By Brian Hoop
An application is being prepared and will soon be submitted to the City of Portland on behalf of the public to advance extension of the Linnton Greenway River Trail.
This project is funded by Federal “pass-thru” dollars via a State of Oregon grant administered by the state’s Department of Administrative Services. The Linnton Community Center (LCC) is serving as the project recipient and fiscal sponsor administering the project on behalf of the public.
LCC has contracted with a project development services professional, Noel Johnson, to be the project’s manager. This work is to advance and realize the goals initially established and approved by City of Portland Land Use Review (LUR) 98-00707 and City Council Ordinance 173650 back in 1998, as supported now by State and Federal entities.
This application will propose to establish and partially complete the Willamette River trail and viewpoint extending from NW 107th Avenue, just east of the Linnton Community Center.
The site is both tax lot 900 and 1100 of map 1N1W02B. These properties were and remain encumbered by the Willamette River Greenway Overlay. This zoning designation allows for uses and development which are consistent with base zoning, but which also allows for public use and enjoyment of the waterfront, and which enhances the river’s natural and scenic qualities.
The site was purchased by Babcock Land Company LLC; doing business as Harmer Steel, on January 23, 1998. Subsequently, Harmer Steel pursued the development of this site per LUR 98-00707 GW.
To comply with the Greenway Overlay, Harmer Steel proposed a twenty-five-foot-wide trail area to be
measured from the top of the riverbank inland, for the length of the property (approximately 12,143 SF in size.) This is how Harmer was found to comply with zoning laws to be granted approval for grading of the site to create an outdoor storage yard by leveling and filling portions of the site.
This work, along with restoration of the riverbank to remove and maintain native vegetation, is now being defined with engineering drawings under the direction of the project manager. Original drawings for the trail area set-back, dated 8/27/1998, were completed by David Evan’s & Associates. They were stamped as approved by the City of Portland on 8/28/98.
Subsequently, substantial changes have been made to the site in question by Harmer Steel according to an “Enforcement of LUR 98-00707” letter from Christe White of Radler White Parks Alexander LLP documenting noncompliance. The letter, dated 9/18/23, was sent to Rebecca Esau and Kimberly Talent of the City’s Bureau of Development Services.
Image of tax lots 900 and 1100, map 1N1W02B, where new trail would be extended from the current path aligned with NW 107th Ave.
The Director of Portland Parks and Recreation recommended accepting the creation of this greenway trail and the City Council acted to do this, assigning this task to this bureau on August 11, 1999. Since this action, no further progress has been realized by the
Parks Bureau.
Recently, the adjacent parcel to the south was improved, thus making the inaction with the subject parcel of greater interest (and frustration) to the Linnton community who has waited patiently for decades to realize an outdoor public gathering venue.
Linnton Community Center, as applicant on behalf of the public, is now proposing to advance this stalled project via either of two options designed and detailed by AKS Engineering, who will soon submit the application to the city.
Both options are designed to meet the intent documented by Portland City Council when they accepted a 25-foot-wide easement for the purpose of creating a recreational trail for use by the general public.
At some point in 2024, a Pre-Application meeting will be scheduled by the city with all respective bureaus attending which will be open to the public. Everyone will be encouraged to attend.