Item A: River Ridge Metro Plan Diagram Amendment

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Baseline and Variations to Baseline Assumptions Analysis As has been noted previously, the baseline assumptions are intended to show what our future land demand would be if we continue to grow under current trends and practices. These baseline assumptions were the basis of council work sessions in August and September. With the Capacity Analysis complete, the baseline assumption shows a 20-year land need of 2,262 acres. Variations to this baseline have been explored to answer the question, “what if Eugene grew differently in the future than in the recent past.” Staff has provided three variations to the baseline assumptions that are a direct result of input received from the council and the Community Advisory Committee. These three variations and the resulting total land need for each range between 1,655 acres and 1,204 acres and are presented in Attachment A. All of these variations are within the reasonable range of changes to the baseline assumptions that can be considered without changes in policy. Process The provisions of House Bill 3337 indicate that the City will need to determine our 20-year land need by December 31, 2009. In order to do this, the council will need to discuss the baseline assumptions and variations to the baseline assumption, and select a preferred option or set of variables that will be used to determine land need by the end of the year. In December of this year, staff will present the City Council with a motion that simply recognizes that, through ECLA, the City of Eugene has met the deadline set by House Bill 3337, requiring the City to complete by December 31, 2009: an inventory of the supply of buildable residential lands, an analysis of the City’s housing need and a determination of the number of residential units and the amount of land needed for each housing type for the next 20 years. In the event that this determination indicates an insufficient land supply (as is likely, based on recent data), options for accommodating the City’s 20-year residential, commercial and industrial demand will need to be explored. This will include examining policies that may result in greater land use efficiencies, consideration of specific land needs associated with economic development objectives, and potential amendments to the current Urban Growth Boundary. As was discussed at a council work session on October 12, 2009, a robust community engagement process is anticipated to kick off in 2010 to begin addressing these options and identify a preferred policy direction. Next Steps In addition to this work session, the council will have an additional forty-five-minute work session in early November, to discuss and select the variation or set of values to be used in determining land need. Although no action is needed for this work session, staff is seeking feedback as to whether the variations presented are on the right track or if there is other information that is needed. Staff will be seeking action on a preferred set of values at the subsequent work session on November 9, 2009. Once this information has been finalized, staff and consultants will prepare the draft documentation associated with HB 3337 compliance. These draft compliance documents will be presented to the council in early December for review and acceptance. An updated project timeline is included in Attachment D. RELATED CITY POLICIES ? The City Council has included ECLA as a priority item on the Planning Division Work Program. Z:\CMO\2009 Council Agendas\M091028\S091028A.doc