to support Safe Routes to School projects. The council is considering whether to place a levy on the May 2020 ballot. It's also discussing the feasibility of placing a bond measure before voters to build a new police facility, Kathy Nyland, Tigard's assistant city manager and staff liaison for the levy-bond task force, said the group will have met three times before making recommendations to the council. Nyland said the task force wants to make sure its message about what a possible levy would pay for is focused. "Clarity and specifics were mentioned over and over again," Nyland told the council. In May 2018, voters turned down a Tigard local option levy that would have added officers, as well as provided additional library services and funds for parks maintenance. Another concern among the task force is the possibility that the Washington County Sheriffs Office will be asking countywide voters to renew its own public safety levy on the same ballot, Nyland noted. The task force is expected to report to the council soon on its findings. In addition to a levy, the city is looking at seeking a bond to replace the current police facility, which officials have said for years is outdated and in need of major repairs. City Manager Marty Wine said the city will soon conduct a telephone survey to test messaging about levy and bond measures with residents. Then in December, another survey will determine what specific ballot language would be most effective in getting a levy passed. Discussion among the council Tuesday centered on whether to place both a request for more officers along with a Safe Routes to School request on the same ballot. Councilor John Goodhouse said he was afraid the city might be "clouding the waters" and suggested the possibility of giving voters two separate ballot measures to vote on. Councilor Liz Newton agreed that she's found it takes a long time to explain Safe Routes to Schools to residents— although when they hear about the program, they are supportive of the safety improvements, she added. Newton also agreed it's important to be clear about what the city is asking for. Sato Routes to Wool Nelg oom000 Grossing improvemeRts 2020 Levy Project Options eRw SCEsel els��r YI LaI. o ati . i i IylMlral.i Ur[.Ip krrL�sPN Ltrw.«w:nl4►rrr xr -./ w F. �yfrr� -ftYYllna :<Iwt3owp<ri+k41lmLLwc ' RW OLI�IN � �r7E�M . •KYih-P.1N:GWlafA3 T11c l/S•IAfn':.Ilf. _ i]GN:1 i41..Nx5LPi ayi•wdNIL •tYA7�IO16wlu[A •lliwn kdeV•TeTYI.A.i •L"4!9SA7L7a/{hlF95ftdiIPr.P,'Rt a � / '.ItA'1 W G+t.TY'tirl TRfHTFT� a _ IixEI LNtL i spds •LTl•l'lMfYMlilCir .rq�r*w S2 Ni y',lYflStlllL Nf,NrYn•,rkn¢irli l!}v.'..a! ` *�'>➢L� :tCef9Y' rr hwI,.r1 i _ �t 77R1MN .fib➢u.crM'L!'Nt n,•yt'+1�e•rarirL .ixx A.-.Y14.�4Rf•Ixpnu Y P*p N•RNpN •Lii.A.T1NSwh.fh..aMrr trf••.is.. w •lTax,✓m!•a.ti5 rs u.Y:.ke.lx..Je. �; J A6}L •Yft+1:76•pw klw�tmrier Mf1aLk•1 •IGd4Yf;aifWYLi4l�.T{trNfl tr9 T1 - - �i[SlrR i.'Slfllr....• WI P1 R11'i4 'Lbaaleial I.s:d ^'E n�'If/;I•••r~•• J �i ,*pow .nl4uwr ' kT11!Lurm il:�k�:MrSflaRanrsxrh4sw it fVl! 1� NlLf61b4i blrtaNRnLaY4'3rrq LlLw i✓adl .irrta+mrP[:m s■r<sew c•.Iwnu p .Lcr�•w=..L a.n •tr>tmramroeu +XgVllltl 3:4n?1 � _�. •qaF'� s.lr@sialicna.a u i t GRYtfu uNau HLwLcwr tsarw. i I Yw[YsxT �rnrtravniTrL[srlr�Lrtr I +tLri Icri!!t ` •IRY'f N.MMvM116!X.ONrf#IP16l*wlv1 •!>/MP.li3tVL'xp..iRW4YSRrf P Y rirgci. l f ANIPafeYr t:i0.0lm J COURTESY CITY OF TIGARD-Among the considerations to place on a possible 2020 public safety levy are Safe Routes to School proposals to make safety improvements to make getting to school safer. Councilor Heidi Lueb said she thinks Safe Routes to Schools is too "jargony" and that it might be better to tail it something like "safer school intersections." Mayor Jason Snider said he is supportive of increased traffic enforcement, especially around schools, noting that it often brings in more revenue— in the form of citations and fines—than it costs. He later added that he wants to make sure that there is no confusion among voters about what the city is requesting as part of the levy, saying that he doesn't want to see the levy defeated because of any confusion about what the city is asking for. Councilor Tom Anderson said he has talked to people about the Safe Routes to Schools proposal and thinks they're supportive. He pointed to safety improvements made around Fowler Middle School — part of a Washington County program to upgrade Southwest Walnut Street—as positive steps forward. Anderson said the fact it would cost only 3 cents per$1,000 of assessed valuation specifically for a Safe Routes to Schools program is something to consider. No set numbers have been placed on a potential public safety levy, although Nyland said task force discussion is looking at a package hovering around 46 cents per$1,000 of assessed valuation—significantly less than the city's $1.18-per-$1,000 ask last May. Wine said she suggests sticking to only one levy measure on the ballot so the city isn't competing with itself. Results of the first telephone survey are expected in mid-November, with a decision on whether to pursue a levy or bond expected by January. Tigard`s Universal Plaza gets project management services Pamplin Media Group Monday, September 30, 2019 The city agrees to hire Shells Obletz.Johnsen to oversee project management of planned Burnham Street project View of Plaza from water feature toward aurnharii Street mierprel.,o WIRE r 501 WOO FIRE palp ktneOc C;W PTUre NIP Nang 4 00"Wine WATER P pow OIL 06 V M•r t 11 pill COURTESY CITY OF TIGARD-The City of Tigard has awarded a contract for project management services for the future Universal Plaza and Fanno Creek Overlook to Sheils Obletz Johnsen. The future plaza is set for Burnham Street The City of Tigard has awarded a contract for project management services for the future Universal Plaza and Fanno Creek Overlook to Sheils Obletz Johnsen. On Sept. 24, the Town Center Development Agency Board —whose members are also members of the Tigard City Council -- approved the contract for an amount not to exceed $250,000. Plans are to eventually build an expansive plaza on a 1.18-acre piece of land that the Town Center Development Agency Board already owns on Burham Street. In February, the board agreed to provide $450,000 to help move Ferguson Plumbing from its current location to make room for the plaza. Then in June it was Gehl Studios was selected to lead a process to determine what residents want included at Universal Plaza before a design firm is selected later this year to build the space. Among other things, the site is expected to serve as a location to display interpretive artwork and other types of installations as well. More affordable housing coming to the Portland suburbs Red Rock Creek Commons will offer 48 units of affordable housing in Tigard. — -— _ CPAs /CABLE 1 ON HART ARCHITECTURE 9/30/19 By Jon Bell - Staff Reporter, Portland Business Journal A Tigard nonprofit with eight affordable housing complexes in its portfolio will break ground on a ninth tomorrow. - - + Community Partners for - � Affordable Housing, a 26-year-old nonprofit community development corporation,will kick off construction of its Red Rock Creek Commons project in Tigard tomorrow morning. The four-story building, designed by Carleton Hart Architecture and located at xxogo S.W. 68th Parkway, will offer 48 one-bedroom apartments. LMC Construction is the general contractor on the project. All of the units will be affordable for residents at 6o percent of Area Median Income; 24 units will be available for "very low income individuals," according to a release from CPAH. In addition, CPAH will partner with Luke-Dorf, a local mental health services agent, to provide services to eight individuals. Construction should wrap up by fall 2020. "This is a great opportunity to bring housing, some of which is deeply affordable, to the Tigard area," said Rachael Duke, executive director of CPAH, in the release. "Low income renters in Tigard have been hit hard by the increases in housing costs, and we don't expect that trend to change, so this kind of housing is important for the overall health of the community." According to the real estate website Reonomy, CPAH acquired the property for the project in 2016 for $695,000. CPAH also plans to break ground on another affordable housing project this fall in Beaverton called Cedar Grove. It will have 44 units. In addition to its multifamily complexes, which include two for seniors only, CPAH also owns three single-family homes and provides an array of resident services for children and seniors. Tigard Public Library shatters summer reading records Pamplin Media Group Wednesday, October 02, 2019 The annual challenge had 1,588 students finish the program along with 741 adults. COURTESY OF TIGARD PUBLIC LIBRARY-The annual Summer Reading challenge had 1,588 students finish the program along with 741 adults The Tigard Public Library recently reported that its Summer Reading program was a huge success— breaking all past records with its Universe of Stories theme. "You took the Universe of Stories theme seriously and read your way into the stratosphere,"the library posted on its online newsletter. That resulted in a record 3,053 children and teenagers signing up for the reading program. In the end, 1,588 students finished the program along with 741 adults, which topped previous records. (Participants received a free book and admission to the Tigard Swim Center, Oregon State Fair and other prizes.) "Now you have a whole eight months to read your way to another record-breaking year," read the newsletter. "Well done!" Ground broken on 48-unit affordable housing in Tigard Triangle Ray Pitz Tuesday, October 01, 2019 Red Rock Creek Commons, a four-story building to be located on 68th Avenue, is expected to open in 2020. � k i. PMG PHOTO JAIME VALDEZ-Elected and state officials along with community members listen to Rachael Duke, director of Community Partners for Affordable Housing, during ground-breaking ceremonies for Red Rock Creek Commons Tuesday Community Partners for Affordable Housing, along with elected and state officials, gathered Tuesday morning in Tigard to break ground on the agency's newest project, Red Rock Creek Commons, a 48-unit, one-bedroom affordable housing complex. The four-story building will be located at 11090 S.W. 68th Parkway in the Tigard Triangle urban renewal area. Tuesday's gathering included will comments from Jillian Saurage-Felton, Community Partners for Affordable Housing development director; Rachael Duke, director of that agency; Tigard Mayor Jason Snider; Val Valfre, Oregon Housing and Community Service's Housing Stability Council chairman and Metro Councilor Craig Dirksen. Duke said she was appreciative of all the agencies who helped get to the point of building more affordable housing in the area, noting that Red Rock Creek Commons will also include eight units for those with mental illness, which will be through a partnership with Luke-Dorf, a mental health agency headquartered in Tigard. Duke said that the fact"it's taken four years to get to this (point) really shows what a Herculean effort to put one of these projects together." She said that in a year from now, the community will be able to see the completed project, which will include a beautiful deck overlooking Red Rock Creek. She noted that 24 of the apartments will be set aside for those who can use housing vouchers, meaning it will allow the non-profit group to house some very low-income residents. "Today is a day to celebrate success," said Mayor Snider. "We celebrate a successful partnership that will help meet a community need." 00"P PMG PHOTO: JAIME VALDEZRED-Rachael Duke,director of - Community Partners for Affordable Housing, addresses a gathering of W supporters Tuesday during ground-breaking ceremonies for Red Rock Creek Commons on 68th Avenue. Since its founding in 1993,the �• agency has built eight affordable housing communities(apartment complexes), five of which are in Tigard. :K He said the project is also part of the first commitment of urban renewal money in the Tigard Triangle, a 500-acre parcel of land that contains a district designed specifically for mixed-use zoning under a so-called "lean code." That code makes it easier for developers to receive approval for their projects in that area. "Affordable housing is a great need in Tigard," said Snider. "Twenty-eight percent of Tigard households are considered rent burdened." Rent burden comprises households that pay 30% or more of their gross income on housing costs. "Twenty-eight percent. That's something that weighs on me heavy," Snider said. "It's one of the things that keeps me up at night." Snider pointed out that the city recently approved exemptions of systems development charges--those charges normally picked up by developers to install needed infrastructure --for affordable housing, something that will save Community Partners for Affordable Housing $460,000, 4 C �Y l i V -Z{•f1� -� .+✓ _ ice'^ PMG PHOTO JAIME VALDEZ-Officials break ground on Red Rock Creek Commons, a 48-unit, one-bedroom affordable housing complex, Tuesday.The building will be located at 11090 5 W. 68th Parkway in the Tigard Triangle urban renewal district. "This project has been a dream and vision for many of us here," Valfre from the state of Oregon said, adding that's it's something that's truly needed in the area. Metro's Dirksen agreed. "We at Metro are happy to support this partnership," he said. "This partnership between Community Partners for Affordable Housing, Washington County, the City of Tigard, and many others to develop a project that provides quality, affordable housing opportunities here in Tigard where I have personally lived for the past 42 years." In addition, Saurage-Felton had previously pointed out that plans are to create a nature area from the Red Rock Creek to about 50 feet towards the complex where native vegetation will be left alone but invasive species will be removed. Community Partners for Affordable Housing was founded in Tigard in 1993. It has built eight affordable housing communities (apartment complexes) since then, five of which are in Tigard. � o 9# 1 .r PMG PHOTO JAIME VALDEZ-Officials break ground on Red Rock Creek Commons, a 48-unit, one-bedroom affordable housing complex, Tuesday. The building will be located at 11090 S W 68th Parkway in the Tigard Triangle urban renewal district Tigard Triangle developments move forward In addition to the future Red Rock Creek Commons, three other Tigard Triangle projects have obtained building permits and are at different stages of development, according to Tigard city planners. Those include: • A mixed-use development on 72nd Avenue between Clinton and Baylor streets. This is commercial use on the ground floor with 38 units above it. • A mixed-use project on 72nd Avenue between Dartmouth and Elmhurst streets. This project also will be used for commercial use on the ground floor with 998 units above it, consisting of senior housing. • Compass Oncology building is putting on an addition on Dartmouth Street between 69th and 70th avenues. Our Opinion: Don't let light rail bottleneck Barbur Editorial Board Thursday, October 03, 2019 Isn't the point of a transportation mega-project to make it easier to get around, not harder? PMG PHOTO JONATHAN HOUSE- Vehicles line up at the intersection of Southwest Barbur Boulevard Southwest Taylors Ferry Road and Southwest Capitol Highway A new MAX line along Barbur Boulevard is t proposed to reduce congestion; but eliminating traffic lanes an idea officials are now floating would only be counterproductive -- Long before the first shovel of earth is overturned, the proposed Southwest Corridor w MAX light-rail proposal already is $160 million over - + budget. As a result, planners are contemplating saving a few bucks by "skinnying" Southwest = _= ` Barbur Boulevard. That would be a major mistake. The budget brouhaha doesn't come as a shock to anyone who pays attention to such massive, long-term public projects. Vagaries such as inflation, construction costs, environmental impacts and unforeseeable exigencies always befuddle the arcane art of guessing the cost of big, years-long projects straddling multiple cities and counties. The funding for the project is not yet secure. if it comes together, it will be a blend of a voter-backed bond measure, state and local dollars and a huge amount of federal funding. If all that happens, the light-rail project would connect Portland— right around Portland State University—with Tigard and possibly Tualatin, with route planners eyeing Bridgeport Village as the line's terminus. Part of the route would take the trains down Barbur Boulevard, which is also signed as Highway 99W. And that's where the budget debate begins to get scary. Barbur Boulevard began as a state highway around a century ago and has evolved into a major, four-lane street getting residents and freight to and from Portland and Southeast Washington County. As it exists today, Barbur Boulevard is too narrow for the modern demands of a major thoroughfare. It has too few sidewalks. There are too few bus turnout lanes. It lacks safe bike lanes. So the proposed light-rail plan, as laid out in 2018, would vastly increase the capacity of Barbur Boulevard. The plan would call for train tracks and train stops down the middle of the road, two lanes heading northeast into Portland, two lanes heading southwest into Tigard, bus turnout lanes, bike lanes and sidewalks on each side. All of which would be tremendously expensive. So earlier this month, planners began hedging their bets. Maybe they could keep Barbur Boulevard in a "skinnier" mode. That would mean purchasing far less land via the process of eminent domain, which would save big bucks. But the goal of any transit project should be to make it easier for people to get from Point A to Point B. And making Barbur Boulevard a narrow bottleneck would be a disastrous decision. We know that Washington County is growing by leaps and bounds. That's where a vast majority of the region's planned population growth will occur. If the metro area gets another light-rail line, that would be terrific. But even if that happens, the majority of commuters will use cars. And making Barbur Boulevard a choke point will greatly impact all transportation for that entire southwest sector of the metro area. Cars will be forced onto the adjacent Interstate 5, which can be clogged with traffic now. Or they will be forced into the neighborhoods, along Multnomah Boulevard or Taylors Ferry Road. Both are crowded now during rush hour. Turning Highway 99W into a sclerotic clot would only make that problem worse, forcing even more commuters onto neighborhood streets. No, the wisdom of the original Southwest Corridor design is that everyone agrees Barbur Boulevard is insufficient today and needs a major upgrade. The influx of federal money and voter-approved money would make it possible to build a world-class light-rail line, and also improve automobile traffic on that major artery. Adding the light-rail line but making Barbur Boulevard more difficult for driving wouldn't improve transportation in the Southwest Corridor. And that's the goal. The dollar figures will continue to fluctuate as the project draws nearer. Good planners always anticipate that. Options will continue to be bandied about right up to the time the voters get their say and the feds are asked to pony up. But one of those options should not include a skinny, tight and poorly designed Barbur Boulevard. Let's remember the essential purpose of any major transportation proposal: to improve transportation. If you lose site of the end goal, you might as well not build the thing at all. We don't need TriMet or the Metro regional government to design a narrow, dangerous, bottlenecked Barbur Boulevard. We've already got one of those,