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EWEB DOWNTOWN RIVERFRONT
<br />LAND USE COMPONENTS
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<br />in accordance with EC 9.3020(1)(a). The subject site contains distinctive buildings including the
<br />EWEB Headquarters, Willamette Substation, and Steam Plant in accordance with EC
<br />9.3020(1)(b)(1.). In addition, the subject site is located along the Willamette River, an inventoried
<br />Goal 5 Resource, in accordance with EC 9.3020(1)(b)(2.). Based on these findings, this criterion is
<br />satisfied.
<br />(2) An analysis of the area demonstrates how the uses and development standards of the S Special
<br />Area zone ordinance will facilitate implementation of the planned use of the property or the
<br />preservation or rehabilitation of distinctive buildings or natural features of benefit to the
<br />community.
<br />The Master Plan envisions a green redevelopment of the subject property, with approximately eight
<br />acres of dedicated public open space, new construction and adaptive re-use of buildings,
<br />pedestrian-oriented streets connecting Downtown Eugene to the Willamette River, and a cultural
<br />landscape that displays the ecological, social, industrial, and civic history of the place. It
<br />establishes a framework of streets, open space, and redevelopment parcels as well as a set of
<br />allowable uses and use requirements. The Master Plan promotes a mix of diverse, compatible, and
<br />pedestrian-friendly uses as the prevalent land use pattern. It seeks to increase concentrations of
<br />populations and employment by promoting residential, office, and retail uses.
<br />The Master Plan uses a modified version of the C-2 Commercial Base Zone permitted uses as a
<br />basis for determining planned uses and their development intensities on the subject site. The land
<br />use code allows for a mixture of commercial and residential uses within the C-2 Zone. However,
<br />standards and requirements that apply specifically to mixed-use projects are real and perceived
<br />barriers to mixed-use development. In addition, the C-2 Zone allows limited park uses but applies
<br />standards, requirements, and limitations of the PRO Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Zone to
<br />proposed uses, which depending on the use, can trigger discretionary review process. The
<br />combination of use limitations and restrictive standards create barriers to the development of
<br />cultural landscape and open space areas, as envisioned by the Master Plan.
<br />Regulatory barriers described above led to the evaluation of other approaches to implementing land
<br />use regulations, and the special area zone (S) designation was identified as the best available tool
<br />to facilitate mixed-use development, while also addressing compatibility with surrounding
<br />commercial and residential neighborhoods and natural resource areas. The S designation, and
<br />supporting land use code sections, is used to regulate areas identified for nodal development and
<br />mixed-use development, including S-CN Chase Node, S-RN Royal Node, S-W Whiteaker, and S-
<br />WS Walnut Station. The proposed S-DR Zone (Exhibit B Downtown Riverfront Special Area Zone)
<br />blends prescriptive standards, which are the basis for traditional codes, with form-based standards,
<br />which relate to development form and de-emphasize use restrictions. Uses are still regulated,
<br />using permitted uses in the C-2 and PRO Zones as the basis for allowable uses, but are
<br />categorized within broad categories. The proposed S-DR Zone contains a list of permitted uses
<br />allowed in the Downtown Riverfront site (EC 9.3145, Exhibit B S-DR Downtown Riverfront Special
<br />Area Zone) and a list of prohibited uses (EC 9.3146, Exhibit B S-DR Downtown Riverfront Special
<br />Area Zone). Use limitations ensure that, in specific areas along the riverfront, uses are consistent
<br />with the objectives of establishing active and vibrant, pedestrian-oriented mixed-use development.
<br />The above measures facilitate implementation of the planned uses.
<br />Development standards in the proposed S-DR Zone facilitate the adaptive reuse of existing
<br />distinctive buildings (EC 9.3148, Exhibit B Downtown Riverfront Special Area Zone), including: the
<br />EWEB Headquarters, Midgley’s Building, Operations and Warehouse Building, and Steam Plant, by
<br />preempting certain site development standards that present barriers to preservation or
<br />rehabilitation. Development standards and guidelines in the proposed S-DR zone are based on
<br /> Cameron McCarthy FINAL SUBMITTAL | December 5, 2012
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