Surfrider Foundation Portland Chapter
Members present:
Katie Breene
Haley Brown
Dave Spencer
Garren Watkins
Tina Torri
Greg Hyde
Carey Doyle
Josh Einsle
Rob Dies
Jeff Boggess
Pete Cornell
Julee Wasserman
Karen Johanson
Matt Novak and family
Madi Novak
Melissa Gilbert
Steve Shipsey
Jason Menke
Danny Stevens
Mike Barrett
Jocelyn Gary
Scott Bulloch
Randy Cooper
Mandy Wright
Markus Mead
Rob Williams
Eric Jensen
1. Sign in
The Portland organizing committee is filing for official chapter status with national. Please sign in to show your support for our chapter.
2. Elections
Position: Member at Large.
Katie Breene was nominated as an At Large member of the Portland Chapter by Tina. Seconded by Haley.
All in favor, no opposing votes, no abstentions
Rob made a motion to allocate $100 from our budget to apply for official chapter status with Surfrider National. Seconded by Garren.
All in favor, no opposing votes, no abstentions.
3. Updates
Mount Hood Meadows has bought the Cooper Spur land and is planning to build a large condominium complex on it. Developing this complex affects the hydrological cycle meaning it impacts the environment and access for people and animals.
Cooper Spur Wild and Free Coalition, which consists of a number of environmental and citizens’ groups, is in a stalemate with Mount Hood Meadows on this issue. Meadows has not been open about what they plan to do with the land. Recently they filed a petition and will be filing their environmental impact report in the next year. Surfrider as an organization does not want to entirely aligning ourselves with the coalition, we like to be bi-partisan. We are currently standing on the sidelines and observing. It is a young project.
Part of the issue with Cooper Spur is that they have not found out if they will be allowed to build their condominium complex. They will need to put in further chair lifts. So the issue is that they are possibly just putting in condos to put in condos, and not for the skiing community. We have a lot invested in our relationship with Mount Hood Meadows as far as working together for the environment in the area. For instance, the Sustainable Slopes round table will be occurring in April to improve the working relationship with the resorts in the area. We feel that as well as having a good working relationship with the resorts, it is important to educate them about the hydrologic cycle, since how they chose to act affects our streams, rivers, and oceans.
Are we working with the Mazamas on this? No, we have not embraced any other organizations on these issues yet. We have spoken with Oregon Natural Resources Council, but have not formally allied ourselves with any other group.
The majority of the construction at Cooper Spur as of yet has been building a chair lift and putting up a sign. They put the chair lift up last year. The issue around this is backcountry access, especially to Tilly Jane. There is currently no mechanized access to this area and the coalition does not want the area compromised in any way. Cooper Spur is a nice hill, a good beginner area, but the pristine nature of the backcountry area would be compromised if condominiums were built in this location.
The problem is that we will not have a clear idea of what Mount Hood Meadows plans to have happen up there until they file their reports and plans.
Perhaps a member of your organization would like to contact Dave Riley to come and talk and discuss their plans and your concerns. That is a great idea.
4. Calendar of Events
For more information contact: haleymarie9@hotmail.com or mgilbert@mesd.k12.or.us.
17th Hood River Forest Service Workshop. Discussion of land management in the gorge. 10am - 2pm. Best Western. Contact Katie at ktbreene@hotmail.com.
20th If you happen to be in the Washington area…The Northwest Straits Chapter is hosting a presentation by Drew Kampion. Fairhaven Pavilion in Bellingham. $2.
14th Snowrider SuperPipe. A big high-profile event at Snoqualmie in Washington. Mike McCann of the Seattle chapter is the contact for this and can be reached at snowriderproject@hotmail.com.
21st Snowrider appearance at Sustainable Slopes Day. Tabling and handing out info in the lodge.
TBA Snowrider Project Retreat with the Bend organizing committee. Attend February’s meeting for more information.
6 – 8th Clean Water Classic, Westport, WA. A benefit for Surfrider. This will be a big event. Men’s, women’s, shortboard and longboard divisions. There are motels and camping in the area. Contact Jodi Mau at 360 656 5886 for more information.
11-14th Vegetate. Mt. Hood. Superpipe and freestyle competition. A benefit to raise funds to replant native wildflowers on the mountain in the off-season. We plan to have a booth.
TBA Banff Mountain Film Festival
22 Earth day. Time and place of Surfrider booth TBA. Please let us know if you have any suggestions.
23-25 Oregon Surfrider Retreat, Coos Bay, OR. Join the executive councils and active volunteers from all of the Oregon chapters and organizing committees for this annual retreat.
24 Mountain Sustainable Slopes Roundtable, Ecotrust Bldg., Portland, OR
5. Opens
6. Video: Sea to Summit
Next Meeting:
Tuesday, February 10th, 2004 at 7:00pm.
Lucky Lab Pub on SE Hawthorne Blvd