Item B: Ordinance Concerning Goal 5 Natural Resources Study

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-----Original Message----- From: MAUREEN & ROBERT OLSEN [mailto:olsenbfin@msn.com] Sent: Thursday, September 29,20053:12 PM To: BJORKLUND Neil H Subject: Goal 5 testimony from Robert Olsen Please accept this email as my personal testimony relative to the Goal 5 Natural Resources Study. I left Eugene in 1974 for work related reasons and returned 5 years ago as a semi retired resident. In general I must admit that Eugene is a much degraded community compared to this earlier time. In general the overall impression is one of a community that has lost its sense of a social commitment and one where the power of private wealth has replaced the concept of community. When I have asked people about what is especially good about Eugene, they refer to physical infrastructure, natural areas and ideas that were originated or put into place in the later 60's or 70s'. They mention very little that has its origin in the 80s or 90s. This is not surprising since most people say a community is a good place to live not because it has man made features such as stores, houses, etc. ( the primary focus of recent Eugene development) but because it has a high level of positive community involvement leading to the support of a healthy lifestyle. Key to such a lifestyle is the preservation of the natural environment that allows humans to "feel at home" and connected to area. Eugeneans for too long have tried to live on the good ideas and images of earlier periods while allowing their natural heritage to be disgracefully degraded. One only has to look at the south hills to see the shame and lies associated with the position that Eugene is still is a city that highly values its natural environment. As a Economist who has been associated with business development all of his professional life I would encourage you to keep the following in mind.!. Be most careful in making those decisions that are not easily reversible. Most decisions involving money and business are most easily reversed if need be. Decisions that involve natural areas are generally irreversible for all intents and purposes. 2. Community is encouraged by the creation of shared spaces and not private spaces such as shopping malls and Mc mansions on a hillside. Take a trick from the Scandinavian countries and treat development as an intruder that must justify its existence. Don't treat the natural environment as a blank slate. As some of you may know, the Scandinavian countries currently are the most wealthy by all standards of measurement. They got this way by placing the highest value on activities that support the community as a group. This especially includes the preservation of natural areas. Sincerely, Robert A. Olsen Thus, I encourage you to modify the current Goal 5 inventory to include upland wildlife habitat and most importantly, place a temporary moratorium on the development of high ranked natural habitat. Respectfully, Robert A. Olsen