To see a collection of artful chairs, check out the exhibit, "Oh Sit!"
The Neighborhood Association Chairs' Meeting on Saturday morning was especially good. The discussion kept coming back to the same theme no matter who was speaking and no matter what issue was on the table.
Where did this idea come from?
We didn't ask for it and we don't want it.
Once it's part of a plan or map, it seems to stay.
Citizens and neighborhoods are being left out of the process.
From all over the city we heard, Where did this come from? and Who's idea was this? plus How did this things get pushed through without anyone noticing it?
It is no wonder why this sentiment is occurring, and there is no question that there are a lot of pent-up feelings behind it.
Unfortunately, these are more complicated questions than they appear. You can point to the city staff who wrote and presented the report, regulation, ordinance, new plan or whatever, but we have to look at the influences they are responding to: their own education/training and background; laws, regulations and guidelines coming from several layers of government; and policies set by the city council. In many cases, the wishes of the city council are not the first priority of planners. Unfortunately, when there are options for the city to diverge from Metro or State goals and chart its own path, these are not given the attention they deserve, even if the citizens may want them.
The conventional planning theory for the last decade or two has been Smart Growth. Elected leaders at all levels have jumped on the bandwagon of sustainable growth done in a particular way that there no longer seems to be any question that Smart Growth principals are the holy grail for saving the planet and the human race from certain doom, that is IF you believe this is where we are headed, or if you want to capitalize on climate panic as a source of power and control.
The Oregon State legislature has adopted the Climate Smart Communities agenda for the state, and Metro is using it as a guide for sustainability goals and policies for the region. The program centers on controlling GHG (greenhouse gasses) chiefly by controlling the use of automobiles. CO2 is now defined by the EPA as an air pollutant but this is being challenged in court. Extreme land use and transportation planning is being done in the name of climate warming or climate change (which is it?), effectively using our concern for the environment to force social change.
The REAL QUESTION is how citizens can REGAIN CONTROL of their neighborhoods, cities and states. As the saying goes, THINK GLOBALLY, ACT LOCALLY.
Below is only a PARTIAL list of the forces at work trying to change our cities and engineer our behavior. A great many organizations derive their funding from the US or other governments and philanthropic sources, so it is always wise to see who is behind the groups you decide to support and what their agendas are.
Metro - 2040 Functional Plan, 2035 Metro Growth Plan, 2035 Transportation System Plan, Regional Transportation Plan, High-Capacity Regional Transportation Plan, Southwest Corridor Plan, Regional Trails and Pathways Plan, Regional Bike Paths..... and more.
State of Oregon - Oregon Transportation Plan, LCD land use regulations, ODOT regulations, Oregon High Speed Rail project, Department of Energy
Federal - Grant money channeled through State and Metro (MPO) for transportation and land use, focus is mainly on smart growth land use planning, high capacity transit, active transportation; EPA, DEQ, HUD, DOT regulations and more.
United Nations & International Agreements: ICLEI (no longer a member)
NGOs - Pew Caritable Trust: Center for Climate and Energy Solutions, North America 2050, Smart Growth America, Natural Step,
Consultants - often shared with Metro and other cities in the region and state. Kittelson and Associates, Cogan Owens and Cogan, EcoNorthwest, CH2MHill, Otak, David Evans and Associates and many more.
Education - Portland State University School of Urban Planning
From all over the city we heard, Where did this come from? and Who's idea was this? plus How did this things get pushed through without anyone noticing it?
ReplyDeleteSeems to me that the Wizer block development was pushed through and it looked like a done deal from the start. No one on the council had any real objections and before most people knew what happened it was it's way to the DRC and the council was out of the loop. The fact that a majority of the LO residents don't like it does't matter as long as it meets the code...
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DeleteIt's all in the codes. Who wrote them and what were the objectives they support? The community development codes are being revised right now. What new plans are in store for Lake Oswegans, and when will we find out about them? The usual practice is to pull out new regulations just before the Council sees them and no one has time to digest what they mean. It would be nice if the planning staff (and engineers) explained in detail and with visuals what their proposals are intended to produce. Even if it is for 20 years from now - changes can start the day after new codes are approved.
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