Hoodland CPO Community Meetings

Agenda

Clackamas County Sheriff Candidate Forum

Thurs. Oct. 15, 2026
Mt Hood Oregon Resort, Main Lodge
7:00 p.m.

HEAR FROM THE CANDIDATES:

• Sheriff James Rhodes
• Undersheriff Brad O’Neil

Minutes

Hoodland CPO Meeting Minutes – September 17, 2026

The Hoodland Community Planning Organization met Thursday, September 17, 2026, at 7:00 PM at the Mt. Hood Oregon Resort. After brief board business, Clackamas County presented its Welches Road bike and pedestrian improvements to a large public turnout; the meeting adjourned by voice vote.

Attendance

• Board present: Marti Bowne (Chair), Marie Kennedy (Member at Large), Gerry "Murph" Murphy (Member at Large), Pat Erdenberger (Treasurer/Secretary)
• Committee Members: STR Committee member Paul Edgecombe, Land Use Committee Member Dennis Tylka.
• Board absent: Monica Taylor, Peter Himes, and Lisa Massena.
• Guests: Commissioner Diana Helm; Mike Bezner, Assistant Director County Transportation and Development; Tourism Director Lizzie Keenan; Michael Ward, Engineering Department, Welches Road project manager
• Public: a large turnout, 35 members of the public, 
• Total attendance: 45

Board business and committee reports

Committee reports were printed on the back of the agenda and had already been approved.

• Treasurer: $36.25 cash on hand, plus a $350 balance held at the county (the county's annual allotment for CPO operations).
• Land Use Committee: following 8 code violations.
  • Lost Shelter: septic work without permits (referred to the septic department); two properties heading to code enforcement citations; a separate construction-without-permit case queued for circuit court.
  • Brightwood Loop (wedding venue): citations coming for missing electrical and building permits; the main structure is queued for circuit court because the county and owner have not reached terms.
  • Telecom area: owner did work without permits and is now correcting it.
  • Island Road: a hot tub and gazebo in the floodway; the county has contacted the owner.
• Short-Term Rental Committee (chair Peter Himes, absent):
  • The new STR regulations became permanent July 1.
  • The county approved two full-time staff to run the program; the positions were not yet posted on the county website.
  • Paul Edgecombe was welcomed to the committee as a new volunteer.
  • Committee plans: coordinate with the county on full implementation and data sharing (how many STRs must register, how many have, what violations are issued and how they are followed up).
• Hoodland Emergency Communication Network (HECN): 102 licensed GMRS users. Net call every Monday at 6:00 PM. Coffee and radio session the second Saturday of each month, 9:00 AM, at Coffee House 26.

Welches Road bike and pedestrian project

Opening public comment. A resident urged the county to restore the cut section of the path, from Woodruff to Birdie Lane. They cited pedestrian safety and public health. Another suggested speed bumps as an interim measure, since traffic ignores the 25 mph limit and speeds up past Fairway.

Funding (Michael Bezner). Bezner apologized for the county's gap in updates and promised better communication.

• The project is fully funded, mainly from the county's local vehicle registration fee "capacity" fund (about $3.5M a year countywide).
• The project takes about $3M from that fund, roughly one year's countywide collection.
• The balance comes from system development charges and bike/pedestrian funding.
• It is one of six first-round projects picked by the community road fund advisory committee from the 20-year Transportation System Plan.

Community survey (Michael Ward). The survey ran August 8 to September 5, 2025 and drew 129 responses, boosted by the CPO's email forwarding, the Mountain Times and flyer QR codes. Results were split and showed broad support across all path options. The county called it unscientific.

Design (60% complete, consultant HHPR).

• Highway to Huckleberry: 8-ft concrete path (commercial area) with a buffer and tree plantings. HHPR floated brick, but cost is a concern.
• Past Huckleberry: 8-ft asphalt path set back with a 9-ft ditch (6-ft on the west side).
• Stormwater treatment swales along the ditch.
• A small pedestrian bridge over a channel the state recognizes as a waterway.
• The path switches from the east to the west side of the road at Fairway, with a crosswalk and rectangular rapid flashing beacon (RRFB).
• A striped crosswalk at Woodruff, and RRFBs at both Welches Road crossings.
• The path ends at Woodruff, tying into the existing Mt Hood Oregon Resort path.
• Trees in the construction zone must come out. The county is looking to save some and replant, but there is no count yet.
• Unique way-finding signage is planned to draw visitors.

Schedule. Construction is now targeted for the summer 2028 window, to allow time to acquire right-of-way.

Questions and county responses

Topic	Comment or question	County response
Wayfinding signs	A board member offered the CPO's expert to review the sign designs, free of charge.	County staff agreed to share the sign images; nothing is binding.
Safety need	A board member said 130-150 people a day already walk the corridor, including strollers and dogs.	County agreed the design will raise safety considerably.
Design changes by section	Why does the design vary along the path?	Utilities (water lines), private property impacts, trees and topography. Ward offered to share the two-page analysis chart.
Why the path stops at Woodruff	Commissioner Helm asked why the plan was pulled back from Birdie Lane, and whether a smaller path is possible.	Cost: the full route was over budget. Ward noted a narrow walking path to Birdie Lane and will look at creative options, with no promises.
Steep hill to Birdie Lane	A resident called it the most dangerous stretch for pedestrians, cyclists and cars.	County Noted; no commitment made.
Right-of-way	Will private property be affected?	Yes, a thin strip in places plus temporary easements. Process: appraisal, independent review, offer, about 40 days to respond, then negotiation. Ward budgets about nine months.
Speeding	Residents asked for speed bumps and slow-down signs. Speeding is worst between the bridge and the Birdie Lane.	Bezner doubted speed bumps suit the road, but said traffic engineers will study options. Radar feedback signs (temporary and permanent) can help, and Bezner will look into them. Residents were encouraged to report speeders to the Sheriff.
Lighting	How many lights?	Only at pedestrian crossings; still under study.
Survey reach	Did property owners receive the survey?	It went to the county email list and CPO list; a postcard went to most of the area, including Salmon River Road properties.
Maintenance	Slippery spots in early winter, ditches filling with debris, and who maintains and clears the path.	County maintains the road and noted the drainage concerns. Path maintenance and snow removal responsibility is undecided and will be discussed.
Trees	Species and count?	Not decided; an arborist will be involved and non-shallow-rooted trees are needed near the road. Utility power poles between Fairway and Woodruff on the west side will need to be relocated, which limits planting.
Paving and striping	Will the road be repaved or repainted?	Not part of the project. Welches Road is on the chip seal list, with a package expected next year. The new path is asphalt or concrete.
Map online	Can the map be viewed online?	Not yet; federal ADA accessibility rules complicate posting, but the county will try.
Commercial area crossings	Pedestrians cross the highway in many places near the plaza, post office and clinic.	An existing signal to the north is little used. RRFBs cannot be placed every 100 feet, so the county wants to channel people to fewer crossings.
Winter drainage	Has water flowing down the road been studied?	Yes; the county expects the project to greatly reduce the problem.
Center line	The double yellow line drops to a single line between Roberts Road and Birdie Lane.	Bezner will ask the striping crew.
Water district road repair	A resident asked about repair of a road cut.	The utility inspector said the water district must fix it, possibly starting the following Monday.
Larger plans	Connection to the school and other destinations?	The county's 20-year Transportation System Plan is being revised; contact the project manager for the link.

A board member reminded attendees that comments to county staff are input, not direction; county staff do not take direction from the CPO or residents.

Follow-up items, next meeting and adjournment

Owner	Follow-up
County (Ward)	Send the wayfinding sign images to the CPO for art director review.
County (Bezner, traffic engineers)	Study speed-reduction options (radar feedback signs, sharrows, other tools), and report back.
County (Ward)	Explore a narrow walking path to Birdie Lane and other options for the cut section.
County (Ward)	Try to post the project map online; reach out to the CPO on tree planting; send the design analysis chart on request.
County (Bezner)	Ask about the missing center line between Roberts Road and Birdie Lane, and about path maintenance and snow-removal responsibility.
County	Give the CPO and community more frequent project updates ahead of construction.
CPO Board	Post and publicize the October meeting.

Old business was deferred to the October meeting.

Next meeting: the third Thursday in October (Oct 15, 2026), 7:00 PM at the resort, with the two candidates for county sheriff.

Adjournment: the public portion ended and the board stayed for a few minutes of discussion. A motion to adjourn was made and seconded and passed by voice vote. The adjournment time was 8:16 pm

Cheerfully submitted, 

Patricia Erdenberger

Patricia Erdenberger, Secretary/Treasurer