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FNA East Campus Committee Comments East Campus Lands Land Use Applications Amendments (MA 03-7, RA 03-5, CA 03-5) February 23, 2004 I have discussed the proposed policy changes with Allen Lowe and he indicated that the neighborhood was being "very patient" with regard to the time-frame for implementing changes. While the neighborhood understands (and would prefer) that the changes could happen sooner rather than later, we also appreciate the City Council's concerns regarding securing funding and the neighborhood is willing to be patient with the City's traffic mitigation - as long as there is certainty that the traffic mitigation will occur in a reasonable time frame. We believe that the time frames described allow adequate time for the studies to be conducted and funds to be appropriated to meet the needs of the overall community. Process: The Committee removes its recommendation to insert a policy that would prohibit changes to the Fairmount/University of Oregon Special Area Study ("SAS") in the University-controlled area for a period of ten years. While the Committee continues to be concerned about land use changes, we are more concerned about funding for traffic mitigation at the present time. Further, based on the amount of time and effort required in this process and based on discussions with University staff we do not anticipate a proposed change to the SAS within ten years. We are requesting the removal of this process policy so that the City Council will dedicate more time toward finding solutions for traffic mitigation in its limited deliberation process. Lastly, with the city being proactive with traffic mitigation, many neighborhood needs are met and land use processes become less a concern. Conditional Uses: The buffer area (on the eastem and southem edge of the University-controlled East Campus Area) is of ongoing concern to the neighborhood. It is important to emphasize that the Fairmount Neighborhood Association's position is that n._qo conditional uses be allowed (voted on at a FNA general meeting last year in February 2003). It is also important to note that while we and others often refer to the conditional uses on the "west side of Villard", that the low density "buffer" area along the southern edge of the East Campus area is of equal importance. Upon further discussions with the City and the Univerisity, the FNA East Campus Committee came to appreciate the City's and University's concerns regarding a blanket prohibition on conditional uses - a prohibition on use could lead to deterioration of buildings and would not promote the "graceful edge" between the University and the single-family neighborhood. As a result (with one caveat), the FNA East Campus Committee approves of the recommended language proposed by the Planning Commission and the Committee believes it strikes the appropriate balance between granting the University some flexibility while promoting the preservation of the buffer area. The exception relates to the fact that the Committee proposed the language regarding the limitation of conditional uses based on the total number of existing lots in the buffer area. Should the University consolidate lots, there is the potential for the proposed limitation of a maximum of 7 conditional uses (5 maximum along Villard) to become meaningless (in theory). As lot sizes become larger, the potential for conditional uses to take over much of Villard (as an example) becomes a real concern as there may result in 5 lots with conditional uses on Villard with only a few lots remaining without any conditional use. Page 4 of 5 City Council Agenda page 260