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EUGENE CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY Work Session: Chase Gardens Mixed Use Center Meeting Date: April 11, 2005 Agenda Item Number: C Department: Planning and Development Staff Contact: Kurt Yeiter www. cl. eugene, or. us Contact Telephone Number: 682-8379 ISSUE STATEMENT This work session was scheduled by the City Council in response to a Harlow Neighbors' letter dated December 14, 2004. BACKGROUND Ingrained in the City's Growth Management Study policies, TransPlan, and Oregon Transportation Planning Rule, which requires cities to reduce the amount of automobile travel, is the desire to create pedestrian and transit-oriented "nodes" or "Mixed Use Centers." TransPlan identified the higher density Chase Gardens area as one of 38 potential nodal development areas. In 1999, the City secured a state Transportation Growth Manangement grant to prepare a nodal development plan for Chase Gardens, located at the northern intersection of Martin Luther King, Jr., Boulevard and Garden Way. An opportunity to create a pedestrian and transit-oriented neighborhood center was implemented through a Metro Plan diagram amendment, Willakenzie Area Plan amendment, and adoption of a specially created zone district (S-CN). Major changes from previous plans included shifting the commercial area towards MLK Boulevard, adding commercial design standards and mixed use opportunities, and a modified Garden Way, which is now designed to function as the main pedestrian-friendly street and house the primary transit stops. Garden Way was recently constructed to this preferred design. During the study, the city enjoyed active participation by the owners of the biggest vacant parcel (Simpson Housing), which includes the site of the proposed 9+ acre commercial center, a prospective commercial center developer (Gramor Development), local land use consultants (Satre Associates), a market expert (Hobson Ferrarini Associates), Harlow Neighbors, and area residents. The neighborhood supported a new commercial center and the market analysis suggested that the retail market was strong for a full-sized grocery store and ancillary retail in this location. The prospective developer drafted a conceptual plan that reflected a single-story 150,000 square foot center, including a 50,000 square foot (maximum) grocery. Based on recommendations from the Planning Commission, the City Council adopted the following three zoning standards to encourage more intensive activities and pedestrian-orientation along Garden Way: L:\CMO\2005 Council Agendas\M050411\S05041 lC.doc