Item C - Laurel Hill Plan Diag. - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

ATTACHMENT D RECEIVED November 29, 2004 NOV 2 9 2O04 R : RA 04-1 (Laurel Hill Plan Amendment) CITY' OF EUGENE PL,A Nf,~l!qG DE!;ArVi'~ENT Eugene Mayor and City Councilors: We have received a copy of the memorandum from Patricia Thomas dated November 22, 2004 and have the following comment. In the event that Council directs Planning staff to initiate an amendment process to the Laurel Hill Plan in lieu of granting RA 04-1, we recommend that the scope of the task be defined as re-examining the geographic area included in the commercial node in the East Laurel Hill area in light of changed circumstances since the creation of the node. We believe that the public process should include a dialog among affected property owners in East Laurel Hill, the leadership of the neighborhood association and Planning staff, as well as a comment opportunity for members of the public. We have received a copy of the memorandum from the City Attorney dated November 24, 2004 and have no comments on his answers to questions from Council. At last inquiry, there were no additional materials from the applicant for us to comment on. Our position remains that RA 04-1 should be denied because it does not meet EC 9.8424( 1)(c} which requires consistency with the remaining portions of the refinement plan. The portion of the Laurel Hill Plan with which the application is not consistent is Policy 5 for the East Laurel Hill area that states No additional sector of East Laurel Hill shall be designated for commercial purposes until a public need can be demonstrated. (Laurel Hill Plan, p 15} It is our position that none of the three proposed findings on the matter of public need rise to the level of an authentic public need. Rather than restate the reasons for this position, I refer you to previous oral and written testimony from Laurel Hill Valley Citizens. It remains our believe that the overriding public need in this case is the preservation of the integrity of our neighborhOod refinement plan, and the certainty that this brings to property owners who have abided by its policies and goals as they seek to develop their properties. Sincerely, Wostmann Chair, Laurel Hill Valley Citizens