Item 3: PH on Ordinance Regarding State Motor Pool Metro Plan Amendment and Zone Change

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1) The applicant argues that the 2004 City Council findings related to the adoption of the Downtown Plan are sufficient to demonstrate Goal 12 compliance for the current proposal (applicant's letter to City dated June 8, 2006). The applicant argues that, since the Downtown Plan contains a policy that specifically directs redesignation of the subject parcel, the same findings made for all Downtown Plan policies can be transferred to this current redesignation action. Staff does not concur with this argument. The Downtown Plan has no land use diagram, and no redesignations or rezones were approved concurrent with the Downtown Plan adoption. The Plan policy in question is: "Facilitate downtown redevelopment by re-designating and rezoning underutilized properties, such as surface parking lots, to a commercial land use designation and a commercial zone such as C-2 or C-3" (Policy 2). Contrary to what the applicant suggests, this policy is not parcel-specific. It applies to a number of unspecified properties downtown that are "underutilized," some.ofwhich may also be surface parking lots at any given time. While this policy does apply to the subject par~el, it did not have the effect of redesignating the site. It is a general policy directing that underutilized properties downtown should be redesignated, but does not itself redesignate those properties. The applicant notes that the Council findings for the Downtown Plan stated that "No change in the functional classification ofthe.se streets is intended to result from this Plan..." and that "the Plan does not, by its adoption, allow types or levels of land uses which would result in inconsistencies with the functional classification of a transportation facility..." (applicant's letter to City July 24, 2006). However, those earlier findings do not obviate the requirement for the current proposal to comply with OAR 660-012-0060(1), which requires a determination of "significant effects" on transportation facilities as a result of the current proposed plan amendment. 'A change from a High Density Residential designation to a Commercial designation can result in allowable uses that would increase the potential number of vehicle trips, and/or change the distribution of vehicle trips (different locations, times of day, etc.), with potentially significant effects on transportation facilities. Transportation effects may be complicated by the potential queuing of vehicles at the adjacent railroad tracks. It is equally possible that the proposed amendment does not significantly affect any existing or planned transportation facility. Although general Downtown Plan policies were acknowledged as consistent with Statewide goals, that acknowledgement is insufficient to conclude that the redesignation of a specific parcel without further analysis is consistent with Statewide goals. Staff does not agree that 2004 Downtown Plan findings are sufficient for the current proposal, and finds that additional information is needed to demonstrate the proposal's consistency with Statewide Goal 12. 2) Although the subject parcel is within aNodal Development area and Transit Oriented Development overlay zone, and f\lture development will meet the multi-modal goals of these designations (applicant's revised findings August 21, 2006), having those designations in itself is not sufficient evidence that the land use change will have no significant effect on transportation facilities. 3) CATS, an implementation plan, identifies future transit routes and contains policies that promote an improved pedestrian system (applicant's revised findings August 21, 2006). However, these strategies are not specific.to the proposed amendment, and CATS does not evaluate whether the allowable uses on the site would have a significant effect on a transportation facility, nor does it identify specific measures that would mitigate identified impacts stemming from a plan amendment pursuant to the requirements of OAR 660-012-0060(1).