Item 4 - Ordinance on Downtown Urban Renewal Plan Amendments

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Chapter 4: Reasons for Selection of the Plan Area The plan area of the Downtown Urban Renewal District (formerly the Central Eugene Project) was adopted in 1968. This area was selected after comprehensive community process under the guidance of the Federal Department of Housing and Urban Devel- opment (HUD). The goals of the Downtown Urban Renewal District plan are reducing blight and improving the function, condition, and appearance of the plan area. According to ORS 457.010, "blighted areas" means areas that, by reason of deteriora- tion, faulty planning, inadequate or improper facilities, deleterious land use or the exist- ence of unsafe structures, or any combination of these factors, are detrimental to the safety, health or welfare of the community. A blighted area is characterized by the exist- ence of one or more of the following conditions: (a) The existence of buildings and structures, used or intended to be used for living, commercial, industrial or other purposes, or any combination of those uses, that are unfit or unsafe to occupy for those purposes because of any one or a combination of the following conditions: (A) Defective design and quality of physical construction; (B) Faulty interior arrangement and exterior spacing; (C) Overcrowding and a high density of population; (D) Inadequate provision for ventilation, light, sanitation, open spaces and recreation facilities; or (E) Obsolescence, deterioration, dilapidation, mixed character or shifting of uses; (b) An economic dislocation, deterioration or disuse of property resulting from faulty planning; (c) The division or subdivision and sale of property or lots of irregular form and shape and inadequate size or dimensions for property usefulness and development; (d) The laying out of property or lots in disregard of contours, drainage and other physi- cal characteristics of the terrain and surrounding conditions; (e) The existence of inadequate streets and other rights of way, open spaces and utilities; (f) The existence of property or lots or other areas that are subject to inundation by water; Report on the Downtown Urban Renewal District Plan – Circulation Draft of July 17, 2007 7