Foster-Powell Neighborhood Association

November 1998

Jan 30, 1999

What a meeting we had in November. Sewage, Johnson Creek, and a proposed new row house! See what you miss when you don''t come to meetings?

Vaughn Brown and Chuck Chambers, from Environmental Services, made a presentation on basement flooding issues -- and they don''t mean water! They are in the process of gathering information about where sewage in basements has occurred. There was discussion that the increased push for density might be a contributing factor. Mr. Chambers asked for people to report areas of problems, and the Environmental Services Department will be in touch to follow up. Mr. Chambers can be reached at 823-7087.

Christine Egan from Earl Blumenauer''s office spoke briefly about some natural resource issues. She spoke about the Johnson Creek watershed, flooding and steelhead. They put on a summit on November 14 at Marshall High School. Even though it is past the time for the summit, there is very good information about the Johnson Creek Watershed at their web site at http://pw2.netcom.com/~jcwc/home.html. You can also call 239-3932 for more information.

Teri Duffy from Rose CDC came to talk about the proposed row house and day care at 77th & Raymond. The house that would be demolished is a large single-family house on a large lot with two very large, beautiful trees that will have to be cut down. The house has been unoccupied for several years and has become a magnet for transients, and an unmaintained eyesore. The house was foreclosed in 1992. The house has a federal tax lien of approximately $46,000. It is zoned R-1 on a 7,500 square foot lot. The minimum density is one unit per 2,000 square feet if the house is torn down. The maximum number allowed is 7 units. The criteria for development was to develop affordable housing, so Rose would like to build a five-unit row house with an attached daycare. There was a great deal of discussion about the wish of many of the neighbors to maintain the single-family character nature of the building. Apparently nobody has seen inside the house so nobody knows the condition inside and if the house is able to be restored.

The proposal is for a tall row house across the street from Marysville School. The units are expected to be two story townhouses, with a roofline and appearance compatible with Marysville School. One unit will have a daycare accommodating 12 children. There will be five parking spaces. The only way in and out of the parking lot is to go in forward and back out onto the street for all five spaces. There is no drop-off and pick-up place to accommodate the daycare, and the increased traffic is a concern to neighbors. There was discussion about losing one unit for parking so that there would be an exit from the parking lot that was safer. There is already a traffic calming process in the works for Raymond Street near the proposed facility.

Ms. Duffy said that the facility would provide daycare to small children. Rose will only be renting to low income families. They will all be three-bedroom units. People will qualify for the housing based on income level. The tenants would have to be at 50% of the median income level or below. It will receive city, state and federal funds and will be monitored by the public agencies in terms of attention to income levels. Like other landowners who care about their property, Rose will screen in terms of criminal background and past landlord and tenant experiences. Rose has a long waiting list. Of the 149 properties they have the majority are rental housing and filled. People do not leave very often.

Ms. Duffy was asked who would maintain the property and enforce nuisance control. She said Rose would work with the Neighborhood Association. She said there would be no problem with entering into a good neighbor agreement. Ms. Duffy can be reached at 788-8052.

There were no other applications received for the development of the property, and the application period is now closed.