Item B: South Willamette Concept Plan Update

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South Willamette Concept Plan 3. THE CHALLENGE Planning, Approach, and Methodology Planning with Urban Design From the beginning, the South Willamette Concept Plan was visualized in terms of an urban design framework, one which considers the role of streets, open spaces and building forms in creating the stage for shared experiences. The process involved the interlayering of public conversations about best outcomes for the district with design illustrations. This new path engaged City of Eugene Planning staff and community members in a unique and robust interactive design and planning process, using design and drawings and hands on workshop activities. In this way, the vision for the future could be viewed for immediate response from the plan participants. The approach relied on sharing hopes for the future living and working environment of the district and distilling those into a desired physical form that people enjoy, yet makes sense from an economic perspective. Community Investment Throughout the process, the concepts being developed were considered in the context of economic feasibility and community investment. Guided by Envision Eugene, it was essential that the concepts being proposed supported the growth of housing and jobs in locations where success seems likely, and meet integrated goals such as economic success, compact living, efficient transportation and affordability. Tools to implement the vision, identified in Envision Eugene and founded on other processes such as Opportunity Siting, were further refined and integrated into a Community Investment Program, outlined in Part IV, Implementation Plan. Plan Development Plan development occurred from the initial meetings in early 2010 through the fall of 2012 in an interactive process of public meetings and Eugene Planning staff development of the concepts for further input and refinement in the public process. The methodology for developing the South Willamette Concept plan evolved through several phases: Investigation • Broad problem identification and community input, as described above in "Community Participation." • On site analysis of district and collection of information about current conditions. • Development of digital "models" of the existing streets and buildings in the district. • Obtaining a grant to develop a concept for Willamette Street, a primary issue identified in early investigations. Exploration of Ideas • Generation of urban design imagery for shared discussions of the desired future. • These included planning staff developed illustrations of a future South Willamette district as well as a University of Oregon Architecture Design Studio that explored issues and resulted in designs that captured the imagination and catalyzed discussions. • Using the integrative "planning through urban design" approach, ideas were continually illustrated for ongoing discussion and refinement. • New information gained from the early design and planning discussions, and multiple meetings with community participants, provided the basis for a series of public workshops and focus groups. 18 ■ City of Eugene