“This project is very risky. We shouldn’t gamble by skipping the steps provided by Oregon’s land use process.”
— Mara Gross, Coalition for a Livable Future
This morning the Northeast Coalition of Neighborhoods (NECN) and the Coalition for a Livable Future (CLF) announced an appeal of Metro’s decision last month to pass the project’s Land Use Final Order (LUFO).
According to Metro, the LUFO, “is a remarkably streamlined bit of Oregon land use law, making it easier for a project to move past inevitable land use appeals.” It was originally created for a light rail project, say its critics, not a massive highway expansion and bridge project.
Here’s why the NECN and CLF are opposed to it (from their statement):
“… the Land Use Final Order law was narrowly tailored for a particular light rail project and was never intended to be used for a massive freeway expansion fifteen years later. The CRC, the most expensive public project in our region’s history, is primarily a highway and interchange expansion, not a light rail development. Three-quarters of the project’s cost is for highway construction.”
Joining the CLF and NECN to challenge the LUFO decision are Jantzen/ Angel LLC, Plaid Pantries, and Weber Coastal Bells.
In a statement, George Bruender, Land Use and Transportation Co-Chair for NECN, which represents 12 neighborhoods in North and Northeast Portland, said:
“Our neighborhoods will be heavily impacted by the proposed changes to I-5. We already have unacceptably high asthma rates. Our residents can’t afford the additional traffic and pollution this project will bring.”
And Mara Gross, Policy Director for CLF adds that, “This project is very risky. We shouldn’t gamble by skipping the steps provided by Oregon’s land use process.”
The State of Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals is set to hear arguments about this appeal on Thursday (9/29) in Salem.
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I hope that our elected officials will listen to the reasonable requests of CLF and NECN- and be criticle of the CRC proposal. This should not be taken lightly, as our health and the livibility of citizens all over the Metro region would be impacted by potential changes of this proposal. The Environmental Impact Statement (Although it is already outdated because they used old stats) just came out 4 days ago. Let’s not rush things.
More Lanes= More Cars= More Climate Change
STOP THE CRC!
Hurrah for NECN and CLF!
A mall development company, a fast food chain and a convenience store…strange bedfellows! I wonder what those entities think of the CSA?
Way to go, CLF, NECN and others!
And speaking of those others: does Jantzen/Angel LLC have some relationship to Jantzen Beach, or is that just a coincidence?
Lots of interesting CRC news popping up lately. There was a really thorough story in the O about the monstrous Hayden Island interchange: http://bit.ly/qG6cCs
That story says a big reason Hayden can’t be bypassed by the freeway (instead getting access via a local crossing) is because the mall developers on the island won’t stand for it. (Which makes me curious about the “Jantzen” mentioned in this story.)
Then there was this story in the Portland Business Journal, “Portland unveils ideas for West Hayden Island”: http://bit.ly/p5QH8L
This story talks about a 300 acre marine terminal in the midst of what is currently 800 acres of undeveloped land that, “serves threatened and endangered species of fish and is a major stopping point for migratory birds on the Pacific Flyway.” Those 300 acres of habitat slated for industrial development might be another motivating factor behind the push for 17 lanes of freeway interchange smack dab in the middle of Hayden Island.
As always, I’m glad to see BikePortland cover the CRC! http://bikeportland.org/2011/09/22/catching-up-with-the-crc-project-59476
Don’t you think that’s Joe Angel of Pacific Star, Portland real estate developer, working with Jantzen Beach? It’s the same PO address and same partnership naming pattern as he’s used with Wilsonville and McCormicks.
Yeah, here, look for ‘joe angel’ in this PDF from Jan 2009 debating zoning on Hayden Island (ped v. commercial).
Bravo NECN, CLF, Plaid Pantry & co. for leadership on the appeal!