May 2025 May 2025 | Page 20

A20 May 2025 Charbonneau Villager

Emergency Preparedness & Public Safety

By NEIL KENNEDY

Springtime safety: A friendly reminder from the security team

As the weather warms up and the sun finally sticks around, it feels like everyone in the Northwest is waking up from hibernation— and

KENNEDY that includes the not-sowelcome visitors. With the nicer weather, we’ re seeing an uptick in activity around the neighborhood. Most of it is harmless but still worth keeping an eye on.

We’ ve had a few nuisance-type incidents lately— like kids fishing in the ponds or playing basketball at Edith Green in the middle of the

night. These situations aren’ t dangerous, but they can impact our peace and quiet. Our security team is staying on top of them and responding when needed.

Then there are the more concerning behaviors we’ ve observed— non-residents loitering at odd hours, people drinking in cars, folks dressed in dark clothing wandering late at night and even some rummaging through dumpsters in the early morning hours. We’ re actively addressing these situations as they arise. In fact, with help from the Wilsonville Police Department, we recently dealt with a couple of non-residents who were loitering and drinking on the property. They’ ve now been banned from all HOAs in the area and are subject to arrest if they return.

We want to be clear— this doesn’ t mean something has changed, or that Charbonneau is unsafe. As many of you have heard me say, bad things can happen anywhere— but you’ d be hard-pressed to find a better place to

live than right here. These kinds of incidents aren’ t new, but we’ re being more proactive and responsive about them. It’ s all part of a predictable seasonal cycle: the sun comes out and so do the knuckleheads!

That said, we can all help keep Charbonneau the safe and peaceful place we love.

Here are a few simple reminders:

� Keep your vehicle free of bags, purses and packages. Always lock the doors— especially if it’ s not in the garage.

� Check that your exterior lighting and security cameras are working properly.

� Consider adding more lighting, especially around walkways and entryways. Bad guys like the dark— don’ t give it to them.

� Lock your home’ s doors and windows, even when stepping out briefly.

� Add important numbers to your phone: Security( Corporate Crime Control): 503-505-3327,

Clackamas County Non-Emergency: 503-655-8211

� Get involved in Neighborhood Watch. Talk to your neighbors, share what you’ re seeing, and stay connected— it’ s a great excuse to catch up and help each other out.

And don’ t forget: if you ever have a concern or notice something out of the ordinary, you can always reach out to me directly at neil @ charbonneaucountryclub. com or stop by one of our Coffee With Neil gatherings— every third Friday at 10 a. m. in the lounge.

Let’ s all enjoy the sunshine, stay aware, and keep Charbonneau the amazing community we know and love.

Take care and stay safe,– Neil & Your EPPS Team

QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS

if you ever have a concern or notice something out of the ordinary, you can always reach out to me directly at neil @ charbonneaucountryclub. com

Wednesday, July 3, 2024 • Vol 41, Issue 27 • $ 1

NEWS IS CHANGING RAPIDLY | For breaking stories and the latest headlines, visit wilsonvillespokesman. com

Intensifying DISPUTE

By KRISTA KROISS

As Home Depot continues push to move into Wilsonville, city accuses company of bribery

Staff Reporter

Amid allegations of bribery and other misdeeds levied by the city of Wilsonville, Home Depot will appeal to the Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals a city decision that prevents its use of the Fry’ s Electronics building. The appeal comes as Home Depot also seeks an enforcement order with the Land Conservation and Development Commission against the city for allegedly violating local and state law.

Home Depot has been working to come to Wilsonville by moving into the former Fry’ s Electronics building at 29400 Town Center Loop W. The process has involved two land use reviews, one defining the existing nonconforming status of the property and the other deciding if Home Depot

Fourth of July concert,

would continue that use. The city has repeatedly denied appeals for both applications, defining the property as an electronics-related retail store and saying that Home Depot’ s operations would be different than Fry’ s Electronics— not a“ continuation of use.”

According to a notice sent to the city on Thursday, May 23, representatives of Home Depot intend to appeal the Wilsonville City Council’ s May 17 decision denying Home Depot’ s proposed use of the property, ruling that the company would not qualify as a continuation of use. This decision, which upholds a previous Development Review Board determination, will be appealed to the Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals.

The notice on an enforcement order is related to a city

STAFF FILE PHOTO: KRISTA KROISS Home Depot will appeal a City Council decision preventing it from using the former Fry’ s Electronics building. It will also seek an enforcement order against the city, and in a response the city detailed accusations of bribery and intimidation tactics. decision on the status of the Fry’ s Electronics building. In March the Development Review Board upheld Wilsonville Planning Director Miranda Bateschell’ s decision, adding that the property is“ 159,400 square foot electronics-related retail store,” based on Fry’ s Electronics’ occupancy of

By DANA HAYNES the building when updated zoning codes from the Town Center Plan took effect in June 2019.

Reactions pour in following Supreme Court ruling on Grants Pass

Court says homelessness ordinance does not violate constitutional rights

See DISPUTE / A3

Staff Reporter

Oregonians spoke out after the Friday, June 28, news that the U. S. Supreme Court ruled 6-3 in favor of a homelessness ordinance in Grants Pass, Oregon, saying the city’ s prohibition on outdoor camping does not violate the Constitution’ s Eighth Amendment prohibition on cruel and unusual punishment.

Plaintiffs in the case of City of Grants Pass v. Johnson had argued that criminalizing the state of being homelessness crossed a constitutional barrier. They cited, for precedent, Robinson v. California, a 1962 decision in which the Supreme Court ruled that the criminalization of addiction violates the Eighth Amendment. Plaintiffs in the Grants Pass case said the state of being homeless is like being an addict; as such, people should not face criminal charges for it.

Grants Pass is in Josephine County, south of Roseburg. The town of nearly 40,000 has about 600 people who are homeless, according to service providers. The only nonprofit that can provide shelter in that city can house up to 100 beds, according to a brief submitted for the Supreme Court case.

The ruling could pave the way for stricter rules on homelessness in every Oregon community, and the ripple effect could reach across state lines.

Wilsonville City Manager Bryan Cosgrove said it is too early to tell if there are going to be any changes to the city’ s rules on public camping.

Currently people are able to camp for survival in designated sites near the Wilsonville City Hall between 9 p. m. and 7 a. m. Prior to this rule, which took effect last year, city code banned public camping. The updated city code was a response to federal and state laws prohibiting cities from punishing people for sleeping on public property when no other options are available.

Following the Supreme Court’ s ruling, Cosgrove said there will be some discussion on the city code. He estimated that the council will be able to discuss the matter in August.

Those opposed to the high court’ s decision in City of Grants Pass v. Johnson include Northwest Housing Alternatives, an affordable housing nonprofit in the Pacific Northwest.

“ Northwest Housing Alternatives is deeply troubled to learn that the U. S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of targeting and systemically punishing people experiencing homelessness,” said Kelsey Heilman, the nonprofit board’ s vice chair, and Trell Anderson, executive director, in a written release.“ Everyone deserves a safe place to sleep at night. We know in our collective conscience that there are not enough

fus

d ble housing options in our

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