And the complaints are anonymous !
Let's get those phones at the BDS a ringin'! this morning.

Code Enforcement

If you know the code you can disable the enforcement! What's the problem?

Do we necessarily ipso facto want to shut down the parking lot? Do we agree with the central city moratorium on new parking lots? Or do we shut them down just because we can? Or just for the sport of it? Not arguing, just wondering these things.

If Hoyt has to shut down its parking lot, soon the city may have a change of heart about that moratorium. The City Council answers to those people.

Rules, regulations and laws should be enforced equally!
Why should Hoyt St Properties be "more equal" than Michael Wright, or anyone else?
The way the city of Portland is run on all levels is a crime and a disgrace!

Note that for the first three years after the complaint, the city wasn't even fining them. They did nothing.

Them getting away with it is one thing, but those engaged in private profit-seeking activity will always get away with as much as they can. That's the nature of that beast. I worry more about graft by public officials --the supposed regulators-- who exploit that nature for their own direct or indirect personal enrichment. Those are the guys to target.

So to file an anonymous complaint, I have to register an account with Portland Online to get the form? Right. No wonder nothing happens.

When the city wants to play tough, they can do it. There for awhile there was no enforcement of new billboards that were popping up. The city then started to fine the offendees a large daily amount and the signs came down. The one I remember most is Oregon Outdoor Community on I-84. Guess the city does not want to ruffle feathers in the Pearl.

In substance, I think this mirrors the historically traditional roles of government and businesses in Portland. That is, anything goes as long as government gets its cut.

With that in mind, this system makes perfect sense. The city dogs business owners who are able to write checks or incur property liens, who aren't using that money to support their politics, and who have other enemies to deal with (the rats) to sap their will to fight the city. The HSP's of the city redevelop those business owners' properties when they finally move away.

Also, with HSP, sure it may pay $1200/mo tribute for the parking lot, but how much direct or indirect help has it received from the same coffers? It really is all "just business," exactly how Tiffany S. described in the article.

I think someone needs to "complain" about this whole ridiculous mess of land use sticks and carrots in the courts. An even playing field for businesses in Portland would be a beautiful thing that could revive our city.

Some years ago I knew someone who moved here from Seattle to take a job for one of the city's planning and permit bureaus. After about 5 years he quit and went back up north. When I asked why, he said this place was more crooked than a box of corkscrews.

BDS Director Paul Scarlett wants to hear from you:

"My current priorities and focus areas for the bureau includes [sic]:

* Service Level/BDS Level Communication Plan

* Technology

* Maintaining good working relationship with Labor, customers, and Industry partners

I am constantly looking for new, creative and improved ways to best serve our customers. If you have questions or concerns about our current services or ideas for improvements please feel free to contact me at paul.scarlett@portlandoregon.gov. I look forward to hearing from you."
http://www.portlandonline.com/bds/index.cfm?c=43848

If you obtain a response from him, which would be a rare event, please recount the interaction in this forum.

So, is the reference to CoP being run like a modern day Tammany Hall not so outlandish after all?

PPS violated numerous parts of the zoning code and their conditional use permits over the past decade.

More than 200 complaints were filed with BDS, were acknowledged as valid by both BDS and Planning staff.

BDS put them on hold until that time which they along with the Mayors office, could find a retroactive means to make them go away.

They could not do so by legal means so they fabricated a rationalization to do so. This took over two years, and during that time PPS redefined grades, and "completed" a high school redesign, and constructed a disposition policy to better enable them to pass along the most desirable elementary and middle school properties to private parties. Watch out also for those high schools which have around 30 acres of open space each.

Council further enabled future PPS violations by diminishing the code requirement from the Planning Commission recommended type 3 review to a type 2 bypassing the public and neighborhood notification requirement.

PPS took the position they were not subject to our zoning code (ie. above the law) in spite of managing real property within the City. The Planning Bureau and City attorney seemed to differ on this interpretation, but it seemed not to matter to those controlling this real estate slush fund. Our Mayor controls Planning.

Council looked the other way, and then voted to allow retroactive immunity for more than ten years worth of violations at numerous properties.

What PPS did was intentionally failing to file applications for permits, (no application, no proof or compliance required) Knowing what's done cannot be undone. This was preferred path due the the requirement at BDS that they provide proof of clear title and show how the changes would comply with the code in order for their land use application to be accepted for review, then approval.

PPS would not provide any evidence that they actually have title to their properties, so the pass in Council because they don't want the public to have the knowledge they may not be able to legally convey legitimate title in their plans to dispose of public lands both past and future; some of which have those inconvenient encumbrances such as reversion clauses placed on them by the donors in past generations who understood political manipulations and greed.

The whole debate over who owns public property is something PPS and the City does not want brought into the light of day.