Metro- Making the Greatest Place - Public Hearing (Beaverton City Hall)

My 5 min & 1.7 seconds of fame! I was alloted 2 minutes to speak like everyone else at Metro's Public Hearing for their Making the Greatest Place agenda item. Timer is circled in white. Councilours from Left to Right, Rex B., Counc. Park, Counc. Libery, Counc. Carl Hosticka, Pres. D. Bragdon, and Kathryn Harrington (not shown in picture).

I read a letter that I'd handed to the 12 people on the Dais...Michael Jordan stepped into the audience half way through the 29 people testifying. 5 other guest representatives were on the Dais/Daus...1 rep for Washinton County, 1 for Tigard, 1 for North Plains, 1 from Cornelius [Jef Dalin, Woohoo!] ...and 1 other I forget...I think Tualatin maybe.

Anyhow...the hearing started about 5:15 -> 8:00. These poor guys/gals had to sit through it all. With the occasional break, stepping away from the forum.


Here's the transcript of the letter I read/handed out:

I’ve been on the Cornelius Planning Commission for 6 months now, so I’m a
rookie to land use planning. Before then, I had little knowledge of
Cornelius’s UGB lines, parks, its small library, or how low budget the city is.
That all changed once I took notice of development along the main street and
also Hillsboro Argus headlines regarding Walmart or Mayor Kidd and his MAX to
Forest Grove. In fact, next week Cornelius will celebrate the completion of the
Adair Main Street project after 10 years of work, made possible primarily with
grant money. All of you are invited.

I’m disappointed with Metro
staff’s stance on Cornelius specifically. It’s okay that you close the
‘chapters’ on Cornelius during UGB expansion requests, but recommending against
any land north of Council Creek as offlimits for Urban Reserves is closing the
‘book’ on our aspirations for a self-sustaining community. It’s a stretch to
call Cornelius a great place to live, but certainly it is not a great place to
Work. Not yet that is. Lastly, Metro’s idea of growing south seem premature,
given most lands north of the Tualatin are Flood Plain, with peaks and valleys.
Not very attractive for future industrial partners.

Now I
understand Hillsboro is the STAR of the Region. It’s drawn the interests of
Intel, Genetech, Solarworld and countless others to the region, bringing 1000’s
of jobs and making Washington County very marketable in the process.
Establishing places like Tanasbourne, world-class Orenco Station, and a
beautiful network of parks. Please allow Cornelius the opportunity over the next
50 years to fill in and be more like its big brother
Hillsboro.

Some recent examples to note, Cornelius parks have been
largely untouched over its history, Kids and their families rely heavily on
basketball hoops on the streets, roaming the streets on bicycles, or playing on
School District lands. Graffiti is a nuisance all throughout our neighbors. And
the growing % of disabled people learn to maneuver around broken pavement that
is beyond disrepair. Please help Cornelius sustain itself for the long haul to
come and not Band-Aid issues with funding support at Metro discretion.

After the meeting Metro Councilour Rex B stopped by to say Hello and Thank me for sitting through the whole meeting. Nice to have face time with our elected officials.