Item 4: Ord.on Downtown and Mixed Use Development

Home Browse Search

Following the public hearing, Councilor Alan Zelenka asked for staff to provide an explanation of the problem each amendment is attempting to solve, and the rationale for the solution. Staff will provide this information prior to council action. As noted in the previous meeting materials, prior to the City Council’s public hearing, the Planning Commission recommended approval of seven of the eight proposed amendments. The Planning Commission vote was split on the proposal to allow housing on the ground floor of buildings in the C-2 commercial zone. This proposal would allow the ground floor of a building in the C-2 Community Commercial zone to be entirely housing, whereas currently a certain percentage of the ground floor must be in commercial use. Providing housing on the ground floor in the commercial zones is already allowed downtown. Those Planning Commissioners voting in favor of the proposal expressed support for horizontal mixed use and increased housing opportunities in downtown, on key transit corridors, and in core commercial areas. They also cited the fact that the multi-family development standards would apply to these projects, thereby providing more protection than currently required for buildings with ground floor in commercial use with housing above. Those voting in opposition of the proposal expressed concern about the potential for increasing density in the C-2 zone without providing accompanying measures to address the transitions between higher density residential uses and adjacent lower density residential uses. The attached draft ordinance (see Attachment B) includes the proposal that would allow the ground floor of a building in the C-2 Community Commercial zone to be entirely housing. Staff supports this amendment based on the following:  Through Envision Eugene, specially the Community Resource Group, the understanding of the term “mixed use” was broadened to include both vertical (housing over commercial) and horizontal (housing adjacent to commercial). This amendment supports for and allows for both concepts.  During the Envision Eugene public process, this proposal was suggested numerous times by the public as a way to provide flexibility in commercial zones and increased housing opportunities in downtown, on key transit corridors, and in core commercial areas.  An all-residential building in the C-2 zone would be subject to the multi-family development standards, thereby providing more protections than currently required for buildings with the ground floor in commercial use with housing above.  Regarding transitions between higher and lower density residential uses, buildings in the C-2 zone that are within 50 feet of a residential zone are limited in height to the maximum height allowed in that residential zone.  During this amendment process, support for this amendment was expressed by local affordable housing providers as a benefit to affordable housing projects proposed in downtown, on key transit corridors, and in core commercial areas. The attached ordinance contains minor revisions to sections 10 and 13 (as compared to the ordinance provided with the public hearing materials) prepared by the City Attorney’s Office to reconcile the language based on the adoption of the code amendments related to the Eugene Water & Electric Board Master Plan. S:\CMO\2013 Council Agendas\M130722\S1307224.doc