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said the impact of increasing demand for student housing was being born primarily with the neighborhoods <br />to the south and west of campus because the City had taken a myopic view in past decisions about other <br />areas of the City. <br /> <br />Pamela Miller <br />, Harris Street, Eugene, spoke in support of Alternate A. She recognized the need for greater <br />density in the areas adjacent to the University. She said there were unique qualities in a concentrated student <br />population that could create problems in activities moved into adjacent historic neighborhoods. She said a <br />dense urban area should include urban amenities and allow for small commercial, service-oriented <br />development. She suggested considering the conversion of R-3 property to condos for young working or <br />retired people to create more diversity in the neighborhood. <br /> <br />Mayor Piercy closed the public hearing and called for questions from the council. <br /> <br />Councilor Clark asked how the Planning Commission had developed its recommendation for a 90-foot height <br />on large sites. Ms. Harding said a committee composed of stakeholders worked over the summer to further <br />refine the building height proposal and submitted to the Planning Commission Alternate A, with Alternate B <br />and Alternate C submitted as minority reports by developer members of the committee. The commission <br />held a public hearing and after deliberations determined that the 90-foot limitation still represented a <br />compromise that accomplished protection for the neighborhoods but was acceptable to the Homebuilders <br />Association. <br /> <br />Councilor Solomon asked for additional information from staff on decisions during the previous land use <br />code update (LUCU) process that prevented the development of multi-family residential uses on <br />commercially-zoned sites. <br /> <br />Councilor Zelenka said the testimony had informed him that maximum density could be achieved in the area <br />with a 50-foot building height and there had been a surprising amount of development occurring there <br />without benefit of the multi-unit property tax exemption (MUPTE). He was concerned with how the <br />Planning Commission arrived at its decision to increase the allowable building height to 90 feet and asked <br />staff to provide that justification in the council’s next agenda packet. <br /> <br />Councilor Pryor asked staff to illustrate on the map the size of a 10,000 square-foot site. Ms. Harding <br />indicated that would be the equivalent of two single-family lots. <br /> <br />Councilor Pryor joined in Councilor Zelenka’s request for more information about the Planning <br />Commission’s recommendation. <br /> <br />Councilor Clark asked to have the record remain open for another week. He asked if there were issues <br />related to potential appeals of a decision on building heights. Ms. Harding said one of the consistent goals <br />of the ICS process was to consider all points of view in order to develop a solution that had broad support, <br />but preventing an appeal was not a policy issue. <br /> <br /> C. An Ordinance Establishing the Jefferson-Westside Special Area Zone (S-JW); Applying that <br /> Zone to Specific Properties; Amending the Jefferson-Far West Refinement Plan; Amending <br /> the Westside Neighborhood Plan; Amending Sections 9.0500, 9.2161, 9.2170, 9.2171, 9.8030, <br /> and 9.8865 of the Eugene Code, 1971; and Adding Sections 9.3600, 9.3605, 9.3615, 9.3626, <br /> 9.3630, 9.3631, and 9.3640 to that Code. <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />MINUTES—Eugene City Council November 16, 2009 Page 7 <br /> Public Hearing <br /> <br />