Up Sucker Creek

Up Sucker Creek
Photo Courtesy of the Lake Oswego Library

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Transit - Is Lake Grove in Tigard? (Part 5)

It is curious and surprising to read in the City Of Tigard's Concepts for Potential Station Communities - Final Report, Vol. 1 of 3;  part of the city's High Capacity Transit Land Use Plan (June 2012) about what Tigard thinks might happen in Lake Oswego - specifically the Lake Grove Town Center.

On Page 6, unlike other SW Transit Corridor plans, there is a map that shows the boundaries of the Corridor and Lake Grove along with Kruse Way are clearly within the boundaries.

On Page 12, a chart of community types with description of now they function.  Lake Grove and Kruse Way are shown in the cataegory of "Transit Corridor", while the Downtown Town Center and First Addition Neighborhood function as a Town Center/Main Street with medium- to high-density housing and an "urban village feel".  Of course, this is just Tigard talking.

But what does it all mean for Lake Oswego? There must be at least a half dozen or more land use and transit plans that include Lake Oswego.  This prompts the question of, what are Lake Oswego's plans for transit corridors within the city?  I believe the Lake Oswego TSP (Transportation System Plan) Update will be completed after the Comp Plan is finished in December or January.  

Excerpt:
Page 10:   "Tigard’s HCT Land Use Plan is part of an effort to balance the interests and benefits of community planning and transportation investments. Traditional planning for HCT service has focused on potential transit ridership and travel times. The Southwest Corridor Plan represents a new approach: Local community aspirations should shape the route of high capacity transit. Before any potential transit alignments are drawn on maps, communities are asked to decide on the locations that are the best fit as potential station communities.  Leading with land use planning enhances local control in shaping the look of station communities and can leverage other investments, such as bicycle and pedestrian access improvements, to support the transit investment. "

So instead of putting the transit where people are and might be able to use it, start with the idea of putting the people where you want the transit to go.  

5 comments:

  1. There needs to be some citizen involvement here. Most people are unaware of this type of planning and what it means. I'd personally prefer that the multimodal word disappear from L.O.'s plans.

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  2. The city council took multimodal out of the comp plan at their last (?) meeting. They only need to send a letter to the state telling them that they removed it and it's gone. I believe the only place that has that designation now is the Foothills area, but I could be wrong. With the letter, they will all be gone.

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  3. Am able to share that for some time-at least a decade or so, Kruse Way has indeed been considered a transportation corridor.
    .And, of course, both "central" Lake Grove and the East End "core" are BOTH designated "Town Centers"-with all that implies.
    Fairly sure at least the "Town Center" designations came forth, in part, through the Metro 2040 project.
    Sense our Comp Plan makes note of such too...Possibly, at least, in associated maps.
    Gerald, agree most citizens are unaware of these planning activities/designations.
    Up Sucker Creek, I could be wrong, however, don't think simply a letter to the state-LCDC-removes said designation. LCDC will ultimately review our Comp Plan update and decide whether "to acknowledge" it or not.

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    1. On Dec. 3, the City Council will have a last whack at the Comp Plan, apart 2. This half of the Comp a plan includes the Urbanization and Land Use sections which lay the groundwork for the larger land use designations you refer to. PLEASE COME and bring your friends to testify at the hearing! If you really can't come, send an email, but your physical presence and verbal testimony (along with a written copy) is very important. Keep your points to a minimum though - something I have a hard time doing! Shorter testimonies are reviewed more thoroughly.

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    2. With multimodal out of the comp plan, the designation of a MMA can be lifted from
      Foothills easily. That is my understanding.

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