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

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Zone Chane:e The proposed zone change is from Light-Medium Industrial with Transit Oriented Development overlay zone (1-2/TD) to Community Commercial with Transit Oriented Development overlay zone and Nodal Development overlay zone (C-2/TDIND). The proposed zoning of C-2 allows neighborhood commercial development, community commercial development and residential development (no minimum or maximum densities specified). Eugene Code Section 9.8865 requires that the following criteria (in bold and italic) be applied to a Zone Change. (1) The proposed change is consistent with applicable provisions of the Metro Plan. The written text of the Metro Plan shall take precedence over the Metro Plan diagram where apparent conflicts or inconsistencies exist. Approval of the zone change is dependent upon approval of the Metro Plan diagram amendment from High Density ResidentialIMixed Use/Nodal Development to a designation of Commercial/Nodal Development. The findings related to consistency with the Metro Plan under EC 9.7730(3)(b) above, are incorporated herein by reference. (2) The proposed zone change is consistent with applicable adopted refinement plans. In the event of inconsistencies between these plans and the Metro Plan, the Metro Plan controls. The applicable refinement plan is the Eugene Downtown Plan (adopted April 2004). The Downtown Plan does not provide a land use diagram, instead relying on the Metro Plan diagram. Therefore, the land use designations between the two plans are consistent. The following policies trom the Eugene Downtown Plan are applicable to this amendment: "Strong Regional Center" policies: Downtown development shall support the urban qualities of density, vitality, livability and diversity to create a downtown, urban environment. (Policy 2) Existing use of the subject property is low density surface parking, which does not have the qualities of density, vitality, etc. envisioned for the downtown area. The proposed change from Industrial (1-2) to Commercial (C2) could promote redevelopment with these characteristics. In addition, the Eugene Downtown Plan identifies the subject property as a "Downtown Development Opportunity Area" (Map 1). "Building a Downtown" policies: 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) The proposed zone change furthers this policy direction. Currently, the property is a surface parking lot zoned Industrial (1-2). It is the type of "underutilized" downtown property that this policy was specifically crafted to address. A zon~ change to Commercial (C-2) would support implementation of this policy.