Item 3: Ordinance Concerning Jefferson/Far West Plan Amendments

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/2>/.5 ftJ(, My name is Janice Gotchall. I live at 1461 W. 10th, I am here in support ofthe proposed amendments. One of City Council's adopted Growth Management policies requires new development maintain the character and livability of neighborhoods. Goal # 6 states: "Increase density of new housing development while maintainina the . character and livability of individual neighborhoods." Note that the goal does not say, "increase density..... regardless ofthe cha racter and livability of individual neighborhoods". Or, "increase density. ..at all costs". Nor does it say, that "increasing density trumps all other concerns". For too long, the second part Goal 6 has simply been ignored by planning staff. The re-designation of the Jefferson area from low density to medium density is a case in point. This change should never have occurred without a parallel effort to define standards to assure new development maintains the area's character and livability. Residents of Area 15 are asking that both parts of the Goal #6 sentence be honored. I urge you to follow Council's direction and support the temporary re-designation of Area 15 tor a period of 18 months period during which the necessary standards to comply with Goal 6 are developed. On another note, I'd like to remark that citizens of this neighborhood and all other neighborhoods have the right to live in healthy, stable, neighborhoods and should be able to work to assure the health and stability of their neighborhoods without being subjected to name-calling and personal attacks such as we have recently seen in the Eugene Weekly and in e-mails sent to public interest group list serves. As a result of a flawed publiC process that neglected to adequately inform or engage residents, a large part of Area 15 was essentially thrown open to unlimited R-2 development, which allows hugely out-ot-scale, inappropriate structures to be built in the heart of a historically single-family area. Residents are seeking to prevent the harm that could result from this mistake while they work for appropriate development standards to be adopted. There is no crime in this. In most communities, residents are encouraged to become involved, to volunteer time and energy to improve their neighborhoods. Here in Eugene, people who do so find themselves derided as NIMBYs, snobs, elitists, or worSe - and are dismissed by some individuals for being unwilling to "take their medicine" -- too selfish to sacrifice their homes and neighborhoods to accommodate density at any cost. Those of us who cherish our neighborhoods should not be scorned as enemies of our community. People seeking to prevent the decline of their neighborhoods deserve support and respect from city leaders and staff. Thank you. 111..46