Ordinance No. 20258 - Laserfiche WebLink

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WEST EUGENE PARKWAY MODIFIED PROJECT---CONsiSTENCY WITH THE STATEWIDE ~NNING GOALS AND TRANSPORTATION PLANNING RULE Economic Dislocations The number and scale of economic dislocations is an appropriate consideration in determining an alternative's reasonableness to accommodate the identified need. Generally, when the dislocations are relatively few in number or small in scale, the mere fact that dislocations occur wou~d not render an alternative "unreasonable." However, when the number or scale of dislocations is of such magnitude as to result in substantial public inconvenience or harm, then the alternative creating this impact may be unreasonable. As used in this paragraph, economic dislocations include not only direct loss of land or relocation of homes or businesses~ but also loss of access, loss in investment, loss of parking spaces, and similar adverse economic impacts. Protecting Natura~ Resources and Biologically Sensitive Areas Consistent with Federa~ and State Environmenta~ Objectives Were it not for the significant adverse impacts of the Approved Design on high value wetlands and threatened and endangered species,?0 the City of Eugene and Lane County would not now be considering comprehensive plan amendments to relocate the WEP. instead, they could rely on the 1986 exception and their plans to construct the Approved Design. With the discovery of wetlands in the late 1980s, attention turned to how best to avoid or minimize wetland and T&E species impacts consistent with federal and state regulations governing protection of wetlands and threatened and endangered species.?l Because the federal wetland permit and highway construction using federal funds are federal actions, and because federal agencies have pressed for consideration of alternatives to the Approved Design for the express purpose of reducing environmental impacts, minimizing adverse impacts to high value wetlands and to threatened and endangered plant and animal species consistent with federal regulations and objectives is the foremost threshold for determining the reasonableness of an alternative to ac4:ommodate the WEP. Generally, the less severe the direct and indirect impact to high value wetlands, other biologically sensitive areas and T&E species, the more reasonable the alternative. Alternatives with significantly higher adverse high value wetland or T&E impacts in relation to other alternatives are considered unreasonable as they fail to conform with federal requirements that prioritize avoidance or minimization of impacts to these resources. Achieving State and Loca~ Transportation Objectives This threshold factor considers whether the alternative can reasonably achieve the identified transportation need. Highway 126, of which the WEP would be a part, is identified in the 1999 Oregon Highway Plan as a Statewide Highway. It is also an element of the National Highway System. As such, it is intended to serve primarily intra and inter-regional transportation needs. An alternative whose fianction is different (e.g., one that would serve primarily local needs) or whose level of service does not meet ODOT standards fbr Statewide Highways would not be an alternative that could reasonably accommodate the WEP. I~aintaining the integrity of the Loca~ Comprehensive P~anning Process Alternatives not requiring goal exceptions may still profoundly affect the implementation of an acknowledged comprehensive piano For this project, a relevant issue is whether an alternative would so alter reasonable planning expectations and investment as to be unreasonable. More particularly, West Eugene was identified long ago as an industrial area. Since then, many millions of dollars have been invested by the City of Eugene and private landowners on infrastructure and development to 70 As used herein, T&E species include federal Candidate species and species of concern and state sensitive species. 71 These include Section 404 of the federa~ Clean Water Act and the federa~ Endangered Species ACt. EXHIBITC-1 - FIND~NGS 42