Pen 2 Special Meeting re Bike/Ped Path

In its planning for the Bridgeton bike and pedestrian trail, the City has asked the Board to make some decisions and not wanting to put the project on hold for a later decision (the board is not scheduled to meet again until September), the board chose to meet next week.

BOARD OF SUPERVISOR’S MEETING

for

Peninsula Drainage District #2

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

Noon - 1:00 p.m.

MCDD Office Conference Room

AGENDA

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

None at this meeting

BUSINESS

A. DISCUSSION ON CITY OF PORTLAND PARKS/PDC BRIDGETON BIKE AND PEDESTRIAN TRAIL

Staff report on remaining issues is oral; if needed, suggested motion language will be offered depending on discussion

ADJOURNMENT

Agenda note: board action items appear in red

An update and thank you from Pen2

PENINSULA DRAINAGE DISTRICT NO.2
1880 NE ELROD DRIVE, PORTLAND, OREGON 97211-1810
PHONE (503) 281-5675    FAX (503) 281-0392


November 3, 2008

Leslie Sawyer, Chair
Bridgeton Neighborhood Association
Portland OR 97211

Dear Leslie,

Please accept this report as an update on the tree removal and planting plan approved by the stakeholder organizations earlier this year.  As you know, Wieden+Kennedy staff volunteered on October 30th to plant the first phase of seventy trees at the Columbia School site.  They were guided by a planting plan prepared by the neighborhood through landscape architect Bo Nevue.  Bo even staked the location of the trees to be planted.  Friends of Trees assisted the Wieden+Kennedy staff in organization and helped plant trees.  Jeff Moore of Urban Forest Professionals LLC volunteered his time and equipment to unload and place the trees near the designated planting site, and dug the planting holes where Bo had them staked.  The PEN 2 Drainage District bought the trees through R&M Plant Procurement who dug, bagged and delivered each to the site.

Prior to the staking of trees, the PEN 2 District had been able to backfill fifteen feet along the south edge of the levee to stabilize and enforce its width, and add an additional fifteen feet of soil to accommodate tree planting.  Originally, this project was not thought possible this year, but the bid was most competitive and the District was able to complete the work with the approval of the School District.  The effect in a couple of years will be to create the tree corridor effect that had to be removed.  The addition can also be used as a natural embankment for watching soccer games.

All trees have now been removed and the stumps ground-out, or taken out, per US Army Corps of Engineers standards.  The USACE has inspected the levee and will write a letter supporting levee certification to FEMA this week.  That should provide time for FEMA to compile the information and include it in the final Federal Insurance Rate Maps (FIRM) due out September 2009.  The PEN 2 District will be protected by this action.

Congratulations to the Bridgeton Neighborhood for enduring this stressing process of both tree removal and added construction confusion on the levee.  The District looks forward to working with Bridgeton neighbors on the location of other trees to plant in each of the two years to come.

If you have any questions or concerns, do not hesitate to contact me.

Best regards,

Bob Eaton
Executive Director

Response to my letter to the DD

The response from Bob Eaton to my email of November 9th came in the mail and was undated and I did not log in when it came but it was within the 10 days I requested of him. I'll quote and/or summarize the one page large font letter here:

1 - "The District does not poison beavers." He said they collapsed the burrow.

2- The herbicide use for vegetation control is Garlon 3A - a DowAgro product and he included the DowAgro Safety Data Sheet. Eaton claims animals are "safe" and "Those who use the River may do so with confidence."

3- Eaton adds that if anyone want to inspect the spraying records they are welcome to review them at the MCDD office between 7:30AM and 3:30 PM

4- He claims the DD this year "has gone over the neighborhood notification process procedures" with staff to make sure they will be improved for 2008. As we were never notified - when you and or I go to the office be sure to ask for the current neighborhood notification procedures to see if they even had any.

DowAgro's own Data Safety info suggests that prolonged or frequent exposure needs skin protection and that chemical goggles be used by those spraying. It also states: "...items such as faceshield, gloves, boots, aprons or full-body suit will depend on operation." So let's see - if you are the one spraying it - take all sorts of precautions. BUT if you are near where it is being sprayed and you can be exposed to it - he feels we have no need to know!

Al other info talks to exposure guidelines and of course that was not in the material Eaton sent.

I will make trip there and I suggest anyone else who is interested to go there as well.
Address is 1880 NE Elrod Drive - it's off 33rd

So you don't have to go looking - I'll re-post my letter him below - you can see he did not answer many questions.

Friday, November 9, 2007

Mr. Bob Eaton, Executive Director
Mr. Dave Hendricks, Deputy Director

Multnomah County Drainage District

Dear Mr. Eaton and Mr. Hendricks:

I am a Bridgeton resident. In October of this year a neighbor told me that your office poisoned the beavers in the Columbia River along the levees, including Bridgeton levee, and also sprayed “something” on the levee to curtail vegetative growth.

I find this worrisome and have a few questions:

1 – Did you poison the beavers?

If so, when specifically did this occur? Where were the beaver burrows located that were poisoned?

What poison[s] were used? Please be specific and also list all ingredients including information as to how long each of the ingredients is active.
Did you retrieve the dead animals?
If so, where were they found?
And if not retrieved – why not?

2 - Did you spray or otherwise cause chemicals or poison[s] to be put on the levee?

If so, when specifically did this occur?
Exactly what areas were subjected to this process and how close did the process come to the river's edge?
Did you first take care to note if any water fowl were nesting in those areas?
What specifically was used? Please list all ingredients and also include information as to how long each of the ingredients is active.

3 - Why were the neighbors not notified in advance of any of these events?

Many of us allow our pets to walk on the levee and explore the grasses along the slopes.
Many of us water our plants and vegetables with river water.
Many of us in the neighborhood swim and kayak in the Columbia Channel and River or otherwise come in contact with the water, as do many who do not live here but are out on the river in boats.

Assuming you have all this information readily available I expect a most rapid reply and expect an answer within 10 working days.

Brief Summary of Pen2/BNA Meeting

The following is a summary of the 10/30/07 meeting (3-6pm) with Pen2:

At the suggestion of the City Forester, Dave McAllister, BNA and Pen2 met to work towards a mutually agreed upon plan for tree removal and mitigation.

Present:

BNA: Walter Valenta, Tom Kelly, Alise Goforth
Pen2: Dick Shafer
ACOE: Jeremy Britton

The group walked the length of the levee from Marine Drive to Columbia Way West Moorage to inspect marked trees and then sat down to discuss the situation.

No decisions were reached - and a second joint meeting is scheduled for next Tuesday, November 6 at 3 pm.

Tree removal permits - update

One of the BNA board members has tried, without success so far, to meet with the Pen 2 people to see if they can work out a joint plan as suggested by the City.

In spite of the city request to negotiate - Pen 2 went ahead and requested a permit to cut 124 trees under the emergency tree removal provision of the City code.

This application was denied as the City does not find there to be an emergency but 40 of the 124 trees identified in the application fall outside of City regulation.

Which are those 40 trees is unknown right now - and the question has been put to the city.

Updates posted as they arrive on my computer : - )

Last week's neighborhood meeting

This post is taken from the notes of someone who attended.

There were some who were outspoken against BNA efforts, largely because they don't want to lose the ability to get flood insurance. [Note - see previous post about that issue - loss of insurance was among the bits of misinformation going around.]

Most of the meeting was around the question of "What can we do?"

Some felt a need to encourage writing to the Pen2 Board members asking:

1- Why are they relying so heavily on two consultants who have performed so poorly in this matter?

2- Why haven't they requested a variance from the ACOE, as only they can do?

3 - Why has there not been an effective meeting with BNA to come to a joint plan as was suggested by the City Forester.

Pen2 board members are Mike McBride, Dick Shafer and Rich Halsten. There has been no direct communication with any of this board during the current process. They are elected to represent all residents of Pen2 - and that includes the Bridgeton neighborhood.

Finally there was a discussion of how to work to get a Bridgeton resident elected to the Pen2 board.