| We are asking residents to act now on the proposed 236-unit SW 66th Avenue development—before approval— because its traffic, safety, and environmental impacts will be much harder to reverse once construction starts. |
One thing we need from you this week: Submit a comment to Washington County by Tuesday, August 18 at 4 PM — the more individual comments on record, the stronger our case. Easiest way: follow this link, scroll all the way down to the comments form and select L2600132. More instructions below. |
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Many of you have already met with or spoken to SHNA about this project and our effort to oppose it, or at least reduce the density. This next week is crucial. We need residents to write letters to the Washington County Department of Land Use & Transportation stating your reasons for opposing the development. The SHNA Board will also be preparing its own statement — but to get the county’s attention, we need feedback from as many neighbors as possible. Even a short paragraph from you makes a real difference. |
Themes That Resonate: Traffic. Think SW 61st Dr and Canyon Ct., SW 58th Ave and Montgomery, SW Skyline and Montgomery — even the on- and off-ramps at Sylvan. All of these intersections will be significantly affected by the new development. Safety. If you walk on SW 61st Dr or other local neighborhood streets, you’ll see more traffic, especially during an extended construction phase. Construction equipment will enter on a proposed emergency access road on SW 61st. Livability. The development takes a very different form from existing apartments in the area. Two 5-story mid-rise buildings will be conspicuous from vantage points on SW 67th Pl, SW Barnes Rd, and SW 61st Dr — hulking structures with rooftop recreational decks, where noise will likely carry across the Sylvan Creek ravine. Fire and Rescue. The additional apartments would create a community of more than 850 dwellings and 1,500 residents served by a single two-lane residential street, with no secondary means of ingress or egress. A catastrophic fire or earthquake could trap many apartment residents and overburden nearby Fire Station 16, leaving fewer resources for existing residents. Environmental. The developer acknowledges the project encroaches on sensitive natural areas bordering Sylvan Creek, a tributary of Fanno Creek and the Tualatin River. Erosion, landslide risk, and a documented fault line (the Oatfield Fault) within 100 meters add further risk. How to Submit Your Comment — Before 4 PM on August 18 Easiest way: follow this link, scroll all the way down to the comments form, and select L2600132.  By mail: Washington County Land Use & Transportation, 155 N. First Ave, Suite 350, Hillsboro, OR 97124 Be sure to reference case file # L2600132 and include your full address. Even if you live in Multnomah County, your comments will go into the record for consideration. |
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