Sept 23,2020

Regarding: Alamo Manhattan development, LU 20-102914 DZM GW

Dear Council Members:

I have been an active user of the Greenway for well over 2 decades. Originally living in the Fulton Park neighborhood, now as a South Waterfront resident. This includes walking, biking, jogging with my dogs, and access with SUPs for water activity. The Greenway is an essential part of our community, and no plans being considered should be allowed to shortchange the minimum requirements. Once the Greenway is built out, there is no going back, so the plans should be forward thinking, and consider all potential uses.

At any given time out on the current Greenway space, I encounter:

•  People walking their dogs, this is where resident dog owners take their dogs for potty breaks.

•  Bikes

•  Scooters

•  Runners

•  Pedestrians pushing strollers

•  Pedestrians – on foot, in wheelchairs, with walkers

•  Picnics on the lawns with groups of families/friends

•  People sitting on benches

•  Individuals relaxing on the lawn space

•  Pre-school/Daycare groups of 10 – 20 children at a time getting in their exercise

The Alamo Manhattan development will be bringing in a minimum of 1200 new residents, more likely about 1600 or more residents. Lets also presume several hundred more dogs that will be needing walks to relieve themselves multiple times a day.

When I see the latest drawings, what I am seeing is where in front of my building are three paths, the Alamo plans show only two paths available. Considering the Alamo’s 1200 residential units it seems insufficient to have only the two paths. Even more striking is the lack of lawn space. I can not envision this space accommodating the school children, picnics, dogs being walked, plus the runners, bikers, scooters, strollers and pedestrians.

Once the Greenway is built out, it will bring in the continuation of bike & pedestrian traffic from Spaghetti Factory and south. So that will add more even more activity and traffic than will be generated by the new units.

Also noteworthy is that the Alamo Manhattan project is referencing the Zidell project as a source of river access, suggesting they don’t need to make it available. As far as I know that argument does not hold any weight, the Zidell project is currently not a consideration, those plans came to a halt in 2018 and are no longer on the table.

I believe because of the very high number of new residential units associated with this project (a 44% increase over existing residential units) that the Greenway would ideally be designed to exceed the minimum requirements associated with the project’s approval. And definitely there should not be any shortcuts or allowances that would diminish the Greenway as a resource to Portland’s residents.

There are not many opportunities remaining to extend Portland’s recreational access to riverfront activities. Let’s make the most of this opportunity and ensure that the Greenway benefits not only the residents of the new units, but also the existing community and the city of Portland.

Thank you for taking the time to read my concerns, and for your efforts to maintain the livability of Portland.

Kind regards,

Laura Bailey Ramirez

3570 S River Pkwy, #1413, Portland, OR 97239