Item B: Jefferson-Westside Options for Immediate Protection

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ECC UGENE ITY OUNCIL AIS GENDA TEM UMMARY Work Session: Jefferson-Westside Options for Immediate Protection Meeting Date: August 16, 2006 Agenda Item Number: B Department: Planning and Development Staff Contact: Susan Muir www.eugene-or.gov Contact Telephone Number: 682-6077 ISSUE STATEMENT On July 24, 2006, the City Council requested a work session on this date to consider short-term options to pause/mitigate the negative effect of inappropriate infill in the Jefferson-Westside Neighborhood (JWN). As part of the preparation for this work session, staff was directed by the council to work with JWN to consider ways to address the JWN concerns with respect to potential upzonings in that area from R-1 to R-2. BACKGROUND The Jefferson/Far West Refinement Plan (JFW Plan) was adopted in 1983. Excerpts from the JFW Plan are included as Attachment A. The JFW Plan includes a Land Use Diagram showing the intended land use pattern for the plan area. The residential land use designations used on the JFW Plan diagram include Low Density, Low-Medium Density and Medium Density Residential designations. The area of concern to the Jefferson-Westside Neighborhood Group (“the neighborhood group”) is identified in the JFW Plan as a portion of “Area 15.” The JFW Plan diagram designates Area 15 as Low-Medium Density Residential. In addition, the plan text sets out three policies to specifically address development within Area 15. The first such policy is: “This area shall be recognized as a low- to medium-density residential area. The City shall explore methods of encouraging an increase in residential density yet maintaining the character of the area. Residential densities beyond ten units per acre shall be allowed, subject to an approved block plan or rezoning to R-2 in conjunction with site review.” The Metro Plan and neighborhood plan were amended simultaneously in 1983 to enable R-2 zoning, consistent with the policy above. The attached memorandums dated April 27 and May 24, 2006, illustrate how the Metro Plan and Refinement Plan fell out of alignment, which necessitated the housekeeping amendments to the Metro Plan. The Metro Plan housekeeping amendments prompted concern among some Jefferson Far West citizens about the negative effects that medium-density infill could have on their neighborhood. Primarily, the neighborhood group wishes to prohibit “inappropriate infill” or zone changes that would allow more density under the City’s current infill standards in the area located generally between the County th Fairgrounds and Lincoln Street, Amazon Channel and 18 Avenue (see map at Attachment A). Per the council’s direction, Planning and Development Department staff have met and corresponded with representative(s) from the neighborhood group to explore options to address the neighborhood L:\CMO\2006 Council Agendas\M060816\S060816B.doc