West Hayden Island: Can we develop industry and protect habitat next to each other? West Hayden Island (WHI) has suddenly become the center of Portland. This undeveloped portion of the island is owned by the Port of Portland, which has been considering developing it for a marine terminal for a number of years. The same area, however, is a critical wildlife habitat, vital for the survival of threatened trees, birds and fish.  Last year, the Portland City Council formed a Community Working Group (CWG) and charged it with developing a plan that would meet both important goals: marine industrial use and habitat preservation. The CWG was unable to draft a satisfactory plan, highlighting the difficulty of merging both needs.  The city needs waterfront industrial land, according to several studies. At the same time, the habitat on WHI is a fragile and valuable resource the City and region want to protect. Since the CWG could not find a solution, Mayor Sam Adams is presenting a resolution to the council that, if passed, will instruct the Bureau of Planning and Sustainability to come up with an annexation and development plan by July 2011.  The major features of this plan would be a single riverfront terminal, situated on approximately 300 acres of land already in partial industrial use, and the protection and enhancement of around 500 acres of wild habitat.   The Portland City Council will hold a public hearing on the Mayor's resolution at 6 p.m. this Thursday, July 29 at City Hall, after which the council is scheduled to vote. This is your opportunity to express your view on what the city should do with West Hayden Island, and your testimony is invited. You may already know what you think is the right direction for the city to take; if you want to look more closely at the issues, there are links to the right that can help you make a decision.   The Mayor’s resolution will not be a final decision, but it will set the city’s course for the future of West Hayden Island. The resolution will require a significant public participation process, and Thursday evening is the time for that to start.  Portland’s best decisions are those informed by input from its citizens. Help the city make the best decision on West Hayden Island by attending and speaking out this Thursday. Or, if you cannot attend the meeting, submit your written comments to City Councilor Amanda Fritz at her website. Onward, The Team at Onward Oregon

If you can't attend the meeting, you can submit your comments to the mayor or any other city council member. Amanda Fritz, who has responsibility for the City’s river policy, is especially interested in hearing from concerned citizens. Please feel free to email or call them with your concerns and opinions.   Amanda Fritz 503.823.3008 amanda@portlandoregon.gov Mayor Sam Adams 503.823.4120   Randy Leonard 503.823.4682 rleonard@ci.portland.or.us Nick Fish 503.823.3589 nick@portlandoregon.gov Dan Saltzman 503.823.4151dan@ci.portland.or.us  Here are links to websites with more information on WHI: Mayor Sam Adams’ proposed resolution (pdf) Community Working Group Port of Portland Bureau of Planning and Sustainability Audubon Society