04/08/1992 Meeting (2) - Laserfiche WebLink

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e cific modifications. He added that he supported the plan and testified in case someone else wanted the plan changed to allow additional commercial land. Mary Bentson, 950 West 16th Avenue, expressed appreciation that the plan addressed the need of providing sidewalks. She stated that sidewalks must be provided with development in residential, commercial, and industrial areas. In addition, she said that there is a need to develop the area between the sidewalk and the street with street trees. She said that providing street trees is inexpensive and provides a more pleasant environment to all those who walk or use the street. Louise Bilheimer, 3473 Chaucer Way, representing the League of Women Voters, said that approximately one year ago the League offered favorable comments on the study. She expressed appreciation for the Planning Commission's list of implementation priorities. She noted an incorrect citation and stated that the fourth priority should refer to page C-51 of the Appendix rather than page C-40. Ms. Bilheimer stated that the League supports the fOllowing recommendations: 1) implementing design review for large-scale developments; 2) changing ex- isting regulations, particularly the over-allocation of surface lot parking; 3) strategy 26.3, requiring landscaping, pedestrian walkways, and other amen- ities; 4) eliminating or modifying off-street parking requirements in the entire downtown area; 5) increasing density in the downtown core and more intense use of land in the core rather than transitional areas surrounding downtown; and 6) encouraging increased use of alternative modes of transpor- 4It tation. Refering to strategy 6.1, Ms. Bilheimer said that the League would prefer that the study recommend "prohibiting" the creation of new regional retail centers, rather than "avoiding" their creation. Ms. Bilheimer stated that the League also supports policy 27 and its related strategies. Regarding strip commercial, she said that those areas need to be more efficient, attractive, and thus more economically viable. She added that strategy 21.2 (d) presents access problems on Willamette Street and 24th Avenue. Boyd Iverson, 2794 Bowmont Drive, expressed general support for the study. He said that there is a great need for land to be zoned as commercial in the south Eugene area. He supported the policy in the study to allow up to 15 acres of additional neighborhood commercial land and disagreed with the op- tion presented by staff to reduce the IS-acre limit. He said that only a small amount of low-income housing would be impacted by creating sites for commercial development in the area. Tom Slocum, 1950 Graham Drive, stated that South Eugene needs the 15 acres of new neighborhood commercial sites called for in the study. e MINUTES--Joint Elected Officials April 8, 1992 Page 5