Colwood Golf Course saved!!!
A major, major victory for the neighbors at the Portland City Council tonight. And a stunning upset for the property owners and the Port of Portland.
It won't be finally over for another month or two, but it looks as though the greenspace is going to be preserved. Congratulations and big thanks to these folks and to the Council. They got it right.
| Posted at 10:55 PM | Permalink |
|
Comments (7)
I note there's seven days for the applicant to submit further testimony - then a final vote by council on Oct. 22.
With a 4-0 vote, and Potter (who was absent) against it, this looks pretty settled. But I'd keep in an eye on what gets put into the record (and for that matter, what gets said and done off the record).
Posted by john rettig | September 17, 2008 11:32 PM
Never, never, never underestimate Steve Janik.
Posted by Jack Bog | September 17, 2008 11:34 PM
Good on them (for now anyway).
It really looked like they were going to lose so this turnaround is a bit of a stunner alright.
Posted by Samuel John Klein | September 18, 2008 3:34 AM
Like property owners ever have a chance with City Council. Unless, of course, they wanted to build condos or a MAX station.
Posted by Jon | September 18, 2008 6:01 AM
So is the city going to pay the current owners to maintain the property as an open space? Or are they just telling the owners that the space has to be maintained as is for ever for the enjoyment of the neighbors. But the neighbors don't have to pay for this I assume. Sounds like a taking of property rights to me.
Posted by andy | September 18, 2008 10:55 AM
Gosh you're dim, andy. The property owners knew what the zoning of the property was when they purchased it. They were hoping to change the existing zoning to increase the value of the property. How is that a "taking"?
Posted by drivin' fool | September 18, 2008 11:28 AM
Andy, let me turn this question around: Should the owners be allowed to maintain the tax advantage of open space deferral and pay only $48k in annual property taxes for 50 acres of land , if their ultimate intent is to upzone it and flip it for industrial use?
The concept of upzoning would change drastically in the US if an owner were allowed to "buy" an upzoning by giving back deferrals that were taken over some period of time. That's how it works in a lot of other places in the world.
Posted by John Rettig | September 18, 2008 12:27 PM