Item 5 - PH on Laurel Hill Plan - Laserfiche WebLink

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not so negatively impacted by the electrical system and interstate highway traffic, as described in the applicant's submittal materials, is worthy of consideration. With these findings, the proposal is consistent with the Metro Plan Residential Land Use and Housing Element Policies A. 13 and 17. Economic Element, Policy 6 Increase the amount of undeveloped land zoned for light industrial and commercial uses correlating the effective supply in terms of suitability and availability with the projections of demand The City concurs with the applicant's findings regarding this policy, which state, "The proposal (in conjunction with the related zone change application) will slightly increase the supply of undeveloped land planned and zoned for commercial uses. That increase in supply will not significantly change the supply-demand relationship of commercial lands in the Eugene-Springfield metropolitan area and should partially off-set the reductions in the available commercial lands supply due to development of commercial sites over the past several years." Given that the approval of this proposal would facilitate the rezoning of the property to commercial, the proposal is consistent with this policy. The applicant's findings in regard to the Metro Plan diagram and text, considered in combination with findings regarding consistency with the refinement plan in evaluation of EC 9.8424(1)(c), incorporated herein by reference, are sufficient to demonstrate consistency with this criterion. EC 9.8424(1)(c) The refinement plan amendment is consistent with remaining portions of the refinement plan. The applicant's narrative provides background history, available in the application file, on the creation of and amendments to the plan creating the East Laurel Hill Area component of the refinement plan. This portion of the plan contains policies regarding the area which includes the subject site. The policy identified below from the Laurel Hill Refinement Plan, is relevant to this request. Land Use and Future Urban Design Policy #5: No additional sector of East Laurel Hill ,'hall be designated for commercial purposes until a public need can be demonstrated. The applicant presented testimony outlining several issues (in italics) demonstrating public need for commercial designation of the subject site. The City concurs that 3 of these issues are sufficient evidence to determine compliance with this policy. 1. Land shouM be developable under the designation given to it. The applicant states that the property is "disturbingly unsuited for residential use". The City asserts that in broad terms there is a public need to designate the property under one of the designations the Metro Plan indicates as suitable. As the property is wholly unsuitable for residential development, and as described in the record, is suited to commercial development, there is a public need for correcting the designation. Exhibit A 7