If you are looking for a preschool in the neighborhood, the Kenilworth Community Preschool is having an open house soon. 

​Here's what they say:
Open House – Saturday, February 4, 2017 9am-2pm
Come meet our teacher, chat with parents of current students, see the classroom, and pick up an application for enrollment. If you are interested in joining our community and are unable to attend the open house, please contact the membership coordinator at kenilworth.membership@gmail.com with questions, to schedule a tour, and to request an application. 
Kenilworth Community Preschool is a play-based preschool that welcomes three to five-year-old children into a creative, warm, and inviting environment. As a cooperative preschool, we work in partnership with families and in connection with the community. Learn more by visiting www.kenilworthcps.org.

​The Neighborhood Association received notification of applications to demolish the following addresses:


5124 SE Gladstone St: permit # 16-261177-RS — appeals due by November 28th
3932 SE Glastone St: permit # 16-258618-RS — appeals due by Friday, November 18th
3948 SE Gladstone St: permit # 16-258593-RS — appeals due by Friday, November 18th

The permit applications are below.

The Comprehensive Plan Updates will include some zoning changes in Creston-Kenilworth. Marty Stockton from the Bureau of Planning and Sustainability came to the February 2016 meeting to give us a preview of the new zoning map. It is now available here.

Here is the information Marty Stockton provide about the public comment process:

"In regards to testimony (formal public comments) to the Planning and Sustainability Commission on the zoning updates, a reminder that the Proposed Draft of the Residential and Open Space Zoning Map will be released the week of March 7th. Testimony may be submitted starting this week, but not before. [February 22nd's] presentation before the Creston-Kenilworth Neighborhood Association was an early preview of the March 7th Proposed Draft release. Public notice to affected property owners will also be mailed the week of March 7th.

Here is some general information on the Planning and Sustainability Commission: http://www.portlandoregon.gov/bps/article/383909. This web link also provides Tips for Testifying: http://www.portlandoregon.gov/bps/article/383947. 

Email the Planning and Sustainability Commission: psc@portlandoregon.gov
Fax the Planning and Sustainability Commission: (503) 823-7800
Send a letter to the Planning and Sustainability Commission:

Planning and Sustainability Commission
1900 SW 4th Avenue, Suite 7100
Portland, OR 97201

Attend the April 12, 2016 Planning and Sustainability Commission hearing from 12:30 to 3:30p.m. at the following location:

1900 SW 4th Avenue in Conference Room 2500 (2nd Floor)

Questions? Call our helpline at 503-823-0195 or write tabitha.boschetti@portlandoregon.gov."

The Neighborhood Association has be receiving more questions than usual about homeless encampments. Portland City Government has declared a housing emergency and has instructed police officers to stop enforcing the "no camping' ordinance through out the city until more indoor shelter space is secured. This leaves many city residents wondering what to do if a campsite is impacting them negatively. Below is some information shared by a Security & Emergency Management Official with the Portland Parks and Recreation Department:

"Recently the City of Portland changed our policy regarding campsite clean-ups.  This new policy reflects an equitable set of best practices to address the homeless challenge in Portland in a humane and safe way, while at the same time allowing the City to take appropriate action when the situation calls for it.  As has been widely reported, the City Council has enacted a State of Emergency around Housing and Homelessness because we lack sufficient indoor space – whether temporary shelter or permanent affordable housing – to house our approximately 2,000 homeless people living on our streets.  The City has prioritized the funding and building of more bed spaces, but in the meantime the City is managing public space in a realistic, balanced manner and is generally permitting very low impact camping.  However, criminal activity and gross misuse of public space continues to not be tolerated.

The new policy allows people to safely sleep on our streets with timelines and conditions, but camping is still not permitted in parks and on parks properties. To address camping and related violations such as these, we prioritize a limited number of park rangers for patrols at hot spots and in high impact areas. In addition, last week, the city's campsite cleanup vendor removed a number of camps at Creston Park. It appears that campers are returning and that seems to be the case with enforcement and cleanups, as folks without shelter options tend to move around. We will continue to do what we can to address the issues you report, but are also working with the Mayor's office, social services, and mental health providers on a more sustainable solution.

Moving forward, When residents/businesses/visitors want to report camping issues, here’s the way.
 
The City has a webpage where one may complete a short form about campingwww.portlandoregon.gov/campsite.  The webpage form attaches to TrakIT and the form can take downloaded pictures of camping related problems.  We encourage folks to use the form.
 
If a resident/business has no access to a computer or requires help to complete the form, they are welcome to telephone City/County Information
503-823-4000, Monday-Friday, 8am-5pmfor assistance.
 
You should call 911 for any crime in progress and police non-emergency at 503-823-3333 for afterhours violations as rangers do not work after hours. Calls to ranger customer service help us prioritize their patrols during daytime hours and can be made to 503-823-1637."

OVERVIEW OF THE 20S BIKEWAY PROJECT
The City of Portland will soon be creating a bike-friendly path extending from SE Crystal Springs Blvd to NE Lombard Street. Most of the bikeway will exist on 28th Ave, although in some places, it shifts to 26th, 27th, or 29th Ave. Construction will begin during the spring of 2016, and is expected to be finished within the Creston-Kenilworth Neighborhood before the end of the year. Find more about the 20s Bikeway Project on the Portland Bureau of Transportation's website: https://www.portlandoregon.gov/transportation/62816

IMPACTS WITHIN THE CRESTON-KENILWORTH NEIGHBORHOOD
Within the Creston-Kenilworth Neighborhood boundaries, the bike path will be exclusively on 28th Ave.

INTERSECTION AT 28th & POWELL
At the intersection of 28th Ave and Powell Boulevard, a new traffic light and pedestrian/bike crossing will be installed during late spring 2016, and the traffic signal is expected to begin functioning during the summer of 2016. In order to reduce car traffic on the bikeway, cars will not be permitted to make left turns from Powell Blvd onto 28th Ave, nor from 28th Ave onto Powell Blvd.

BICYCLE GREENWAY ALONG 28TH BETWEEN POWELL AND HOLGATE
28th Ave between Powell and Holgate will be painted with "sharrows" similar to those that currently exist along the Clinton Street bike greenway. Similar to Clinton Street, there will not be separate bike lanes and automobile lanes. Rather, cars, buses, and bicycles will share the lanes in both directions. Some of the stop signs along 28th Ave will be turned to allow a more continuous flow of traffic. 

INTERSECTION AT 28th AND HOLGATE
At the intersection of 28th Ave and Holgate Blvd there will not be any new signals, but there will be regulatory changes in traffic patterns (read: there will be new signs). In order to reduce car traffic on 28th Ave north of Holgate, cars will not be permitted to enter the Northbound lane of 28th Ave from Holgate Blvd or from the Northbound lane of 28th Ave South of Holgate. What this means: if you are driving in either direction on Holgate, you will not be able to turn onto 28th Ave going north. You will be able to turn onto 28th Ave going South. If you are South of Holgate on 28th Ave driving North, you will not be able to continue on 28th Ave across Holgate. Instead, you will need to turn onto Holgate (either east/right or west/left) and use a different numbered street to continue driving North.

PROPOSED CHANGES TO EXISTING BIKE LANES ON 26TH AVE BETWEEN POWELL AND GLADSTONE
Currently, most North & South bicycle riders in this portion of the neighborhood use the bike lanes along 26th Ave. The Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) and the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) disagree about the safest way to direct bicycle traffic once the construction of the greenway is complete along 28th Ave. 

ODOT's position: Nearly all the bicycle traffic will be diverted to 28th Ave, leaving so few bikers along 26th Ave that the narrow bike lanes will not provide enough protection to the few cyclists who continue to use 26th Ave. ODOT would like to remove the bike lanes along 26th Ave and divert all bicycle traffic to 28th Ave, where bicycle infrastructure and traffic diverters will provide a much safer route for cyclists.

PBOT's position: ODOT is underestimating the amount of cyclists who will continue to use 26th Ave. While the 3-foot wide bike lanes along 26th Ave are narrower than the recommended 4 feet, there are published traffic studies demonstrating that even 3-foot bike lanes improve the safety of cyclists when compared to streets with no bike lanes.

THE COMPROMISE: ODOT has agreed to leave the existing bike lanes on 26th Ave during the next 1 - 2 years, during which time PBOT will collect traffic data along 26th Ave and 28th Ave. ODOT will then review the data and decide whether bicycle lanes should remain on 26th Ave.

WHAT YOU CAN DO TO VOICE YOUR OPINION
If you would like to let ODOT know what you think, you can submit your comments using the contact information below:

ODOT Region 1 Comments
123 NW Flanders
Portland, OR 97209

susan.c.hanson@odot.sate.or.us

503-731-8200

CHEMEX POUR OVER TASTING WITH WATER AVENUE
Sunday, July 19th
10:00 am - 11:30 am

"Rising on the banks on the mighty Willamette River during the mild winter of 2009, the Water Avenue Coffee factory creates handcrafted coffees in Portland’s Southeast Industrial District."

Join reFRESH and Water Avenue Coffee for a complimentary Pour Over Coffee event.  Aaron Baker, Water Avenue’s wholesale service director will be here sampling various blends of their fair trade and locally roasted beans. He’ll be ready and willing to answer any questions you might have about their coffee and brewing styles PLUS we’ll also be sampling some of our fresh baked treats from Pearl Bakery and Bowery Bagels.  Come by for what surely will be a fun and informative event.  

TASTE OF THE ISLANDS
Saturday July 25th
6:30 pm - 8:30 pm

reFRESH is thrilled to collaborate with local wine maker Mark Proden of Island Mana and Bodichitta wine labels for a “Taste of the Islands”.  Perfectly aligned with reFRESH’s “Keep it Local” mentality both labels showcase Oregon grape wines (Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Marachel Foch) blending the varietals with tropical flavors such as pineapple, guava, and passionfruit.  What truly sets these wines apart is that unexpected pop of flavor that will instantly transport you to the white sandy beaches of Hawaii.  

This complimentary event will feature tastings of the labels most popular wines.  Passed mini samples of our best selling sandwiches will also be served.  Stop by and mingle with your neighbors as well as reFRESH’s co-owners Si Nae Lim and Sara McMahon for what will surely be a fun filled evening.