Portland As A Model - Again (22. October 2006, 11:21 by Derek Young) ~ So Much Potential
Today’s column by Voelpel once again brings up Portland as a model for growth and development that Tacoma could follow. He provides a checklist of items that Portland has done right:
1. Tax increment financing
2. Portland Development Commission
3. Light rail, streetcars
4. Elect leaders with vision
5. Hard urban growth boundary
6. People have a say here, really
7. A Downtown University
We have so much potential here. To me, our ultimate destination will be determined by the vision of our city and business leaders. Without a vision, the other items on the list will inevitable fail. I would say more, but…
... back to my homework.
Link to The News Tribune
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Dan forgot or willing left out the most important thing to get these things done! A regional government. Metro ensures the whole region develops with a cohesive plan and that cities do not square off against one another.
1 | Posted by Patrick | Oct 22, 05:15 PM
Portland is also notable for having the lowest density of any large city in the Pacific Northwest: lower than Seattle, Tacoma and even Spokane. Portland takes up a similar amount of land as the national model of POOR urban planning, Detroit, yet has about half the population.
Give them credit for mass transit, TIF, higher density downtown, and Metro, but remember: most of Portland still looks like Bonney Lake.
2 | Posted by drizell | Oct 22, 09:57 PM
I like #4: “Elect leaders with vision”
Seems to me that if the ones in charge have “ears to hear”, then the rest will fall into place.
3 | Posted by Steve Hurley | Oct 22, 11:28 PM
Some folks in Portland might take issue with the “folks have a say” statement in the editorial. Portland is a bit less process oriented than we are used to, tends to shove agendas onto the public, and makes a lot of closed door deals. PDC has had its share of scandal and inepitude, too. Don’t forget Measure 37. Having said all of that, I love Portland dearly.
5 | Posted by tom waits | Oct 23, 09:21 AM
#4: Elect leaders with vision
There has been much discussion over the years about this topic.
First, where are the elected leaders with vision? Keep in mind that our Council is part time. Some members put in more than part time, some don’t.
Do we value elected leadership enough to pony up the extra cost of having a full time council? Are there ways we can get to a full time council such as cutting back the number of positions?
Vision is only a small part of the equation, in my mind. Dedication to the mission is much larger. It’s like that old Thomas Edison quote, “Genius is one per cent inspiration, ninety-nine per cent perspiration.”
...by the way, did everyone see #3?
Bring Back the Streetcars!
“People have a say in Portland.” A community picnic was held in an 8 lane highway along the river. Engineers wanted to widen it; “Riverfront for People” wanted it ripped out to create a waterfront park. The picnickers won.
Gov’t leaders and even private-sector developers generally want what the people say, so they ask first. What a concept.
Anyone for a fall “we want a see-thru-wall” picnic for Tacoma?
7 | Posted by jennifer | Oct 23, 10:25 PM
Jennifer, when are you planning the picnic?
The concept of involving people is wonderful. Tacoma doesn’t have many opportunities for a public exchange with the Council. It is always a one-sided conversation and in the end, it feels like the decision is made prior to folks being heard. It is the one complaint I’ve heard repeatedly and experienced. Tacoma does not have a level field for the citizens versus the ‘experts.’ (sustitute any of the following: developers, housing providers, WSDOT, elected representatives, etc.)
8 | Posted by M.W. | Oct 24, 07:39 AM
not everyone can be like portland. i have a feeling cities throughout the country are going to be following this portland model in hopes of “revitalization”.
i believe the key is getting as many citizens as possible within tacoma to take pride in the city. although many younger folks love downtown, many more people (who live in the Southeast for example) complain of poor streets, disinvestment in schools, and tacomas infamous CRIME. tacoma is doing a great job. hopefully it keeps up with areas that may be forgoten (southeast).
patrick. you sound like an urban studies student!
9 | Posted by snoopy | Oct 24, 09:22 AM
Notice I’ve changed my moniker since another Patrick has appeared on the site. That said…
As a native Portlander, let me be the nay-sayer in arguing that in many ways PDX should not be our model. Costs of living are high relative to wages and the urban core is family unfriendly. There can be sources of inspiration, but imitation will simply push more Tacomans out into the burbs, leaving the downtown as an urban theme park for empty nesters, single professionals and anyone else with lots of disposable income.
My earlier comment on this is
<a href=“http://www.exit133.com/706/marketing-the-gay-tacoma#c000756/”>here</a>
10 | Posted by UPSPatrick | Oct 24, 10:39 AM
Morgan-
You’ll be happy to know that as the City re-examines its urban centers it is on the slate to look at how transit & rail can be used to enable additional growth.
I’m excited that Sound Transit is considering a Link extension to Tacoma General or TCC even if it is a 20yr planning window. (Sound Transit is still taking comments. The Bus/Rail & Medium Rail options are the ones that include the Link extension.)
11 | Posted by DavidS | Oct 24, 01:03 PM
ThankS for the link, DavidS – I would like to encourage EVERYONE to take the Sound Transit online survey.
Sound Transit (and the Tacoma City Council) prefer to build a light rail line to SeaTac over any LINK extension in Tacoma.
It could be said that there is some value in building a light rail line from Fife to Federal Way… but in my mind we need to beef up our “feeder” systems- such as the downtown LINK.
Of note: there is a new option Sound Transit is kicking around which would extend LINK from downtown to the Stadium District. Even at just over 1 mile in length, incrementally extending the downtown LINK makes a lot of sense.
Of note: there is a new option Sound Transit is kicking around which would extend LINK from downtown to the Stadium District.
That might be interesting as stadium is not that far away and the LINK system looks like could easy be extended there.
4. Elect leaders with vision
A good quality if the vision is a beneficial one. Not all “visions” in Tacoma have been all that helpful. Some have been harmful. We are still left to stuggle to determine with the best underlying policy.
Give them credit for mass transit, TIF, higher density downtown, and Metro, but remember: most of Portland still looks like Bonney Lake.
Its true, Portland seem to be a kind of highly occupaied sprawl. I doubt Tacoma will ever have the strong urban growth boundries Portland has and I-933 threatens the planning we do have.
One of the perplexing issues we are having in Tacoma is some of the new condos are being built pretty short.
When, if ever, would it be appropriate to enact a minimum height requirement so the downtown does not get filled with sleepy three and four level condos?
Here’s another Voelpel submission on Portland
PORTLAND – The Rose City’s newest walking tour promises to show you remnants of “the seedy underbelly of Portland’s past,” as guide Natalie Reynolds described it.
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