Immigration facility for So. Waterfront approved, with limits

KGW
February 16, 2011
PORTLAND, OR

U.S. immigration officials will have to get special permission to detain suspects in the city's South Waterfront neighborhood.

The Federal Government's Immigration and Customs Enforcement has proposed rehabilitating an office building at 4310 SW Macadam Ave. so it can consolidate its detention and administrative functions around the city into one facility.

Neighbors appealed the design permit for the project, claiming such a permit doesn't take into account the controversial detention use of the building.

City Commissioners decided to divide the projects into two parts.

"A detention center and an office and that's what's going to be guiding my vote today," said Commissioner Nick Fish, outlining the compromise during a late afternoon public hearing at City Hall.

The council voted to approve the compromise which allows the overall project to move forward but forces ICE to get a special permit to keep its immigration suspects in temporary custody until they are deported.

Some neighbors would've preferred the project go away altogether while others are happy to start from scratch, fighting a land use permit for ICE's proposed detention use.

"We'll have an opportunity to get into many of the issues that we have: Traffic and safety," said South Waterfront resident Peter Fenner. "We were heard and it's on appeal now," said resident Don Dragg. "We will be re-heard and we were well-served."

The Federal Government has admitted there's no money budgeted so far for this project so, assuming final permits are realized, it could be maybe five to eight years before the project reaches its completion.

http://www.kgw.com/news/local/Portland- ... 66769.html