Neighborhood What???

Neighborhood Villages - Neighborhood Commons - Commercial Corners

What are they, and why should you care?

If you live in Lake Oswego and you like your neighborhood, you should care very much.  These 3 terms cropped up in the Comprehensive Plan and are poised to be approved as part of the the document that underlies all zoning and development codes in the city.  Important stuff, but can anyone out there define what these terms mean and what the physical manifestations of the concepts might be? 

The definitions for the new neighborhood designations are buried in the Comp Plan Part 1  (use the clean copy) at the end of a couple of sections: Economic Vitality (pg. 57-58) and Complete Neighborhoods and Housing (pg. 36).  You should ignore the Health Ecosystems for now - this section will be evaluated after the Sensitive Lands issue is resolved.  

The map for the proposed villages, commons and corners is about what you'd expect if you were looking to place commercial activity in neighborhoods - where commercial zones currently exist.  But the definitions suggest a much larger role for these areas that includes more apartments and shops to complement the goal of 20-minute neighborhoods throughout the city, and increased density within the commercial zones.  Even if the dots are not near your house - is this good for the livability of Lake Oswego?  

The combination of Neighborhood Villages and Commercial Corners have the capacity to put a wedge of density and commercial activity into residential areas like never before.  But what about Neighborhood Commons?  These sound harmless enough - in fact, some of the uses of local parks and schools described in the plan seem very desirable.  Until one considers what they really mean. 

Example of Neighborhood Commons:

Putting a farmers' market, community gardens or food carts in Westridge Park or at Westridge School?  I can't imagine that the neighbors would think it's a great thing to have vendors and customers come into the middle of their neighborhood to do business.  This isn't the middle ages where rural farmers and other vendors need to go to every small village to sell their wares to the citizenry.

    

Let's get a grip and move into the 21st Century please!  If getting people to the market is the goal, instead of sending vendors into the neighborhoods, why not take the people to the stores or to Farmers' Market?  The issue of connecting people with food in the city is a bad solution in need of a problem.  The thinking is only one way and only supports one theme - the 20-minute walkable neighborhood.  Whether we want it or not. 

It's time we fight the stereotype that we are lacking neighborhood identity and a sense of community just because we are a suburb.  Or that we don't walk or ride bikes, and that we can't get to the [healthy]  food source of our choice.  As a city, we aren't starving, we aren't obese, and we are very healthy.  Let's let go of Utopian city planning schemes and do what works for real people living in a real city, Lake Oswego. 

The City Council will hold a final Public Hearing on the first half of the Comp Plan on         November 5. You may go to the hearing to give testimony in person, but the best way to get your message to the council may be to write them a letter, then follow that up with public testimony on the hearing date.  It is never too early to write that letter!  Don't wait!  Your testimony must be received prior to the meeting.  Send it to the City Council, and include a cc for 

It is best if you read through the Comp Plan sections first, and then list the section and goal, policy or action item number that you are concerned about.  Let the council know your ideas - change of wording or format on something, or eliminate an item altogether.  What would you like to see changed and why?  If you have any questions, call Scot Siegel, Planning Director, at 503.699.7474, the lead planner on the project.  

Warning:  The document might be intimidating and confusing.  If it is, let your councilors know that too! 

This hearing is the last opportunity for citizens to speak up on this portion of the Comp Plan.  The tendency of the City Council is to approve whatever document they have before them on the same night they hear public testimony.  The timing is unreasonable and does not give adequate consideration to the thoughts and concerns that citizens bring forth.  It is my belief that the council should not make decisions on subjects that require a public hearing on the same night they hear testimony, otherwise it is an exercise in futility for the citizens who take the time to come.  But come anyway - it is your turn and your city needs you!