Comments on: What We Can Really Learn from Portland http://citiwire.net/post/1329/ Our mission... to reflect a new narrative for 21st century cities and regions. Leaving behind the 20th century pattern of cheap energy, endless automobility, burgeoning suburbs, threatened inner cities. To a challenge-packed 21st century: energy prices headed north, perilous carbon emissions, deepening have-have not divisions, excruciating social problems and deep challenges in education. But a time of exciting promise, too. Mon, 06 Feb 2012 12:15:05 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Steve Michaels http://citiwire.net/post/1329/comment-page-1/#comment-834 Steve Michaels Sat, 26 Sep 2009 15:03:34 +0000 http://citiwire.net/?p=1329#comment-834 Here's the problem -- once Mr Fulton gets the reflection of the sun off the streetcars out of his eyes. We have plenty of money for trams, streetcars, MAX, rebuilding PGE Park twice in 10 years and building "things". We don't have enough money for schools, keeping police precincts open or keeping the Sellwood Bridge from collapsing. Meanwhile we have infrastructure 100 years old in the streets with no plans to rehab them and our water/sewer rates are the highest in the country. Meanwhile all the development dollars get poured into downtown while anything else rots (outside of streetcars/trams.) Oh yeah, Portland can't attract a decent creative job to save its life. Mr Fulton should look up the term "bread and circuses." Here’s the problem — once Mr Fulton gets the reflection of the sun off the streetcars out of his eyes.

We have plenty of money for trams, streetcars, MAX, rebuilding PGE Park twice in 10 years and building “things”.

We don’t have enough money for schools, keeping police precincts open or keeping the Sellwood Bridge from collapsing. Meanwhile we have infrastructure 100 years old in the streets with no plans to rehab them and our water/sewer rates are the highest in the country. Meanwhile all the development dollars get poured into downtown while anything else rots (outside of streetcars/trams.) Oh yeah, Portland can’t attract a decent creative job to save its life.

Mr Fulton should look up the term “bread and circuses.”

]]> By: jim karlock http://citiwire.net/post/1329/comment-page-1/#comment-827 jim karlock Sat, 26 Sep 2009 05:05:06 +0000 http://citiwire.net/?p=1329#comment-827 oops. Here it the table, properly formatted, in the original order, but truncated after three items. (Clackamas, Multnomah,Washington are the three counties in the region) Table 2 What Voters are Most Concerned or Bothered by about Their Quality of Life in the Metro Region Codes Verbatim Concerns........... Total... Clackamas...Multnomah....Washington Traffic congestion/transportation....12%.......10%................8%..............18% Public safety, crime, drugs, gangs...9%.........8%...............12%...............5% Government/politics.........................7%........11%................6%...............6% oops.

Here it the table, properly formatted, in the original order, but truncated after three items. (Clackamas, Multnomah,Washington are the three counties in the region)
Table 2
What Voters are Most Concerned or Bothered by about Their Quality of Life in the Metro Region
Codes Verbatim Concerns……….. Total… Clackamas…Multnomah….Washington
Traffic congestion/transportation….12%…….10%…………….8%…………..18%
Public safety, crime, drugs, gangs…9%………8%……………12%……………5%
Government/politics…………………….7%……..11%…………….6%……………6%

]]> By: jim karlock http://citiwire.net/post/1329/comment-page-1/#comment-826 jim karlock Sat, 26 Sep 2009 04:58:47 +0000 http://citiwire.net/?p=1329#comment-826 That particular survey also found that the number one perceived problem in the region is traffic congestion - a sign that Metro has utterly failed at its job of being the regional transportation planning agency (be sure to download the actual survey, not Metro’s glowing interpretation. You will find this): Table 2 What Voters are Most Concerned or Bothered by about Their Quality of Life in the Metro Region Codes Verbatim Concerns Total N=600 Clackamas N=200 Multnomah N=200 Washington N=200 Traffic congestion/transportation 12% 10% 8% 18% Public safety, crime, drugs, gangs 9% 8% 12% 5% Government/politics 7% 11% 6% 6% Employment opportunities/jobs 7% 6% 7% 9% The reason for Metro’s failure is that it directs most of the region’s transportation money to those over priced toy trains (light rail) for a few people, instead of to roads for everyone and freight too. And people don't like Metro's density increases that result from the UGB, but Metro manages to fool the people with stories about saving farmland without telling people that little local farm land actually grows little food. Metro also fools people into thinking that density is saving money. Density increase soundly lost in a Metro wide election a few years back. See: http://www.portlandfacts.com/smart/metrodensityvote.htm Thanks JK That particular survey also found that the number one perceived problem in the region is traffic congestion – a sign that Metro has utterly failed at its job of being the regional transportation planning agency (be sure to download the actual survey, not Metro’s glowing interpretation. You will find this):
Table 2
What Voters are Most Concerned or Bothered by about Their Quality of Life in the Metro Region
Codes Verbatim Concerns Total N=600 Clackamas N=200 Multnomah N=200 Washington N=200
Traffic congestion/transportation 12% 10% 8% 18%
Public safety, crime, drugs, gangs 9% 8% 12% 5%
Government/politics 7% 11% 6% 6%
Employment opportunities/jobs 7% 6% 7% 9%

The reason for Metro’s failure is that it directs most of the region’s transportation money to those over priced toy trains (light rail) for a few people, instead of to roads for everyone and freight too.

And people don’t like Metro’s density increases that result from the UGB, but Metro manages to fool the people with stories about saving farmland without telling people that little local farm land actually grows little food. Metro also fools people into thinking that density is saving money.

Density increase soundly lost in a Metro wide election a few years back.
See: http://www.portlandfacts.com/smart/metrodensityvote.htm

Thanks
JK

]]> By: Jon Cope http://citiwire.net/post/1329/comment-page-1/#comment-825 Jon Cope Fri, 25 Sep 2009 04:40:37 +0000 http://citiwire.net/?p=1329#comment-825 I think Mr. Fulton needs to visit Portland again, but spend some more time on the "east" side of town. And Laurelhurst doesn't count. Try east of 82nd Ave, the part of Portland that has been forsaken by the city's elite to build that little utopia called the Pearl District. But watch out for potholes the size of pizzas. I think Mr. Fulton needs to visit Portland again, but spend some more time on the “east” side of town. And Laurelhurst doesn’t count. Try east of 82nd Ave, the part of Portland that has been forsaken by the city’s elite to build that little utopia called the Pearl District. But watch out for potholes the size of pizzas.

]]> By: Ethan Seltzer http://citiwire.net/post/1329/comment-page-1/#comment-824 Ethan Seltzer Fri, 25 Sep 2009 04:04:06 +0000 http://citiwire.net/?p=1329#comment-824 One follow-up that might be of interest here: Check out the results from a recent survey in the Portland region regarding planning and growth management at: http://news.oregonmetro.gov/1/post.cfm/survey-gauges-public-views-about-growth What did Metro find? Citizens out here like and support planning and the urban growth boundary. They want new growth to be planned, they want it to occur in predictable ways, and they want it supported by parks, schools, and other important community services and infrastructure. Perhaps most interesting is that attitudes about this kinds of things in the suburbs and the city are converging, and the convergence is around the kind of compact city building that has been occurring in the center of the region. Does everyone agree? Of course not. However, there is solid support for the kind of ideas and dynamics highlighted by Fulton. Note for the naysayers: we aren't miserable out here... hardly the case. Often I hear others in other regions saying that what we're doing in Portland can't be done in their regions. However, that isn't really the point. What we've done in Portland is to use planning and investment to make this a more livable community. Every community can do this in their own way. It would be a better world if they did. One follow-up that might be of interest here: Check out the results from a recent survey in the Portland region regarding planning and growth management at:
http://news.oregonmetro.gov/1/post.cfm/survey-gauges-public-views-about-growth
What did Metro find? Citizens out here like and support planning and the urban growth boundary. They want new growth to be planned, they want it to occur in predictable ways, and they want it supported by parks, schools, and other important community services and infrastructure. Perhaps most interesting is that attitudes about this kinds of things in the suburbs and the city are converging, and the convergence is around the kind of compact city building that has been occurring in the center of the region. Does everyone agree? Of course not. However, there is solid support for the kind of ideas and dynamics highlighted by Fulton. Note for the naysayers: we aren’t miserable out here… hardly the case. Often I hear others in other regions saying that what we’re doing in Portland can’t be done in their regions. However, that isn’t really the point. What we’ve done in Portland is to use planning and investment to make this a more livable community. Every community can do this in their own way. It would be a better world if they did.

]]> By: Steve http://citiwire.net/post/1329/comment-page-1/#comment-823 Steve Fri, 25 Sep 2009 03:55:21 +0000 http://citiwire.net/?p=1329#comment-823 Too bad you don't live here. All of this development money for trollies and downtown, yet you go outside the core and potholes aboud, The MAX has killed the retail environment downtown (you can compare the empty storefornts and Piooner Place vacancies vs. suburban malls) and the final coup de grace - almost 0 job growth. I am confused why this is such an improvement when we can find plenty of money in Portland to build "things" yet we have the highest water/sewer rates, lusy schools and a Sellwood bridge on teh verge of collapse. I love Portland and grew up here, but ther is no overarching plan besides just running streetcars all over the place. Too bad you don’t live here. All of this development money for trollies and downtown, yet you go outside the core and potholes aboud, The MAX has killed the retail environment downtown (you can compare the empty storefornts and Piooner Place vacancies vs. suburban malls) and the final coup de grace – almost 0 job growth.

I am confused why this is such an improvement when we can find plenty of money in Portland to build “things” yet we have the highest water/sewer rates, lusy schools and a Sellwood bridge on teh verge of collapse.

I love Portland and grew up here, but ther is no overarching plan besides just running streetcars all over the place.

]]> By: Mike Hamilton http://citiwire.net/post/1329/comment-page-1/#comment-822 Mike Hamilton Fri, 25 Sep 2009 02:57:15 +0000 http://citiwire.net/?p=1329#comment-822 "It’s no accident that one of the key players in The Intertwine is Metro, the regional government that’s also responsible for regional growth management and transit planning. " You mean the group that wants to build a money-losing hotel to go along with the money-losing convention center? "You have never seen anything like Portland’s food carts. " Portland is the only city with lots of food carts? really? What I saw in S.F., N.Y.C. & other cities must have been an optical illusion "But it may be the best urban collector system ever created. If the streetcar didn’t exist, a bunch of useful but inefficient little buses would have to run around Portland connecting things–similar to L.A.’s DASH buses." The street car which serves almost nobody and goes almost nowhere-but costs big $$ so bus routes (cheaper)are being cut back? "a large industrial area now being revitalized (the Pearl District)," How do overpriced condos, underemployed "creative class" types"( Hey Mom the web design gig fell thru, send money) and $7 lattes count as industry? "Sometimes you just have to build stuff and see what happens." Seems to be the "planner" ethos. To recount: the tram was built due to all the biotech jobs OHSU was going to put into the S Waterfront district along with all the people living in the condos. To date few jobs and the condos are half empty and selling at fire sale prices. The tram operates at a loss because anyone going to OHSU rides for free. “It’s no accident that one of the key players in The Intertwine is Metro, the regional government that’s also responsible for regional growth management and transit planning. ”

You mean the group that wants to build a money-losing hotel to go along with the money-losing convention center?

“You have never seen anything like Portland’s food carts. ”
Portland is the only city with lots of food carts? really? What I saw in S.F., N.Y.C. & other cities must have been an optical illusion

“But it may be the best urban collector system ever created. If the streetcar didn’t exist, a bunch of useful but inefficient little buses would have to run around Portland connecting things–similar to L.A.’s DASH buses.”

The street car which serves almost nobody and goes almost nowhere-but costs big $$ so bus routes (cheaper)are being cut back?

“a large industrial area now being revitalized (the Pearl District),”

How do overpriced condos, underemployed “creative class” types”( Hey Mom the web design gig fell thru, send money) and $7 lattes count as industry?

“Sometimes you just have to build stuff and see what happens.”

Seems to be the “planner” ethos. To recount: the tram was built due to all the biotech jobs OHSU was going to put into the S Waterfront district along with all the people living in the condos. To date few jobs and the condos are half empty and selling at fire sale prices. The tram operates at a loss because anyone going to OHSU rides for free.

]]> By: Sarah Carlin Ames http://citiwire.net/post/1329/comment-page-1/#comment-821 Sarah Carlin Ames Fri, 25 Sep 2009 00:00:02 +0000 http://citiwire.net/?p=1329#comment-821 We all have our own perspective, and mine is as a Portlander since 1977, and graduate of our public schools now working for the school district. I think our K-12 education system is a critical part of what makes Portland, Portland. Few other mid-sized or larger cities have such a high rate of public school attendance: close to 85 percent, and even those who could afford private school choose to join their neighbors and friends at public schools. That builds community and loyalty -- among parents, alumni, kids -- and it contributes to our community cohesion and spirit in Portland. Unfortunately, unlike our transportation system or even our regional parks, our school infrastructure has suffered from a sad lack of capital investment. The average school building is 65 years old. The last major investment -- voters approved a bond in the mid-1990s -- mostly went to critical upgrades in seismic safety, roof replacements, and other efforts to keep our students warm, safe and dry. Only two schools have been built in the last 30 years. Our newest building, Rosa Parks Elementary, was built by leveraging partnerships and stretching our dollars. Opened in 2006, it was the first LEED Gold school building west of the Mississippi. So Portland is rightly lauded for its cutting-edge design and planning in so many areas . . . . some day perhaps school buildings can catch up. Sarah Carlin Ames Public Affairs Director Portland Public Schools Learn more about our school modernization plans: http://www.pps.k12.or.us/departments/schoolmodernization/index.htm We all have our own perspective, and mine is as a Portlander since 1977, and graduate of our public schools now working for the school district. I think our K-12 education system is a critical part of what makes Portland, Portland. Few other mid-sized or larger cities have such a high rate of public school attendance: close to 85 percent, and even those who could afford private school choose to join their neighbors and friends at public schools. That builds community and loyalty — among parents, alumni, kids — and it contributes to our community cohesion and spirit in Portland.

Unfortunately, unlike our transportation system or even our regional parks, our school infrastructure has suffered from a sad lack of capital investment. The average school building is 65 years old. The last major investment — voters approved a bond in the mid-1990s — mostly went to critical upgrades in seismic safety, roof replacements, and other efforts to keep our students warm, safe and dry. Only two schools have been built in the last 30 years. Our newest building, Rosa Parks Elementary, was built by leveraging partnerships and stretching our dollars. Opened in 2006, it was the first LEED Gold school building west of the Mississippi.

So Portland is rightly lauded for its cutting-edge design and planning in so many areas . . . . some day perhaps school buildings can catch up.

Sarah Carlin Ames
Public Affairs Director
Portland Public Schools

Learn more about our school modernization plans: http://www.pps.k12.or.us/departments/schoolmodernization/index.htm

]]> By: jim karlock http://citiwire.net/post/1329/comment-page-1/#comment-820 jim karlock Thu, 24 Sep 2009 23:41:50 +0000 http://citiwire.net/?p=1329#comment-820 Of course, outsiders never see the price Portlanders pay for all that building and transit: *We feed over $50 million annually into the developer's pockets. See SavePortland.com * That "South Waterfront" (real name: North Macadam Urban Renewal district) is broke. The city is out of money to fulfill it's promises. See http://www.portlandfacts.com/failure/fail-sowhat.htm *Our transit system costs well over double what driving costs. See portlandfacts.com/transit/cost-cars-transit(2005)b.htm *We are taking money from police, fire, schools and human services because of the money given to developers. see: portlandfacts.com/ur/priceofur.htm Thanks JK Of course, outsiders never see the price Portlanders pay for all that building and transit:

*We feed over $50 million annually into the developer’s pockets. See SavePortland.com

* That “South Waterfront” (real name: North Macadam Urban Renewal district) is broke. The city is out of money to fulfill it’s promises. See
http://www.portlandfacts.com/failure/fail-sowhat.htm

*Our transit system costs well over double what driving costs. See portlandfacts.com/transit/cost-cars-transit(2005)b.htm

*We are taking money from police, fire, schools and human services because of the money given to developers.
see: portlandfacts.com/ur/priceofur.htm

Thanks
JK

]]> By: Neal Peirce http://citiwire.net/post/1329/comment-page-1/#comment-817 Neal Peirce Tue, 22 Sep 2009 02:19:29 +0000 http://citiwire.net/?p=1329#comment-817 From a reader's blog: Check out What We Can Really Learn from Portland by William Fulton over at Citiwire.net. As Fulton points out, Portland stands alone in its ability to generate conversation among city and regional planners. I'm sure that many critics would dismiss Fulton's article as just the latest misguided love letter to Portland from Planners USA, but I don't think that's fair. Community and economic development is about providing people choices: building places that allow people to live the way they want. I don't disagree with critics who argue that some styles of land use planning--"smart growth" or otherwise--impose limitations on choice that may contradict that definition of community and economic development. But that is why I think places like Austin are so successful. From a regional perspective, Austin offers a wide range of possibilities. For people with the means, you can live in a luxury condo downtown with front door access to some of Austin's most celebrated assets. If you prefer a traditional single-family house at an affordable price, we have that here, too. I've only been to Portland a couple of times, but my guess is that the urban lifestyle Fulton describes is not the only option available there. Presenting planning as an either/or choice between competing lifestyles is misleading. If you are interested in reading more about Portland-style planning, you can peruse an abbreviated version of my master's report: Are Urban Growth Boundaries Raising Housing Prices in California? The Portland Debate Revisited in the Golden State. I lived in Sonoma County during the urban growth boundary debate in 2000, and I think that experience played a large role in shaping my interest in data-driven community and economic development. Brian Kelsey brian@civicanalytics.com 512-731-7851 Civic Analytics Blog Twitter/civicanalytics From a reader’s blog:
Check out What We Can Really Learn from Portland by William Fulton over at Citiwire.net. As Fulton points out, Portland stands alone in its ability to generate conversation among city and regional planners. I’m sure that many critics would dismiss Fulton’s article as just the latest misguided love letter to Portland from Planners USA, but I don’t think that’s fair. Community and economic development is about providing people choices: building places that allow people to live the way they want. I don’t disagree with critics who argue that some styles of land use planning–”smart growth” or otherwise–impose limitations on choice that may contradict that definition of community and economic development. But that is why I think places like Austin are so successful. From a regional perspective, Austin offers a wide range of possibilities. For people with the means, you can live in a luxury condo downtown with front door access to some of Austin’s most celebrated assets. If you prefer a traditional single-family house at an affordable price, we have that here, too. I’ve only been to Portland a couple of times, but my guess is that the urban lifestyle Fulton describes is not the only option available there. Presenting planning as an either/or choice between competing lifestyles is misleading.

If you are interested in reading more about Portland-style planning, you can peruse an abbreviated version of my master’s report: Are Urban Growth Boundaries Raising Housing Prices in California? The Portland Debate Revisited in the Golden State. I lived in Sonoma County during the urban growth boundary debate in 2000, and I think that experience played a large role in shaping my interest in data-driven community and economic development.
Brian Kelsey
brian@civicanalytics.com
512-731-7851
Civic Analytics Blog
Twitter/civicanalytics

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