Meeting Agenda

Meeting Agenda Planning and Transportation Committee Tuesday, July 17, 2018, 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM Pacific Northwest College of Art, 511 NW Broadway Hammer Board Room (237) Committee members: Pete Bowling, Ashley Carson, Jim Chapman, David Dysert (CoChair), Reza Farhoodi (Co-Chair), Alyce Flitcraft, Bob Girsberger, Sara Hoeber, John Hollister, Edward Kilgarriff, John Kirby, Betty Lou Koffel, Bruce Levy, Larry Mazer, George McNiel, Jason Naiman, Jerry Pike, Bruce Stephenson, Glenn Traeger Agenda 6:00 Introductions 6:05 Approval of 6/5 Minutes 6:10 Central City in Motion 6:50 815 W Burnside 7:50 Other business 8:00 Adjourn Next meeting is: August 7 – Shared Electric Scooter Pilot, 12th and Flanders Hotel

Recent Notices ●

LU 18-146149 DZ - Notice of Type II Decision to Approve Request for Exterior Alterations at 1435 NW Northrup Street (June 4)

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LU 18-120797 DZM - Notice of Type II Decision to Approve Roof Terrace at 1125 NW Couch Street (June 18)

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LU 18-181403 DZ - Notice of Type II Proposal to Approve Request for Exterior Alterations at 417-419 NW 9th Avenue (June 18)

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LU 18-147283 DZ - Notice of Type II Decision to Approve Marquee Signs at Canopy Hotel (June 21)

PDNA Planning and Transportation Committee Meeting Agenda – July 17, 2018

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Meeting Minutes Planning and Transportation Committee Tuesday, June 5, 2018, 6:00 PM Pacific Northwest College of Art, 511 NW Broadway Hammer Board Room (237) Committee members in attendance: Pete Bowling, David Dysert (Co-Chair), Reza Farhoodi (Co-Chair), Alyce Flitcraft, Bob Girsberger, Sara Hoeber, Edward Kilgarriff, John Kirby, Betty Lou Koffel, Bruce Levy, Larry Mazer, Jason Naiman, Bruce Stephenson Committee members absent: Ashley Carson, Jim Chapman, John Hollister, George McNiel, Jerry Pike, Glenn Traeger Guests: Julie Gustafson (PDBA), Bill Bagnall (PDNA Board), Chloe Tucker (Pearl Resident), Marissa Ramirez (NWNW), Allen Classen (NW Examiner), Philip Moyer (Pearl Resident) 6:00 Introductions 6:05 Approval of 5/22 Minutes MOTION: Betty Lou Koffel, SECONDED: Pete Bowling, ABSTAINED: All absent members Committee voted unanimously to approve May 22 Minutes 6:10 Parking Management Manual ●

Reza Farhoodi informed the committee that the Parking Management Manual was scheduled for a hearing at City Council on June 13th. The committee had already reviewed the manual at a previous meeting but was now in possession of a written directive from PBOT Director Leah Treat and Assistant Director Chris Warner. This memorandum instructs staff to convene a new planning process to look at providing neighborhoods within the Downtown Meter District, including Pearl District, a portion of locally-raised meter revenues to support transportation projects and programs within the district, as is currently allowed in Northwest District, Central Eastside, Lloyd, and will be extended to all subsequent meter districts created after adoption of the manual (but not for the DMD). PBOT had promised this memo to members of the PMM stakeholder advisory committee, and having fulfilled this commitment, Reza wished to seek a motion on a letter expressing support for the manual to City Council.

PDNA Planning and Transportation Committee Meeting Minutes – June 5, 2018

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The committee largely agreed that the memo represented a breakthrough in PBOT’s thinking on this topic (as the neighborhoods within the DMD had sought local control of meter revenues for many years without success), while recognizing that this was only the first step towards resolving the issue. There was some confusion as to why a new planning process was required, to which Reza explained that PBOT currently relies on Pearl meter revenues for its general fund and certain downtown-specific initiatives, and that such a major shift in policy will necessitate a specialized stakeholder group to work through the matters at hand. The parking manual proposes to use the Northwest District Parking Stakeholder Advisory Committee as a model for all future meter revenue sharing agreements, and while Northwest District receives 51 percent of net meter revenues for transportation projects and programs in Zone M, the local share may not be as high in the DMD where overall revenues are higher. Northwest currently uses some of its local revenue share towards the Transportation Wallet, which provides Streetcar, TriMet, and Biketown passes for Zone M residents and employees at a steep discount. MOTION: Betty Lou Koffel, SECONDED: Sara Hoeber Committee voted unanimously to write a letter to City Council in support of adopting the Performance-Based Parking Management Manual, and moving forward towards a local meter revenue sharing agreement with PBOT for the Downtown Meter District neighborhoods 6:25 Naito LID 100% Plans ●

Reza Farhoodi provided an overview of the 100 percent plans for the Naito Parkway Local Improvement District. The LID is funded in part by the Field Office, which credited $1 million in Transportation System Development Charges to the LID. This amount was matched by PBOT for repaving the street, installing bicycle facilities, and other pedestrian improvements between NW 9th and 19th avenues. The project will be going out to bid later this summer, with the possibility of completion before the end of the year, although the paving work may stretch into 2019. Overall, the committee was very supportive of these changes, noting that the project had evolved significantly from the previous version that was reviewed. The improvements would reduce vehicle speeds along Naito, support development in this part of the Pearl District, and help create a sense of place for the community, rather than being a highway to drive through to get someplace else. Within the Pearl District, the street would consist of two travel lanes, a center turn lane, a parking lane, and two protected bicycle lanes (using flexible wands). There would be a new bus stop for Line 16 to serve the Fremont Apartments, and the city would install transit islands and an enhanced pedestrian crossing with a median refuge island. The transit islands would allow the bus to serve the stop without blocking the bicycle lanes. At the 9th and Naito intersection, the signals and curb ramps would get rebuilt for ADA compliance, and a new transit island would be installed in the northwest corner. In addition, new infrastructure would allow


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people biking to make a two-stage left turn from northbound Naito to southbound 9th, without having to merge into the vehicular left turn lane, which can be an unpleasant experience due to high vehicle speeds and the amount of traffic at the intersection. One committee member asked about the possibility of markings or other visual or tactile cues to slow down bicycle riders near transit stops to avoid conflicts. Another member asked about the possibility of installing a rapid flash beacon at the new pedestrian crossing, and whether the wands offered suitable protection for the bicycle lanes. In general, cost, maintenance, and drainage are reasons why PBOT generally doesn’t use curb treatments, and others felt that the wands would help with separating cars and bicycles, even if they are not as permanent or robust as a curb. On-street parking would provide an additional barrier for those traveling northbound. Additional feedback included the desire to fix drainage problems at the southwest corner of the Naito/9th intersection where stormwater collects during periods of heavy rainfall - Reza was to forward this issue to PBOT. A question was asked about whether the project includes sidewalk improvements, but those will only get upgraded with redevelopment. The LID does not include a sidewalk on the west side of Naito, but may in the future as a second phase. There was also concern raised about traffic impacts caused by the bus stopping in the travel lane to pick up and drop off passengers, however, there isn’t sufficient right-of-way for a bus pullout in both directions without impacting the bicycle lane, which could create safety issues. In addition, the bus currently runs on an infrequent schedule, which reduces the likelihood of significant queuing. 6:40 PDNA Bylaws Update ●

David Dysert and Reza Farhoodi presented a draft of the updated PDNA bylaws to the committee. The bylaws update has been in the works for a period of several months as Reza has been serving on an ad-hoc Bylaws Committee to propose and review amendments. The committee chairs wished to give members an opportunity to review proposed changes to Section 7.1.2 (Planning and Transportation Committee) before the next PDNA Board meeting on June 14th, where they are planned to be voted on by the full board.

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Section 7.1.2C: Three consecutive unexcused absences will result in removal from the committee, a reduction from the current number of six. This matches the same number of meetings used for the board and other committees. While committee members raised concerns about this change, the chairs assured the group that a reminder email would be sent following the second unexcused absence, and that a reasonable amount of discretion will be exercised before removing members permanently. Ultimately, it is about making sure that membership counts remain accurate for the purposes of keeping quorum, and so it is the responsibility of members to let chairs know if they are not going to be able to attend a meeting.


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Section 7.1.2F: This change revises the number of members that constitute a quorum, from 10 members currently to “half of the current membership,” which in practicality results in no immediate change based on the current number of members (19). It also allows members to participate remotely via telephone but does not allow them to vote; both of these rule changes are consistent with proposed changes to the board and other committees. One member noticed that the revised language referred to “Directors” and needed to be modified.

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Section 7.1.2G: This is a new provision in the bylaws, stating that letters written by the Planning and Transportation Committee must be reviewed by the PDNA Board. This modification is mostly intended to emphasize the existing rules, but includes one noteworthy change in that the committee must hold letters until after the next board meeting before submittal, unless the next board meeting is subsequent to a submission deadline for comments (where applicable). Previously, letters have been sent to City of Portland or other bodies by committee chairs as soon as they were completed, with board and committee members receiving a copy. An initial draft of the changes would have required the board’s “approval” of each decision of the committee, but this was removed due to the desires of several members of the board to respect the committee’s executive status. David Dysert added that the board is trying to avoid micromanaging committees, as they can take up excessive board time. One committee member expressed an issue with the wording used, as the language refers to “decision(s) of the Planning and Transportation Committee” whereas the committee acts as an advisory body and does not render decisions. The provision is meant to refer to the results of all motions or votes taken by the committee, whether they are letters on PDNA letterhead or some other action, but this language may need to be revised. In practice, all committee motions are communicated to the board, either in-person at meetings or through the committee meeting minutes. Reza also noted that the language refers to recipients as “City entit(ies)” but the committee has sent correspondence to regional and state agencies as well.

● The committee also expressed a desire to discuss changes to Section 8.2.D in the Duties and Responsibilities segment of the bylaws. There is now an addition that “a member may not dissent in such a way that it may harm or denigrate a policy decision,” and one member asked why this language was added. David Dysert stated that it was related to duty of loyalty, potentially in response to recent events where PDNA members sent correspondence to city staff or media outlets and it was not clear whether they were representing the neighborhood’s official position. Several members expressed significant concerns with the vagueness of the proposed language, to the extent that it may impact what residents can do as private citizens, especially if acting in contrary to the PDNA. There was general consensus for revisions that clarify this provision for instances when a member is representing the board or committee, and the chairs pledged to bring this issue forward before the board meeting. There was also some disagreement as to whether members should be required to disclose their affiliation, even when PDNA Planning and Transportation Committee Meeting Minutes – June 5, 2018

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speaking on their own behalf, although most of the committee felt that it was prudent to do so to avoid confusion. ● Committee members asked in general if there were opportunities for minor revisions that clean up the language and improve clarity, or to correct typos. The chairs responded that all suggested revisions should be sent to the Board President Stan Penkin prior to the next board meeting. One member asked if the committee meeting schedule should be added to the bylaws, to which Reza responded that it is better to keep flexibility by not having the schedule codified. 7:00 Other business ●

Reza Farhoodi reminded the committee that the next meeting on June 19th will have PBOT presenting on Central City in Motion and Flanders Greenway. PBOT is currently holding an Online Open House for CCIM, and PDNA would send details to the community at large. There will also be no meeting on July 3rd due to the holiday.

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Julie Gustafson reported that there may be potential interest from 13th Avenue business owners to explore a car-free zone as a summer pilot project in the historic district for next year. This would build off the MURP workshop project completed last year that looked at rethinking the entire length of 13th Avenue in the Pearl as a more pedestrian-friendly space. While discussions are still exploratory at this stage, she promised to keep the committee apprised of furthera developments.

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Reza Farhoodi informed the committee that City Council was planning to officially adopt the Central City 2035 Plan the following day, June 6th.

● David Dysert reminded the committee that the 815 W Burnside project had a worksession with the Design Commission scheduled on June 14th. ●

David Dysert discussed an upcoming Type II development application that would add a 9.5-foot penthouse level to the Keen building in the historic district, and asked the committee if they would like to see the project at a future meeting. Because the new level would be set back far enough from the street to avoid being visible from the sidewalk, most of the committee felt that a presentation was not necessary.

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Reza Farhoodi provided an update on the Couch/11th intersection. He and Stan Penkin had met with PBOT a few months prior to look at how to reduce traffic delays caused by the pedestrian scramble. PBOT followed up with a plan to make minor modifications to the signal timing and see if that improves the situation in the near-term.

7:15 Adjourn Next Committee Meeting is: July 17, 2018 PDNA Planning and Transportation Committee Meeting Minutes – June 5, 2018

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June 13, 2018 Mayor Ted Wheeler Commissioner Chloe Eudaly Commissioner Nick Fish Commissioner Amanda Fritz Commissioner Dan Saltzman 1221 SW 4th Ave Portland OR 97204 Re: Performance-Based Parking Management Manual Dear Mayor Ted Wheeler and Members of the Portland City Council, I am a member of the Stakeholder Advisory Committee that helped guide the development of the Portland Bureau of Transportation’s Performance-Based Parking Management Manual, representing the Pearl District Neighborhood Association. The genesis of this manual originated in a recommendation from the Downtown Meter Rate Adjustment Subcommittee in 2015 (in which I also served as a member) for the City of Portland to explore data-driven solutions to pricing that can more accurately reflect current parking conditions, compared to the current policy requiring City Council to approve each meter rate adjustment. On behalf of the unanimous support of the PDNA Planning and Transportation Committee, I urge you to adopt the PMM so that our city can modernize our parking management policies and implement demand-responsive pricing in our Downtown Meter District, which has been deployed successfully in 11 other U.S. cities. Studies have long proven that pricing metered spaces to achieve 85 percent peak occupancy will increase availability of on-street parking and encourage the use of off-street parking facilities. This will help reduce traffic congestion and greenhouse gas emissions caused by circling blocks trying to locate parking, and therefore improve neighborhood safety and livability. Furthermore, this change will improve parking turnover, which is important for preserving the economic vitality of our mixeduse commercial district. And while performance-based parking may increase the cost to park in certain congested areas, it has the potential to also reduce the cost in areas that have lower utilization.

The PDNA also supports the PMM as it will codify the net meter revenue sharing policy utilized in Lloyd District, Northwest District, and Central Eastside Industrial District, allowing local neighborhoods and commercial districts to form Parking Stakeholder Advisory Committees that determine how the revenue can be used to benefit the locality in which it is collected. The PMM recommends that “a majority of net meter revenue should go to services and programs within the meter district in which they were generated,” and allows revenues to be allocated towards funding community priorities such as transportation demand management (TDM) programs like the Transportation Wallet that will incentivize alternatives to commuting in a single-occupant vehicle, as well as projects that can improve multimodal safety and access. However, this manual will only apply the new local meter revenue sharing policy to meter districts created subsequently to the adoption of this manual. It will not apply to the Downtown Meter District, which is the oldest meter district and includes most of the westside neighborhoods in the Central City, including the Pearl District. All Downtown Meter District revenue currently goes into the PBOT General Fund. This creates a situation where our locally-raised meter revenue cannot be used to fund transportation priorities for the benefit of the thousands of residents and employees in our district, including many low-income households that don’t own a vehicle. Moreover, this policy is ostensibly based on the faulty premise that each of the neighborhoods in the Downtown Meter District enjoy the same level of multimodal access as the Central Business District, when that is not the case. To that end, the PDNA is encouraged by the May 31 memorandum signed by PBOT Director Leah Treat and Assistant Director Chris Warner, which directs staff to review the net meter revenue policy in response to stakeholder concerns that have been raised regarding the lack of local control of meter revenues for downtown neighborhoods since the Central City 2035 Parking SAC was convened in 2015. However, we recognize that this directive represents just the start of the process and that a separate planning effort will be required to reassess the Parking Revenue Allocation Policy in TRN 3.102 that was first established in 1996.

In closing, I wish to thank PBOT, and PMM Project Manager Malisa McCreedy, for listening to our concerns on this issue, and am hopeful that this review will be expeditious and can bring forward solutions that balance the transportation needs of the Pearl District and other downtown neighborhoods while still preserving PBOT’s general fund revenue stream. Sincerely, Reza Farhoodi Planning and Transportation Committee Co-Chair Pearl District Neighborhood Association

July 13, 2018 Re: In support of dedicated HB 2017 revenue for Portland Streetcar Dear Diane McKeel and Deanna Palm, Chairpersons of the TriMet HB 2017 Advisory Committee: The Pearl District Neighborhood Association’s Planning and Transportation Committee unanimously supports directing a portion of House Bill 2017 (HB 2017) employee payroll tax funding annually to Portland Streetcar for operational improvements that go towards implementing all-day 10 minute headways on its three lines. While I am also serving on the HB 2017 Advisory Committee on my own behalf as a Portland rider representative, this letter is being written in my capacity as co-chair of the PDNA Planning and Transportation Committee. The Portland Streetcar is a public transportation service provider owned by the City of Portland and operated in partnership with TriMet. If Streetcar was located in another jurisdiction in Oregon outside of the Portland metro, it would be considered by the Oregon Department of Transportation as a “Transit Provider” and be eligible to directly receive HB 2017 funding from the state. However, the administrative rules developed by the state require Streetcar coordinate with TriMet directly for funding, because it is located wholly within the TriMet service district. Whether on a ridership or productivity basis, the Portland Streetcar is one of the highest-performing lines in the Portland transit network, with the original NS line serving a critical role in connecting regional population and employment centers within multiple high-density, high-activity neighborhoods in Northwest Portland and the Central City. The Portland Streetcar also directly serves multiple census block groups in the Pearl District, Lloyd, and downtown Portland identified by TriMet as “Equity Neighborhoods,” where there is a high concentration of low-income population, affordable housing, social services, households without access to an automobile, and/or other socioeconomic and demographic factors. Improving the NS and A/B Loops to 10 minute service would enhance access to opportunities, service, and amenities, both for the thousands of individuals living along the streetcar route, and the thousands more who work in its vicinity. Moreover, the Portland Streetcar represents the only all-day, 7-day transit service available within reasonable walking distance for residents and employees in the North Pearl area, a fast-growing neighborhood north of Lovejoy Street that contains nearly 1,000 units of affordable housing and remains largely isolated from TriMet’s core bus and MAX network. If HB 2017 resources were not provided to Portland Streetcar for operational improvements, it would effectively exclude this part of the metro region from this source of funding. Furthermore, given the documented equity needs of our area, providing funds for Streetcar would meet the goal of the enabling legislation and the guiding statement of the HB 2017 Advisory Committee to develop “...a public transportation improvement

plan to spend HB 2017 funds for the...expansion of existing and creation of new transit services...with consideration for communities with a high percentage of low-income households”. In closing, we urge TriMet to provide an appropriate level of HB 2017 funding annually towards Portland Streetcar operations to serve the growing transit needs of the Central City and Northwest Portland. We look forward to working with Streetcar and TriMet to ensure these funds provide a high level of streetcar service for our neighborhood’s residents and employees in the years to come. Sincerely, Reza Farhoodi Planning and Transportation Committee Co-Chair Pearl District Neighborhood Association CC: Dan Bower, Portland Streetcar Art Pearce, Portland Bureau of Transportation Tom Mills, TriMet