Below is an email from Harlen Springer, posted with his permission.  It is very important that to be heard in this matter by the Washington County Board, they must receive your written input by March 16th.  Snail mail only, no emails.  If you have a question for Harlen, fill out  a contact form and I will forward it to him.

To:  Neighbors and interested parties.

This is a follow-up to the note I sent in July regarding this proposed project and the neighborhood meeting that was held on July 28.  As you know, at that time the neighbors expressed concerns about any potential movement of the barrier on Morrison as well as the screening next to the trail.  SR Designs, the Company that is helping the owner through the application process, was supposed to include these concerns in the application. The process has taken some time already, due to issues raised by the CWS and a wetland buffer requirement.

The application has now been reviewed by the County and they are required to obtain feedback from the “adjacent neighbors” regarding their concerns, before they move forward  (This notification is attached).  It is very important that we all respond to this notice and give our feedback quickly.  Here are some important points:

1. Moving the barricade is still a possibility.  When I last spoke with SR Designs, the Company that is guiding the owner through the approval process, they indicated that, to get the project approved, they might be required to improve Morrison Street all the way up to 95th street.  Since that is not financially feasible for them, what may happen is that the barricade would be moved to the eastern edge of this development.  That way, they only have to improve the street right in front of the property.  However, this would mean that 3 existing houses plus the three new/remodeled houses would now have to access their homes by coming up Morrison Street through Peterkort Woods.  This might happen prior to construction, meaning that all the construction vehicles would also move through Peterkort Woods.
   Obviously, moving the barricade is a huge concern for all of us and we need to respond accordingly.  Moving the barricade for any reason could also open up the possibility of removing it permanently.

2. The issue of screening next to the trail is still not settled.  This is a very popular walking trail, and with a house placed right next to it, there needs to be a requirement for attractive plantings to ensure enjoyment for walkers and privacy for the homeowners.  To ensure on-going compliance with this requirement, this needs to be written into the CC&Rs for the new homes.

3. During the remodeling of the current house on this property, several neighbors expressed concern about the level and timing of construction noise.  There were several instances of loud noises during the evening hours.  This is forbidden by Washington County code, and the owners need to be aware that it will not be tolerated during any new construction.

We need to express our concerns quickly to these issues.  We are only given 14 days to respond to this notice from the date of its mailing.  Unfortunately, I left town for five days the day before the notice arrived, so I apologize for just getting this out since I just returned today.  As you will see, each of us must respond in writing  – no e-mails – and it must be received in the County offices by Monday, the 16th.  This means that we need to get this in the mail in the next few days.   The instructions indicate that it must be sent to the attention of the Planner involved, Al Boesel, and include the casefile number – L1400472.

Thank you all for your support and sending in your written comments quickly.  This is a special neighborhood and we need to do all we can to preserve its special qualities.

If you have any further questions, please contact me.

Harlen Springer

See ‘Morrison Street barricade update May 30th, 2015’