Resolution No. 4694 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

Exhibit A .11 -Oregon John A. Kltzhaber. M.D., Governor December 1,2000 Department of Transportation Area Manager/Project Manager 644 A Street Springfield, Oregon 97477 PHONE (541) 744-8080 FAX (541) 744-8088 Mayor Torrey and City Council City of Eugene 777 Pearl Street Eugene, OR 9740 I FILE CODE: Subject: West Eugene Parkway Dear Mayor Torrey and Members of the Council: As requested, this correspondence will outline the next steps regarding land use and city actions necessary to continue progress on the West Eugene Parkway . We face significant regulatory hurdles in order to receive FHW A and BLM approvals of the West Eugene Parkway Project. Securing these approvals and construction of Unit I A is dependent upon City of Eugene actions. Two specific actions requested from the City of Eugene are necessary to support moving forward with the conclusion of project NEP A documentation and construction of Unit IA: 1. Amend the West Eugene Wetlands Plan (WEWP) to designate the Modified Project alignment as a transportation corridor; and amend the Eugene - Springfield Metro Plan to provide an exception to Statewide Planning Goals 3, 4, 11, and 14. Unit 2 of the project crosses lands owned by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). BLM purchased those lands with appropriations from the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund (L WCF). BLM policy prohibits the transfer of ownership of any lands purchased with L WCF funds. However, BLM's Washington D.C. office indicated a waiver is possible if certain conditions are met, including a determination that the project is "consistent with the purposes for which the public lands are being managed" 1. Consistency is demonstrated, in part, by inclusion of the project in the applicable BLM management plan. The BLM adopted the WEWP as its land use management plan for the subject properties. Therefore, the project must be shown in the WEWP to be consistent with the BLM management plan. BLM also stated that"... prior to BLM approval of an application for right-of-way from ODOT, it will be necessary for the City of Eugene to formally amend its Metropolitan Area General Plan to provide an exception from State Wide Planning Goals 3, 4, 11, and 14.,,2 1 October 3, 2000 Letter from Elaine Y. Zielinsk, BLM State Director to Dave Reilly, Acting FHWA Division Administrator, attached. 2 August 18. 2000 Letter from Diana Bus, BLM Action Coast Range Field Manager to James B. Cox Jr., ODOT Environmental Project Manager, attached.