MEETING NOTES

GREEN RIBBON COMMITTEE LISTENING POST

Tuesday, November 13, 2001

Tualatin Hills Nature Interpretive Center

Councilors Present: David Bragdon ( Presiding Officer)

Green Ribbon Committee Members Present: Walt Hitchcock ( Chair ), Nathalie Darcy

Staff Present: John Donovan, Sherri Gilleo, Jim Desmond, Nancy Chase, Ron Klein

Metro Presiding Officer David Bragdon called the meeting to order at 5:45 p.m.

1. Registration/Open House

2.  Welcome/Introductions

Presiding Officer Bragdon welcomed everyone and noted Metro’s history of the acquired 7200 acres of green spaces and the formation of the Green Ribbon Committee. He introduced Chair of the Green Ribbon Committee, Walt Hitchcock.

3.  Green Ribbon Committee Draft Recommendations and Site Review

Chair Hitchcock spoke of the charge and mission of the committee and the history of the green spaces program. He noted the 15 areas the committee finally recommended were spread evenly over the Metro area and had hoped that in the future a park or trail would be accessible to everyone within a fifteen-minute drive.

Jim Desmond Open Spaces Acquisition Manager, presented slides showing the top eight parks and trails sites. He noted that the Fanno Creek Trail site would be ready for trail construction in Portland’s West Hills. He said there was strong local support for the second trail project, 5.2 miles of the Gresham to Fairview Trail. The third trail project was the Springwater Trail, and the fourth trail was the Beaverton Powerline Trail, extending from Forest Park to Scholls Ferry Road. Mr. Desmond introduced the four park sites beginning with Mt. Talbert. He reported on the Wilsonville Tract and its valuable fish and wildlife habitat, and Metro’s Smith and Bybee Lakes sites at nearly 2000 acres of fresh- water wetland, in north Portland. He talked about the Cooper Mountain about 3 miles from downtown Beaverton. He noted that Metro has assembled 256 acres at this site. He talked about additional sites recommended by the committee.

Nathalie Darcy, Green Ribbon Committee member, asked attendees what parks and trails were of interest and spoke of the committee’s final recommendations.

4.  Question and Answer/Public Comment

Stephen Bosak, Tualatin Hills Park and Recreation District, 6880 SW 67^th Ave., Portland, OR 97223, noted strong support for Metro and Green Spaces Program. He spoke of the partnership with Metro regarding the Beaverton Powerline Trail, Fanno Creek Trail and offered technical support for Cooper Mountain (see copy of this testimony included with the permanent record of this meeting).

Presiding Officer Bragdon noted Metro was looking forward to the partnership as well.

Duane Roberts, City of Tigard, 13125 SW Hall Blvd., Tigard, OR, spoke of the local support from residents for the Fanno Creek Trail.

Bob Bothman, THPRD Advisory Committee, 7365 SW 87^th Beaverton, OR 97223, gave testimony supporting the committees recommendations, specifically Fanno Creek Trail and the Beaverton Powerline Trail. (See copy of this testimony included with the permanent record of this meeting).

Chris Wayland, Parks Supervisor in Washington County, 111 SE Washington St. # 42, Hillsboro, OR 97123, said the committee had shown excellent leadership. He was most interested in the Fanno Creek Trail, Beaverton Powerline Trail, Cooper Mountain and the Tualatin River Access Points.

April Olbrich, Friends of Westside Trails, 17960 SW Kinnaman # 8, Aloha, OR 97007, noted her support of the committee for preserving habitats, natural resources and trails.

Jack Franklin, 5025 SW Fairmount Dr., Beaverton, OR 97005, expressed his support for the west-side area and suggested a volunteer program to keep expenditures down.

Presiding Officer Bragdon said as the committee viewed the sites, one thing that distinguished Cooper Mountain, was the amount of volunteer activity.

Donna Sterhr, Friends of Westside Trails, 18750 SW Honeywood Dr., Beaverton, OR 97006, said she supported all projects, in particular the Beaverton Powerline Trail. She spoke of the need for community groups and neighborhoods to get involved.

Gerald Fox, 01607 SW Greenwood Rd, Portland, OR 97219, said he strongly supported the program and suggested extending the eastern end of the Springwater Trail.

Presiding Officer Bragdon responded that the opportunities are endless, we need to continue working.

Ms. Darcy spoke of the committee’s recommendations of funding the $60 million package. (For more details, see the hard copy of the Green Ribbon Committee Draft Recommendations included with the permanent record of this meeting).

Chair Hitchcock said this is only the beginning in creating green spaces and trails in the region.

There being no further testimony, Presiding Officer Bragdon invited the public to review the maps of the selected sites and adjourned the meeting at 6:48 p.m.

Prepared by

Sherri Gilleo

Reception/Support