11/28/1977 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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-- No ex parte contacts or conflicts of interest were declared by Council members. Planning Commission staff notes and minutes . of October 4, 1974, were received as part of the record by reference thereto. Public hearing was opened. Mike Farthing, attorney, 975 Oak, represented the applicant, Fogelstrom. He concurred with the staff recommendation to rezone with site review suffix. Also, the findings contained in the report ,do fully satisfy the Fasano criteria, and he urged Council to review those. He acknowledged the competing policy as outlined in the staff report. The competing plans and policies regarded consideration of-commercial versus residen- tial use close to the downtown area. He noted this was a very unique area and felt it was not an encroachment into a residential area. He said the subject property was surrounded immediately on three sides by commercial zoning. He did not feel it was precedent setting as there was a buffer between the commercial and residential areas. In regard to establishing public need, he noted the lack of available office space close to the downtown area. Many small lots are available but it will be difficult to develop with professional offices and allow enough space for parking. He felt it would help to resolve the issue of competing needs and would help revitalize this area in relation to downtown Eugene. He also noted it was felt the logical development in the area was hampered by its present zoning. This zone change would be appropriate due to its unique configuration. It would resolve a conflicting zone use on an existing block. Norm Fogel strom, 84520 Sarvis Berry Lane, said he was well oriented to e the community as he grew up on 5th Street. He noted the deterioration of the two pieces of residential property, and said the two houses are an island in a commercially zoned area. With this rezoning, development would result in upgrading of the property. He felt a necessity to have more office space available in this area, and to do so, he would need the zone change. He cited the economics of trying to develop R-3 property as being very remote due to the high cost of developing residential property. He again thought the re- zoning and change to commercial zoning would be a strong factor in upgrading the area. \ David Filer, 235 East 3rd Street, president of the Whiteaker Community Council, felt there should be denial of the rezoning, as the applicant had not established a need for the rezoning. He expressed the need to preserve residential property close to the downtown area and felt that issue should be addressed by Council. Area residents had not expressed the desire for professional offices in the neighborhood but had expressed a desire to retain the older houses, trees, and resi- dential character of the area. A lack of commercial facilities does not in itself demonstrate a need for them. He cited the inner city does need a potential for increased residential density, and the current zoning provides that potential. He felt the argument faulty in the statement of need for more office space. Because of the proxi- mity of the neighborhood to the downtown area and the alternative e 11/28/77 - 6 81b