03/14/1977 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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( . Public hearing was opened. Jon Stafford, 1060 Madison Street, spoke in favor of the proposed mixed-use district. He noted he was chairman of the Westside Neighborhood Quality Project, and that the WNQP is in favor of the mixed-use district. The immediate concern was for his neighbor- hood, but said that it would offer better possibilities for future impact in many neighborhoods. Margaret Ellis, 2486 Grov edale Drive, Springfield, spoke in op- position, asking how the mixed-use district would operate, whether it would be zoned on a b1ock-by-block basis, and if input from landowners would be considered at the time the changes were made. Michael Horton, 291 West 12th Avenue, indicated he was a property owner in the Westside neighborhood. He was in general not opposed to the mixed-use district, but he had a concern over the vrocedures, indicating that the Planning Commission had not sought the opinions of the people who would be affected by this district. He asked that a criterion be added which would note that people responsible for initiating the mixed-use district would be required to see that property owners would be advised and input would be sought from the individuals who would be impacted by such a mixed-use district. - Public hearing was closed, with no further testimony being presented. Mr. Saul responded to the question regarding the block-by-block change, noting that the mixed-use district amendment does have a standard that would require equivalent of at least a minimum of a block to be inaluded in the proposal. He noted this did not mean one solid block. He said there was opportunity for input from citizens in areas, noting that hearings had to be held be- fore the Planning Commission and the Eugene City Councll and contacts would be made between staff and the people in the area. Mr. Delay questioned the intent of the mixed-use district and whether it would be applied to all areas, the problems of information to and enforcement on the part of the public, and practical problems for the staff. Mr. Saul replied there were some practical problems, but they were not insurmountable. He noted that in setting up such a district, they were a trade-off, that the options for such a district as opposed to those problems were of more importance. He noted again that the historical rezoning has the same sort of flexibility as this mixed use zoning would have. Mr. Obie saw significant benefits of such a zone, but did not under- stand the full impact of such a district, asking if it was a compromise between status quo versus change. Mr. Saul replied the mixed-use district would give the city a mechanism for dealing with areas already substantially developed, e March, 14, 1977--page 5 ~Ol