Thimble Creek Village

What is Thimble Creek Village?

2008-10-27T11:29:00.000-07:00

Thimble Creek Village is a new kind of sustainable live/work community envisioned on the edge of Oregon City. Named after a creek that runs through the 124-acre property, Thimble Creek Village will offer real public benefit by serving as a national model for excellence in green building and innovation, and by supporting green jobs, diverse housing, natural open spaces, child-safe roads and eco-friendly updates to the existing Oregon City Golf Club amenities.

The City of Oregon City, Clackamas County, hundreds of local residents and some of the region’s best innovators in sustainable design have come together to develop a bold plan for this property, and for Oregon City’s future. Their vision for Thimble Creek Village includes:

A Green Economy Center that will serve as a green working and learning center, fostering productive synergy among leading-edge employers and educators in the green technology sector. The center has the potential to add thousands of local, family-wage, sustainable jobs to Oregon City, and to provide education and training for the future leaders in these fields.
A LEED-certified live/work community that will be a national model for environmental stewardship. The community will function as a living laboratory and demonstration site for environmental education in such areas as sustainable small-plot farming and eco-tourism. Housing options will include senior, single-family and multi-family housing, as well as mixed-use live/work units, all designed for a variety of residents and income levels.
Green spaces and family-friendly roads and parks, featuring integrated bike paths, hiking trails and wild spaces that offer recreation and refuge, provide safe places for children to play, and preserve wildlife habitat.
Innovative and sustainable municipal services, such as on-site green waste treatment, gray water systems and geothermal energy, which will reduce the city’s infrastructure and operations costs and will ensure that Thimble Creek Village maintains a light footprint on the Earth.

Why vote YES on Measure 3-331?
Measure 3-331 will allow the property proposed for Thimble Creek Village and the Green Economy Center to be brought into the Oregon City limits. The property already has been brought into the Urban Growth Boundary, designated as “future urbanizable” and woven into Oregon City’s Beavercreek Road Concept Plan for a sustainable community. It is clear that this property is destined for development. The community now has a choice: Do we vote YES on Measure 3-331 to annex the property now and support thoughtful, forward-thinking, sustainable development that contributes meaningfully to the future of Oregon City and to the planet? Or do we vote no, throw out years of thoughtful planning and citizen involvement, and open our community instead to the same old prospects for strip malls and dense suburban development on this land in the future?

The plans for Thimble Creek have involved some of the brightest leaders in green design, have been presented in dozens of community meetings, and have received widespread support. Please vote YES on 3-331 to keep the momentum moving forward and give a GREEN LIGHT to Oregon City’s sustainable future.

Arguments against 3-331
The single argument in opposition to this measure in the voters’ pamphlet is based incorrectly on old economic data focusing on traditional development methods — not on the environmentally and economically sustainable methods planned for this property. The truth is: “Through green strategies that are wiser, that look to the future, and that reduce the costs of both infrastructure and operations, Thimble Creek is expected to cost 33% less than traditional developments, and aims to zero out all remaining unfunded costs.” Please read the message from Amber Holveck and Ed Starkie, below, to learn more about how “going green is not just politically correct — it is economically correct.”

We invite you to explore this site to learn more about Thimble Creek Village, and to sign up for our e-mail list to receive updates as we progress.

2008-10-24T12:14:00.000-07:00

To read more from other supporters of Thimble Creek Village, click here. (Note: You will need to scroll down to view all the articles.)
(Click on the image below to view the full-size image.)

Letters in Support - The Herberger Family, Oregon City Golf Course

2008-10-06T11:49:00.000-07:00

To read more about the benefits of the proposed annexation, click here.

To the Citizens of Oregon City:

The Herberger Family, owners of the Oregon City Golf Course since 1949, are asking for your YES vote on Measure 3-331 because it puts in place the opportunity to site an educational and economic center while continuing to operate the golf course.

Call it green innovation, sustainability, earth-friendly practices or old fashioned common sense. No matter what you call it, it works. What we need now is citizen support to turn opportunity into reality.

Voting Yes on Measure 3-331 will mean intelligent solutions to Oregon City problems. Prosperity today and tomorrow; education and jobs in the green sector will help move our city into the future. Being green has become one of the most highly sought after competitive advantages in business. “Green Collar Jobs” are “clean” and in the renewable and environmental fields, and are not likely to go overseas like the manufacturing industry.

Oregon City is growing. Some in our community see that as a negative and are inclined to do whatever it takes to stem that growth. Will we, the current citizens and users of city services, be a part of bringing our city into the future? Or, will we be remembered as the generation that let our city decline?

Please Vote YES for Green Education, Green Jobs and YES for Measure 3-331.

Thank you.
The Herberger Family

To read more about the benefits of the proposed annexation, click here.

2008-09-17T11:47:00.000-07:00

To read more from other supporters of Thimble Creek Village, click here.
(Click on the image below to view the full-size image.)

Learn more about Thimble Creek Village

2008-09-17T11:30:00.000-07:00

Check out these additional PDFs and PowerPoint presentation to learn more about the background and future ideas for the Thimble Creek Village.

Beavercreek Road Concept Plan (PDF) - the purpose of the Beavercreek Road Concept Plan is to provide a conceptual master plan to be adopted as an ancillary document to the City of Oregon City’s Comprehensive Plan, including framework plan maps, goals and policies, descriptive text, graphics and draft development code.

Thimble Creek Village Presentation (PPT) - this presentation takes a closer look at the proposed Green Economy Center (GEC) for Thimble Creek Village.

GEC Feasibility Report (PDF) - this report summarizes findings in assessing the feasibility of a Green Economy Center in Clackamas County, Oregon.

EASC Points Worksheet (PDF) - this worksheet is designed as part of the Earth Advantage®, Inc. Sustainable Community (EASC) standard pilot project by Earth Advantage, Inc. The purpose of the EASC is to provide a certification system for entire residential and mixed use communities that complements the Earth Advantage Silver certification standard for individual dwellings.

January 13, 2008, Editorial from Friend of Thimble Creek Development, George Beard.

2008-09-17T10:29:00.000-07:00

Racing to stay ahead of the pack

After more than three decades of showing the world how to think and live green, Portland has a unique opportunity to brand itself as sustainability's global leader

Portland does one thing better than any other city in the world. It thinks green. The seed was planted 35 years ago when Gov. Tom McCall drove a dagger through the heart of the jobs vs. environment argument. Oregon can, he insisted, have both. The state then proceeded, through three decades, to showcase how making short-term sacrifices to secure environmental goals could indeed spawn long-term rewards.

In the process, Portland emerged as a global leader on four fronts:

In the planning for, and designing of, sustainable cities.
In rigorous husbanding of marine and stream environments.
In artful fostering of sustainable forestry and agriculture.
In innovative harnessing of renewable energy.

Time now to relax, right? Not exactly.

Daily we are reminded just how global, competitive and interconnected the modern economy has become. The consequence is clear: In this new world economic order, only the nimble will thrive.

This fresh market reality places cities -- not generally known for being light on their feet -- in extreme peril. Those that have a clear sense of purpose and direction will flourish. Those lacking this trait will wilt.

Few understand this better than Mark Edlen, the Portland real estate developer whose towers are hailed as the world's greenest. Which likely explains why people from all over are beating a path to his Pearl District door. They arrive with a simple question: How's it done?

It's done, Edlen makes clear, by setting some pretty high standards. His blueprint calls for buildings that generate more energy than they consume, and consume more waste than they generate. He wants that model to work for spiffy condos in The Pearl, techno hospitals in South Waterfront and affordable housing downtown. Edlen is convinced that Portland's nexus of expertise in the sustainable design, engineering and construction trades leads the world.

He's also convinced the world has noticed, and is hellbent on catching up. All this means Portland now faces a very brief opportunity to brand itself as sustainability's global leader, and then race to remain ahead of the pack. The sole realistic shot Portland has at achieving that goal involves quickly engaging the city's higher education community. All of it.

Portland's first priority must be creating a major research institute. Imagine a National Center on Sustainability that would anchor the emerging "innovation quadrant" of degree programs offered in the city by Portland State University, Oregon Health & Science University, the University of Oregon and Oregon State University. Imagine, too, a system-wide commitment to infuse sustainability into all college-level programs. And, yes, to reach down into public schools.

Some of this will require new financial resources. That's a task for the 2009 Legislature. In the meantime, much can be accomplished by refocusing current resources.

None of this can wait. The world today is watching Portland. China and India are developing vibrant -- and vast -- economies. Current consumption patterns cannot endure. We all will have to use fewer resources, use them more wisely, reuse them, then recycle them. That is the core of sustainability. That is the manner of living Portland must role-model for the world.

George K. Beard
Executive Leadership Institute
Hatfield School of Government
Portland State University
P.O. Box 751
Portland, Oregon 97207 USA

503.772.0222
gbeard@pdx.edu

www.eli.pdx.edu www.hatfieldschool.pdx.edu
www.summerinternships.us

Charette No. 1

2008-09-15T10:43:00.000-07:00

From a letter to Thimble Creek Charrette participants on October 24, 2007.

The Thimble Creek Brain Trust

On behalf of the Herberger Family and for my part and Bill's, we want to thank you again for your time, talents and input today. We were left so impressed with each of you. Thimble Creek is off to an impressive start because of you. There were so many big ideas today that it's impossible to find the best place to begin. So, I will keep this brief knowing that the ideas will begin to flow to these pages in the coming weeks.

I am grateful that I had the chance today to speak on behalf of my family about this land we have loved for so many decades. Serving the community is in our DNA. So, it's only natural that we desire to see the next stewards of this noble piece of ground adopt this "servant-leader" role. We want to see the natural areas maintained as habitat for all living things -- including people. But, we'd like to encourage that there be a light footprint left integrating what nature has given us with what is necessary for a sustainable and economically-viable community.

Our family recognizes that the approach we are taking might appear to be an unusual one. When you've worked the land for three generations you gain a special appreciation for its value. We believed that if we could take a little extra time to bring you into our collective consciousness then you'd more quickly appreciate our point of view. Based on the feedback we received this afternoon, it's apparent that our intentions were well-received.

For those of you who traveled to the four corners of the property today, you will note that the only thing we've allowed to spoil the land that slopes to Thimble Creek are the blackberries. We have purposely left this piece of our property (mostly) untouched and it is now ready to become a place where nature and people can interact, with nature taking the lead. It's a clean slate. What can we all imagine together for this spot in particular? That's part of our challenge. It might help to start with one small corner of the property and then broaden out to what could become the whole.

Like you, we've seen many pieces of a dream in our effort at self-education on sustainability and green building practices. You can now be a part of ensuring that the pieces come together in a special parcel of land where the Oregon Trail ended. It's just the beginning for us, though. We are all glad you are here and invite you to share your thoughts, best stewardship practices and the like.

Thank you so very much for your creativity and your involvement. See you on the 30th.

Rose Herberger-Holden
rose@ocgolfclub.com

LEED for Neighborhood Development Links

2008-09-12T10:37:00.000-07:00

The LEED for Neighborhood Development Rating System integrates the principles of smart growth, urbanism and green building into the first national system for neighborhood design. LEED certification provides independent, third-party verification that a development's location and design meet accepted high levels of environmentally responsible, sustainable development.

Currently in its pilot period, LEED for Neighborhood Development is a collaboration among USGBC, the Congress for the New Urbanism and the Natural Resources Defense Council.

There are four projects in Oregon in the LEED ND Pilot. They are:

For a complete list, visit: LEED ND Pilot Projects List.

Here's some additional information from the press release for the 2007 LEED ND Pilot...

LEED for Neighborhood Development Pilot Launches
New rating system shifts focus to sustainable development in green urban neighborhoods. Submitted on 02/6/2007

With the release of the LEED-Neighborhood Development pilot rating system this week, it is clearer than ever that green building design and community form shouldn't go it alone. The most powerful strategy for achieving environmental sustainability is incorporating high-performance buildings in compact, mixed-use neighborhoods that reduce driving by making walking and transit attractive options for commuting and other trips.

A joint venture of the Congress for the New Urbanism, the US Green Building Council, and the Natural Resources Defense Council, LEED-ND acknowledges that more than a third of greenhouse gases and a similar share of other environmental impacts are generated by buildings (primarily heating and cooling them) but another third is generated transporting people and goods to and from those buildings. Through a multi-year research and review process, the LEED-ND partners have identified draft criteria that will guide developments to achieve significant improvements in sustainability on both of these fronts, as well as related ones such as water management and habitat preservation.

During the pilot phase, the LEED-ND rating system is tested against real world projects in order to improve the system and its applicability in the marketplace. In addition, participants in the pilot program have the opportunity for their development to be among the first projects to be recognized with LEED-ND certification. New Urbanist practitioners -- with their expertise in developing compact, complete, and connected neighborhoods -- can help in the refinement of the LEED-ND rating system by participating in the pilot program.

"Just as other LEED systems have improved building efficiency and energy performance, LEED-ND will reward efficient use of land and the building of complete and walkable communities," said John Norquist, President and CEO of the Congress for the New Urbanism. "It is helping to reinforce a more complete understanding of sustainability that extends all the way from the individual building to the neighborhood and community."

Rick Fedrizzi, President, CEO & Founding Chair, U.S. Green Building Council said the expanded focus on green communities is important. “The future of green building is to think beyond just buildings, by addressing important issues like density development, community infrastructure, resource availability, and encouraging a healthy lifestyle. LEED for Neighborhood Development is an important and exciting step towards transforming the marketplace to create a healthy and sustainable future.”

How to Apply
The LEED-ND pilot application process closed on April 6, 2007. Several hundred applications were received and are now being processed. We will continue to keep CNU members updated on the pilot process and when new drafts of the rating system are made available.

Approximate Development Timeline
2007: LEED for Neighborhood Development pilot program launches
2008: Public comment periods begin for post-pilot version of LEED for Neighborhood Development
2009: LEED for Neighborhood Development ballot and launch.

The pilot program is expected to conclude in 2008. Based on feedback gathered during the pilot, the rating system will be revised to improve its applicability to the marketplace. The revised rating system will then be balloted according to USGBC's consensus process and undergo approval by CNU and NRDC.

Response to Public CommentsThe LEED for Neighborhood Development Core Committee completed a preliminary draft in September 2005 and immediately afterwards held a 45-day comment period for the corresponding committee. Over 4,000 comments were submitted, and the core committee greatly appreciated the depth and breadth of responses that the corresponding committee took the time to submit. With the help of consultants, the core committee reviewed all of the comments received, and assimilated many of them into the pilot draft rating system.

The response to comment document summarizes the committee’s responses to the public comments. Sincere thanks to all of you who took the time to submit comments to help us refine the rating system.

About LEED for Neighborhood DevelopmentCNU is working with the U.S. Green Building Council and the Natural Resource Defense Council to lay the groundwork for a more coordinated and powerful environmental strategy: sustainability at the scale of neighborhoods and communities. The new joint venture known as LEED for Neighborhood Developments or LEED-ND is a system for rating and certifying green neighborhoods.

LEED-ND builds on USGBC’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design systems by expanding the project’s scope beyond individual buildings to a more holistic concern about the context of those buildings.

CNU would like to thank the EPA Development, Community, and Environment Division, the EPA Office of Brownfields Cleanup and Redevelopment, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Blue Moon Fund, and the National Endowment for the Arts for their support of the development of LEED for Neighborhood Development.

Green Economy Center: Key Features

2008-09-08T11:20:00.000-07:00

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Thimble Creek Charette - October 24 and 30, 2007

2007-10-17T10:47:00.000-07:00

Directions to Oregon City Golf Club

Day 1: October 24, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Oregon City Golf Club.
Day 2: October 30, 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Oregon City Golf Club.

Anticipated Outcomes:

To set the stage for the creation of a compelling master plan for the redevelopment of the Oregon City Golf Club.
To create a number of insightful ideas and strategies for the planning of a pioneering sustainable development
To start the process of defining the project’s attributes for its continued development beyond the planning phase.

Day One: Wednesday, October 24
8:30 – 8:45 Greetings, Purpose & Agenda
8:45 – 9:30 Getting to know one another
9:30 – 10:50 Getting to know the project and land –

Part 1:
Project Process
The Land
Sustainable Planning
LEED for Neighborhood Development
Qs & As

10:50 – 1:30 Cart Tour of the Property & Lunch &
1:30 – 3:30 Questions, Observations & Ideas
3:30 – 3:45 Summarize Team Task
3:45 – 4:15 Team Meeting Time
4:15 – 4:30 Summary & Wrap-up

Day Two: Tuesday, October 30
8:30 – 8:40 Greetings, Purpose & Agenda 20124 S.
8:40 – 11:40 Team Work Sessions
11:40 – 12:00 Questions & Observations
12 :00 – 12:40 Lunch (and guest speaker) Oregon City,
12:40 – 2:00 Team Work Session, Continued
2:00 – 4:10 Presentations & Discussion
4:10 – 4:20 Concluding Observations
4:20 – 4:30 Summary & Wrap-up
4:30 – 5:30 Hosted Wine Reception

2007-10-16T00:01:00.000-07:00

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2007-10-10T15:17:00.000-07:00

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Letters in Support - Tim Blackwood, Pacific Geotechnical LLC

2007-10-06T11:17:00.000-07:00

Statement of Support for the Green Economy Center

Pacific Geotechnical is proud to support the Green Economy Center. As a design partner, a sustainable advocate and hopeful tenant, we are excited about the potential the Center holds. The Green Economy Center would be a unique facility with a focus on sustainable practices and design development. Designed with state of the art features, the Center could be a magnet for the best and brightest minds, working together to find solutions to today’s problems.

Not only is the Green Economy Center an exciting opportunity, but it will put Oregon City at the forefront of attracting the most promising people and companies in this fast growing field. This would result in tangible benefits to the community in the form of family wage jobs, educational opportunities and a vibrant community with a positive focus. Solar, wind, wave energy and alternative transportation have grown quickly, creating new opportunities and jobs for communities involved with their development along the way. The Green Economy Center is the type of facility to incubate the ideas that will lead to such developments.

What better location to develop this facility than at the boundary of urban and rural lands? After the Clackamas County Green Ribbon Committee evaluated a number of sites, the Oregon City Golf Club property was clearly the best. Near educational facilities, major transportation routes, county offices and the City of Oregon City itself, this location is ideal. Within a few miles of town and access to larger markets, yet adjacent to rural lands, the site offers a rare opportunity for development of both rural and urban sustainable practices and products.

As a property and business owner in Oregon City, a long-time resident of Clackamas County, I urge the Citizens of Oregon City to annex this property into the City ensuring that the Green Economy Center will make a positive difference to our community and economy.

Tim Blackwood, PE
President, Pacific Geotechnical, LLC

Letters in Support - Rick Gruen

2007-10-06T11:14:00.000-07:00

An annexation to be proud of. An annexation that is good for the community, good for the economy and good for the environment. Imagine that this was right here in our Oregon City. It can be if you, like me, vote to support the annexation of this wonderful Beavercreek property that is the bridge between our urban growth needs and rural roots.

As an Oregon City resident, and for the past two years, I have been a part of the County’s Green Ribbon Committee, a committee tasked to identify local economic opportunities for our agriculture and natural resource based industries. As part of our work, the Green Ribbon Committee saw great potential in the idea of a Green Economy Center – a place where local people, businesses, organizations and higher education can connect to benefit from emerging green building, renewable technology, as well as our increasing desire for locally produced foods. That place turned out to be the Oregon City Golf Course.

Annexation of the Oregon City Golf Course, showcasing the Herberger family’s vision to preserve and incorporate the rich tradition and history of this site into a 21st century livable community is the right thing to do. This annexation supports the Beavercreek Concept Plan adopted earlier by the City of Oregon City and Oregon City stakeholders.

Open space, golf course, walking trails, green jobs and education, low impact development, local food supply, walkable neighborhoods, sidewalk cafes, community gardens and a pubic meeting place. These are all good things for Oregon City. The Oregon City Golf Course – an annexation we are proud to vote yes on.

Rick Gruen

Letters in Support - Sha Spady, Oregon City Resident

2007-10-06T11:10:00.000-07:00

A Different Kind of Annexation

Like many of you, I have watched with dismay as the City of Oregon City has annexed parcel after parcel of land into its grip of thoughtless expansion. I’ve watched with disbelief as parcel after parcel of bucolic farm and forest land have been bulldozed into flat, lifeless quadrants of brown dirt and filled with rows of houses, streets, traffic signals and traffic. A five minute drive to the bottom of the hill now takes 15 minutes.

Our library is in shambles. There are no new parks or open spaces for the children to play or the adults to roam. Many claim our quality of life is rapidly deteriorating with each new subdivision, each new annexation – while developers walk away with the profits and our community is left holding the bag. Finally voters have said, “Enough!” and annexations are being voted down altogether.

So what makes this annexation different and one worthy of your consideration for approval?

The applicants are third generation land owners and members of the community – not in-and-out developers looking to make a fast buck. They are deeply committed to creating a 21st century model for sustainable living that will be sensitive to the needs of the human community, the natural environment as well as growing the economic base of our area with green, long-term, family-wage jobs.

For the past four years, Rose Holden has tirelessly and thoughtfully represented her family’s dream of leaving a living legacy on their land with state-or-the-art, energy efficient, user-friendly designs for living that integrate the natural environmental into our work, home and community spaces.

So you have before you an opportunity to give a member of your community a chance to create something better for Oregon City. This is not a vote for just another cookie-cutter annexation of land into the City of Oregon City. This is a one-time opportunity for this family to share with the community their innovative, thoughtful and economically sustainable dream…or not.

The choice is yours.

--Sha Spady

Letters in Support - Chris Cocker, Planning Livability LLC

2007-10-06T11:06:00.000-07:00

Working with the property owners and the best land use experts in Oregon, we have found a key to building a thriving Oregon City economy. A place for learning, living, working and playing, it will benefit the local economy while enhancing and protecting resources.

The opponents to this annexation are basing their arguments on traditional development methods, not sustainable techniques. They are trying to scare you into thinking this is just ‘business as usual.’ Nothing could be further from the truth.

Great Reasons to Vote YES

The Property...
1. ...was selected for the New Green Economy Center.
The nation will see millions of blue- and white-collar, green sector jobs over the next 20 years. The Green Economy Center is focused on promoting local products and businesses. Partners include: Clackamas Community College, Marylhurst College, Oregon State University, Clackamas County Soil and Water Conservation District, Oregon Department of Water Resources, Oregon Woodland Co-op and Pacific Geotechnical. These partners will attract more green businesses to this area.

2. ...will emphasize EcoStructure and EcoTransportation over infrastructure.
We’ll use existing geothermal water, reuse waste water for irrigation, prioritize solar and wind power, have homes cooled with cross breezes and warmed with geothermal-source heat. EcoTransportation choices de-emphasize expensive oil-based vehicles and significantly reduce vehicle trips. The list goes on. These techniques will not cause large tax increases.

3. ...will support a new healthy lifestyle.
We’ll see local product stores, multi-use trails, rehabilitation of natural areas, local-food restaurants, main-street shopping, integrated residential living, new parks and more. The golf course will be Audubon Society certified. There will be links to local facilities, including Oregon City High School and Clackamas Community College. This lifestyle supports the whole family.

We can take the lead in creating new, environmentally-friendly jobs for the future. Let’s not lose this opportunity. Now is the time to annex the Oregon City Golf Course Properties.

Best Regards,
Chris Cocker
Planning Livability LLC

Letters in Support - Edward Starkie, Urban Advisors Ltd.

2007-10-06T10:51:00.000-07:00

Beavercreek Road Area Annexation

The Beavercreek Road Area Financial Impact Report reported a public funding gap for infrastructure, using typical development assumptions. The goal for green community design is to reduce that gap by reducing costs for roads, storm drainage, water treatment and utilities. Future development is likely to have a taxable value that will allow bonding covering a large share of that reduced cost without increasing taxes. A 1998 study of development in Oregon found that developers paid 59 percent of infrastructure costs. Typical developer participation and bonding based on future development thus may cover almost all of the green infrastructure cost.

The plan for the Beavercreek Road Area offers Oregon City the opportunity to demonstrate national leadership in economic development. The vision for Beavercreek Road is of a greener, fully employed Oregon City. Think growth with benefits and long-term savings. In Philadelphia, green infrastructure has saved the city “an estimated $170 million.” (Source:EPA) Another case study: “Johnson County in Kansas saved an estimated $120 million on engineered stormwater…by setting aside $600,000 worth of riparian greenways (river bank greenways).“ (Sandborn 1996). And a study from the University of Massachusetts projects as many as 40 million new jobs by 2030 in renewable energy and efficiency industries, employing everyone from construction workers to high-tech researchers.

So how does Oregon City benefit?

480 or more construction jobs per year for ten years.
Up to 5,000 new permanent jobs in Oregon City.
Indirect creation of more than 3,500 jobs from new permanent jobs.
Personal income from direct and indirect jobs -- $213 million at a low estimate.
Income from construction, new jobs and new households spent at local businesses.
Compact development with new public parks and public open space.
Finally, local jobs that are really difficult to outsource

Edward Starkie, Principal
Urban Advisors Ltd.

2007-10-03T12:54:00.000-07:00

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2007-09-25T00:01:00.000-07:00

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Agritourism and Economic Development Ideas

2007-09-12T11:04:00.000-07:00

What follows are notes and ideas from a variety of meetings held both formally and informally on the subject of jobs in and near the Thimble Creek Community.

Urban Gardening www.orionmagazine.org/index.php/articles/article/492/. Idea proposed by Jason King, ASLA, LEED®, at Greenworks, jasonk@greenworkspc.com. Jason also submitted this idea with the following note: This is an interesting concept (or at least the concept du jour). Something at least to get some more potential green strategies to include at Thimble Creek... it is based on an interesting premise. www.oneplanetcommunities.org."

Robert Wise, Thimble Creek Team Member

2007-09-10T22:49:00.000-07:00

Robert Wise, Cogan Owens Cogan LLC
www.coganowens.com

Robert Wise specializes in visionary and practical approaches to sustainable development, strategic planning, public policy development and management, and relations with complex communities. Mr. Wise served as planning director or policy development advisor to four U.S.
Governors (New York, Idaho, Arizona and Oregon) and served for seven years as the Executive Director of the Council of State Planning Agencies/National Governors' Association, the "think-tank" for U.S. governors.

Selected Professional Experience

Sustainable development strategies - Team Oregon, LLC; City of Portland, Oregon; Taiwan Council of Economic Planning and Development, Tainan City, Taiwan; International Sustainable Development Foundation; Grand Canal, Hangzhou, China; China-US Center for Sustainable Development.
Strategic planning - Multnomah Athletic Club, Portland, Oregon; Parry Center for Children, Portland, Oregon; Wetlands Conservancy, Tualatin, Oregon; Japanese Garden Society of Oregon; Oregon Progress Forum; Public Utility District, Benton County, Oregon.
Economic strategy - Oregon and Clackamas County Natural Resources and Sustainable Industry Strategies; Arizona New Enterprise Strategy.
Urban and entrepreneur higher education strategies - States of Oregon and Arizona.
Community participation strategies - Consulate-General of Japan; States of Idaho, Oregon, and Arizona.
Public policy and budget processes - States of Idaho and Arizona.
Land use planning system design - State of Idaho.
Salmon restoration strategies - For the Sake of the Salmon (Salmon-Friendly Power); Pacific Region Coordination Strategy, World Salmon Center.
Development projects - Portland State University District Plan; Portland River District Plan; Light Rail Financing Task Force; World Salmon Center; Great Western Garden; Chai Tou Gang Shi Greenway Plan, Tainan, Taiwan.
Negotiated agreements, Law Enforcement Services Strategy - Washington County, Oregon (Sheriff and eleven Chiefs of Police).

Honors/Community Service

Theodore Roosevelt Rough Rider - Council of Governors' Policy Advisors of the National Governors' Association.
Former Chairman and Co-Chairman, Sustainable Portland Commission - Guided the development and evolution of the City of Portland's sustainable development strategy from 1991 to present.
Boards of Directors - Institute for Market Transformation to Sustainability; Japanese Garden Society of Oregon; International Association of Japanese Gardens; Portland-Suzhou Sister City Association.

Nathaniel Clevenger, Thimble Creek Team Member

2007-09-10T20:05:00.000-07:00

Nathaniel "Than" Clevenger, Ascend Performance Group
www.whoisascend.com

Than Clevenger is a twenty-year veteran marketing and communications strategist with significant experience in developing communications and marketing programs in the construction, commercial finance and real estate development industries. Than has held senior positions for two of the largest marketing and communications agencies in the world, Hill and Knowlton Public Affairs Worldwide Company and Fleishman Hillard. He has created, developed and launched award-winning consumer and B2B brands in global markets and has expertise in promoting construction technologies, residential and commercial development projects, and consumer goods and services.

He has served as an outsource Chief Marketing Officer (CMO)and/or strategic marketing advisor to commercial and residential real estate projects throughout the U.S. and Canada. One of his projects, a $250 million commercial development, was named as one of the top ten projects in the nation in 2005. The project was constructed by one of the oldest design/build contractors in North America. He is currently serving as CMO for what will be one of the first LEED-ND communities in the world. He is also serving as the consulting CMO to the fastest concrete batch plant productions system company in the world based in Nova Scotia, Canada. During the mid-90s, Than co-founded what became one of the largest real estate finance companies in the Mid-Atlantic U.S.

Current and former clients include CEOs and senior executives in large, privately-held corporations, Fortune 500 and multinational corporations, foreign heads of state, trade association directors and senior executives at large non-profit foundations. Relevant recent clients include Opus Development (Minneapolis), Swinerton Builders (San Francisco), Vidabode Group Inc. (Amherst, Nova Scotia) and Housing Northwest, an affordable housing non-profit with $200 million under management.

Than is an advisor to several Northwest-based non-profits and was recently listed in Strathmore's Who's Who in American Business, 2004 Edition. He is a member of the Multnomah Athletic Club in Portland, Oregon, and is a native of the Hampton Roads area of southeastern Virginia (formerly and historically known as Tidewater). Given the time, Than enjoys competitive sailing, painting and military history. He is a graduate of George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia, and currently resides in Portland, Oregon with his wife, Sydney, a Portland native and writer, and their three children, Jack, Steele Elizabeth and Gus Henry.

William Renfroe, Thimble Creek Team Member

2007-09-10T19:12:00.000-07:00

William Renfroe, Kennedy/Jenks Consultants
www.kennedyjenks.com

Bill is a senior client services manager with Kennedy/Jenks Consultants. His primary responsibilities are business development and marketing of environmental services across our 21 offices in nine states. He has degrees in chemical engineering and chemistry and more than 30 years of experience in the environmental arena. In addition to more than 15 years in domestic and international private sector consulting, he has worked for the EPA (Headquarters and Oregon Offices), the Corps of Engineers (Portland District), and the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality. Over the years he has received numerous awards and commendations including a silver medal and a bronze medal at EPA for his work in industrial and municipal wastewater. The highlight of his industrial sector experience was being the first environmental, health and safety manager for a new $1.8 billion “greenfield” semiconductor plant.

He has published many articles and papers on a variety of topics. He is a frequently requested speaker because of his ability to reduce complex scientific and technical issues to lay terms. His topic at a recent speaking engagement was emerging water contaminants including nanoparticles, pharmaceuticals, and personal care products.

His consulting expertise has changed directions over the years. This affords him with a wide range of disciplines where he is considered a subject matter expert. These areas include water (wetlands, drinking, and reclaimed), hazardous materials, regulatory compliance, international environmental work, security/emergency response, and environmental management systems (including many aspects of sustainability).

Education

B.S., Chemical Engineering, Virginia Polytechnic Institute
B.A., Chemistry, Virginia Polytechnic Institute

Registration/Certification

Certified Hazardous Materials Manager – Master Level CHMM # 10521
Oregon Engineer In Training #8758
Sandia National Laboratory Certified Security Risk Assessor for Water Utilities - #02-WRAM016
ISO Lead Auditor Certification – 14001 Environmental Management Systems
Certified Risk Assessor for Water Utilities (RAM-W) #02-WRAM016
Developing & Preparing Emergency Response Plans for Drinking Water Utilities, Department of Homeland Security and Office for Domestic Preparedness
Hazardous Waste Operations (HAZWOPER) Certification, Incident Commander Level
1st Aid/CPR/Blood Borne Pathogens

Relevant Project Experience

Water

Project manager for the largest tufted hair grass (deschampsia) wetlands restoration in Oregon – Spectra Physics, Eugene, Oregon.
EPA construction grants manager for the first wastewater treatment system using wetlands for polishing treatment – City of Cannon Beach, Oregon.
Design & operation of high purity water systems and associated unit operations including but not limited to cation/anion exchange beds, mixed media filters, carbon filters, and membrane technologies (including reverse osmosis).

Regulatory Compliance

Ongoing annual multi-media audits of air, water, wastewater, stormwater, solid waste, hazardous waste, safety, training, and permit compliance.
Numerous comprehensive compliance audits for electronic, semiconductor, pulp & paper, chemical manufacturing, sand & gravel, steel, and roofing manufacturers.
Permit applications for air, wastewater, fill, storm water, and erosion control.

Hazardous Materials

Environmental site assessments for property transfers, brownfields redevelopment, and purchaser due diligence – numerous law firms, financial institutions, and developers.
Remedial investigations, feasibility studies, and site remediation for petroleum hydrocarbons, wood treatment chemicals, pesticides, heavy metals, and solvents.
Building official and fire marshal compliance for hazardous process piping, materials storage, dispensing, and disposal.

International Consulting

Project manager for environmental site characterization (soil & groundwater) of a former sulfuric acid production facility Mexico City, Mexico.
Principal investigator for undisturbed jungle environmental site assessment for a proposed gasoline additive petrochemical facility Veracruz, Mexico.
Project manager for innovative wastewater treatment system modifications for computer chip manufacturing plant Hsinchu, Taiwan.

Security/Emergency Response

Performed security vulnerability assessments on more than 20 municipal water systems from King County, Washington to San Diego, California.
Organized, trained, and managed 104 person emergency response team with full Level A (encapsulated suits/supplied air) capabilities – Camas, Washington.

Environmental Management Systems (EMS)

Provided employee environmental awareness training with focus on recycling, reuse, and sustainability Salem, Oregon.
Project manager to develop conceptual design for global showcase green site (LEED Gold) Portland, Oregon.
Lead efforts at semiconductor firm for ISO14001 environmental certification.

Affiliations

Co-founder of the Oregon Association of Environmental Professionals (OAEP), former President, Vice President, and Board Chair.
Currently on three non-profit Boards of Directors including the Free Clinic of SW Washington.
Founding Oregon Chapter of the National Brownfields Association Executive Committee member.
FBI Oregon InfraGard – founding Vice President
Semiconductor Environmental Safety and Health Association – former Regional Chair
Academy of Certified Hazardous Materials Managers – Master Level
Northwest Environmental Business Council – former Steering Committee member
Co-Founder of Kennedy/Jenks Consultants Corporate LEED & Sustainability Program

Tim Smith, Thimble Creek Team Member

2007-09-10T19:08:00.000-07:00

Tim Smith, AIA, AICP, SERA Architects
www.serapdx.com

Tim is a certified planner and a registered architect with over twenty years of professional experience. He draws upon training in architecture, city and regional planning, and urban design to craft implementable solutions to complex planning and design problems. Tim is the recipient of numerous awards for his work in Smart Growth, and design and planning for sustainable communities.

Tim received a Bachelor of Science degree in Architecture and a Master of Architecture in Building Technology from the University of Michigan. He also received a Master of Architecture in Urban Design and a Masters in City Planning from the University of Pennsylvania. Tim taught urban design and town planning at the University of Pennsylvania in the Graduate School of Fine Arts and was formerly an associate at Kise Straw & Kolodner in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

In his free time, Tim enjoys spending time with his family, bicycle riding and traveling.

Terry Miller, Thimble Creek Team Member

2007-09-10T19:03:00.000-07:00

Terry Miller, Green Building Services
www.greenbuildingservices.com

Terry Miller recently joined Green Building Services as a Project Consultant after working for three years as the Coordinator of the City of Portland Offi ce of Sustainable Development’s green building program. Terry’s work with the City focused on green building program and policy development, education, partnerships and management of the City’s Green Investment Fund. He successfully forged and fostered strategic partnerships with other agencies and organizations to promote green building in Portland. Examples include green building training with the Home Builders Association of Metropolitan Portland; development and management of a green building economic development opportunity study with the Portland Development Commission; and, passage of a Memorandum of Understanding with the City’s Bureau of Development Services to promote green building in the City’s building and zoning codes and development review process. In 2005, Terry delivered documents and recommendations to increase the breadth and rigor of the City’s green building policy that were unanimously supported by City Council. In addition, Terry secured financial sponsorship of G/Rated to support program activities.

QUALIFICATIONS

LEED®AP
Master of Environmental Management from Yale School of the Environment
Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies

PROJECTS INCLUDE

LEED for Neighborhood Development Palamanui- Assessment
Ankeny/Burnside Redevelopment Assessment
Ladd Tower LEED for Neighborhood Development Pilot Program
Green Communities, Local Governments and LEED for Neighborhood Development Training