GHFL Letters

The following lists some of the more recent official correspondence sent by the GHFL (in reverse chronological order) to various government agencies:

--Sept. 28, 2022:  Letter to Mayor Wheeler and City Commissioners in support of Firefighters Memorial Plaza redesign.  (Schaffer)

--Aug. 25, 2021:  Letter to Commissioners of Design Commission with supplemental arguments to July 15 letter opposing 17-story/336-unit apartment project that includes 225 MAC parking spaces on the basis this it violates several central city and neighborhood design guidelines.  (Powell)

--July 15, 2021:  Letter to BDS opposing 17-story/336-unit apartment project that includes 225 MAC parking spaces on the basis this it violates several central city and neighborhood design guidelines.  (Schaffer)

--February 7, 2021:  Letter to National Register Program Director supporting Downtown Neighborhood Association efforts to seek historic designation of South Park Blocks.  (Schaffer)

--March 28, 2019:  Letter to Portland's Office of Management and Finance requesting changes to the draft Good Neighbor Agreement with Peregrine and Providence Park.  (Prince/Powell)

--October 25, 2018:  Letter to Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) encouraging stricter enforcement of city rules on e-scooter use.  (Mehaffy)

--October 18, 2018:  Letter to TriMet objecting to planned closure of Kings Hill MAX station. (Mehaffy)

--September 20, 2018:  Letter to Design Commission expressing support for certain design elements on the proposed Butler Block apartment project.  (Powell)

--September 11, 2018:  Letter to Mark Seiber, Director of Neighbors West Northwest neighborhood coallition, challenging necessity of NWNW staff attending all GHFL meetings.  (Mehaffy)

--July 21, 2018:  Letter to Barry Manning, Senior Planner with the Portland Bureau of Planning and Sustainability, requesting that developer contact requirements be maintained.  (Mehaffy)

--June 22, 2018:  Letter to Planning and Sustainability Commission opposing re-zoning of King's Hill historic district from RH to RM4; request, instead, to re-zone to RM3.  (Mehaffy)

--June 22, 2018:  Letter to City Council objecting to rebranding of Office of Neighborhood Involvement (ONI) without public involvement, hearings, or council action.  (Mehaffy)

--March 5, 2018:  Letter to City Counsel encouraging retention of "place-based neighborhoods" at the center of public involvement as part of ONI reform.  (Mehaffy)

--March 1, 2018:  Letter to BDS in opposition of LU 17-222270 DZ proposal to demolish 1905 house and replace with modern 4-story structure.  (Powell)

--February 8, 2018:  Letter to BDS in support of remodel of street corner property at 2010 W Burnside St. to construct indoor/outdoor restaurant called "The Woodshed." (Schaffer)

--December 7, 2017:  Letter to Design Commission advocating for public access to Providence Park on non-gamedays and better views into/out-of the stadium. (Schaffer)

--October 20, 2017:  Support for recusals and term limits for Boards and Commissions, including extensive research on recusal policies in other cities. (Mehaffy)

--August 23, 2017:  Appeal of BDS Decision to allow construction of a 36-unit apartment building on an R2 lot at 1297 SW Cardinell Dr. (Powell)

--July 21, 2017:  Letter to City Counsel requesting changes to draft CC2035 plan, including saving views, reject height increases, and better protect historic districts and buildings.  (Mehaffy)

--July 21, 2017:  Letter to BDS requesting further activation of 18th in connection with the Providence Park stadium expansion. (Mehaffy)

--July 7, 2017:  Letter to BDS requesting further information about alternate design studies of the planned Providence Park stadium expansion that would not result in encroachment on a public right-of-way.  (Schaffer)

--June 16, 2017:  Letter to BDS from GHFL Board listing recommendations on design of Providence Park stadium expansion.  (Mehaffy)

--March 16, 2017:  Letter to City Counsel regarding needed reforms in Portland's neighborhood involvement system.  (Mehaffy)

--February 26, 2017:  Letter to Portland Design Commission objecting to massing and design of 250' residential tower as part of Press Blocks development.  (Mehaffy)

--February 15, 2017:  Letter to Lincoln High School Master Plan Committee supporting the proposal to build a new HS building at the west end of the campus.  (Mehaffy)

--Jauary 22, 2017:  Letter to Oregon Governmanet Ethics Commission requesting opinion of whether business associations are "public officials" and held to ethical standards disallowing conflicts of interest. (Mehaffy)

--Jauary 22, 2017:  Letter to Portland City Counsel supporting city Auditor's proposal for Charter amendment requiring stronger ethics standards. (Mehaffy)

--Jauary 20, 2017:  Letter to Representative Williams in opposition to LC 3328 that would permit cities to authorize planning commissions or hearings officers to conduct hearings and make final decisions on applications for amendments to city Comprehensive Plans. (Mehaffy)

--August 25, 2016:  Letter to Patricia Gardner, outreach representative for the Press Blocks development team, expressing preference for lowest (150') design option for Press Blocks.  (Prince)

--August 25, 2016:  Letter to Design Commission expressing preference for lowest (150') design option for Press Blocks.  (Prince)

--August 5, 2016:  Letter to Portland Planning and Sustaintability Commission Chair, Katherine Schultz, requesting reduction of FAR, height limits, and bonuses within Kings Hill Historic District.  (Powell)  POSTSCRIPT--BPS Commission rejected this request at their August 23, 2016 hearing on the grounds that Kings Hill is an historic district, thus the buildings protected from demolition (see video at 4:05 here)

--July 25, 2016:  Letter to Patricia Gardner expressing support for first/lowest massing proposal for project at 817 SW 17th Ave., site of the old Oregonian Printing Press building.  (Prince)

--July 25, 2016:  Letter to PBOTs Steve Hoyt-McBeth objecting to placement of Biketown racks at SW Morrison and SW 18th.  (Prince)

--July 24, 2016:  Letter to Bureau of Planning and Sustainability (BDS) detailing GHFL comments on June 2016 Draft CC2035 Plan.  (Prince)

--July 21, 2016:  Letter to Lindsay Wochnick expressing concern over lack of notice for planned removal of over 100 trees in Washington Park in connection with the WA Reservoir Project. (Prince)

--April 24, 2016:  Letter to Lincoln High School Master Planning Committee concerning parking.  (Prince)

--March 17, 2016:  Letter to Bureau of Planning and Sustainability (BDS) detailing GHFL comments on February 2016 Draft CC2035 Plan.  (Prince)

--January 13, 2016:  Testimony to City Counsel regarding GHFL comments to draft 2035 Plan.  (Prince)

--Oct. 7. 2015:  Letter to Bureau of Planning and Sustainability (BDS) opposing 2035 Plan update proposal #1117 that proposes rezoning parcels adjacent the Vista Bridge.  (Powell)

--Sept. 21, 2015:  Letter to Portland Bureau of Transportation objecting to recommended actions with respect to parking in their draft Central City Transporation Plan Update.  (Prince)

--July 22, 2015:  Letter to City Counsel, ONI, and PBOT objecting to Venture Portland's identification of Goose Hollow as the "Stadium District."  (Prince)

--July 21, 2015:  Letter requesting PBOT assistance in obtaining funding to erect historic cable car pulley in Goose Hollow.  (Prince)

--June 21, 2015:  Letter to City Counsel et al. supporting the ombudsman investigation of possible conflicts of interest during the West Quadrant planning process.  (Prince)

--May 22, 2015:  Letter to Portland Bureau of Transportation requesting that they eliminate the Zone B (Gander Ridge) Guest Parking Permit program for both residents and businesses due to abuse.  (Younie)

--May 22, 2015:  Letter to Bureau of Development Services (BDS) requesting additional vegitative screening on MAC loading and trash facilities as part of requested project. (Prince)

--May 5, 2015:  Letter to Steve Roselli of Harsch Investment Properties approving city street vacation at SW Washington between 15th and 16th.  (Powell)

--January 20, 2015:  Letter to City Counsel requesting changes to West Quadrant Plan, endorsing minority opinion on height limits, and seeking delay of Feb. 4 City Counsel vote. (Prince)

--January 16, 2015:  Letter to Bureau of Planning and Sustainability (BDS) opposing the spot zoning of a half-block in the Historic Kings Hill area to "mixed-use dispersed" commercial zoning. (Powell)

--January 4, 2015:  Letter to City Counsel, MAC, developer of Block 7, and others reiterating that the GHFL Parking Survey Report is draft only and is not statistically validated.  (Prince)

--December 3, 2014:  Letter to the Design Commission requesting changes to the proposed project on SW14th and Jefferson.  (Powell)

--December 2, 2014:  Letter to City Counsel informing them of adopted resolution by GHFL Board to oppose rezoning of Block 7 from RH to CX. (Toth)

--October 19, 2014:  Letter to Bureau of Development Services (BDS) listing neighbor concerns with the four-plex planned for the corner of SW 18th and Market St. (Wimmer)

--October 17, 2014:  Letter to City Counsel informing them of vote conducted at Oct. 8 Special Meeting of the GHFL Members to oppose rezoning of Block 7 from RH to CX. (Arkes)

--June 9, 2014:  Letter to Kelly Routt of the Oregon Liquor Control Commission (OLCC) opposing the proposed bottle recycling center at SW 17th Ave. and Burnside St. (Wimmer)

--March 28, 2013: Letter to PBOT requesting action on Goose Hollow sign caps project.  (Johnson)

--May 14, 2012: Letter to PDC in support of the proposed Education URA that includes Lincoln HS campus and "air-blocks" above I-405 between SW Columbia St. and Main.  (Cameron)

--November 18, 2011: Letter to City Council objecting to the continued use of the 1600 block of SW Columbia Street as a bus layover location and a request to return the street-front to public parking. (Turner)  TriMet's Nov. 29 response is here.  TriMet's May. 29, 2012 follow-up is here.

--May 2, 2011: Requests update from Trimet on elimination of layover stops in Goose Hollow of bus Lines 6, 43, and 45, as well as reduction of layover on SW 16th and Columbia to originally proposed 100 feet. (Turner)  TriMet's May 12 response is here.

--April 25, 2011: Letter to Bureau of Development Services in opposition to the application to adjust the temporary rezoning of the historic residence at 2153 SW Main St. to RH. (Powell)

--March 15, 2011: Requests that City Council delay vote on raising parking rates and operating hours during Jeld-Wen Field events. (Smith)

--March 15, 2011: Expresses position to Ramon Corona, Portland Parking Control Manager, that GHFL cannot endorse changes to parking rates/operating hours without public input. (Turner)

--March 15, 2011: Letter to David Wynde, Portland Public Schools, endorsing $548 million PPS bond measure. (Smith)

--February 18, 2011: Letter to Mark Sieber of NWNW requesting documents and things. (Smith)