Comments

1

"it could transform much of Southwest Portland into a haven for the rich and push out lower income residents."

Ask people along the Burnside MAX line if their property values rose... or if crime dropped... or if a bunch of rich people moved in.

2

You missed the cost of parking by a factor of 100: at $50K per space, 4,200 parking spaces will cost $210 million, not $2 million. BTW: It makes no sense to subsidize people to drive their cars.

3

Here's a great idea: how about building a bunch of affordable housing along the new line to Milwaukee? How about mixed use changes along the Burnside Max comparable to Orenco? What happened to the affordable housing that was to accompany the urban renewal tax breaks for the Pearl? Stop diddling the future and fix the unfulfilled promises of the present. Then the broader community might support broader change EVERYWHERE. Until we demonstrate the ability to actually execute a plan as a region, all this is empty talk.

4

Most people would agree with the article, but it is vague.

Perhaps the Mercury needs a feature to level up readers, and then add links in articles to detailed plans and proposals?

Portland zoning already envisions density along the corridor. See the 2035 Plan https://www.portlandoregon.gov/bps/article/684971. Today there are already working person and student apartments around the planned stations at Hamilton, Bertha and the Barbur Transit Center.

The next question is Washington County and Tigard center zoning and planning. Why not convert some of the sea of big box land, like the old Toys r Us to dense housing? With the proper zoning, the strip development along the route could become multi-use with housing above too.

The Orenco Station vision is more a developer wet dream than a reality. There is no equivalent piece of land in SW in the City of Portland. Maybe Siteline has a site in mind? Then they can explain why Orenco is not the Intel-fueled Laurelthurst of multifamily in Hillsboro.

Hard questions for article sources: exactly what zoning changes do you want where? How many units of what rent or purchase price and under what financing programs? The role of land trusts? Property tax, sewer and water subsidies? Finally, how can advocates document their actual involvement in the planning process and results beyond talking to the press?

The SW Corridor project has many regular meetings open to the public and the Mercury https://www.oregonmetro.gov/public-projects/southwest-corridor-plan/. They even have an equity committee. Bike facilities are under discussion too.

Someday there will be a vote on funding, so more knowledge is better. Otherwise it will die a death of a thousand arrows from niche disgruntlement.

5

Serious props for "niche disgruntlement." Finally gives me a phrase for something I've been trying to define for years.

6

A haven for the rich? You mean people who work hard to get good jobs and businesses. These aren't the rich. Sure, there are some of those around L.O., but your definition of "the rich" as people who don't work in the service industry is ridiculous.

7

The goal should not be to cram multiple MAX users into what would otherwise be single family homes. If the objective is urban density, build apartments near the MAX stops. Its counterproductive to disrupt neighborhoods for your social engineering. Of course property values increased in neighborhoods near the inner city stops. There are other stops farther out that are not that expensive.

8

The goal should be to increase density near the MAX stops. The zoning there (CM2, CE) is adequate to be spread out along a bus line like Division, perhaps, but not adequate for the high quality transit service a rail line provides. There should be no single family zoning within 1/2 mile of the stop. R-5 and R-7 should be upzoned to at least R-1, and within 1/4 mile, it should be RX or CM3. This radius should include both sides of the freeway if necessary, and ped/bike bridges built over the freeway at some stops to take advantage of land within these radii.


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