Item 8: Ordinance Establishing Chambers Special Area Zone

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TESTIMONY City Council PubUc Hearing - November 14, 2005 Chambers Special Area Zone My name is Matt Purvis. My family and I live at 1391 W. Broadway. I'm a member of the Chambers Area Families for Healthy Neighborhoods Steering Committee. As you know, we refer to our grass-roots organization as CAFHN ["caffeine"]. I want to start by thanking the Mayor and Council for the consideration you've shown for our work and especially for the time many of you took to take the walking tour of our neighborhood. On behalf of CAFHN, I also want to thank Allen Lowe and his colleagues in the Planning Division for leading the Chambers Revisited project, as well as the consultants who worked on the project, particularly Greg Brokaw. We also want to thank John Lawless for his leadership on the Planning Commission, which was instrumental in achieving a proposal that is supported by Planning staff and area residents, and which is endorsed by the Planning Commission. Over fifty people have submitted written testimony supporting the Chambers Special Area Zone, and out of respect for your time, CAFHN has designated myself and three other neighbors to present CAFHN's testimony tonight. From the written testimony, you'll appreciate that my neighbors are far more eloquent than I can be about how vital and beautiful our neighborhood is, and what a shame it would be to let decay. .. what has thrived for so many generations. I'm going to fulfill the more mundane task of summarizing the criteria and facts to be considered in this proposed land use code amendment. The Metro Plan and other policies direct that Eugene shall accommodate population growth by increasing overall density. None of the density policies, however, says that each and every block or neighborhood must be uniformly dense. The policies allow nice big yards in neighborhoods around the hills because this low density development is balanced by compact neighborhoods, such as ours, in the urban core. Throughout Eugene's land use policies, there are also numerous requirements to maintain the character and stability of established neighborhoods, such as ours. Land use actions in Eugene must comply with both these policies, and nowhere does Eugene's land use policy say the requirements to protect established neighborhoods can be ignored to allow higher density. In fact, the land use policy is quite clear that Eugene must find ways to increase overall density without destroying established neighborhoods. Policies to protect neighborhoods are there to guide our path to compact growth so we achieve our goals without wrecking what is already good, and essential to a healthy Eugene. As Steve Pringle will describe in his testimony, the Chambers Special Area Zone does an exceptional job of maintaining the character and stability of the residential neighborhoods while exceeding all relevant density goals. In summary, there is simply no need to view the decision before you as "trading off' density and healthy neighborhoods. We can and will achieve both if you vote to approve the Chambers Special Area Zone. Thank you.