CATEGORY: MRS. ANDERSON
PHOTO: NEIL GOLDSCHMIDT

Bob and I wanted to build a garage.  Because of the ravine running through our property, there was no easy place to build one if we observed the setback requirements.  The only way would be to place its side (end) toward the street with the driveway parallel to the street and get a variance so its front corner could be right on the front property line.  Fortunately there was a curve in the street concave to our property at that point so the garage and the driveway fit beautifully into the open arm of the welcoming street contour.

My first design for the garage had a second story apartment.  I thought it would be profitable to have a rental unit so close to the medical school/dental college, and that a taller building would balance our three story house across the ravine.  The garage was three bays wide.  I designed a U shaped apartment above it so that most of the middle bay was an exterior space with a view down the wooded ravine; the residents could sit outside in privacy, protected both from our house and the street.  It was a tiny but appealing space.  I made complete plans with sections and elevations a site plan with elevation lines showing the depth of the ravine and a half inch scale model.  Then we applied for a variance.  This meant one of us must appear before the city council.  Guess who!

Arriving nervously with my plans and model at the council chambers, a space which was actually a courtroom, I was directed to place them on a table.  The council members crowded around.  Neil Goldschmidt, who later became mayor of Portland and then governor of Oregon, was at that time newly on the city council.  He was in an area up some steps and behind a balustrade.  When he saw the model, he ran down the steps and leaped over the balustrade with one hand on the railing, like a cowboy leaping over a hitching rail.  I was impressed with his athletic ability, and –WOOF!– he was also very good looking!  Well, isn’t that the first criteria for getting elected to any office?  He said, “Now THIS is what I like to see.”  I guessed that not many people brought in models when applying for a variance.  The council hardly even looked at the plans.  Our variance was granted!

Because of expensive fire regulations for a living space over a garage we decided against the second story.  But we already had our variance and permission to put both the garage and the driveway in sideways and on the property line as designed.