Update on the Madrone meetings 2/3 and 2/17

[elaine]

I just got off the phone with a Clackamas County resident and someone who is VERY involved with conservation issues with the Mazamas and locally within Clackamas County. Clackamas County approved the nomination for their 5th Commissioner, Ann Lininger. Ann is one of the directors of the Meyer Memorial Trust (which gave the MWPC a cash grant for outreach in 2008) and also has great experience in the non profit sector. She is an attorney, and has a great "ability to recognize new sources of revenue to compensate for dwindling federal and state revenues."

 

According to my friend, the Commissioners have stood up to the LNG pipeline that would run through Molalla and into Mt Hood NF, and are willing to listen to their citizens based on meetings she has had with them. 4 of the 5 commissioners are all new. If you're planning on attending the Feb 3rd meeting, we don't have to go in with our anarchy flags flying! You can still bring one, though!

 

Tuesday Feb 3rd- BCC study session. Public is welcome, but input can be limited. 1:30 pm 2051 Kaen Rd Oregon City. The Commissioners will hear the Master Plan on the Madrone as well as the improvements on the Springwater Corridor. Need a ride? Meet me at Climb Max by 12:30. I don't condone parking in their lot, but there is street parking. I have room for 3 people.

 

Tuesday Feb 17th, Parks Advisory Board meeting 6pm. Address is 150 Beavercreek Rd right next to the Commissioners office. Kaen Rd is adjacent to Beavercreek. This is where the PAB will discuss the 5 year budget ( Capital Improvement Plan). You'll hear how they plan to budget for the Madrone.

 

[elaine]

The study session with the Commissioners went well......No big surprises really when you get to watch politicians in action.....but we cleared one hurdle and some good points were raised. A decent turn out of Clackamas County folks showed up. There were 15 or so seats surrounding the outside of the conference room table. All but one of the outside seats were taken. Keith and I were both there. We were glad to see the number of Clackamas County folks that showed up!

 

The BCC agreed to the proposed concept plan that was voted on by the public, and told the Planner ( Katie) and Parks Dept ( Dan) to move forward with the Conditional Use Application. The topic of logging was brought up since the site is zoned "timber."

A compromise was agreed upon at the PAB meeting to log the upper portion of the site, and leave the lower portion. It was unanimous at the 3 public meetings to NOT log the site...so the County Parks dept is going against the wishes of the public.

 

Two citizens who were against the logging "refreshed" the memories of Katie and Dan yesterday as to what was stated by the public, and the compromise that the Parks Dept and PAB came up with in mid January. The amount that the County will make from logging the upper portion of the site is just a few thousand dollars a year.

 

Two of the newest Commissioners took their own tour of the site, and felt it was a beautiful place. One Commissioner actually used to rock climb, but still likes spelunking (sp?).

 

Keith brought up the estimated costs. Clackamas County estimates that it could cost $880K with 20% contingency. Keith and I had independent reviews with an ODOT engineer and a private construction manager who helps build roads in parks...2 good professionals to review the County's plans.... and they both felt that it could cost $400K max and not $800K.

 

Lynn Peterson, Commissioner, asked the Parks Dept to review why there would be such a discrepancy in the costs when our experts reviewed the plan ( one visited the site himself), and made their own estimates of the costs. The actual costs will come out when the project goes to bid.

 

Keith also brought up a conversation he had with an Oregon National Guard ( Commander?). I think it was the 1249 brigade out of Salem that goes into disaster zones and builds roads and bridges and such. The Commander said that this kind of project is right up their alley and it would be a huge decrease in costs ( free labor) for the County. The County would only have to pay for the engineering design, furnish the construction equipment, and buy the materials. The labor costs would be a HUGE savings, and it trains our men and women who go into service with real hands on projects for when they get deployed. The Commissioners were keen on that idea.

 

More to come after Feb 17th when the PAB begins to review their 5 year budget. Again, we STRONGLY encourage climbers to attend.

[JBo6]

I'm not sure what branch of the ONG was involved, but they were helping construct and grade the new parking lot at 1000 Acre Wood across 84 from Broughtons. Sounds like a similar concept that you had. My younger brother helped with that a little, and if I remember right Friends of the Forest was involved in some of that. Maybe if you contact them you could learn a little more. Thanks for all the work, when I am back in Oregon I will be sure to come to these meetings.

[scheissami]

I'm sorry if you've been through this before, but what is considered necessary by the county if they make it into a park? Do they really need to do more than grade an area and gravel for a parking lot, trash cans/waste disposal, signs, and maybe a toilet? The trails are already in pretty decent shape... 800k certainly seems like a lot of money. Where is it expected to go?

 

Thanks for all of your hard work...Cheers.

[elaine]

Go the www.madronewall.com ( County's website) to view the concept plans. There would be far more trail development and improvements than what is currently out there. Yes, you have a "social" trail that continues to get used, but the old logging/quarry roads that are on the property would be converted into beginner trails. You can see that there is a discrepancy between the County's estimates and what our experts in the field have come up with. $880K vs $400K.

 

The concept plans include an ADA 1/4 mile interpretive trail, bike parking ( remember, only 20 parking spots), a vault toilet, other beginner and intermediate trails, and a trail to the top. Pedestrian improvements would also be along Hwy 224 from the Trimet bus stop, and a walkway along the road from 224 up to the parking area.....read the concept plans on the site. The plans were viewed and voted upon at the Fall public meetings.

 

Thanks for the info on the Oregon Nat Guard, too!

 

See some of you tonight at the Hollywood?????