Public Involvement & Events
On O
ctober 29, 2014, Washington County held its first open house to discuss with area residents the potential land use changes for the North Cooper Mountain area. Seventy- five people attended the event at Errol Hassell Elementary School to share their thoughts with county staff, consultants and service provider representatives.
Maps were displayed for area transportation, land use, and resource proposals and copies were provided of potential text amendments to the county's Development Code and the Aloha-Reedville-Cooper Mountain Community Plan. The potential amendments are identical to those first presented at the City of Beaverton's August 11, 2014 Open House at Scholls Heights Elementary School.
Transportation
Transportation-related issues generated the most conversation among open house attendees. The majority of comments addressed congestion and whether existing and future road improvements can accommodate new development expected for the South Cooper Mountain Annexation area. Safety concerns resulting from urban-to-urban traffic traversing unimproved Collectors and Arterial roadways were noted in multiple conversations and submitted in written comments. Participants voiced a strong preference for diverting regionally-based traffic around Cooper Mountain using Tile Flat and Clark Hill Roads. Many comments responded to the proposed improvements to SW 175th Avenue and the future alignment needed to connect SW 175th Avenue and SW 185th Avenue.
Comments included:
- requests to not improve the "kink" since it currently acts to calm traffic;
- divert any future funding to improve 175th Ave to other priorities;
- improve the existing alignment of 190th Ave, Gassner and Kemmer Roads as an alternative to extending 185th Ave, and
- preference for a straight alignment of the 185th Ave extension.
Land Use Designations
Potential land use designations that would maintain the existing residential low-density condition in North Cooper Mountain were displayed at the October 20, 2014 Open House to generate public comment. These designations include applying the R6 District (up to six dwelling units/acre) for the northern third of the subarea and a new county land use designation specific to the North Cooper Mountain area - the R1 CM District –for the southern two thirds of the area. A number of area residents that reside in the proposed R6 District expressed concern about potential changes that may occur to the existing residential character from an increase in housing density.
Other issues that were addressed by staff or included in the written comments at the Open House included better provision of transit for the Cooper Mountain area, requirement of chains during winter for major roads in the area, concerns over placement of the proposed Cooper Mountain Regional Trail alignment, and requests for tree grove protection. Staff will continue to monitor these and other concerns in moving forward.
Join us at an upcoming Open House
