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<br />the needs of existing and future development. The provision of this amendment does not affect the <br />planning or development of future public facilities or services. Therefore, the amendment is consistent <br />with Statewide Planning Goal 11. <br /> <br />Goal 12 - Transportation: To provide and encourage a safe, convenient and economic transportation <br />system. <br /> <br />As discussed below, based on additional transportation information submitted by the applicant, staff <br />finds that the proposal is consistent with Statewide Goal 12. <br /> <br />Goal 12 is implemented through the Transportation Planning Rule (TPR), as defined in Oregon <br />Administrative Rule OAR 660-012-0060. The TPR states that when land use changes, including <br />amendments to acknowledged comprehensive plans, significantly affect transportation facilities, <br />measures must be put in place to assure that the allowed land uses are consistent with the function and <br />capacity of those transportation facilities. Several streets border the site affected by the proposed <br />amendments. Those streets are: Pearl Street, High Street, and 4th Avenue. On the south is the <br />Southern Pacific RR right of way. Pearl and High streets are classified as Major Collectors on the <br />City of Eugene Street Classification Map, adopted in 1999. The Eugene-Springfield Metropolitan Area <br />Transportation Plan (TransPlan) provides the regional policy framework through which the TPR is <br />implemented at the local level. Implementation of transportation system improvements specific to the <br />downtown area are accomplished through the Central Area Transportation Study (CATS). <br /> <br />A determination of potential impacts on local transportation facilities is a prerequisite to approval of <br />the proposed amendment from High Density Residential to Commercial. Pursuant to OAR 660-012- <br />0060( 1), the. State TPR requires a determination of which transportation facilities will experience a <br />"significant effect" as a result of the proposed plan amendment, and defines what constitutes a <br />significant effect. A plan amendment is considered to significantly affect a transportation facility if, <br />for example, the amendment will reduce the performance of the transportation facility below the <br />minimum acceptable performance standard (often described in terms of Level of Service standards or <br />vehicle/capacity ratios). If a local government determines that an amendment would' significantly <br />affect a transportation facility, the local government must put in place measures to assure that the <br />allowed land uses are consistent with the identified "function, capacity and performance standards" of <br />the facility ((OAR 660-012-0060(1)). An example of such a measure is a minor street improvement. <br />OAR 660-012-0060(3) describes additional circumstances under which the City could approve the <br />amendment, including instances in which the applicant demonstrates that the existing transportation <br />facility is already performing below minimum acceptable performance standards and that the <br />development resulting from the proposed amendment mitigates the impacts in a manner that avoids <br />further degradation of the transportation facility. <br /> <br />The applicant maintains that additional transportation information is not needed to demonstrate <br />compliance with Statewide Goal 12 (applicant's letter to City dated October 10, 2006, pg. 2), because <br />the proposal complies with Goal 12 based on: 1) earlier Council findings for the Downtown Plan <br />adoption; 2) the Nodal Development/Transit Oriented Development zoning of the area; and 3) the <br />Central Area Transportation Study (CATS). <br /> <br />1) The applicant argues that the 2004 City Council findings related to the adoption of the <br />Downtown Plan are sufficient to demonstrate Goal 12 compliance for the current proposal <br />(applicant's letter to City dated June 8, 2006). The applicant argues that, since the Downtown <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />t 2. 20(J6 <br /> <br />6 <br />