CC Minutes - 02/20/07 Public Hearing

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th Paul Conte , 1461 West 10 Avenue, co-chair of the Jefferson/Westside Neighbors, thanked Terri Harding of the Planning Division for her work on the proposed amendments. He also thanked Mr. Zelenka for accompanying the neighbors on a tour of the neighborhood to view Area 15 and some of the infill properties. Mr. Conte said that the action contemplated was not a downzoning. The plan amendments would remove a major discrepancy between the medium-density designation applied to much of the area and the area’s existing zoning and development. The neighborhood completed detailed research on the area and of the 253 lots in Area 15, one was commercial, two were historic, and all but seven of the remaining lots were zoned R-1, the zone that implemented the proposed low-density residential designation. Mr. Conte said the amendments were temporary in nature and were scheduled to sunset. He called the council’s attention to an e-mail from the chairs of the neighborhood group pointing of that the just-released schedule for the City’s infill compatibility standards process indicated staff did not anticipate such standards being adopted by the July 1, 2008, sunset date in the current version of the ordinance. He requested that the sunset date be adjusted or staff directed to accelerate the schedule for the standards. Mr. Conte said the amendments provide temporary protection against higher density development that might potentially destabilize the neighborhood. Because that projection was urgently needed, he asked the council to revise the ordinance to make the amendments effective upon adoption rather than in 30 days to prevent applications that circumvent the intent of the amendments. He thought the long-term solution for this and other neighborhoods was appropriate infill compatibility standards and an effective opportunity siting process. th Angela Rooney , 520 West 15 Avenue, spoke in support of the proposed amendments. She said the neighborhood was a place where persons living on fixed incomes could afford to live safely. The residents wanted to maintain their neighborhood livability, rather than shut people out of the neighborhood. Virginia Austey , 1540 Jefferson Street, a 19-year resident of Area 15, asked the council to support the proposed amendments that would place a temporary moratorium on incompatible development in the area. She thanked the council and the Planning Commission for the support those bodies had shown the neighborhood to this point. The amendments would allow residents to protect the character of the neighborhood while increasing density. She said that renters with whom she spoke indicated they were drawn to the neighborhood for its unique character. Ms. Austey quoted from an op-ed piece in the Eugene Weekly that stated density and livability were not mutually exclusive, and said the neighborhood was merely requesting time for the development of infill standards that would maintain the character of the neighbor- hood. th David Burkett , 543 West 17 Avenue, pointed out the population of the community had changed little in 20 years. He understood density was desirable, but he did not understand the push to achieve such density through dramatic zoning changes that would alter the face of the neighborhood. Pedro Perez , 1571 Olive Street, spoke in support of the amendments before the council. His family was attracted to the neighborhood by its character and did not want to lose that. He was present to show support for the neighborhood association and for the amendments. He did not want to see the neighborhood change as that would make his family consider moving. At this time, he thought the neighborhood was a good place to raise his children. David Hinkley , 1350 Lawrence Street, #1, opposed the amendments before council. He believed that the amendments were overkill as a means of controlling the adverse effects of infill. He believed the amend- MINUTES—Eugene City Council February 20, 2007 Page 3 Public Hearing