The Beavers In Beaver Creek

The Mrs. and I have been enjoying the activities of a family of beavers in Troutdale's Beaver Creek. Here are some pictures I took last night. These beavers are amazing to watch. They don't seem to care that we're creekside, no more than 50-100 feet away. In previous locations where we've come across beavers- the Willamette River, Malheur County, or up in Canada, they're usually very skittish and shy of humans.

Troutdale Parks SDC Work Session

Comparing park SDC's charged by park and recreation districts with park SDC's charged by cities. Justifying a $7500 proposed parks SDC rate by comparing the rate with the other cities who charge outrageous amounts, as if we were taking a market survey of comparable employee salaries. These were some of the arguments advanced by Troutdale city staff and some city council members at last night's work session.

If we say "all the other cities are charging those outrageous amounts!", then that's the end of argument, I guess!

We currently have over 340 acres of park space and natural open areas. We also have 6.82 miles of trails and pathways. Not bad for a town that's only 5 square miles in size! In addition, We're located right next to the Columbia River Gorge Scenic Area, The Sandy River Delta (aka Thousand Acres), Dabney State Park, and Lewis & Clark State Park. We're a few miles from Oxbow Park. We already live in a truly park-rich environment!

Our current parks are in need of updating and repair. We really don't have any spare general fund money to maintain new parks, let alone our existing parks. Many of the needed updates for existing parks are SDC-eligible. That's where our parks SDC money should go. And we don't need to double our parks SDC from $3600 to $7500 to do so.

Take a look at the Parks project list (exhibit A ). New land acquisitions account for a majority of the new park dollars proposed to justify the higher $7500 SDC.

New park space we can't afford to maintain. More land off the tax rolls. It doesn't make sense, and it's not a good deal for Troutdale's taxpayers.

We will be making a final decision on the new parks SDC rate sometime early next year. Stay tuned.

Parks SDC Increase Outrage

Unless somone changes their mind, there are probably enough votes on the Troutdale City Council to DOUBLE our parks SDC's (System Development Charges) from $3600 to $7565. The higher figure was proposed by Troutdale's Park Advisory Committee. If approved this will be an outrageous, unreasonable increase.

Our existing parks SDC of $3600 is already higher than Gresham ($3185), Forest Grove ($3000), Wilsonville ($2451), Cornelius ($2143), Milwaukie ($2078), Fairview ($1315, Wood Village ($0), and Gladstone ($0).

Fortunately, the city council was unanimous in rejecting a non-residential "index" SDC of $258 per employee for new businesses coming into Troutdale.

Glorious Glendoveer

I took a walk around Portland's Glendoveer path early this morning. It had been years since I'd had the pleasure. Once upon a time, we lived just a few blocks away. I used Glendoveer as my prime training ground for several Mt. Rainier to Pacific relays. I'd also do longer runs around the neighborhood, but Glendoveer's two mile loop was perfect for an after-work 4 or 6 miler without having to worry about dogs or cars.

I ran with a group of guys from our church, with extremely diverse ages and abilities. The pastor's son was the speediest. I was more in the not so speedy category. But it didn't matter. We did it to have fun. We named our team "Krazy Kritters Who Krave Kramps".

My first year, I was so nervous that I missed the "hand off" for my first leg because I was in line for the porta-john! The second year was memorable due to our unfortunate choice of waiting spots in the middle of the night. As we waited for one of our runners to finish a leg, we were parked in pitch black at what seemed to be a side road.

We were all half-asleep in the van when we heard the sound of a gun being cocked. It's amazing how effective that sound is to really make you wide awake! We couldn't see a thing but a shotgun pointed at our driver, and couldn't hear a thing but a male voice saying calmly, "Get off of my driveway and move along." You never heard such a chorus of "YES, SIR" in your life! Our driver moved us out of there faster than you can say buckshot.

The third year was my last on the team. My second leg that year was in the middle of the night. About 5 miles on a flat, straight-as-an-arrow country lane. No sweat! But the impossible happened. My new batteries in my new flashlight went dead. I couldn't see, (it was THAT dark!) and ran off the road just enough to take a bad step. Achilles tendon- partially ruptured. (I didn't know it at the time, though. I thought it was a simple sprain.)

Once back in the van after my second leg, I iced my heel and popped six Advil. It seemed to help. My last leg was in daylight, I think it was leg 32, which is described in the relay handbook as, "LEG 32-3.44 MILES-HARD-Uphill and winding, narrow shoulders".

I got out of the van to get ready for this last leg, and my left foot and ankle were stiff as a board! It hurt like hell, too. But I wasn't a quitter, and didn't want to let down the team. My sense of macho (ok, stupidity) was in full form. So I went for it.

3.44 miles. A GRAVEL road. VERY steep. But I kept going, ignoring the pain. I did it. I finished my final leg. But man, what a price I paid for my stupidity. That injury put me on my back for a week, with my foot up. My Achilles wasn't even close to the same for about six months.

I learned a hard lesson. But I still have a foolish sense of accomplishment about that last leg. Damn straight! I'm still proud as hell! Aaah. . . . Glendoveer. Pleasure and pain, and an old friend.

Sunset At Crown Point

On the way home from Wahkeena falls last night, we stopped at Crown Point (joining with about 50 other folks who had the same idea) to enjoy the sunset.

Chaos On The Sandy River

As the Mrs. and I headed out to Wahkeena Falls for an evening picnic about 6:30pm tonight, we were witnesses to full traffic chaos at the east side of the Troutdale bridge. We also witnessed a near-tragedy about 100 feet north of that spot on Columbia River Highway.

The traffic chaos at the east and of the Troutdale bridge consisted of cars blowing right through the stop sign southbound on Columbia River highway at the turn onto the Troutdale bridge. One car blew right in front of me- only Providence saved us from being T-boned by the madman driving, and another close behind him swerved behind us. They were both dashing for parking spots at the south side of the bridge.

The near-tragedy we witnessed was a tiny toddler, no more then 18 months to two years old, dashing toward the Sandy river in front of the car in front of us, which managed to stop just in time. This was no more than 100 feet north of the chaos at the Troutdale bridge. All traffic stopped, wondering what this little girl would do. We were all looking for the little girl's parents. There was a pickup parked on the east side of the road with several folks fiddling with inner tubes, rafts, etc. But they didn't seem interested in the little girl. After a full two minutes, a woman from this disinterested bunch finally looked up and ran across the street to fetch the little girl.

Unbelievable. How could anyone let a small child out of their sight, let alone their car seat, or holding someones hand, or holding the little girl? She was a 1/2 second away from being run over.

We avoid going down to the Sandy River when it's hot for this very reason. The few stupid, irresponsible folks who make bad choices ruin the river for everyone else. The only time I go down to the river this time of year is very early in the morning, when the irresponsible folks are still sleeping off their hangovers.

Check Out Troutdale's Picture Gallery!

What's does Troutdale look like?? Take a look at the city's web site for a nice picture gallery.

$7565: Proposed New Troutdale Parks SDC

Troutdale's Parks Advisory Committee has recommended an increase of our Parks System Development Charge (SDC) to $7565. At last week's city council work session, a majority of the city council indicated their intent to charge as much as they could out of the gate, then negotiate down from there with any potential naysayers who might object, say, the Homebuilders Association. Or affordable housing advocates. Or other reasonable folks.

According to city staff, here are some comparison single family dwelling parks SDC rates for other local cities:

Gresham $3185 + index (Rate for non-residential: $35/employee)
Fairview $1315
Wood Village $0

Currently, Troutdale's parks SDC is $3600. This figure was set in 2005. Only two years later, and we're going to double it? Consider also that in 2002, Troutdale voters rejected a $3.4 million parks bond levy. The proposed new parks SDC would raise approximately $17 million.

I appreciate the hard work and commitment of Troutdale's Parks Advisory Committee. But a $7565 parks SDC is too much. Troutdale's general fund budget can barely pay for the maintenance of our current parks. I fail to see how it would be reasonable to add more park land if we can't adequately fund our current parks maintenance.

Operating funds for our current parks are scarce. We've already cut back on parks maintenance. Why add more financial burden with extra costs to maintain more empty greenspace, not to mention FTE for maintenance of playgrounds, pathways and shrubs, graffiti removal and vandalism repair?

Why would we want to take land off the tax rolls if it's not necessary, anyway? The proposition that we need new parks is not supported by the reality of Troutdale's prime location.

Troutdale has many fine parks and greenspaces within its city limits. But Troutdale is also the gateway to the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area. It's literally right next door! In addition, within minutes of all Troutdalians are fine recreation areas such as Lewis and Clark State Recreation Site, Dabney State Recreation Area, Oxbow Park, and Dodge Park. Also within minutes is the Sandy River Delta, at the confluence of the Columbia and Sandy rivers. This site will soon have a Maya Lin-designed bird blind as part of the Confluence Project.

Doubling our parks SDC to $7565 will affect the price of homes in Troutdale. It will add $7565 to the price of every new home built in Troutdale, which will effectively raise the market price of existing Troutdale homes by the same amount. This would negatively affect the affordability of homes in Troutdale.

This proposed new parks SDC rate is unreasonable and is not in the best interest of Troutdale's residents, its future home buyers, its existing parks or the city's precarious general fund. The city council should reject this SDC increase.