5/21/19 Minutes

May 21, 2019

Minutes

Members: none

Organizations: Raleigh Kirschman, UGM; Dirk Moeller, Business Connections;  Jim Griggs, Saalfield Griggs, PC;  Richard McGinty, McGinty, Belcher and Hamilton Attorneys, PC; Richard Berger, Mountain West Investment Corporation; Lisa LaManna, The LaManna Company, LLC

City, County and State Representatives: Jessica Preis, Salem Community Development Dept.; Mark Becktel, Troy Thompson and Kyle Cochran, Salem Public Works Dept.;  Darrin Brightman and Brady Ricks, Oregon Department of Administrative Services

Guests: none

The regular meeting of the CANDO Board of Directors was called to order at 6:00 p.m., on Tuesday, May 21, 2019, at the First Christian Church at 685 Marion Street NE, Salem.  The Chair and Secretary-Treasurer were present.  

The agenda and minutes of the April meeting were not approved, as there was not a majority of the board present.   

In interested citizen comments, Richard Berger announced that Mountain West Investment Corp. (MWCI) had purchased the Wells Fargo site at 280 Liberty Street NE (the big hole at the corner of Chemeketa) and had contracted with CB2 Architects to design a mixed-use (residential and commercial) project.  Berger will provide more information at the July meeting, but construction could begin late this winter. MWIC also has purchased a portion of the former North Campus of the State Hospital for development, about which CANDO will be hearing more in future.

Troy Thompson and Kyle Cochran reported that the pedestrian bridge at Shelton Ditch and the east side of Church Street is finally going to be replaced.  The 1980s-constructed bridge was closed more than a year ago because of a detached railing due to wood rot. The City hired a structural engineer who determined that the footings were solid and would accommodate the new, metal bridge, which also will be 6 feet wide and 28 feet long, but will have a reduced slope (<8%).  Construction is scheduled to begin mid-July.

Richard McGinty (again) shared concerns about the impacts of homelessness around his business at 694 High Street, saying his property seemed to be a conduit between the parks and HOAP.  He was concerned about people parking “overnight many nights in a row” on Division Street where there are no time limits. He would like to have time-limited parking on Division Street.

McGinty and Dirk Moeller reported that Sunday night/Monday morning of May 13, about 12:30 a.m., someone threw large rocks through the windows of 13 different area businesses, causing around $500 damage to each, including Marco’s Place, Inkspot and Sam’s Transmission, in addition to Business Connections.  Moeller said an employee had heard glass breaking and confronted the perpetrator, who threatened to kill the employee.  Moeller said the man was “deranged”, living “at ARCHES” and had been arrested 60 times previously. McGinty said he wanted to make sure CANDO was aware.  

Moeller said “insurance doesn’t cover” damage of the sort they were reporting.  About the new Riverfront-Downtown Urban Renewal Area Strategic Project Grant Program that offers grants up to $50,000 for commercial projects designed for crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED), McGinty said it was “not conducive to businesses to look like fortified structures” or to have no camping or no trespassing signs in the windows.

Jim Griggs, whose business is in the Park Place Building at 250 Church Street SE, reported that one of his employees was “chased to her car” recently.  His security service had locked up per usual about 6 p.m., and the employee had left about 30 minutes later. She said she was followed by a man who was yelling at her and banged on her window after she got in her car.  He left when she pulled out her cell phone. Griggs agreed with McGinty and Moeller that the situation in downtown was much worse than in previous years.

The CANDO board heard a presentation by Darrin Brightman on the “Heritage Houses” on the North Capitol Mall (see image below).  The houses are small (ranging from 1700 SF to 3000 SF), more or less maintain their original residential interior layout, and have limited parking (a total of 24 spaces, six ADA).  Because, despite efforts, the properties have been under-leased in recent years, the state is looking for ideas from the community as to other possible uses besides office/daycare and residential.  The state would also like ideas about parking.

Some of the suggestions included uses that would serve the residential community to the north, like boutique retail, a coffee shop or a bakery.  Another suggestion was to see if Parrish Middle School to the east needed space for a project or program. CANDO agreed to ask for suggestions from members through the City’s CANDO listserve and CANDO’s Facebook page. 

The CANDO board also heard a presentation by Mark Becktel on the circumstances that gave rise to the Food and Sundries Distributions to the Homeless Task Force and what has happened since since the Task Force issued its recommendations.  He said the City has not received any permit applications from the meal providers and that the issue appeared to be resolving itself. He said that, although some people “who would never get permits” continued to drop off food and sundries in the parks from time to time, he was hoping the City would not have to amend the code or institute the benevolent distributions permit program.  As time was running short, Becktel agreed to return to CANDO to discuss the program when, and if, the City received a benevolent meal permit application.

As there was still not a majority of the board present, the Chair postponed all business until the June meeting, and adjourned the meeting at 7:04 p.m.