A revised draft of the proposed Natural Resources Program-Sensitive Lands Revisions (LU 15-0019) was published and affected property owners were notified on June 26. The Planning Commission is accepting public comment on the draft prior to holding a work session July 27.
Category Archives: Planning & Building
Urban Forestry Summit
The City will be hosting an Urban Forestry Summit on Saturday, May 30, 2015 from 9am-12pm at the Adult Community Center. Join community members for presentations on the tree code, followed by small group discussions to focus on developing strategies to manage our urban forests. These discussions will be moderated by Council members.
The event is open for registration at www.LakeOswego.city/trees, so please feel welcome to invite any community members you think may be interested in attending. There is also an Open City Hall forum for those who would like to weigh in, but are unable to make the event www.peakdemocracy.com/2724.
Looking forward to a great turnout and positive discussions on the future of Lake Oswego’s urban forests!
Tree-Mendous Arbor Week Celebrations
On Tuesday, April 7th, about 15 friends and neighbors gathered at 14145 Redwood Court for a celebration to dedicate one of the City’s newest Heritage Trees, a giant sequoia measuring 18-feet in circumference and more than 100-feet in height. On Wednesday, April 8th, children enjoyed a special Arbor Day story time at Luscher Farm with storyteller extraordinaire Lynne Bacon and a visit to the Heritage Trees located along Rosemont Road. On Thursday, April 9th, more than 40 people gathered at Stafford Grove, the City’s newest park located at 1061 Sunningdale Road, where First Addition Neighbors/Forest Hills Neighborhood Association Chair Carole Ockert shared the history and vision of the property. Former Oregon Poet Laureate Paulann Petersen read a poem she had written to William Stafford, and Tim Barnes, representing The Friends of William Stafford, read three tree-themed poems written by William Stafford. Then, everyone joined in to help plant a tree in celebration of Lake Oswego Arbor Week and in honor of William Stafford. Arbor Week is not over yet! Tree lovers of all ages are invited to drop by the library at 706 Fourth Street on Saturday, April 11th from 2-4pm to create a beautiful blossoming tree craft.
Natural Resources Program & Sensitive Lands Revisions – Public Review Draft Now Available
A public review draft of proposed updates to the City’s Comprehensive Plan and Community Development Code, pertaining to Sensitive Lands, is now available.
The City is proposing a new Comprehensive Plan chapter, entitled Healthy Ecosystems, to replace current Plan provisions under Goal 5 (Open Spaces, Scenic and Natural Resources), Goal 6 (Air Resources Quality), and Goal 15 (Willamette River Greenway). The City is also proposing to replace its Sensitive Lands regulations and adopt code incentives to property owners for habitat protection and enhancement, consistent with the Healthy Ecosystems chapter. This work implements the City Council goal to “Adopt changes to the Development Code by June 2015 to implement the reform of regulations on ‘sensitive lands.’” (The Sensitive Lands code changes affect LOC 50.05.010; LOC 50.07.004.8; and other Sensitive Lands code cross-references.)
The public review draft of the proposed Plan and Code changes, including online maps, and other information about this project can be found at: http://www.ci.oswego.or.us/boc_pc/lu-15-0019-natural-resources-program-and-sensitive-lands-revisions
The Planning Commission will be accepting public comment on the draft proposal when it meets on April 13, 2015. The Commission meets in the City Hall Council Chamber, located at 380 A Avenue, on the first floor, beginning at 6:30PM. The Commission will also accept oral and written testimony at its public hearing, which is tentatively scheduled for May 27, before it makes a recommendation to the City Council.
Community Forestry Events
The City of Lake Oswego is excited to announce a variety of community forestry events – including a Tree-Themed Poetry Contest for Lake Oswego students! While many of these events take place during Oregon Arbor Week, the first full week in April, Lake Oswego celebrates trees throughout the year thanks to the City’s Urban and Community Forestry Program. The Urban and Community Forestry Program promotes education, dialogue, and voluntary stewardship to protect the health and viability of the urban forest.
This year, celebrate trees with a Heritage Tree Dedication beneath the crown of a giant sequoia, Barnyard Tales and a Heritage Tree Walk at Luscher Farm, the Stafford Grove Tree Planting and Poetry Reading with former Oregon Poet Laureate Paulann Petersen, and a beautiful blossoming tree craft activity at the Library. Click here for event details!
Looking for a challenge? People are encouraged to take the Free-A-Tree Challenge – to clear one tree of ivy each day as they take a walk or enjoy their own natural areas. Share your photos! Send a picture of your friends and family freeing a tree of ivy and email it to bhirshberger@ci.oswego.or.us and it will get posted to the City’s Facebook page. How many trees can you free in honor of Arbor Week?
Want to join a work party? Lake Oswego is lucky to have amazing stewardship groups who organize work parties throughout the year. If you are interested in joining the effort or learning more, contact Babs Hamachek, Stewardship Coordinator, at Babsbhamachek@ci.oswego.or.us. In the line-up: Southwood Park, Iron Mountain Park, Glenmorrie Neighborhood Annual Ivy Pull, and Springbrook Park. More options are coming too!
Another exciting opportunity to celebrate Oregon Arbor Week and National Arbor Day plus National Poetry Month is the City’s new Poetry Contest. This poetry contest is for 1st through 12th grade Lake Oswego students. Poems will be judged on creativity, grammar and literary merit. Winning poems will be published in the Lake Oswego Review and on the City’s website. In addition, printed copies will be available at the Lake Oswego Library Poetry Post. Submit your entry to TreePoemContest@gmail.com on or before National Arbor Day, Friday, April 24. Please see the enclosed postcard for complete details.
Poetry contest details, event information, volunteer opportunities, and instructions on how to Free-A-Tree are included in the April Urban & Community Forestry Newsletter available online at www.ci.oswego.or.us/publicaffairs/hello-lo.
City Seeks Input on Annual Community Development Code Update (LU 15-0011)
A current City Council goal is to streamline the community development code (CDC) to make it more business-friendly and resident-friendly, while still maintaining community standards. As part of an on-going effort to clarify the code and reduce the need for interpretation, the City would like your input.
On April 13, the Planning Commission will receive a report from city staff on recommended code updates. If you have recent experience working on building projects or participating in the development review process (as a resident, business owner, builder, etc.) and have an idea for clarifying or simplifying the code without making substantive changes to city standards, please let us know.
Proposed changes should pertain to Chapter 50 of the Lake Oswego Code, which can be accessed here: http://www.codepublishing.com/or/lakeoswego/ Please contact Leslie Hamilton, Senior Planner, lhamilton@ci.oswego.or.us, 503-675-3731, if you have any questions or would like to submit a comment.
Uplands Neighborhood Developing their Neighborhood Plan
The Uplands Neighborhood Association was selected by the Planning Commission to receive City assistance in 2015 to develop a neighborhood plan, and is busy gathering information and reaching out to their neighbors. A neighborhood-wide survey is currently open on Survey Monkey, and the neighborhood board met with staff to begin organizing their Neighborhood Planning Workshop, scheduled for May 21. This group of dedicated volunteers is passionate about the Uplands neighborhood and excited to get a plan in place to preserve and enhance their neighborhood livability for the next 20 years and beyond.
City Moves Forward with Sensitive Lands Revisions
The City is proposing to replace its Sensitive Lands regulations this year, consistent with City Council goals. As part of this work, a new Comprehensive Plan chapter entitled Healthy Ecosystems will replace current sections of the Plan relating to natural resources. The new natural resources program is intended to be less burdensome on private property owners while protecting streams and wetlands, and providing incentives for habitat protection and enhancement.
On March 10, the City Council discussed two tax incentive/reduction programs offered by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife for property owners who voluntarily protect wildlife habitat or have stream and wetland protections on their property. The Council directed staff to analyze the potential fiscal impact of the programs while pursuing them in conjunction with the new natural resources program. Clackamas County must first adopt an enabling ordinance before cities within the county may participate in the programs.
A public discussion draft of the proposed natural resources program is scheduled for release at the end of March. Public hearings with the Planning Commission and City Council, respectively, are expected to follow in May and June. Project updates and related documents are posted here: http://www.ci.oswego.or.us/planning/pp-12-0002-proposed-revisions-sensitive-lands-program
SW Employment Area Plan Workshop
The SW Employment Area Plan Advisory Committee hosted a public workshop on Thursday, February 12 to identify potential land use and transportation changes for the light industrial and commercial areas in the district, with the goal of removing barriers to private investment and supporting the area as one of the city’s three Employment Centers. Approximately 25 property owners, businesses and neighbors worked in small groups with the committee to map out their vision for the future of the area, and share their ideas about how the district could better serve business and resident needs. The advisory committee will meet on April 9 to review draft land use and transportation alternatives that came out of the workshop. The public is welcome to attend and provide comment at advisory committee meetings, and is encouraged to sign up for the project e-news subscription to get the latest news and announcements. Project information can be found by going to www.ci.oswego.or.us/planning.
