Item A: Joint Meeting with Eugene Water & Electric Board

Home Browse Search

EWEB Master Plan Update Since the mid-1900s, Eugene’s Downtown Riverfront has been the home of the Eugene Water & Electric Board’s operations and maintenance yard. In preparation for the relocation of EWEB’s operations to West Eugene, EWEB and the City entered into a Memorandum of Understanding to develop a master plan for the site and set the stage for its redevelopment. To date, EWEB’s effort to prepare for the redevelopment of the riverfront property has included two phases: 1) a master planning and public involvement process that generated a community-endorsed master plan for the re-use of the riverfront property, and 2) land use consulting to prepare the necessary plan amendments, zone changes, and development standards required to implement the approved master plan. Phase 1: Master Planning and Public Involvement Process (May 2009-June 2010) The master planning process for the EWEB riverfront property is a major step in the decades-long process to renew the connection between Downtown Eugene and the Willamette River. The vision for the redevelopment of the EWEB riverfront is based upon an understanding that our community’s social, ecological, economic, and sustainability concerns are interdependent. Planning for the redevelopment of the riverfront property represents the unique opportunity to advance these interests simultaneously, and to transform a now vacated utility yard into a vibrant riverfront district. The master plan is based on principles of balance, sustainability, authenticity and feasibility. It establishes the shared vision for the redevelopment of a vibrant, green, mixed-use neighborhood along Eugene’s Downtown Riverfront—the only area of Downtown Eugene to touch the Willamette River. The plan’s framework includes 8 acres of public open space, dramatically improved public access to the riverfront, new redevelopment blocks at the heart of the city, and specific design elements that teach about our river, our history, and our city. The public process to complete the master plan was open, intensive, and responsive. A jointly appointed, nine-member Community Advisory Team (CAT) was selected by EWEB and the City to lead the master planning process. This group of community members brought a diversity of expertise to the advisory team and met in biweekly public work sessions for nearly two years to guide the project. Their work included the development of an RFP/Q, the selection of the design consultant (Rowell Brokaw Architects), the development of form-based design guidelines for redevelopment, and the review of an ecological assessment before approving the final design. The CAT solicited broad public input throughout the planning process and hosted several major public events at critical points in the process. Rowell Brokaw Architects also led an AIA-supported design charrette, arranged numerous focus groups, and interviewed more than 130 stakeholders to provide the CAT with project context and ensure the development of a community-supported design. Over a 12- month period, more than 1,000 community members directly participated in the development of the 7