Announcement

When: Sunday, May 22, 2011 1PM-4PM Troutdale City Conference Bldg 223 S Buxton Rd Troutdale, OR Get Map!

Planning new landscape? Add a rain graden landscaping that absorbs water from your roof or driveway

Free Workshop

Improve water quality and wildlife habitat at home by building your own rain garden

Rain gardens are a great way to add beautiful landscaping to your yard and protect overloaded urban streams at the same time. You will learn how to site, plan, and build your own rain garden.

You will learn how to assess your site to determine the best location and size, calculate impervious surfaces, determine soil suitability, choose appropriate plants, and how to maintain your new rain garden. You will also receive a comprehensive manual that shows all the steps to constructing a rain garden. Register below.

Wilkes East Neighborhood Board Meeting Monday May 23, 2011 6:30PM

When: Monday May 23, 2011 6:30PM
Where: (Contact for location)

Board meetings are scheduled for the 4th Monday each month 6:30PM

For more information please contact: info@wilkeseastna.org

When: Friday, May 27, 2011 7:30AM-8:30AM Where: Nadaka Nature Park 17500 NE Pacific St Gresham, OR Get map! Cost: Free

Greet the Morning
Join Jim Labbe with the Audubon Society of Portland and Lee Dayfield with Wilkes East Neighborhood Association for a morning stroll through Nakada Nature Park in West Gresham on Friday, May 27th at 7:30AM.

We’ll explore the natural and human history of this unique neighborhood nature park and learn about efforts afoot to expand the park, improve access and environmental interpretation, and enhance its wildlife habitat. We’ll also begin the documenting of bird species inhabiting the park and discuss the value of urban natural areas to avian biodiversity.

MHCC Planetarium website

An inspiring stellar presentation Guide to the Spring Sky

When: Monday April 4, 2011. Show Times: 7:00PM and 8:15PM
Where: Mt Hood Community College
Planetarium Sky Theater
26000 SE Stark St
Gresham, OR
Get Map!

Admission $2.
MHCC students are admitted free.
The Sky Theater is wheelchair accessible.

Guide to the Spring Sky

Take a guided tour the of the night Spring Sky with Pat Hanrahan, an expert in celestial bodies such as planets, stars and galaxies.

“Springtime is galaxy time,” notes Pat Hanrahan, MHCC Planetarium Director. “Learn about marvels of the spring sky that are visible to the naked eye or through ordinary binoculars and find where they reside. Included in this tour are Saturn, constellations, galaxies, star clusters and a massive black hole.”

All shows are presented under a realistic representation of the night sky, featuring the latest galactic, stellar and planetary images

Community Forum, Development Code for Institutional Plans Public is invited to attend and share their comments

When: Monday April 4, 2011 6:30PM-9:00PM
Where: Conference Room 2A (Second Floor)
City Hall
1333 NW Eastman Pkwy
Gresham, OR
Get Map!

DCIP-5: INSTITUTIONAL MASTER PLANS

The City of Gresham would like your help in developing a process for institutional uses to seek approval of long-term master plans. The current Development Code does not allow approval of long-range plans. Instead, each development on an institutional campus (such as a hospital or college) is reviewed separately.

The public is invited to attend this community forum to review the draft approach to allowing master plan approvals.

When: Tue, Apr 5, 2011 7PM-9:30PM Where: Gresham City Hall Oregon Trail Room 1333 Eastman Pkwy Get map!

Free Workshop

A free Songbird Identification class April 5 at City Hall will teach participants how to identify the most common songbirds found during peak birding months. James Davis, birding expert from Metro, will lead the class. Slides, sounds and specimens will be used to prepare birders for the bird-filled spring and summer months

Songbirds found in Oregon are not only beautiful to look at and listen to, but they can also tell us about the health of our environment. They are often travelers, coming from sometimes thousands of miles away to take advantage of our rich local environment.

When: Wed, Apr 6, 2011 7:30AM Where: Park Place Coffee 1288 SE 182nd Gresham, OR Get map!

Location Change

We will be holding the Rockwood Business Coalition meeting this month at Park Place Coffee, located at 1288 SE 182nd (Get Map!). Although parking is limited, parking has been approved at the slavic Home of God church next door and there is street parking!

Please join us at 7:30AM on April 6th.

Agenda

• Welcome and introductions
• Rockwood Updates: Max station and artwork completion; new businesses, new urban renewal news
• Introduction of Gresham Chamber new director, Alison Hart
• Cinco de Mayo celebration at Plaza del Sol
• Discussion of changes to the Rockwood Business Coalition
• Business Survey discussion and review

Questions?

Contact Dina DiNucci, Coordinator, Rockwood Business Coalition by email at dldinucci@gmail.com

Visit rockwoodbusinesscoalition.org

Healthy Eating Active Living website

Promoting healthier food options and physical activity Open House Wednesday April 6th 5:30PM

When: Wednesday, Apr 06, 2011 5:30PM-7:30PM
Where: Gresham City Hall
Conference Room 2A & 2B
1333 NW Eastman Pky
Gresham, OR
Get map!

Share Your Experience

Join us as the City hosts a Healthy Eating Active Living Open House for you to share your thoughts on how the built environment helps and/or hinders the ability to have access to healthy foods and active living opportunities

What is Healthy Eating Active Living?

Healthy Eating, Active Living (HEAL) promotes equitable access and opportunities to healthy, affordable food and to active living. It examines how health may be affected by the built environment by promoting healthier food options and physical activity through daily routines.

Gradin Sports Park Arboretum, Gresham OR

Join the Arbor Day Celebration! Gradin Sports Park Arboretum Saturday, April 9th 9AM-12PM

When: Saturday, Apr 9, 2011 9AM-12PM
Where: Gradin Sports Park
2303 SE Palmquist Road
(Between Hogan Road and Hwy 26)
Gresham, OR
Get map!

Celebrate Arbor Day

Join us for a ceremony to celebrate Gresham’s annual Arbor Day Tree City USA award and a dedication of the first phase of planting at the Arboretum at Gradin Sports Park. This arboretum has been planned for four seasons so that in any season there will be foliage, flowers and forms that stand out. This first phase planting included 150 trees and over 350 shrubs along the north and south sides of the Gradin Sports Park. The first phase planting includes a Street Tree Demonstration feature and Native Conifer and Deciduous Buffer feature.

Events will include:

• Dedication Ceremony
• Tree City USA Ceremony
• Guided Tours of the trees along the Palmquist Road sidewalk, Gradin Sports Park pathway, Native Trees and historic Significant Trees on-site
• Informational handouts on the newly planted Street Trees and Buffer Trees and Shrubs
• Street tree pruning demonstrations

When: Mon, Apr 11, 2011 6:30AM Where: Gresham City Hall Council Chambers 1333 NW Eastman Pkwy Get map!

Proposed Code Changes Hearing

The Planning Commission will conduct a hearing April 11 regarding proposed changes to the Development Code related to residential compatibility.

The proposed Development Code amendments, a staff report and a Planning Commission memo are available on the Planning Commission page of the City’s website.

Additional information also is available on the project page.

The Code changes address the following issues:

• Height and bulk of new homes
• Height transitions (between single-family homes and more intense uses such as commercial uses, apartments or condominiums)
• Flag lots (homes built behind other homes)
• Buffering and screening between developments
• How small-lot subdivisions are reviewed
• Quality/appearance of fences along streets