Shelby King//March 12, 2015//
The Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals next week will get a little “Wizer” when members hear testimony for and against a controversial Lake Oswego development that inspired opponents to initiate a “save our village” battle cry.
On Wednesday, at the University of Oregon School of Law, LUBA will hear oral arguments concerning the Wizer block project – a $92 million mixed-use development that Lita Grigg, a Lake Oswego resident and “Save Our Village” campaign organizer, wants to block.
Property owner Eugene Wizer and a real estate investment partner, Portland-based Evergreen Group LLC, want to raze the existing building at 140 A Ave. and build 207 residential units atop 36,500 square feet of commercial space in three four-story buildings.
The city’s development commission in August 2014 denied a project approval request, leading developers to appeal to the Lake Oswego City Council. After several hours of testimony from both sides, the council in October reversed the commission’s decision.
The opposition hired Portland attorney Greg Hathaway and appealed the case to LUBA on the grounds that the high-density multifamily portion of the development doesn’t comply with the section of city code that requires new construction uphold a “village character … of small-scale structures that appears and operates like a traditional small town … creates a sense of community and attracts people to the downtown in the same manner and using similar design concepts as historic small towns and neighborhood centers.”
The board will return its final opinion on the case between April 2 and 9, LUBA spokeswoman Kristi Seyfried said.