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Goals
<br />ThisRiverRoad/SantaClaraTransitionandHeritageStrategyWhitePaperisintendedtocontributeto
<br />effectivecommunitytransitionplan(s)fortheterritorywithintheEugene/SpringfieldUrbanGrowth
<br />Boundary(UGB)intheRiverRoadandSantaClaracommunities.Thesuggestionshereinencompassan
<br />arrayofpotentialservicedeliveryopportunitiesandoptionsthattheCityofEugene,LaneCounty,local
<br />specialservicedistrictsandotherserviceproviders,andthecitizensofRiverRoadandSantaClaracould
<br />considertoassistinthetransitionoftheseneighborhoodsasfutureurbanizationoccurs.Theoptions
<br />identifiedareintendedtobeofequalusefulnesstotheCityandtheCounty,otherserviceproviders,and
<br />thetwocommunitiesinfosteringacreativedialogueongrowthimpactsandinreachingmutual
<br />agreementoneffectivestrategiestosustaincurrentandhistoriccommunityinstitutionsandheritagein
<br />thefaceofthechangesbroughtaboutbyannexationandurbanization.
<br />KeyIssues
<br />PriorannexationandurbanizationintheRiverRoadandSantaClaraneighborhoodshavebeendrivenby
<br />suchfactorsasthedemandforexpandingurbanservicestonewdevelopments,utilityextensions,the
<br />developmentofindividualexistinglots,locallandownerpreferences,andtheneedsoflocalgovernments
<br />andserviceproviders.Theresultisacheckerboardofgerrymanderedandsometimesisolated
<br />incorporatedterritory,oftenassmallasindividual5,000squarefootresidentiallots.Approximately30%of
<br />RiverRoadand40%ofSantaClarahasbeenincorporatedintotheCityofEugenethrough2005.
<br />FromtheperspectiveoftheCityofEugene,andperhapssomeotherserviceproviders,theforegoing
<br />situationmaycontributetomakingserviceprovisiondifficulttomanage,inadditiontoraisingissuesof
<br />serviceandtaxequitybetweenin-Cityandunincorporatedresidentsandpropertyowners.Mattersare
<br />furthercomplicatedinthattheunincorporatedareasofRiverRoadandSantaClaraarenotsimplyserved
<br />byLaneCounty(orevenservedbytheCityunderagreementwiththeCounty).Portionsofthetwo
<br />neighborhoodsareservedbytwoindependentfireprotectiondistricts,twowatersupplydistricts,anda
<br />parksandrecreationdistrict.TheEugeneWaterandElectricBoardalsohasapartinserviceprovision.
<br />Therangeoflandusesacrossthetwocommunitiesarealsoverydiverse,includinglargelotresidential,
<br />agriculturallandsandhomes,newersubdivisions,commercialcentersandolderbusinessuses,aging
<br />andbrandnewpublicinstitutions,publicparklandsandplaygrounds,riverfloodplainandriparianareas,
<br />andevenanadjacentrailroadmaintenanceyard(thislastuseisjustoutsidethecommunityboundary).
<br />ExistingstreetsexhibitthesamerangeÐrecentlyimprovedurbanarterialsÒmorphÓintotreedruralroads;
<br />andnewerneighborhoodstreetsarecurbedanddevelopedwithsidewalks,butolderstreetsareoften
<br />minimallyorpoorlypavedwithconventionaldrainageswalesasthenorm.
<br />Basedonpublishedmaterials,mostespeciallythe2002RiverRoad/SantaClaraUrbanService
<br />CommitteeReport,discussionswithserviceproviders,andthe2005-06RiverRoad/SantaClara
<br />TransitionTaskForce,servicessuchaspoliceprotection,sanitarysewerandwatersupplyappeartobe
<br />generallysatisfactory(duetogovernance,conditionoftheinfrastructure,and/orotherfactors).Thereal
<br />andperceivedimpactsofannexationandgrowthoncertainotherservices-transportation,library,parks,
<br />fireservice,andsurfacewater-appeartobeofgreaterconcernforavarietyofreasons.Someofthese
<br />servicesoriginatewiththeCity,somewithLaneCounty,andsomewithspecialservicedistricts.
<br />Annexationandurbangrowthoftenbringsnewandmorereliablewaterandsewerservices,pavedroads,
<br />improvedpublicsafetyservices,andnewcommunityfacilitiessuchaslibrariesandparks.Nonetheless,
<br />urbanizationandannexationcanalsospellchangeintheformofmorenoise,busierstreets,newand
<br />unfamiliarneighbors,thelossoftreesandundevelopedopenspaces(albeitsomeoftheseÒopenÓspaces
<br />willbeprivatelyheld,andnotnecessarilylandsuitableoravailableforthepublicdomain),thedemiseof
<br />longstandingareainstitutions(bothlocalpublicserviceprovidersandprivatebusinesses),andÒforcedÓ
<br />connectionstosewerandwaterlinesbasedonpublichealthconcerns.Forthosealreadylivinginareas
<br />recentlyorabouttobeannexedandredeveloped,suchchangescanquicklyÒsourÓwhateverpositive
<br />benefitsgrowthcanbring.Developmentmayincreasefeelingsofanerosionoflivabilityandcommunity
<br />RiverRoad/SantaClaraCommunityTransitionProject1
<br />TransitionandHeritageWhitePaperMay2006
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