At the CDC meeting on Wednesday, July 14th, the Committee decided it wanted to look at several matters before them related to the WCZ text amendment on their own before passing judgment on them. In order to do that, the CDC will require another meeting prior to the city council’s meeting for approval. The City has just announced a revised and tentative schedule for the remaining meetings on the Waterfront Central Zone. They are as follows:
AUGUST 9. City Council Workshop, Council Chambers, 2nd floor, city hall, 5 pm Public welcome, public comments not generally taken at council workshops.
AUGUST 11. COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE Room 209, City Hall 5 pm
AUGUST 16. City Council public hearing, council chambers, 2nd floor city hall, 7 pm Public welcome, public comments taken.
The additional CDC meeting on August 11 will give members of the CD Committee one more opportunity to weigh in on the Portland Society of Architects request that the city council consider allowing the construction of residences on the WCZ. This request by the PSA was not part of the pier owners original text amendment request. According to Steve DiMillo of DiMillo’s Floating Restaurant this request by the PSA “has muddied up the waters.”
Seventy fishermen signed a handwritten petition delivered to the city hall yesterday opposed to a proposal in the text amendment by the pier owners to allow pier owners to lease more space to pleasure boats. The petition said in part: “There is a shortage of commercial berthing and any “sharing” of existing berthing is a very real threat to the continueing economic viability of the working waterfront. The 1992 zoning ordinances for commercial berthing must remain the same.”
DiMillo responded: “I can’t imagine how they managed to get that much ink for such a small impact on commercial docking. The group is making a mountain out of a mole hill.” (DiMillo was referring to an article in today’s “Portland Press Herald” Fishermen Unite for a Fight.”)
Mr.Willis Spear, who organized the petition drive, could not be reached for comment.