"I want to see Luscher Farm preserved for our public's enjoyment and appreciation through the years to come"
Rudie Luscher

Monday, October 10, 2011

Making sure we're not forgotten....


Periodically we need to put our two cents into the public forum.
If we don't do this we run the risk of people forgetting that we face
some serious challenges to the future of Lusher Farm.
Here's the latest Opinion piece sent into the Review and Oregonian:

Since January of 2011 there has been a push to change the basic personality and usage of Luscher Farm.
The Parks and Recreation Department has visions of ball fields overlaid on top of fertile farmland and turning the Community Gardens into a backdrop for public and private events. Parks and Recreation does not recognize that there is a desire not only to have a place to grow one’s own food, but for a respite from the urban noise we all have to endure. We all need open and non-developed spaces to breath. Forested paths to walk along and room for children to explore and stretch their imaginations.
There seems to be a disconnect between Parks and Recreation and what is happening food wise. There is a huge ground swell of local and national support for buying and growing food locally.
In this month’s Clackamas County “Going Beyond Green” publication there is an article about the 2011 School Garden Grant Project. Having children engaged in physical and academic school garden activities.
The Oregonian’s July Homes and Gardens featured Sustainable Bounty: growing your own food at home or in a Community Garden.
Even a New Seasons Market advertisement says “Let’s hear it for Home Grown” and Lake Oswego Review October’s special publication showcases our Farmers Market and Oregon Tilth’s demonstration garden at Luscher Farm.
Meanwhile the Parks and Recreation Department’s latest plan for Luscher Farm would move the CSA and Oregon Tilth Demonstration Gardens. Why would anyone place a ball field on top of land that has been feeding families for the last 7 years? Wouldn’t it make sense to place a ball field elsewhere? We need to keep our CSA fields exactly where they are and we want to keep Oregon Tilth located here at Luscher Farm.
Lake Oswego is located next to cities that are investing in land and protecting their open lands to potential inappropriate development and or destruction.
Here are some fine examples:
West Linn’s Oak Savannah: Grass root volunteers have been raising funds and working on restoring these 14 acres for the last 5 years. 100 Oak seedlings have been planted and non-native invasives are being eradicated .
The city of Tigard recently acquired 43 acres of unspoiled park land. This will eventually help link natural areas stretching from Beaverton to the Tualatin National Wildlife River.
Hagg Lake: owned by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, maintained and operated by Washington County, the Park features numerous picnic areas, two boat launching facilities, a fully stocked lake for fishing, more than 15 miles of hiking trails, and observation decks for wildlife and bird watching.
The Tualatin Hills Nature Park is a 220-acre wildlife reserve in the heart of Beaverton, Oregon. It is made up of evergreen and deciduous forests, creeks, wetlands, ponds and meadows. There are approximately 5 miles of trails. About 1.5 miles are paved, the rest are well maintained soft surface trails.
There are plenty of other places in Lake Oswego to place ball fields if indeed more are needed. The Armory comes to mind along with that stretch of land along Iron Mountain Boulevard past the Hunt Club. Let’s leave our dear Luscher Farm a Farm .
After all- we already have 27 Parks, 13 School Facilities, 9 Recreational Facilities and 22 Natural and Open Spaces but we only have one Farm.

Sunday, July 10, 2011

City Council Meeting July 12th 6pm

The Vultures Are Circling Luscher Farm

Please attend the Lake Oswego City Council
Study Session July 12th at 6pm
We are not allowed to testify, but we do
need to show up and observe and take notes.
There are many issues within this Master Plan.
Read through very carefully this staff report:
http://www.ci.oswego.or.us/calendar/CouncilMtgs/documents/071211packet.pdf
They thoroughly outlined the public process to make it look extensive and complete. And on page 4 it suggests that it doesn't need to go thru the planning commission. And of course since they didn't ask about farming in any of the surveys, then they can now say that farming didn't show up as having much interest...




CSA Facebook Posting

Today is the last day to comment !



Friday, July 8, 2011

Introducing LOStewards


We are partnering with LOStewards.
Why? Because we share the same
beliefs in "true sensitive lands".
We believe that our city should care
for our public lands as much as we
care for our private property.
It's as simple as that!
Please go to their web site and check it out!



then go to the city's Master Plan for Luscher Farm
and see what damage they plan for our precious farm:

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Thumbs Down on New Master Plan for Luscher Farm

Hedgerow planted last year by CSA, Friends of Luscher Farm and Parks and Rec.
Hedgerow is just the beginning of restoring wildlife habitat.
This will be demolished with the new plan




AFTER READING BELOW PLEASE COMMENT TO ALL COUNCILORS:


Mayor Jack Hoffman jhoffman@ci.oswego.or.us
Councilor Mary Olson maolson@ci.oswego.or.us
Councilor Mike Kehoe mkehoe@ci.oswego.or.us
Councilor Jeff Gudman jgudman@ci.oswego.or.us
Councilor Bill Tierney btierney@ci.oswego.or.us
Councilor Donna Jordan djordan@ci.oswego.or.us
Councilor Sally Moncrieff smoncrieff@ci.oswego.or.us



We received the following email yesterday from Parks and Recreation Department. After reading and going over it thoroughly we cannot support this plan. Luscher Farm should never be brought into the UGB and shold actually have it's own special code.
Bringing it into the UGB will only enable the developers free access to our beloved Luscher Farm. Notice how Luscher Farm is not called Luscher farm, but rather Luscher Area. Please go online and comment and spread the word. The link is noted below. We are only given until July 10th to comment.
Did you provide comments on the Luscher Area Site Plan Yet?
On June 15, 2011 the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board met to review the refined Luscher Area Site Plan. The meeting included a presentation on the background of the properties associated with the plan, the site plan and on the site design. Public comment was taken after the presentation. The Advisory Board took public comments and findings from system plan needs analysis into consideration and directed the design team to make site plan modifications.
To view these changes and provide your comments please visit the webpage at
http://www.luscherplan.org/
The comment period will be available June 27, 2011 to July 10, 2011.
Thank you.
Ryan Stee
Parks Project Manager

Thursday, June 23, 2011

Eloquent Opinion Piece

The Luscher Farm Master Plan is out- and it's a disaster! Here is an eloquent Opinion piece written by a fellow Luscher Farm gardener Ann Christensen:

Guest Opinion
PRAB acts in ‘slash-and-burn style’
By Ann Christensen

Jun 23, 2011

On June 15, I attended a Lake Oswego Parks & Recreation Advisory Board (PRAB) meeting where the Luscher Area Final Draft Site Plan was presented. As many already know, Luscher Farm is an award-winning gem of beauty, refuge and environmental stewardship. It is the demonstration home of Oregon Tilth, an organic certification entity whose influence is international in scope. There is a successful CSA. The farm provides education, classes and clean, local, affordable food for hundreds of families, including a half-ton donated to local food banks. Calls come in nationwide asking how this model can be implemented elsewhere. Because Luscher Farm is so popular, citizen demand cannot be met and there is a three-year waiting list to be admitted to the community garden.

But, in stunning industrial slash-and- burn style, PRAB’s plan wants it all gone in favor of a mega sports and entertainment complex, turning a rural gem into an overdeveloped urban nightmare, with new roads, new parking lots, increased traffic and light, noise and waste pollution issues. All of the very popular farm programs that have made Luscher Farm what it is today will be destroyed, moved or repurposed. Sustainability, natural resource and cost questions were raised at the meeting and dismissed by the board. Other elements in the plan were very poorly thought through. And for months, public opinion has been sought as input, and options have been developed – with votes taken and tabulated. The majority of votes indicate that public opinion sides with keeping the Luscher area mostly as is. The four most popularly desired elements for the use of this land are already being met – as is. But, lest they lose control, PRAB then proceeded to lecture the attendees that such public input was not “representative.” Wow, since when was a majority opinion not valid in a democracy? Answer: Since PRAB’s co-chair Steve Dodds publicly stated that Parks & Rec will do what it wants – period –making all the meetings and public opinion surveys just an expensive taxpayer-funded quasi-democratic dog and pony show to prettify their blatant takeover of LO citizen wishes. During the meeting, Dodds made no effort to disguise his irritation with citizen after citizen who pled that Luscher Farm be protected and preserved.

In a further show of power, Parks director Kim Gilmer denied the Natural Resource Advisory Board’s request that the June 15 meeting be held jointly, thus keeping NRAB’s input out of the meeting. We cannot allow Parks & Rec to simply railroad this plan through. Lake Oswego’s Natural Resource & Sustainability Advisory Boards need to get involved and take an unbiased look at the data and impact of this proposed plan. The public supports keeping organic farming and environmental stewardship front and center at Luscher Farm and the master plan should too.

Ann Christensen is a resident of Lake Oswego.

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

My Testimony for This Evening

Children love to feed the chickens










It's an Important Evening Tonight-Please Show Up!!!

West End Building June 15th 6:30 -8:30pm

Just when did the word “farm” get removed from Luscher Farm?

It’s not a park. It’s a farm. It’s not urban. It’s rural.
Luscher Farm and the adjoining properties need to be set aside for the generations to come as a place of tranquility and peace. Luscher Farm needs to be in a special classification by itself. Never to be brought into the UGB and never to be developed and paved over . There are plenty of properties still out there for active sports; let us keep these lands to be used for agricultural, educational and passive activities; a place of peace, beauty, refuge, solace and health.
When I first moved here my favorite part of this city was Luscher Farm. That was back in 1978. It still is my favorite corner of the city. And little did I know that someday I would have a wonderful garden here. Not only have I been able to grow my own food here for over 15 years, but I have had the pleasure of enjoying the closeness to nature that this precious land can give to all of us.
And where else can one meet such down to earth friendly people while pulling weeds? We are a multi-generational neighborhood of people who want that connection to nature and closeness to the earth. We have enough noise and chaos around us all day and this place brings us back to the basics by being immersed in nature. We want this for ourselves and our children’s children.
Standing quietly in the stillness of Luscher Farm as the sun first comes up and seeing and hearing the farm wake up is a stellar experience. One not to be missed nor dismissed.
Let us ensure that we don’t look back years from now and say



“Oh if only we had left Luscher Farm a farm.”

Sunday, June 12, 2011

Important Meeting-Please Attend!









PUBLIC MEETING
PARKS & RECREATION ADVISORY BOARD
LUSCHER AREA FINAL DRAFT SITE PLAN

Wednesday, June 15, 2011 at 6:00 p.m. in the Willamette Room at the West End Building (4101 Kruse Way), the Parks & Recreation Advisory Board will meet to discuss the Luscher Area Final Draft Site Plan. MIG, Inc. who is developing the Luscher Area Master Plan will present history/background information on the site, present the site plan and provide insight into the design of the plan. Citizens are encouraged to attend and provide comments.
Luscher Area Master Plan
June 15, 6 to 8 p.m.
West End Building
For questions, contact Ryan Stee at 503-697-6575.

This will be one of the final meetings for us to be
able to publically comment.Please show up and
participate in this important meeting.
If you are unable to attend please take the time to
email each of Lake Oswego's City Councilors and Mayor.
Below are the names and email addresses:

Mayor Jack Hoffman jhoffman@ci.oswego.or.us
Councilor Mary Olson maolson@ci.oswego.or.us
Councilor Mike Kehoe mkehoe@ci.oswego.or.us
Councilor Jeff Gudman jgudman@ci.oswego.or.us
Councilor Bill Tierney btierney@ci.oswego.or.us
Councilor Donna Jordan djordan@ci.oswego.or.us
Councilor Sally Moncrieff smoncrieff@ci.oswego.or.us






Remember- if we don't speak up we cannot complain.




Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Luscher Area Master Plan Open House

Luscher Area Master Plan Open House

April 21, 4 to 7 p.m.

West End Building

Please plan on attending this Open House!

It's important for us to have our opinions

heard in regards to the three alternatives

that will be shown this evening.

The Parks and Recreation Department is hosting an open house to review three site plan alternatives for the Luscher Area Master Plan. The design team created the plans based on feedback from the January 22 Design Charette where people shared ideas for improvements to the park, farm and natural areas. The event is an open format. Drop by, look over the alternatives and provide input on the future of the Luscher Area! Read more about the Master Plan and open house. For more information, please visit Luscher Area Master Plan or contact Ryan Stee at 503-697-6575.

Sunday, January 16, 2011

Luscher Farm Design Charette 1/ 22/2011





Luscher Area Master Plan
Design Charette 1-22-11

This is to let you know that the Luscher Area Master Plan process begins on January 22nd. This is an important step in planning the future of Luscher Farm and the surrounding properties that make up the Luscher Area. The City of Lake Oswego's first step in this process is to have a Design Charette (workshop). This event will give the us an opportunity to discuss existing and future uses, location of amenities, and site opportunities and constraints.

It is important for the City and Consultants to understand the wide range interests of the community. Please plan on attending this event as we need representatives who will help plan a good future for Luscher Farm. Your participation and perspective is essential to making sure Luscher Farm continues to have the focus of community gardens, health, environmental education and restoration of wildife habitats.

The event will occur Saturday, January 22nd from 9:30 am to noon at the Lakeridge High School Cafeteria. The city's webpage is: http://www.luscherplan.org/.
Please plan to attend!