Item A: Annual Joint Meeting with Eugene Planning Commission

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FY '07 Proposed Planning Division Work Program Page 1 of2 NYSTROM Steven A Sent: To: From: ZAKO Rob (SMTP) Monday, September 11,2006 2:43 PM BELCHER Jon (SMTP); Phillip Carroll; COLBATH Mitzi (SMTP); DUNCAN Rick (SMTP); HLEDIK Randy (SMTP);.LAWLESS John (SMTP) Cc: NYSTROM Steven A; MUIR Susan L Subject: FY '07 Proposed Planning Division Work Program Dear members of the Eugene Planning Commission (and Steve and Susan), Thank you very much for considering our suggestion to add an item to the "Emerging Issues" section of the FY '07 Proposed Planning Division Work Program: Assess the extent to which the City of Eugene has a clear and widely supported vision for where and how it wants to grow and a comprehensive strategy for achieving that vision; and make recommendations for how the City could better achieve its vision. Our main desire was to put the "big picture" on your radar screen and to ensure that you have an opportunity to discuss it as you work on more detailed issues. . We appreciated your discussion at your meeting today, and trust that whatever language you adopt will be fine. But as there was some question about our intent, we offer the following additional comments: * Our intent was add a short, focused, doable work task -- an assessment -- to the work plan as a way to begin what will inevitably be a larger discussion. * Our intent was very much to look at a VISION for Eugene, perhaps not quite as detailed a "roadmap" as Commissioner Colbath talked about but certainly heading in that direction. Think something visual that people can imagine and see rather than vague words that are open to multiple interpretations. * The Growth Management Policies, while good and important, do not constitute a VISION; they constitute part of a STRATEGY for achieving some vision. In any case, as is often the case with words, the Growth Management Policies aren't concrete enough to give everyone the same or similar picture about where they lead. For example, does a policy to increase density and do infill apply to my neighborhood, or only to other people's neighborhoods? If my neighborhood, what might that look like? * As should be clear from our remarks, we believe the City of Eugene does NOT have a clear and widely supported vision for where and how it wants to grow. As such, many well intentioned efforts to achieve that vague and weakly supported vision are will inevitably keep running into obstacles. But it would be useful for a credibly and careful -- but brief -- assessment to come to this conclusion and to report same to the City Council. * Of course, a conclusion that the City of Eugene does not have a clear and widely supported vision for where and how it wants to grow would beg the question about what to do about it. * If you are looking for a shorter version of the suggestion, we suggest the following abbreviated version: Assess the extent to which the City of Eugene has a clear and widely supported vision for where and how it wants to grow that effectively guides how the City plans for and supports growth and development. * In a recent talk in Eugene (about the "Big Look" at Oregon's land use planning program), planning consultant John Fregonese said, "A vision keeps you on the path when the plan fails." Indeed, Fregonese might be a good person to ask for advice about how to develop a vision and strategy for achieving that vision. His firm is currently helping the City of New Orleans answer questions about where and how it wants to grow in the wake of the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina. Thank you again for your consideration. Please let us know if there are other ways that we might help. For 1000 Friends of Oregon, 9/18/2006