by Patty Nelson, BWNA Board President
There’s been a lot going on at BWNA board meetings this fall! At our September meeting, board members Jonathan Hays and Rob Lee stepped up to take over digital media support. This includes web updates and monthly emails to subscribers. The duo will also develop options for a BWNA social media presence.
Proposal To Reduce Residential Street Traffic
At BWNA’s Oct. 9 meeting, board member Sam Balto sought board support for two proposals intended to reduce vehicular traffic on B-W’s non-commuter streets. One proposal was to request PBOT engage the community in a new discussion about a diverter at NE 37th and Skidmore, the other was a request that BWNA submit an application to the PSU Better Blocks program for a review of ways to reduce traffic on B-W streets to fewer than 300 cars per day.
Limited discussion on the proposals took place; no decisions were made. The board will further discuss these proposals at its Nov. 13 meeting.
Also at the October meeting, attendees from the neighborhood expressed frustration with diverters at Alameda/Fremont and NE 57th/Sandy intersections and possible future diverters; others conveyed support for traffic-calming actions. No action was taken.
See the Transportation section on this page for next steps on the Alameda/Fremont diverter.
Board members encouraged attendees to read the newsletter and subscribe to receive BWNA emails so they can stay engaged, as this continues to be an important topic for the community.
City Transition Brings Changes to Coalitions, Neighborhood Associations
At our Oct. 9 meeting, Alison Stoll from Central NE Neighbors reported that as the city works toward the transition to a new form of government by January 2025, the city’s plan is not only to reduce the number of neighborhood coalitions from seven to four, but also to change the department that oversees neighborhood associations. These two major changes will influence how the city engages with neighborhoods and how it supports them. The board continues to actively track and communicate updates, changes, and engagement opportunities.
Movie-in-the-Park Rocked It!
The City of Portland reported attendance at Wilshire Park’s Movie-in-the-Park this summer was off the charts with attendance over 1,000, compared with the average of 378 for other movie events. The board hopes to plan and sponsor more events and activities in the coming year. We’ll discuss this at our Nov. 18 board retreat. Do you have ideas for activities, events, or focus areas? Email President@BWNApdx.org.
Crime Prevention & Safety
Two local businesses, The Arrangement and Puddletown Games & Puzzles, experienced break-ins in early October.
Friends of Wilshire Park
Portland Parks recently completed upgrades to the children’s play area in Wilshire Park.
Land Use
Committee chair Tim Root reported Oct. 9 on the city’s proposed zoning code changes as part of its Housing Regulatory Relief project, which aims to waive some developer requirements for a five-year period. This will likely affect our neighborhood. Visit portland.gov/bps/planning/housing-regulatory-relief/about for details. The board will discuss this further at its November meeting.
Transportation
Traffic counts for the Alameda/Fremont traffic diverter were completed in September; PBOT will present an update at the BWNA general meeting on Dec. 11. Repaving of NE 33rd triggered a lot of calls regarding “local access” signs around the neighborhood. These were temporary and were intended to reduce cut-through traffic during construction.