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not be construed so as to allow the formation of other types of districts. It is not clear whether the amendment as originally written could have had that effect. Lane County staff has stated that this would not be the case, as Metro Plan policies providing that cities should be the providers of urban services accommodating growth would remain intact. Ultimately, however, should an urban fire district be proposed in the future under an amended Metro Plan, this question would be subject to Boundary Commission interpretation. However, initial fiscal analysis by City staff (Attachment A) indicates that formation of a Eugene fire district offers no advantage from a service or fiscal standpoint, and may actually be fiscally disadvantageous, especially in the longer term. Meanwhile, the City's land use planning analysis (Attachment B) reiterates the need for substantive - perhaps even fundamental - amendments to the Metro Plan before special districts can be allowed to serve cities. The Planning staff memo also notes that the existing Metro Plan principle (that cities are the logical providers of urban services) supports the State's land use planning program, which seeks to control urban sprawl. The Metro Plan requires that amendments of the type now proposed by Lane County be evaluated against two criteria: 1) consistency with statewide planning goals, and 2) preservation of the internal consistency of the Metro Plan itself. The County's proposed amendment would add to the Metro Plan's policies providing that cities are the logical providers of urban services, and the original wording was as follows: "Notwithstanding the above provisions of this policy and all other related policies and text in this Plan, a district or zone of benefit may be created and maintained to provide preventive and reactive public safety services, including but not limited to, adult and youth corrections services, crime prevention, prosecution, detention, supervision, mental health and alcohol and drug services, victim services, drug court, interagency narcotics enforcement, patrol, investigation and arrest." The Eugene Planning Commission's action on February 28 included adding the words "single, countywide" before the word "district," in order to help make clear that the amendment would not be intended to allow other types of districts. Elsewhere in Oregon, voters in the City of Gresham will be asked on March 8 whether they favor annexation to Multnomah County Fire District # 10. Proponents of the annexation state that there will be no change in service, but concede that Gresham residents will pay more in property taxes overall. Tax rate compression is not an issue for Gresham in the short term. RELATED CITY POLICIES The policy issues are as they were a year ago: 1) Would there be an improvement in service? 2) Would there be a tax savings? 3) Does the City continue to adhere to the Metro Plan principle that cities are the logical providers of urban services (and that fire protection is a key urban service)? The Metro Plan remains the major policy document relative to this issue. This issue also involves the City Council's 2003-2004 goals of a safe community and fair, stable, and adequate financial resources. L:\CMO\2005 Council Agendas\M050307\S050307B.doc