Document Type

Report

Publication Date

7-2014

Subjects

Community development -- Oregon -- Portland Metropolitan Area, Urban renewal -- Oregon -- Portland Metropolitan Area, planning -- Oregon -- Portland Metropolitan Area

Abstract

In April 2011, the City of Beaverton adopted its Civic Plan Central City Strategy (“the Civic Plan”). The Civic Plan provides a new understanding of the Central City. One of the Civic Plan’s most important strategic goals is the transformation of the Creekside District (an underutilized 50-acre site situated at the heart of the Central City) into a vibrant, sustainable, mixed-use community. The Creekside District master planning effort (that is supported by a HUD Community Challenge Grant) will produce a development program that integrates: suitable and affordable housing for existing and future populations; increased efficiency and connectivity of existing public infrastructure; new green infrastructure and amenities; and improved mobility and access to transit and employment (City of Beaverton Creekside District Master Plan Workplan, 06/13/2012).

Central to the Creekside District master planning process is the engagement of the current business owners in the District. Between June, 2013, and March, 2014, the City of Beaverton, with assistance from project consultants, Fregonese Associates, Communitas, ECONorthwest, Walker Macy, and Portland State University (PSU), conducted a series of community outreach efforts some of which were focused at the community at large and others that were specifically targeted at Creekside business owners, generally, and minority business owners, in particular. This report focuses primarily on the Creekside business owner outreach efforts.

Key recommendations include: (1) the importance of ongoing communication with the District’s small business owners and the nurture of the new relationships, especially among minority business owners, that have been built through this process; and (2) if the City pursues the mix-use option that includes housing in the development of the District (and was supported by the participants in the vision events), further community engagement will be important to informing the direction that the City takes regarding housing in the Creekside District Maser Plan. Appendix A provides of snapshot of the key findings, potential responses, and additional considerations.

Persistent Identifier

http://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/16222

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