Please read through these media postings as well as user comments provided. It really gives you a sense of how the community feels about the issue:
Appeals board remands Beaverton’s zoning changes to 138-acre Peterkort land
OregonLive.com
Neighbors of Peterkort properties challenge zoning changes to the state Land Use Board of Appeals
OregonLive.com
Peterkort lesson: We need more genuine citizen engagement
Beaverton Valley Times by Rob Solomon (Candidate for Position 3 on the Beaverton City Council)
Peterkort zoning decision stuns neighbors of Sunset Transit Center …
OregonLive.com
Beaverton denies an appeal saying the city ignored a community plan for Peterkortproperties along Southwest Barnes Road….
City Council denies neighbors’ appeal of Peterkort zoning changes
Beaverton Valley Times
… the council was not swayed by residents’ attempts to appeal zoning changes for the undevelopedPeterkort properties near Sunset Transit Center.
Beaverton City Council upholds zoning changes to Peterkort properties
OregonLive.com
Many of the neighbors asked the city for some assurance that details of the community plan would be implemented in future Peterkort developments.
The project eventually could have 1,900 housing units, the highest density in Washington County… The biggest difference in the city’s zone, officials said, is it gives the developer a little more flexibility…county staff asked the city to consider more housing density close to the transit center, permitting less retail north of Barnes Road, the significance of a park or civic space near the station, and when housing would be phased in. (Feb 3, 2012, Oregonian)
Washington County commissioners [addressed] concerns laid out in a December letter from county planner Brent Curtis to the city.
The letter listed several points for the city to consider: proximity of residential density to the transit center, retail development north of Barnes Road, the importance of a park space near the station and a time-line of when housing would be phased into the area.
The letter provided important notes that they will consider in the development process, said Steven Sparks, the city’s planning manager.
(Jan 11 2012, Oregonian)
Peterkort property rezoning plan prompts neighborhood concerns (1/4/12, Beaverton Valley Times)
Beaverton’s zoning changes draw appeal (Jan’12-Cedar Mill News)
…a slap in the face to all those who worked so long and hard to come up with guidelines for the development of this area during the process to update the county’s Cedar Hills/Cedar Mill Community Plan in the mid ‘90s.
When fully built-out, this development could end up being at least twice as large as Washington Square. (December 2011, Cedar Mill News)
some of the zoning changes do not follow a Washington County plan from 1997, which was the result of extensive public comment and meetings. The plan designed specific guidelines for a community based around the Sunset Transit Center, similar to an Orenco Station-type development, neighbors say. (12/26/11, The Oregonian)
These changes would potentially allow for the city to pitch out the Orenco-style plan created by residents and Washington County, instead creating around 9 million square feet very large retail big box outlets that would make Washington Square look measly.
Washington County residents who don’t live near this mess should be extremely alarmed. First, years of citizen involvement and buy in are about to be tossed aside, stoking what is already a deep distrust between residents and city/county officials. Second, guess who pays for the infrastructure improvements and other work necessary to bring this development along? Not just Beaverton residents. Under the current agreement, Barnes Road remains the providence of Washington County, which means all county residents have to foot the bill. (12/26/11, BlueOregon)
Update: Beaverton takes its turn to drive the Washington County steamroller (12/27/11, BlueOregon)
WaCo: Duyck speaks up (12/28/11, BlueOregon)
[Steven Sparks, Principal Planner for the City of Beaverton] also revealed that the main metric for the City in deciding whether to allow a development proposal to go through was chiefly based on the car traffic impact, even though the land sits around the Sunset Transit Center, making it ideal for development that would increase transit use. The previous agreement with residents called for a “station community”, similar to Orenco Station in Hillsboro. This would include housing within easy walking distance of the MAX and bus line. The two plans appear to be in stark conflict.
Sparks said that the County wasn’t opposed to the zoning proposals, which seems in conflict with this letter from Washington County planning manager Brent Curtis. Sources from Washington County tell me that this letter was significantly watered down as well. Curtis’ original letter reportedly offered a much more concerned tone.(1/4/12, BlueOregon)