Item 3: Ordinance on Downtown Code Amendments

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Following council action, staff identified issues for code amendments in a series of meetings with the Planning Commission. In addition, staff held public workshops and meetings with the Eugene Redevelopment Advisory Committee. As a result of its deliberations and input on the complexity of the issues under consideration for amendment, the Planning Commission recommended that the code amendment process should proceed in two phases. The intent was to develop a more flexible and responsive code in the very near term while allowing a comprehensive review and discussion of other, more complex development code issues. Phase I consists of a set of code amendment proposals that are limited in scope, and address code changes involved with items #1 – 3 above. Phase II will address items #4 – 7 above, entailing more significant amendments that are likely to require extensive discussion and analysis, potentially including a new zone for downtown and related metro plan amendments. Phase II is intended to begin immediately after adoption of the code amendments proposed in Phase I. The City Council held a work session on the Phase I Downtown Code Amendments on June 4, 2008, which provided an opportunity for an overview of the draft ordinance. To facilitate council action on the draft ordinance, staff will address questions raised either during the June 4 work session or following the close of the public hearing in the Agenda Item Summary for July 14, 2008. Other Background Information The process to draft the code amendments has employed significant public involvement opportunities. The need for a comprehensive review of existing downtown zones emerged as part of the initial Downtown Visioning effort in 1999. The Downtown Vision, approved by the council in 2000, included the following Key Next Step to support downtown development: Create a new zoning district for the downtown that promotes multi-story structures with mixed uses, and emphasizes street-level activity along the Great Streets. Consider Design Review. (Page 9) The concept of a new zoning district was included in the task of updating the Downtown Plan. In April, 2004, the updated Downtown Plan was adopted by the council. The plan contained the following implementation strategy: Create a single zone to unify the downtown core, including the new Federal Courthouse and riverfront areas. Consider amendments to an existing commercial zone, such as C-2 or C-3, and overlay zones such as /TD, /ND, and the Broadway Overlay Zone. (Page 14) In May 2004, staff introduced the topic of a review of Downtown Area Zoning at the Eugene Planning Commission. Since that time, Planning and Development staff met with the Eugene Planning Commission, Eugene Redevelopment Advisory Committee, and City Council on multiple occasions, in addition to hosting public workshops. Since the City Council initiated the downtown code amendment process in July, 2006, City staff has held four additional Planning Commission meetings, a follow-up meeting with ERAC, a well attended public workshop, and a Planning Commission public hearing. As a result of this public involvement, the Phase I code amendments recommended by the Planning Commission and reflected in the attached ordinance do not mirror the specific language in the initial council motion regarding C-3 Major Commercial surface parking and /TD Transit Oriented Development Overlay Zone. While taking into Z:\CMO\2008 Council Agendas\M080616\S0806163.doc