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<br /> <br />ECC <br />UGENE ITY OUNCIL <br />AIS <br />GENDA TEM UMMARY <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />Work Session: Opportunity Siting Update <br /> <br /> <br />Meeting Date: December 8, 2008 Agenda Item Number: B <br />Department: Planning and Development Staff Contact: Patricia Thomas <br />www.eugene-or.gov Contact Telephone Number: 682-5561 <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />ISSUE STATEMENT <br />This work session is an opportunity for the council to review early task team findings and discuss <br />current status and proposed next steps for the Opportunity Siting project. The update will include the <br />status of work done to date, preliminary findings and a forecast of next steps for the program. <br /> <br /> <br />BACKGROUND <br />The Opportunity Siting project was initiated by City Council action on the Planning Division Work <br />Program in July 2006. Staff was hired for Opportunity Siting (OS) and its companion project, Infill <br />Compatibility Standards (ICS) in fall of 2006 and spring of 2007. A Planning Commission <br />subcommittee on OS was established in November of 2006, and met regularly to lend guidance to the <br />project. Following a period of public outreach, including a web-based survey on OS, engagement with <br />neighborhoods, tours with neighborhood volunteers, and interviews with “sounding boards” of <br />community members, a major kickoff event for OS and ICS was held in October of 2007. Following <br />this meeting, the Opportunity Siting Task Team was established. The team membership is composed of <br />residents as well as planning, design, affordable housing and residential development professionals. <br /> <br />Task Team members were approved by the Planning Commission in November of 2007. <br /> <br />Project Purpose and Goals <br />On July 17, 2006, the City Council approved with modifications the Planning Commission’s strategy for <br />addressing opportunity siting and infill standards. The Planning Commission’s strategy for OS included <br />a draft work program with the following stated general purpose: “Find and prepare specific sites for <br />higher density residential development with intention of relieving infill pressure in established <br />neighborhoods.” Building on this purpose, the OS subcommittee of the Planning Commission <br />interpreted the intent to include establishing a process for siting dense housing in ways that are <br />compatible with the surrounding neighborhoods. In response to the direction provided, the OS Task <br />Team adopted the following goals and objectives: <br /> <br />Goals: <br /> <br />·Create a planning process to identify and recommend housing sites in the city that can feasibly <br />accommodate high density residential development that is compatible with nearby development <br />and has the support of nearby residents. <br /> <br />·Develop a program to facilitate development on those sites. <br /> <br /> <br /> Z:\CMO\2008 Council Agendas\M081208\S081208B.doc <br /> <br />