The Hayhurst Neighborhood Association has raised numerous concerns about the proposed large-scale residential redevelopment of the former Alpenrose Dairy, which is within the borders of its outer Southwest Portland neighborhood, just east of Beaverton.
"Overall, we do not see that the development will be supported by the area's transportation system, based on the City of Portland's, the City of Beaverton's, and the State of Oregon's policies and plans for safe walking and biking. Neighbors also have concerns about stormwater and erosion caused by the construction, and environmental protection," association chairperson Marita Ingalsbe told the Portland Tribune.
Separately, neighbor Beth Blenz-Clucas questioned why the proposal does not currently include any affordable housing.
“We all realize that Portland needs to build more housing, particularly to serve low- and middle-income people and families who are being priced out of this once-affordable city market. But, let’s be smart about it, and think about the livability of this new neighborhood as well as its big impact on the surrounding neighborhoods,” she said.
The association board and Blenz-Clucas have submitted their concerns to Portland planners that must approve the project. A city Hearings Officer is scheduled to consider the proposal on Sept. 25. Additional public comments will be accepted until then.
West Hills Land Development wants to build 264 new homes on the 51-acre property just east of Beaverton. The new subdivision will be called Raleigh Crest and include a new street grid, additional connections adjacent streets, new water and sewer system connections, new stormwater management facilities, a new public park, and more.
Area residents have already expressed concerns about increasing traffic on adjacent streets, especially two-lane Southwest Shattuck Road on the eastern edge of the property. Beaverton has also expressed concerns about increased traffic through a quiet neighborhood just to the east of the property of the project goes forward.
In their submission, the board amplified the transportation concerns, noting that TriMet is planning to discontinue bus service along Shattuck and that the subdivision will generate additional traffic that will increase congestion at the nearby complex intersection of Southwest Beaverton-Hillsdale Highway, Southwest Oleson Road, and Southwest Scholls Ferry Road. Although upgrades are being planned on some of the roads in the area, none of the project are funded yet.
“Our overall response is that the transportation system for the area is not capable of supporting the proposed development across all factors listed in the above (official City of Portland) Approval Criterion. In order for the transportation system to support the proposed development, multiple jurisdictions will need to complete their plans to improve SW Shattuck Road, the SW Beaverton-Hillsdale/Oleson/Scholls Ferry (BHOS) intersection, SW Vermont St, the Red Electric Trail, access to public transit, and the BHOS/Shattuck intersection; and to reduce development impacts on the Hemstreet Heights neighborhood,” said the submission.
The board also expressed concerns about two areas that have not been widely publicized yet, Environmental Review and Land Division.
In the submission, the board said the developer does not recognize all of the habitat and wildlife on the property that needs to be protected. Referring to specific locations, the submission said:
“The open space on the site is a significant wildlife habitat and corridor within the Fanno Creek watershed. The adjacent wetland area to the east of Wetland 1 across Shattuck Road is a wetlands restoration site managed by the City of Portland Bureau of Environmental Services, while across Oleson Road to the west is the Bauman Woods Natural Area managed by Tualatin Hills Parks & Recreation and the Oregon Episcopal School wetlands. While the existing irrigation pond on the west side of the site is not in an environmental zone, it is used extensively by birds and other wildlife.”
And the board does not believe the proposal mitigates the loss of community recreational opportunities that were previously available at the dairy:
“Alpenrose Dairy and its property offered an abundance of recreation opportunities for its neighbors and indeed for the greater Portland region. The Dairy was home to the region’s only velodrome, a seasonal mountain biking trail, baseball and softball fields, go-kart racing, an Opera House/theater, as well as a Western-themed community gathering space. The Dairy also had open spaces for walking, running, and biking. Alpenrose Dairy also regularly hosted community gatherings, some unofficial and some official like the annual Hayhurst National Night Out event. The community has strongly felt the loss of these recreational resources since the closure of the Dairy property to the public.”
The board raised numerous other concerns as well, including whether the public schools in the area can accommodate the influx of new students.
Because of the size and complexity of the proposed subdivision, the project is subject to a Type III Land Use review to ensure it complies with multiple infrastructure requirements and environmental regulations. Although the developer submitted a preliminary application to the Portland Bureau of Development Services on April 25, it was deemed complete until July 15, kicking off a 30-day comment period.
The approval process is being conducted by Portland Permitting & Development, the new agency created by the City Council to streamline the city’s notoriously complicated permitting system.
After the Hearings Officer rules whether the proposal complies with all land use planning requirements, that decision can be appealed to the City Council, which will makes it own decision. That, in turn, can be appealed to the state Land Use Board of Appeals, the Oregon Court of Appeals, and, ultimately, the Oregon Supreme Court.
This is a developing story and will be updated at portlandtribune.com.
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