Item A: I-5 Willamette Bridge Replacement Project

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ECC UGENE ITY OUNCIL AIS GENDA TEM UMMARY Public Hearing: An Ordinance Amending the Eugene-Springfield Metro Plan Text; Amending the Willakenzie Area Plan Text; Adopting an Exception to Statewide Planning Goal 15 Willamette River Greenway; Adopting Severability and Savings Clauses; and Providing an Effective Date (, Eugene files MA 07-3, RA I-5 Willamette Bridge Project 08-1; Springfield file LRP2007-00010; Lane County file PA08-5230) Meeting Date: June 24, 2008 Agenda Item Number: A Department: Planning and Development Staff Contact: Heather O’Donnell www.eugene-or.gov Contact Telephone Number: 541/682-5488 ISSUE STATEMENT This joint public hearing with the Eugene and Springfield City Councils and the Lane County Board of Commissioners is on a private proposal to amend the Metro Plan, including an exception to Statewide Planning Goal 15, and amend the Willakenzie Area Plan (WAP) (Eugene decision only). The amendments would allow replacement of the I-5 Willamette River and canoe canal bridges and associated construction to occur within the Willamette Greenway, subsequent to future land use application approval. BACKGROUND The I-5 Willamette Bridge Replacement Project is proposed within the Oregon Department of Transportation right-of-way, as well as on property owned by the City of Eugene, Willamalane Park and Recreation District, and Lane County. The project area includes the I-5 Willamette River Bridge and encompasses an area to the north between the Willamette River and Centennial Boulevard, also extending south of the Willamette River between Franklin Boulevard and the Glenwood Interchange (Exit 187). The project area is within the Eugene-Springfield UGB, and is more specifically shown on the Project Area map (Attachment G). The applicant requests approval of the following for the I-5 Willamette Bridge Replacement Project: to amend the text of Policy D.11 of the Metro Plan to allow for the placement of fill in the Willamette River Greenway and to allow for a goal exception to Statewide Planning Goal 15 (Willamette River Greenway) to authorize a nonwater-dependent, nonwater-related use within the Willamette River Greenway setback; and to amend the text of the WAP to allow for the placement of fill within 35 feet from the top of the bank of the Willamette River (Eugene decision only). This request does not include a specific development proposal. On the federal level, ODOT is required to process the necessary applications in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). On the local level, separate land use applications will be required for the actual bridge design, including a Willamette Greenway Permit and Standards Review (regarding Goal 5 setback) for Eugene and a 75-foot riparian setback review for Springfield (see last pages of Attachment E for project timeline and process). Z:\CMO\2008 Council Agendas\M080624\S080624A.doc