Item B: Joint Elected Officials Metro Plan Amendments

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ECC UGENE ITY OUNCIL AIS GENDA TEM UMMARY Work Session: Joint Elected Officials Metro Plan Amendments Meeting Date: September 9, 2009 Agenda Item Number: B Department: Planning and Development Staff Contact: Lisa Gardner www.eugene-or.gov Contact Telephone Number: 541/682-5208 ISSUE STATEMENT The purpose of this work session is to follow up on the June 1, 2009, Joint Elected Officials (JEO) meeting regarding the development of a work plan to initiate specific, regional-based changes to the Eugene-Springfield Metropolitan Area Plan (Metro Plan). This work session is an opportunity for the council to identify additional amendments for the Metro Plan. Springfield held a similar work session, and did not identify additional amendments. The County also chose not to add additional amendments. BACKGROUND In 2005, the Lane County Board of Commissioners identified 11 issues of concern regarding regional governance and how that governance was affected by policies in the Metro Plan. In response to these concerns, the elected officials agreed to establish a “Little Look” Metro Plan work group, patterned after the state’s “Big Look” working group. The Little Look concluded with a report that acknowledged the mutual respect and understanding established at the work group level, recommending additional dialogue with the full bodies of each jurisdiction to achieve resolution on key issues. Towards the end of 2007, the JEO agreed to meet quarterly to discuss Metro Plan concerns. These quarterly meetings included a reexamination of the results of the Little Look as well as the original 11 issues identified by the board. In March 2009, the JEO approved formation of a subcommittee to evaluate the Board’s concerns. After meeting three times, the subcommittee agreed that preserving the Metro Plan by amending specific problematic provisions was preferable to a substantial update or dissolution of the plan in favor of two separate comprehensive plans. The subcommittee’s recommendation identified four specific elements of the Metro Plan that should be revised (see Attachment A). On June 1, 2009, the JEO voted to support the subcommittee’s recommendation. The JEO directed staff from all three jurisdictions to develop a work plan that includes a timeline, cost estimate and implications for specific changes to the Metro Plan. The work plan would be based on recommendations from each jurisdiction that include, but are not limited to, the following: a)Overarching policies that identify and address regional issues. b)Policies that allow for individual refinement plans for Eugene and Springfield to address jurisdiction specific issues. c)Adjustments to the Metro Plan boundary and text to address jurisdictional issues arising in the urbanizable area and the area outside the urban growth boundary. d)A dispute resolution process that reflects the changes described in a-c above. Z:\CMO\2009 Council Agendas\M090909\S090909B.doc