Metro Invites FrOGS to Phase 2 of Grant Process!

Metro selected FrOGS as one of the finalists in this year’s round of grant funding. Our next meeting will be largely dedicated to planning our next steps. If you’ve been following FrOGS, now is a great time to get involved. See the page “News” for details on how, when, where, etc.

Metro Grant Application Complete

Hi all,

Just blogging to let you know we completed our grant application with Metro. Metro (our regional government), gives out grants as part of their Nature in Neighborhoods program. We’ve asked for funding for two pilot projects, and some funds to help our FrOGS grow. You can see the site of our first proposed project below.

Actually, we are in the pre-app phase and will be informed if we can move on to the real application process soon. Stay tuned! Thanks to Mitch, Steve, and Trish for all their hard work on the application!

Pilot Project Site Visit

Measuring the new site

FrOGS visited our proposed pilot project site. You can see us here measuring the site and talking with the homeowner. This site is perfect for a Simple Green Street. We plan on putting a bioswale into the planting strip (between the curb and the sidewalk). Initially, this will treat stormwater from the yard and sidewalk, but later we will apply for a permit to cut an inlet trough the curb. This will allow stormwater from the street into the facility.

Photos from our recent visit to NE Portland, where we conducted a site assessment for our potential first Simple Green Street project.

Steve double-checking the calculations.

Amber, Cathleen and Erika

Good view of the site

Even FrOGS get thirsty!

Stormwater Gardens and Swales Bike Tour

Hi all,

Some of us will be joining Timo Forsberg from PDOT Transportation Options on a bike tour of sustainable stormwater facilities, green streets and rain gardens. The tour is free and open to the public.

Where: Begins at Laurelhurst Park (3601 SE Oak)

When: Wednesday, July 30, 6pm

What to bring: Your bike, your helmet (required), blinky lights.

Map: stormwater-ne-draft-2008

FrOGS Leadership Meeting

Are you interested in helping to plan the future of FrOGS?

The FrOGS‘ Leadership Group will be meeting throughout the summer, and would like to include you in the discussion. Our next meetings will include worksessions to:

• Develop goals and a mission statement
• Outline an organization structure and formulate work groups
• Address possibilities for FrOGS‘ role in the community
• Outline skills needed / potential benefits
• Discuss funding sources

Please Contact us for details: portlandfrogs@gmail.com

We look forward to hearing from you!

7th Ave Green Street update: Plants!

Workers from the Portland Parks department came by Portland’s newest Green Street on Wednesday, 5/21 to add some finishing touches, including plants. The Green Street’s filtration swale is planted largely with grasses and also includes ferns and Oregon grape, among others.

City workers also shaped the swale by adding river rock at the inflow to slow water velocity. Two “check damns” where also created. These low berms, constructed of clay and river rock, cut across the swale, further slowing stormwater runoff so it can better soak into the soil.

Green Streets Video

The kids from the Metropolitan Learning Center spiced up the FrOGS community meeting on Wednesday in their video about installing a bioswale at school with the help of the Community Watershed Stewardship Program. It demonstrates one of the many varied possibilities for stormwater management in our neighborhoods. We have found another short video to share with FrOGS’ members. Green Streets is about the value of biofiltration for stormwater management and shows examples of different Green Street incarnations across the city.

Watch Green Streets

Associated Project Announcement: SE Neighborhoods Asset Mapping

Some of FrOGS’ illustrious Community Development colleagues at PSU are holding an event to release the results of their exciting colloquium project, a detailed asset mapping of Portland’s Taggart Basin. This sister project of FrOGS, addresses “what neighboring organizations are doing to foster and build a vibrant community in the Southeast Portland area.” It should be good.

You can download the Taggart Basin Event Flyer.

What: SE Neighborhood’s Asset Mapping Results

When: June 5th, 7-8pm

Where: Lutheran Community Services, 605 SE 39th Ave. Portland, OR

FrOGS Meeting: Thanks to all who came!

We’re ecstatic at the level of support witnessed at last night’s FrOGS community meeting. Thanks so much to all who came. For those who couldn’t make it last night we plan to post a meeting wrap-up as well as next steps for the group soon.

If you filled out an interest card at the meeting you can expect FrOGS to contact you soon.

We received some great questions on the interest cards and on the Green Street Questions board at the meeting. We have our work cut out for us researching answers, which will also be posted here.

The initial results answer some questions we, the students, had about the project. It showed there really is great enthusiasm for this initiative in the community. There are also those ready to help lead FrOGS forward.

Thanks again for everyone’s help and support.

For those interested in a copy of the book Green Streets: Innovative solutions for stormwater and stream crossings:

You may also be interested in two other publications: Creating Livable Streets, and Trees for Green Streets, all published by Metro. One copy of each of these publications is availible free of charge to Portland metro-area residents.

To get your free copies simply stop by the Metro office, 600 NE Grand Ave. on business days between 8am and 5pm. Bring a driver’s licence or other proof of residency.

You may also email Meto at 2040@metro-region.org or call Linda Martin, 503-797-1843, to have the books mailed to your address.

For more information on the books check out the Metro: tools for designing streets webpage.

Join Us For the FrOGS’ Community Meeting

Please join us for a meeting on the evening of Wednesday, May 21, 2008.

What to expect:

Meet other local people excited about Green Streets

Learn more about Green Streets

Find out about Green Street funding opportunities

Learn about the possible future roles of FrOGS

Become involved!

When: Wednesday, May 21, 2008, 6:00 – 7:30 p.m.

Where: PSU’s Urban Center Building, 2nd Floor Gallery (506 SW Mill St; entrance between Pizzacato and PSU Bookstore)

Multiple TriMet bus lines travel SW 4th and SW Broadway through PSU’s campus. If you are taking the streetcar, exit at the PSU Bookstore stop on SW 5th. There’s plenty of bike parking, too. Refreshments will be served.

We hope to see you there!

Have a question about FrOGS or the Community Meeting? Email FrOGS: PortlandFrOGS@gmail.com

Check out the Friends of Green Streets Information Sheet. You may want share it with others you know interested in Green Streets.