Ordinance No. 20420 - Laserfiche WebLink

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enhanced through the consolidation of the site, including the provision of improved access for pedestrians and bicycles. As a result, vacation of Villard Alley will be in the public interest. Detailed findings to support these conclusions are provided below. The benefit of the alley to the transportation system is, and has been very limited. The portion of Villard Alley (Ordinance A) proposed for vacation has been gated for years (on the south side of the former Williams Bakery site) because of safety conflicts between trucks and pedestrians. The alley's current circumstances also provide minimal benefit to the public. The University now owns all of the land adjacent to Villard Alley. Therefore, there are no other properties which directly depend on this portion of Villard Alley for access. The alley also provides little benefit to pedestrians and bicyclists traveling between Franklin Boulevard and destinations to the south. For example, access to the EmX line would be east or west of the alley to reach the stations. There are no destinations other than University lands themselves that are better served by this alley. As such, there is no additional out-of-direction travel for pedestrians and bicyclists necessitated by the proposed vacation. Public Works staffhas confirmed that adequate public rights-of-way exist to satisfy all access and traffic circulation in the vicinity. Adjacent uses, which include University housing on the southern half of the alley, will continue to have access from East 15th Avenue and Villard Street. As noted above, businesses that had once used the northern portion of the alley for access are closed and the structures have been removed from the site. In addition, consolidation of the parcels will improve traffic circulation in the area by reducing the number of driveways on Villard Street. With a single owner, future redevelopment of the site will be able to coordinate and consolidate driveway locations and address overall circulation to a much greater degree than under separate ownership. Referral comments from Public Works staff, other affected City Departments and utility providers note that the provision of necessary public services and facilities such as transportation and utilities in the area can be maintained upon approval of the vacation request. The City's Public Works Transportation and Engineering staff and the Fire Marshal's office have confirmed that the vacations would not compromise transportation, emergency access. Referral comments and letters of concurrence from utility providers confirm that stormwater, wastewater, water, electric, or natural gas lines located in the alley can be rerouted from Villard Alley to the street by a new public utility easement as proposed by the University. The ordinance has been drafted to ensure that the Villard Alley vacation is not recorded until the University has conveyed the necessary public utility easement for the utility relocation. The transportation system will be further improved given that future development of this site will be subject to current Eugene Code Standards for commercial zones. The land use code includes development standards which require sidewalks or other forms of pedestrian connections, bicycle parking and the provision of pedestrian amenities. Likewise, vehicular access will be addressed to ensure safe and efficient circulation. Any larger development, such as the arena, would also need to comply with Traffic Impact Analysis application requirements which identify traffic impacts related to a development and required mitigation. The current alignment of the alley significantly limits how the eastern portion of the site can be developed. Elimination of Villard Alley would provide much more flexibility to develop the site in Exhibit C: Findings