[Posted Wednesday, December 14, 2022]
Contributed by Robert Hamilton, Hillsdale Neighborhood Association board member
The Hillsdale Neighborhood Association (HNA) met by Zoom on Wednesday, December 7, from 7-9:15 p.m. The meeting featured presentations by Grant O'Connell, Senior Planner for TriMet, and Mark Dane, representing developers who have applied for permission from the City of Portland Building Development Services (BDS) to develop 12 condominiums on SW 13th Drive.
Mr. O'Connell stated that TriMet's goal is to grow ridership by 38% and restore lost bus services. Currently, ridership is 10% above pre-Pandemic levels, although ridership in some high-income areas has declined. TriMet is offering financial incentives to attract new drivers. It plans to expand, sometime in 2023, lines offering Frequent Service (every 15 minutes), and expand service to some new areas while reducing service in low-demand areas. Two changes for Hillsdale will be made at an undetermined date: (1) Line 54 bus will feature 15-minute, rather than 30-minute, service; and (2) east-bound Line 56 bus will pass through the business district and turn left off Capitol Highway at Terwilliger Boulevard and serve Oregon Health and Sciences University (OHSU), as will also Line 43.
Mr. Dane joined the Zoom meeting to review design changes requested by HNA in 2021. New designs were resubmitted to BDS in April 2022. Following a lengthy discussion of building height for the planned units, it was agreed that Mr. Dane will meet with HNA and other interested residents at the building site in late December or early January to discuss the matter in person. The meeting will precede the next HNA Board and General meeting on January 4. If BDS approval is granted, construction is tentatively scheduled to begin in the Spring of 2023.
The next meeting of the HNA is scheduled for Wednesday, January 4, at 7pm.
Questions regarding membership and requests to receive Zoom meeting links should be submitted to HNA President Tatiana Lifshitz (vivereinitalia@comcast.net).
What topics would you like to see addressed by the Hillsdale Neighborhood Association? Let us know.