08/25/1975 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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than continuing to pave areas for commercial uses. Also, that reduction in use of the auto would aid in reduction of air pollution and as a side effect strengthen the city's position on field burning. He said that the amendment was a small but im- portant step in making a better environment, one that should be taken now. - Wally Swanson, 140 Coachman Drive, speaking for Eugene Renewal Agency, read a memo I-B-l from the Agency stating the Plan amendment as proposed would have a beneficial effect on the downtown area. Others in favor of the amendment were Sharon Posner, 2473 Columbia Street, speaking for the League of Women Voters, and Thorn Chambliss, lSIO Mill Street. Ms. ~osner said the League's position was that the Council should consider not so much the highest and best use of the land on the Island as it should consider what was best for the community in general. The League endorsed modification of the Plan as proposed. It was not concerned so much about changing the Plan as it was that people should understand what the change would mean, that the L&B recommendation was made on the basis that a great deal of existing undeveloped commercially zoned land was available. Also, that the costs of auto transportation had increased significantly since formulation of the Plan as well as the demand on housing close to employment and shopping The Community Goals statement calling for strengthening the role of public transportation coupled with the overriding objective of compact urban growth, she said, would justify provision for medium-density residential development on Goodpasture Island. Mr. Chambliss saw the amendment as correction of an internal contradiction in the Plan itself. The I-B-2 opportunity designation for commercial development. he said, was contrary to general recommendation in the transportation section calling for pursuit of land use policies which would decrease dependence upon the automobile. Richard W. Cleveland. attorney speaking for an ad hoc group of property owners in Good- pasure Island area, focused attention on procedure - there was none set for amendment I-B-3 to the 1990 Plan. Neither was there a definition of regional concerns. He said resi- dential development on the Island would foreclose the timing device. What assurance, e: he asked, was there that residential development would occur if the current oppotunity area designation was not in effect. He thought a more thorough analysis was needed, that only the negative aspects had been considered - that is, further commercial de- velopment might not be the best use. He said protection of the downtown area was only one of many concerns, that in a community scheduled to have a population increase the consideration should not be that of foreclosing commercial development, rather the consideration should be its location. Mr. Cleveland continued that procedures for another regional site evaluation should be determined since planners have said there will be need for another regional center. Inadequate evaluation could lead to loss of land in parcels large enough to accommodate a regional center and result in "fractured" locations. He felt the decision making process was not yet at hand, that there should first be a whole series of planning hearings on a regional basis to evaluate concepts of the L&B report. He urged an identification of regional concerns, then a determina- tion of the procedure to follow that would maintain and co-ordinate the General Plan for the metropolitan area. Proceeding with the amendment proposed at this time, he said, would undermine the "health" of the Plan itself. Mr. Cleveland asked adoption of procedures for amendment of the Plan with very heavy emphasis on citizen and LCOG input before modification of the Plan itself. Laurence Thorpe, attorney representing Smith. Brown, Howell properties on the Island. I-B-4 said his clients had challenged participation of t~o members of the Council in this deliberation and had taken the position that this Plan amendment was a quasi-judicial matter covered by Fasano rules. The Council had not addressed those positions, he said, and he took it that they were being rejected. Mr. Thorpe said he assumed the Council would have to have specific standards to make any Plan amendment. Mayor Anderson re- sponded that the issue was legislative in nature and that the Council would amend the - Plan by resolution, not by ordinance as required in a zoning matter. He said that standards to be set would be whatever standards the Council itself determined. &/25/75 - 4 4fo e,