Item 3: Ordinance on Walnut Station Mixed-Use Center (2)

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Attachment A parking in that neighborhood to a maximum of two hours in any given off-street parking space. It is believed that the RPP can address the neighborhood concerns regarding spillover impacts, but neighborhood representatives have suggested that this program needs further evaluation to determine if it is the correct and only mechanism appropriate for the area. Staff concurs with the neighbors’ recommendation and has incorporated the following policy into the Walnut Station Specific Area Plan: Prior to April 30, 2011, city staff shall provide a report to the Planning Commission which evaluates the Fairmount Neighbors Event Parking District created pursuant to the October, 2008, Arena Mitigation Agreement (“Parking District”). The staff report shall evaluate whether that Parking District is an adequate and appropriate mechanism to protect the Fairmount neighborhood from potential impacts from reduced parking allowances in the S- WS Walnut Station Special Area Zone and shall recommend alternative measures if the evaluation determines the Parking District is inadequate or inappropriate. In preparing the report, city staff shall consult with representatives of the Fairmount Neighbors Association and the University of Oregon. In addition to evaluating whether the RRP is the appropriate and only mechanism needed to address the potential impacts, there is a need to evaluate how this program will actually work once it is in place and provide a mechanism to make adjustments to the code if necessary. The Planning Commission had recommended that the development resulting from the form based code should be evaluated, and staff has added a provision to that policy to include an evaluation of the reduced in italics parking allowance. That addition is shown in the policy below . After three years or 50,000 square feet of development (cumulatively) has been approved, whichever comes first, staff will provide a report to the Planning Commission regarding the and the potential impacts from status of development in the Walnut Station mixed use center the reduced parking allowances . Design Review and Parking Lots Testimony regarding surface parking lots was raised questioning why they are not required to go through the Design Review process, as was previously being considered. While surface parking lots were initially considered as a use requiring Design Review, the Technical Advisory Committee determined that rather than requiring surface parking lots to be processed through a land use application process, the form based code should require design treatments would otherwise result from the Design Review process. As a result, surface parking lots proposed within the 15th Avenue Transition Edge are required to provide for a ten foot landscape bed (rather than the standard seven foot bed) and to landscape 15% (rather than the standard 10%) of the development site. The application of Design Review to surface parking lots would not result in greater design or compatibility benefits than what is proposed within the Walnut Station Special Area zone. Adjacent/Abutting Terminology Specific testimony has been raised regarding concerns about the term “adjacent” and a request to provide clarity about the intent of the code language. There are instances in the code, such as Design Review approval criterion at EC 9.3980(2)(c), that refer to impacts to adjacent residentially zoned properties. Staff confirms that the intent of this language is to refer specifically to the properties that are directly abutting, as well as across the street, as adjacent properties. This language in the Walnut Station Specific Area Zone was crafted in consideration of protection of the th properties on the south side of 15 Avenue.