City Council Townhall in January

To All COLA LO Members,

Next month the City Council will hold a Town hall event at the WEB.     Its an opportunity for all members and citizens to provide input to the council for their 2014 goal setting efforts.  

Most COLA board members attended the initial council session last January  where testimony provided several hours of input from citizens in the community.  

The details on the event are:

                                   Council Open House and Community Reception

Open House/Community Reception 

5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Willamette Room at the West End Building

Wednesday, January 8.  

We encourage all COLA members to attend and provide your perspective on the needs of the community.   This event marks the end of the first year of this new council and may impact their agenda for 2014 and beyond.   

Is Support for the Current Administration Crumbling?

To All COLA LO Members,

It seems that residents continue to be agitated over decisions made by the current city council.   Across the city many leaders are questioning the stance taken by this administration regarding density and development.   Its a surprising time for many who thought they voted in a council that would implement deep reforms in the direction of local government.  

Many are now asking if they were snookered in the 2012 election? 

Letters to the editor continue to pour in opposing the Wizer's development project.   These letters while consistent only represent a fraction of the actual number of citizens discussing the direction of the city at this time.   

Is support for the new administration crumbling rapidly?  Many believe it is and they are worried about the impact on the 2014 election only 11 months away....

Will the direction currently implemented by this council pave the way for 3 new city councilors.    We think it might well do that given the conversation in the community.  


Many residents are unhappy with the positions taken by several members of the council.    It seems the council has become very pro high density development despite running on a platform to the contrary.   

We are also observing the emergence of voting blocks that surprised many.     It seems councilor O'Neill is not the conservative he represented during the election.   Often voting with Councilors Gustafson and Jordan.     That's disturbed many in the community, including his supporters.  

One recent example is the effort to save the Carman House.   It failed the city council vote 4 to 3. Councilors Gustafson, O'Neil, and Jordan voted to save it. Mayor Studebaker, along with Councilors Bowerman, Huges, and Gudman voted to demolish the last remaining territorial house in Lake Oswego.  This is  just a recent example of the current voting block patterns.  

As more key votes are taken there will be a well developed record of positions for voters to evaluate long before the 2014 election.  

Please notify all members, contacts, and friends.  

Citizens Continue to Criticize Administration's Wizers Stance.

To All COLA LO Members,

Last week several citizens continue to criticize the high density proposed development for the Wizer block which has been approved by the city council.   The council has agreed to provide nearly $6 million in financing to the developer.   

Many of the comments can be found at Reader's Letters.


Its an interesting twist as a council and mayor were elected one year ago on an anti high density platform and yet they are approving a project with high density and urban renewal funds.  

Here are some of the comments from citizens:

Waiting for ‘PLOPP’
Two years ago we heard about the streetcar — how great it would be for Lake Oswego. Fortunately, reason prevailed and the city council (decided not to pursue it). Then, last year we heard about the new library — how badly it was needed. Once again, reason prevailed, and “we, the people” voted that one down.

Now, we hear about the Wizer project, otherwise known as PLOPP (Proposed Lake Oswego Pearl Project). Seems like a good idea, right?
Let’s put more than 200 housing units, more than 400 people, 300 cars and 100 dogs — all in a two-block area. Good plan, right?
As I read the letters in the Lake Oswego Review, I have not kept track. However, it seems to me that those against outnumber those for at least 10 to one. (One remarkable argument in favor was “... because we have been wanting to do something for 10 years.” Now, that’s a really great reason to build this monstrosity.
This project definitely needs to be rethought. The Pearl District is great. We do not, however, need another Pearl in Lake Oswego. Not here, not now, not ever.
Syd Dorn

Hope council listens to those opposing high density
With regard to the proposed Wizer development, it would be great if the city council would abide by the majority view of Lake Oswego citizens, a view that opposes high-density living and increased congestion.

Certainly those who desire a high-density environment can move to downtown Portland or any large metropolitan area. I and others find it repugnant when government officials act in a paternal manner, dictating how we must change our living conditions to comply with their more “enlightened” view. 
One of the great things about LO is its unique quality of life. Let’s not sacrifice that wonderful quality in a quest for increased development and greater tax revenues.
Bill Beard

It will be interesting to see if the opposition grows and if it has an impact on the elections in 2014.  Please notify all members, contacts, and friends.   

Planning Commission Gives Administration a Big Turkey for Thanksgiving!

To All COLA LO Members,

In a direct refute of the current City Council the Planning Commission this week voted NO toward changing the zoning of the WEB to general commercial.   

Details can be found in the following article:   Planning Commission Says NO to City Council

The current administration now has egg on its face over the voted sale of the WEB which is contingent upon a rezoning of the area surrounding the WEB.   Its a major blow to the plans of this administration and continues the ongoing rift between planning and the current council.  

Will this administration step in and over ride the planning commission?   Will it attempt to replace Planning commission members, one of whom is currently in a lawsuit against the City of Lake Oswego over public access to the Lake?   

A deep battle is brewing between commission members appointed from prior administrations and the direction of this council.    Its been well known to active community leaders but its now in the public arena.

Is this  a direct challenge to the decisions made by the current administration  or part of an overall plan from the appointees of former mayors Hoffman and Hammerstad?

It sure looks like it and it will be interesting to see how the community reacts to the growing rift between the two functions of local government.  

Stay tuned....

 

Administration Continues to Receive Criticism from Citizens.

To All COLA LO Members,

This week the current administration continued to receive criticism on its apparent support for high density development in the Wizer block.  A citizen posted the following comment in the LO review.

The details can be found at :  Letters to the editor

‘Contradiction in this presentation’

In the current edition of “Hello L.O.,” Mayor Kent Studebaker informs us that it is the city’s role to ensure that the Wizer block project meets the city’s development code requirements and confirms that an exception would have to be made to allow a fifth story, only to conclude (in) the same article that the ultimate decision maker is Mr. Wizer. 

One needn’t have practiced law to see the contradiction in this presentation. Either the city — a public citizenry of 37,000 people — has the power to refuse exceptions to the code through its elected officials or that power lies with a single property holder. 
During the mayor’s campaign last year, he wrote: “Redevelopment, growth and zoning should preserve and enhance the character of Lake Oswego and none should damage the rights of citizens. ... (T)he city ... should not confuse wise development with increased density in our neighborhoods.”
Those of us who put up yard signs in support of the mayor’s candidacy anticipated that his governing would champion those values, not that he would try to dampen the ardor of Lake Oswegans to protect the character of the city with a shoulder-shrugging misstatement that there was nothing we could do to halt a code-busting decision because that decision lies wholly in the hands of one individual.
Recalling the behind-closed-doors decision making that led to the West End Building fiasco, Lake Oswegans expressed their will against railroading development schemes in last year’s election, which changed the complexion of the city council. But that was not enough. Protection of the city’s interests in protecting — if not further strengthening — existing code requirements calls for active citizen involvement in December’s Development Review Commission hearing and whatever else it takes to protect our city as the Wizer block project grinds to a determination.
John Teton
Lake Oswego

Instead of streetcar, we are facing high density
I had high hopes for our city when voters selected a new mayor and council last fall. 

But it seems only the names have been changed.
Now instead of a streetcar, we get a high-density apartment building in the very heart of Lake Oswego. We get 400 to 500 new residents (and their pets) with no place to park. We get a massive five-story structure on a block zoned for three stories. And we get a substantial influx of cars in an already-crowded city center.
I, for one, do not want my tax dollars subsidizing this project. Many of us have been looking forward to the redevelopment of the Wizer block. But this is not what we had in mind.
Barbara Eden
Lake Oswego

Mayor, council asked to ‘honor campaign promises’

I’m appealing to Mayor Kent Studebaker and the city council to honor their campaign promises of preserving Lake Oswego as a small town with a “village-like” character and to oppose high-density infill.

These promises all conflict with Block 137 design. It appears to me that the developer’s interests have become more important to you than the concerns of your constituents.
Although many of us have supported Wizer’s for many years, I would venture a guess that many customers who are angry about this development as planned, might prefer to take their business elsewhere.
Joanne Sedleniek
Lake Oswego

It seems the community is wondering which direction it took in the last election?

Is the current administration meeting its commitments or allowing others to dictate the agenda?   Many in the community are asking this question and the outcome of key decisions will certainly provide insight into the facts.  

Please notify all members contacts and friends.  

COLA Board Member Asks "Will the Streetcar Return with Wizers?"

To All COLA LO Members,

This week Board Member Gary Gipson released an insightful article on the Wizers property development and identified supporters articles in a unique way.   It seems many of those supporting the Wizer development also happen to be the same supporters of the streetcar project. 

Is the Wizer development really a "backdoor"  method to resurrecting high density and the streetcar into downtown Lake Oswego?  

Its an interesting premise and one citizens are deeply concerned about as opposition to the high density development mounts within the community.  

Will a city council elected to prevent such incursion of density into our community actually approve and fund the project with $5-6 million in Urban renewal funds?

Many continue to ask what is really going on here?  

The article can be found at Is Wizer's the return of the Streetcar?

Is the current council being snookered or are they really supportive of high density and the future return of a streetcar project which will fundamentally change the community.  

Many citizens continue to wonder.  

Please notify all members, contacts, and friends.  

Will Lake Oswego Now Pay Double Taxes For Roads?

To All COLA LO Members,

In a little known effort the Clackamas County Commissioners have had their staff evaluate adding to the already high Lake Oswego Street Maintenance fee.

 This fee is charged on water bills of residents throughout LO.  

The COLA Board has been monitoring this effort and Board members have attended meetings with several county commissioners informing them of the potential for "double taxation" of LO residents and other cities where the city has a road program in place.   

It seems the county commission is bent on imposing another tax even if LO residents already pay one.   That's not a fair system but its designed to once again impose a new taxation tool on residents.  City Councilor Donna Jordan has sat on the C4 committee evaluating proposals for several years.  

The effort was just made public in an article in the Oregonian.   Commissioners Launch Road Campaign.

Please notify all members, contacts, and friends and the COAL board will continue to be involved in efforts to ensure LO residents are not "double taxed".