Item 5: Ordinance Amending the Metro Plan Boundary (Springfield Side)

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Springfield's drinking water sources that fall within this area would remain adequately protected once removed from the Metro Plan boundary. In March 2013, the Springfield City Council voted 6 to 0 to approve the amendment to reduce the Metro Plan boundary to become coterminous with Springfield's urban growth boundary (UGB). The Springfield City Council also voted 6 to 0 to approve the provisions of an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) between the City of Springfield and Lane County regarding a number of land use matters, but principally actions to protect Springfield Utility Board drinking water source areas. At the City Council's May 13, 2013, work session on this topic, five issues of consideration raised during the public process were addressed. With the exception of the first issue (drinking water protection), these issues are generally concerned with regional partnerships and governance, and require consideration by the council regarding the impact of the current proposal on these matters. A re -cap of this discussion is provided below. 1. Drinking water source protection: The issue of adequate protection of Springfield's drinking water sources that fall within this area has been resolved to the satisfaction of the City of Springfield, Lane County and SUB through an Intergovernmental Agreement between the City of Springfield and Lane County that retains Springfield's decision - making authority as on issues related to drinking water protection. 2. Local decision - making authority /jurisdictional representation: In this case, the City of Springfield loses decision - making authority with respect to plan amendments within this area; except that specific issues related to drinking water protection would remain a joint - governance matter between Lane County and the City of Springfield. The City of Eugene loses any ability to invoke the "regional impact" provision of the Metro Plan and participate as a decision maker in matters within this area that have an impact on City services or regional transportation or public facilities plans. There is no record of either city invoking the regional impact provision. Approval would reduce the layers of government for residents in the area and clarify jurisdictional representation. Currently, residents within the subject area, elect and are represented by, the Lane County Board of Commissioners on most matters. However, when it comes to comprehensive land use planning for these lands outside of the urban growth boundary, the City of Springfield, and potentially the City of Eugene, participates as a decision maker. 3. Regional planning and collaborative decision making: Approval of this amendment would change the nature of how the three jurisdictions plan, and make decisions in the area immediately adjacent to Springfield's urban growth boundary. Testimony from the public raised the concern that approval would negatively impact regional relationships by not requiring the jurisdictions to work together on matters of shared interest. Others have suggested that approval would allow these relationships to become more collaborative than under the current mandated system. The Eugene Planning Commission, as well as the Lane County Board, has suggested that the current Metro Plan structure is not necessary for regional planning to continue and that a different mechanism could be as, if not more, effective. S:ACMO \2013 Council Agendas \Ml30528 \Sl3O5285.doc