CC Minutes - 11/16/09 Public Hearing

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Mayor Piercy opened the public hearing and reviewed the procedures for providing testimony. th Della Perry , West 11 Avenue, Eugene, Jefferson-Westside Neighbors chair, said the proposed zone was a thoughtful product that would preserve the character of the neighborhood, both visually and emotionally, and promote a strong sense of community. She urged the council to adopt the ordinance establishing the S- JW zone. Phil Farrington , Monroe Street, Eugene, Ward 1, said the American Planning Association recently presented its “Great Places in America” award to three neighborhoods on the West Coast in Pasadena, California; Spokane, Washington; and Portland, Oregon. Those neighborhoods share many characteristics with the Jefferson-Westside neighborhood. The ordinance would help to preserve those qualities by tempering the manner in which future infill development could occur. He asked the council to support the ordinance. Gretchen Miller , Adams Street, Eugene, stated that the neighborhood, in which she had resided for many years, was an asset to the City but it could be fragile. There were times when many neighbors moved out because of safety concerns and it took a long time to rebuild the sense of community that had been lost. She said maintaining a successful neighborhood close to downtown took planning and work and while greater density could be accommodated, it should be compatible with the character in existing dwellings and maintain livability of the area for residents. She urged support for the proposed ordinance. th Garrick Mishaga , West 14 Avenue, Eugene, Ward 1, stated that he valued the neighborhood and its proximity to downtown and the University, the walkability to amenities and the diverse housing stock. He had participated in the ICS process and as a landscape architect appreciated the importance of maintaining quality neighborhood form and character. He said some infill projects had compromised the livability of the surrounding area, while others complimented it. He urged the council to support the proposed ordinance to assure a balanced mix of residential development that positively contributed to the character of the neighborhood. th Paul Conte , West 10 Avenue, Eugene, encouraged the council to support the proposed Jefferson-Westside special area zone. He thanked many individuals who had been involved in neighborhood planning over the years, as well as the council and City staff. Steve Gab , Villard Street, Eugene, pointed out that the 17 recommendations from the ICS Task Team were greatly varied and complex and the three items before the council were some of the easiest to address. He thanked the Mayor, council and City staff for their work on the ICS process and said the community had been well served by Ms. Harding’s efforts. He said the three items included two common threads: a need to correct past mistakes and recognition of changes in R-2 uses. Mayor Piercy closed the hearing and called for questions from the council. She thanked those involved in developing the proposal for a special zone. Council Zelenka thanked those involved in the ICS process, which demonstrated that fragile neighborhoods survived because people cared. City Attorney Emily Jerome clarified that the record would remain open on the ordinances related to parking standards and building heights and was closed on the Jefferson-Westside Special Area zone. She also noted MINUTES—Eugene City Council November 16, 2009 Page 8 Public Hearing