Item 3: Ordinance Concerning Jefferson/Far West Plan Amendments

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At the time the J/FW Refinement Plan was adopted, Area 15 was encompassed by the Jefferson Area Neighbors (JAN).neighborhood association. A few years ago, Jefferson Area Neighbors merged with the Westside Neighborhood Quality Project (WNQP) to form the Jefferson Westside Neighbors, which is now the City-chartered neighborhood . associ(~.tion that encompasses Area 15. As the JIFW Refinement Plan "Findings" for Area 15 note, this area was (an.d still remains) primarily single-family, with fift; percent of the residential units owner- oc.cupied at the time the plan was written. O\vner occupancy in this area was higher than the overall rate for Eugene at the time (46%), and over three times higher than the rate for the Jefferson neighborhood as a whole (16%). Thl.ls, this area was a stable, single-family neighborhood at the time the JIFW Refinement Plan policy covering the area was written. Taking an even longer term view, Area 15 has been a healthy, sin.gle;-family neighborhood for over eighty years. The historical and contemporary data also sh.ows the area has maintained a stable, evenly balanced ratio of owner-oc<cupied and rental properties for o"'er two decades. A.thorough re.ading of the entire JIFW RefInement Plan, as well as the Refinenlent Plan Appendix, presents a clear picture of how the planning team 'viewed the future of Area 15. For example, the planning team. presellted the following as one of the plans "Highlights" (see page facing Table of Contents): ftlmproving rehabilitable structures and preserving sound residential areas is afl important component of the plan. H Area 15 was one of the healthier sections of the Jefferson neighborhood. during a period where many areas of the older, close-in neighborhoods were in decline, and this area would unquestionabl)T have been one of the "sound residential" areas the plan sought to preserv"e. The planning team also appeared to be "very aware of the problems caused by unmanaged, higher-density development, and the plan's "Land Use Element - Findings" section (page 5) cites a research study conducted \vhile the plan was being created. One of the study's conclusions\vas: He. Lot-by-lot develop111ent in areas }vith standard single-famil}' parcels is unworkable at higher densities. " The "Findings" for Area 15 noted tIle area had primarily stan.dard~ sillg1e-family parcels; and consequentl)t Area 15 policy was carefully crafted to prevent "unworkable" higher density d.evelopment. Area 15 policy was intended to allow only lilnited~ well-planned and designed de\'eloplnent that in specific situations ,;vould permit more than the single d\\relling unit the R-I zone allovled on non-comer lots.9 The planning team ,vas also careful to explicitly" illclude the requirement that development in. Area 15 that exceeded R-l density limits lnllst "maintain the character of the area." The planning tealn cleart)' desired that "block. planning~' would pro\ride a neVi \vay to "allow land use cllanges to oc.cur with the joint appro"val of property O\\111erS and residents, the neighborhood group, a,nd the City" (J/FW Refinement Plan, "Highlights of the Plan'" page facing Table of Contents). Note in particular, the specific reference to 8 Cu;re.ntly, approxinlately 124 (or 49~~) of the 255 lots in Area 15 are Q\vner occupied. 9 R-l allovvs duplexes on comer lots. 4