Madrone Wall- Feb 2007

[elaine]

Below is the latest mailing that the MWPC put together on 2/4 where 948 mailings went out. Thanks to Bob McGown, Mike Farrell, Adam?, Joe Hargrave, and of course, Keith, for putting this together. The top 1/3 is the history or the site and recent history with getting this site preserved, but if you scroll down to January and Feb 2007- this is the most important in terms of timing and the Madrone being accessible to recreation.

 

E-mail the Commmissioners to re-establish access in 2008 and 2009 after the Master Plan for the Madrone site is complete.

 

bcc@co.clackamas.or.us

 

Kellie

 

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Fall 2005: Over 500 letters, emails, phone calls were sent to Board of County Commissioners endorsing preservation and re-established recreational access. There were zero communications to Commissioners recommending sale of site for private mining operation or trophy home housing development. Over 30 organizations, including all nearby CPO’s, governments (e.g., City of Damascus), Carver-area businesses, citizens, and environmental and recreational organizations, endorsed preservation. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!!!

 

31 January 2006: Board of County Commissioners Study Session:

- Commissioners unanimously accepted the Clackamas County Parks Advisory Board (PAB) recommendation that the Hardscrabble property become part of an area for Clackamas River Watershed Protection and that it should not be sold to a private interest or mined.

- Commissioners unanimous support to implement the following specific recommendations for the property:

1. Retained in public ownership (i.e., County will not sell property for a private quarry or trophy home housing development).

2. Included in the inventory of County lands for future master planning and consideration for development by the PAB and the staff.

3. Included as a priority for master planning as part of the future Clackamas County Parks Department Master Plan.

4. Retained in its current status (i.e., posted “No Trespassing”) pending a master plan.

 

7 November 2006: Election Day

- Lake Oswego Council President Lynn Peterson (Vice Chair) replaced Commissioner Larry Sowa on the Board of County Commissioners. Commissioner Martha Schrader (Chair) and Commissioner Bill Kennemer are also on the BCC.

- Overwhelming passage of Metro Measure 26-80 providing $227.4 million for greenspace protection and willing-seller land acquisition in 27 regional target areas including the Clackamas River Bluffs and Greenway. The Madrone Wall is centrally located in this target area which has zero acres of County Parks and will serve as an anchor for acquisitions to help establish an eastside large regional park of greenspace lands and interconnected trails. Clackamas County Parks will receive a $1.937 million local government share windfall from passage of this bond measure.

 

23 January 2007: Parks Advisory Board Meeting (PAB)

- The PAB reviewed Clackamas County Parks Department staff recommendations for the next five years park’s budget (“Capital Improvements Five Year Plan”). Thirty-five projects were recommended by County Parks staff for funding from an overall budget of $6.437 million. Included in the staff recommendation were two recommended Madrone Wall allocations.

- First Allocation: A $40K “Hardscrabble Master Plan” allocation for FY2007-2008. The master plan would plan for park activities and uses, capital expenses, traffic studies, on-site parking needs/design, and state highway approach. It would incorporate discussions with neighbors and interested parties and a required 120-day conditional use application required to allow for park activities on timber-zoned land (common for County park properties). The master plan should be completed in nine to twelve months after the fiscal year starts on 1 July this year.

- Second Allocation: This “Madrone Park Improvements” recommended allocation would occur four years later in FY2011-2012 (i.e., “Year 5”) for $300K. Creating required on-site parking is identified as the single largest capital expense; other capital expenditures include a porta-potty, signage, and trail materials. Three separate estimates acquired by the MWPC last fall show the cost to grade and finish a parking lot for 50 cars will cost a maximum of $40K for gravel and $70K for asphalt. While these estimates do not include surveying, permitting, site preparation, they do indicate that park improvements may be significantly less than what this $300K capital allocation allows for. The MWPC has lined-up several professionals, including cartographers and traffic engineers, willing to donate pro bono time to assist the planning process further reducing County costs (Note: If you would like to donate pro bono professional efforts to the parks master planning process, please contact Keith K. Daellenbach at kdaellenbach@att.net or 503/691-4102). This, in addition our commitment to provide a minimum of 1,000 volunteer hours to remove illegally dumped rubbish, improve/create hiking trails, and pull invasive plants, will make this a public-private win-win. It is critical that the County follow through with their goal to make this a priority by establishing funding for capital improvements in years immediately following the FY2007-2008 park master planning process.

 

This logic is applied to other County projects and the Madrone Wall should not be an exception. The master plan should not languish four years before something concrete is accomplished. By establishing FY2008-2009 County allocations, the opportunity to establish substantial grant partnerships with Oregon Parks and Recreation Department and/or philanthropic organizations will greatly increase.

 

 

 

20 February 2007: Parks Advisory Board Meeting (PAB)

- 7:00 p.m.: February’s PAB meeting will further refine the Park’s budget and finalize recommendations for consideration by the Commissioners. Reallocation decisions at the January PAB meeting, provide opportunity to move up Year 5 Madrone Wall capital funding to FY 2008-2009 which is warranted. While it is up to the PAB Chair to take comments from visitors, if you would like to provide input, we encourage you to attend this critical planning meeting. It will be held on Tuesday the 20th in Room 436 of the County’s Sunnybrook Service Center (9101 S.E. Sunnybrook Blvd., Clackamas). We also encourage you to contact the Commissioners directly (www.co.clackamas.or.us/bcc/) and register your support for the timely creation of a County park in a park-barren area with massive anticipated population growth in Damascus.

 

22 February 2007: Oregon Field Guide/Oregon Public Broadcasting (OPB):

- 8:30 p.m.: OPB will air an episode taped last September of a visit to a unique series of talus caves located along the Clackamas River Bluffs. One of the MWPC Directors, Keith K. Daellenbach, participated in this exploration and his geologic investigation is being extended to the similar and unique geology of the Madrone Wall site. This will form the basis for future educational displays. OPB rebroadcast: 6:30 p.m., 02/25/07.

 

22 April 2007: Public Wildflower Tour at Madrone Wall

- 3:00 p.m.: Meet at Still Meadow Community (16561 S.E. Marna Road, Clackamas, www.stillmeadowcommunity.com) for an introductory discussion about the Madrone Wall and then carpool a half mile to the site to witness one of the finest displays of wildflowers anywhere in the northern Willamette Valley. This public tour is open to all and you are encouraged to attend. Bring hiking boots and raingear (if necessary).

 

May-June 2007 – TBD: Board of County Commissioners review of PAB budget recommendations and setting FY2007-2008 budget.

 

 

 

The Madrone Wall (a.k.a., Hardscrabble) is a 44-acre site 2.2 miles east of Carver along County Scenic Highway 224. It has been publicly owned by Clackamas County since 1937 and was for decades a site of public ecology education and open for recreational hiking, rock climbing, horseback riding, picnicking, and bird and flower viewing prior to its closure in the fall of 1997 as an ill-conceived County quarry plan was pursued. This plan was later narrowly averted as quarrying was deemed uneconomical. This compact site contains an uncommon stand of Pacific madrone and the only geologic feature of its kind in the northern Willamette Valley, a natural cliff face of Boring basalt soaring over 100 feet. Views over the nearby Clackamas River are stunning. This public site has a diverse and intact ecosystem including over 100 plant species with a few remaining old-growth Douglas fir and native wildflowers. It is the source of drinking water for nearby citizens and a clear, cool tributary stream supports the endangered salmon habitat in the Clackamas River designated as a National Wild and Scenic River.

 

Latest updates at WWW.SAVEMADRONE.ORG (including .MP3 downloadable OPB radio report)

(Please continue to respect Clackamas County’s current “No Trespassing” posting at the Madrone Wall.)

 

 

[elaine]

 

Spread the word!

 

Please attend the next PAB meeting on Tuesday Feb 20th at 7pm in the Sunnybrook Service Center 1/4 mile west of I-205

Address is:

9101 SE Sunnybrook Dr

Rm 436

 

Our presence can really make a difference to the Parks Board in support of the Madrone Wall.

 

Thanks!!

Kellie Rice

Access Fund RC- Oregon