City Council adopts Sten’s ‘satellite’ urban renewal plan

UPDATE: Downtown business opposition fails to derail funds for David Douglas School District

By Jim Redden

LocalNewsDaily.com, Mar 11, 2008, Updated Oct 30, 2009 (27 Reader comments)

Sweeping aside opposition from the downtown business community and legal questions, the Portland City Council approved Wednesday morning Commissioner Erik Sten’s plan to transfer $19 million in downtown urban renewal dollars to the David Douglas School District.

The council unanimously approved two proposals from Sten, one allowing the city to create satellite urban renewal areas and the other to help David Douglas build a new elementary school.

Sten said the plan would allow all areas of the city to benefit from the success of downtown urban renewal projects.

Sten’s plan will send $19 million in downtown urban renewal funds to the school district on Portland’s eastern edge.

The idea ran into opposition from the Portland Business Alliance, which sent a letter to city officials Tuesday calling the plan for a so-called "satellite district" an unwise change in Portland Development Commission policies.

“City Council should not adopt this major shift in urban renewal practice, and we urge you to reject the satellite district proposal,” wrote alliance President Sandra McDonough.

Sten’s plan will divert money from the River District urban renewal area that includes the Pearl District to a parcel owned by the David Douglas district, which hopes to build a new elementary school.

Sten intends the funds to be used for a community center to be built in conjuction with the school at the site.

Although the alliance letter praises Sten for wanting to help the financially-strapped district, it asked the council to keep the money in the central city area.

1 | 2 Next Page >>

Facebook	Digg	Del.icio.us
Newsvine	Stumbleupon	Reddit