Coalition of Gresham Neighborhood Associations Board Meeting Tuesday Mar 9, 2010 7:00PM

When: Tuesday Mar 9, 2010 7:00PM
Where: Gresham City Hall, Springwater Trail Room
1333 NW Eastman Pky
Get Map!

Public welcome

The Coalition of Gresham Neighborhood Associations was formed to provide structure and support for the leadership of Gresham's neighborhood associations, enabling more effective cooperation among neighborhood associations in order to achieve desired outcomes. Goals of the Coalition include providing a public forum for the review and evaluation of issues and problems, providing education and information on specific areas such as land use, and providing a unified voice for the neighborhood associations.

The Coalition meets monthly on the second Tuesday at 7:00PM

Gresham’s 2010 Tree Forum “People Need Trees and Gresham’s Trees Need People” Take the survey here!

When: Saturday Mar 13, 2010 9AM - 12PM
Where: Gresham City Hall
Oregon Trail Conference Room
1333 NW Eastman Pwy
Gresham, OR 97030
Get Map!

The second Community Workshop for the Urban Forestry Management Plan project will be held on Saturday, March 13, 2010 from 9AM to 12PM at City Hall.

Participate in the "Significant Tree Hunt" commemorating Gresham’s 100th birthday. Information available here!

Forum speakers & participants

• Jim Gersbach, Friends of Trees member
• Keith Warren, J. Frank Schmidt & Son Nursery
• Nancy Buley, J. Frank Schmidt & Son Nursery
• Lynn Snodgrass, Drake’s 7 Dees
• Anne Rutherford, Storyteller

Events

• 9:00AM - Open house on the benefits of trees.
• 9:30AM - Tree treasure hunt prizes awarded. Clues on the City of Gresham Facebook page and via Twitter - hunt starts March 1. (See "Geocache Treasure Hunt" below)
• 10:00AM - Storyteller Anne Rutherford - What is your tree story?
• 10:20AM - Presentation on the value of trees.
• 11:00AM - Street Tree Arboretum community design activity. Bring your creative arboretum ideas for Gradin Sports Park.

Come enjoy a Tree Art Show presented by East Gresham Elementary and Mt. Hood Montessori!

Refreshments provided!

Tree Survey

Share your thoughts and opinions on trees in Gresham.

1874 Zimmerman House, Gresham Oregon. Click to enlarge

Welcome Spring! Zimmerman House Tours Sat Mar 20th 10AM -3PM A lasting vestige of East Multnomah County's agricultural roots

When: Saturday Mar 20, 2010 10AM-3PM
Where: Zimmerman Park
17111 NE Sandy Blvd
Gresham OR
Get Map!

A delightful 1874 Victorian farmhouse

Take a step back into history at the Zimmerman House, a Victorian era farmhouse, built in 1874 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This beautiful farmhouse is a perfect reflection of typical Columbia River dairy farm life in the late 1800s. The Zimmerman Heritage Farm is a unique cultural education and recreational resource that is being created for the benefit of the public on a 5.98-acre historic site in Gresham, Oregon.

Neighborhood news Pedestrian and Bicycle Improvements along Halsey (162nd-181st)

Join Your Neighbors... Get involved. Make a difference!

When: Monday, Mar 22, 2010 7:00PM
Where: St. Aidan’s Episcopal Church
17405 NE Glisan St
Get map!

Save the date!

Be sure to save Monday, Mar 22nd at 7:00 PM for this meeting at St. Aidan’s Episcopal Church, 17405 NE Glisan St, Portland, Oregon. Get map!

Who should attend?

This meeting is open to all residents and businesses in the Wilkes East Neighborhood!

Nadaka Nature Park Gresham, Oregon

Get your Green on! Come on out & lend a hand as we continue with invasives removal at Nadaka Nature Park

When: Mar 27, 2010, Sat 9AM-2:30PM
Where: Nadaka Nature Park
NE 175th Ave and NE Pacific St
Gresham, OR
Get Map!

Event Info

Be prepared to get a little dirty and to have fun by supporting and volunteering with Friends of Nadaka and Wilkes East Neighborhood Association in their efforts to restore this natural area by removing invasive underbrush and ivy.

Rain or Shine! Come dressed for weather and help improve Nadaka Nature Park. Bring working gloves & a water bottle if you have them. Volunteer as long as you can.

Coffee, juice, water & refreshments provided by Wilkes East Neighborhood.

No pre-registration required. Volunteers younger than 18 will need a signed waiver (available at the event).

See website calendar for more Nadaka Nature Park events and activities!

Real Estate, Mortgages, and... Used Cars too? Wilkes East mortgage broker requests permit to sell used cars at 178th & Glisan location.

Good Idea? Bad Idea?

According to City documents Interbank Mortgage Services has applied for a permit to sell used cars in addition to real estate and mortgage loans on the corner of 178th & NE Glisan. (In this slow economy the temptation to compete with the other used car lot at 163rd & NE Glisan must be too great to resist.)

A notice asking for public comment appeared February 11, 2010 in front of the proposed car lot at 17811 NE Glisan St. Get Map!. View Land Use notice here. If you object to this land use proposal you need to file your comments with the City before February 25, 2010. (See info below)

Gresham Mayor says landlord "did the right thing" "I think he heard the community.”

Mayor Shane T. Bemis announced February 10, 2010 that Jack Medak the owner of the building at l9295 E Burnside and potential landlord for a proposed methadone clinic in the Rockwood area of Gresham has decided not to lease his space for that use.

The decision comes after a contentious two-hour meeting held Thursday, Feb. 4, in the building in question at 19295 E Burnside St.

"This is a big win for the people who have been working so hard to raise the tide in Rockwood," said Bemis. "I am tremendously proud of the community for clearly articulating the potential redevelopment obstacles and law enforcement challenges that could come from an additional methadone clinic in the area." Bemis said “I am glad that Mr. Medak did not lease to them,” adding, “He did the right thing. I think he heard the community.”

Rain Garden. Click to enlarge

Free workshop Learn the "how-to's" of constructing your own rain garden!

When: Saturday Mar 27, 2010 9AM - 1PM
Where: Gresham City Hall
1333 NW Eastman Pwy
Gresham, OR 97030
Get Map!

Rain gardens are a great way to add beautiful landscaping to your yard and protect overloaded urban streams at the same time.

Free Workshop

Attend this free "Rain Garden 101" workshop presented by East Multnomah Soil & Water Conservation District. (Registration required)

At this workshop you'll learn how to assess your site to determine the best location and size, calculate impervious surfaces, determine soil suitability, choose appropriate plants, and how to maintain your new rain garden. You will also receive a comprehensive manual that shows all the steps to constructing a rain garden.

"Bye-bye" curbside parking. Much needed upgrades coming. Sidewalks, ADA rampes, bike lanes, and a new crosswalk near 172nd.

Changes coming to Halsey Street

May - September 2010 the City of Gresham’s Transportation Division will enhance Halsey Street between 162nd and 181st Avenues. The project includes construction of new sidewalks where they are missing, new ADA ramps, and an enhanced crosswalk on 172nd or at a nearby intersection to facilitate access to the north side of Halsey Street from H.B. Lee Middle School. Get Map!

The street surface will also be repaved with microseal, a more durable road surface than the existing asphalt. When the street is resurfaced automobile lanes will be realigned and bike lanes will be added to the north and south sides of the street. With the addition of bike lanes some on-street parking will be eliminated.

We want your input!

Since you live within the vicinity of the project, we need your input and suggestions regarding this project. Comments will be accepted through 5PM Feb 26, 2010.

Volunteers plant Scarlet Oaks at Columbia View Park. Click to view

Oaks will add a nice touch of red fall color to Columbia View Park

Scarlet Oaks added to park

By Kate Farrington, (Friends of Trees)

Friends of Trees, along with volunteers from the Nadaka Nature Park work party, planted three Scarlet Oaks in Columbia View Park (in the SE area of the park) Jan. 9th. They were planted to replace four mature cottonwoods that were recently removed.

The oaks will add a nice touch of red fall color to the park, which is currently dominated by evergreen trees.

Thanks to Lee Dayfield, who put in a lot of work to make this planting happen! Friends of Trees is excited be involved in more planting projects out in Gresham.