HomeMy WebLinkAbout02/11/16 - City Council Newsletter
City of Eugene
125 East 8 Avenue, 2 Floor
thnd
Eugene, Oregon 97401
(541) 682-5010
(541) 682-5414 (FAX)
www.eugene-or.gov
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER
February 11, 2016
IN THIS EDITION
LAND ACQUIRED FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING ON RIVER ROAD
CITY EXPANDS OVER-THE-COUNTER COMMERCIAL EXPRESS PERMIT PROGRAM
EBUILD FEATURED ON “WORKING CITY”
GEOLOGY AND MINERAL INDUSTRIES STUDY WILL BENEFIT EUGENE AND SPRINGFIELD
EUGENE WATER & ELECTRIC BOARD OFFERING EMERGENCY WATER CONTAINERS AGAIN
CITY RECEIVES AWARDS FOR RACIAL EQUITY WORK
AROUND THE CITY
Land Acquired for Affordable Housing on River Road
For the first time since 2004, the Community Development Division has added a new property to the Land Acquisition
for Affordable Housing program (formerly called the land bank program). The Program is a cornerstone of Eugene’s
affordable housing program. Since 1979, it has supported the creation of 901 units of affordable housing. Currently,
another 48 units are under construction.
The Land Acquisition for Affordable Housing program identifies, evaluates and purchases property that is appropriate
for affordable housing throughout the city. Once they are developed, they provide homes for very low-income people
including families, seniors,
veterans, and persons with special
needs. The projects are
indistinguishable from market
rate developments and are often
admired for their high-quality
appearance, construction, and
management.
To date, affordable housing units
have been developed on 23 sites
with partners such as St. Vincent
de Paul Society of Lane County,
Cornerstone Community Housing,
and the Housing and Community
Services Agency of Lane County.
Recently, completed
developments on land-banked
sites include Bascom Village –
Phase I on County Farm Road,
Stellar Apartments on City View
Street, and Willakenzie Crossing
on Willakenzie Avenue. Bascom Village – Phase II, is currently under construction.
The City Council approved the new addition to the program last fall. The nearly three-acre site on the east side of River
Road south of Howard Avenue will be able to support 50-60 affordable housing units. Staff have been working closely
with neighbors and the River Road Community Organization to keep them informed and involved throughout the
process. It is anticipated that a request for proposals from affordable housing developers will be released in two years.
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 1
February 11, 2016
This will allow time to complete the necessary predevelopment steps to ready the site for development. In addition to
the land, the City will offer housing development funds, systems development charge fee waivers, and a 20-year
property tax exemption for low-income rental housing. City Council will make the final decision about which developer
will be awarded with the site. Construction is expected to begin in three to five years.
For more information, please contact Stephanie Jennings at stephanie.a.jennings@ci.eugene.or.us or 541-682-5529.
City Expands Over-the-Counter Commercial Express Permit Program
In order to help local projects move forward faster and easier, the City’s Building & Permit Services is expanding its
Commercial Express Permit Program (CEP), starting this month.
The express permit program provides over-the-counter, same-day permitting for certain commercial projects. Using a
collaborative review process, customers can bring in a project application, work with plan reviewers at the Permit and
Information Center, make any necessary changes to plans in real time to make sure designs fulfill code requirements,
and leave with permits the same day.
In addition to tenant infill and tenant alterations, infills and alterations up to 10,000 square feet, additions up to 1,000
square feet, and qualifying medical and dental in-fills will now be eligible for express-permitting. Commercial Express
Permit plan review is available every Monday and Wednesday, between 9 a.m. and noon, at the Permit and Information
Center, 99 West 10 Avenue. For more information on the program and the types of projects that qualify, visit
th
http://eugene-or.gov/863/Commercial-Express-Permits or call 541-682-5613.
Ebuild Featured on “Working City”
Metro TV’s Working City program recently began airing a segment on Eugene’s new eBuild program on Comcast
Channel 21. The video is also available on the City of Eugene’s YouTube channel. The video highlights the new online
building plan review and permitting program that was
launched in 2015. Using eBuild, customers can now submit
plans electronically 24/7 to be reviewed and approved online
for permits. In addition to saving paper, the new online system
saves customers’ time and money with fewer trips to the
Permit and Information Center, reduced printing costs, and
increased efficiency.
The use of the online technology aligns with Eugene’s on-going
efforts to support local businesses by providing easy,
streamlined access to City services. Providing quicker and
easier access to building services also promotes the safety,
livability, and economic vitality of the community. In January,
the eBuild program and the team of City employees who designed, built, and implemented it were recognized by Mayor
Kitty Piercy at the annual State of the City Address. For more information on eBuild contact Debbie Wells at
debbie.l.wells@ci.eugene.or.us or 541-682-6828.
Geology and Mineral Industries Study Will Benefit Eugene and Springfield
The Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries (DOGAMI) will begin work on a study of landslide
susceptibility and risk analysis for the Eugene/Springfield metro area.
Funded with Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grant dollars, this project will include updating outdated
landslide risk maps using Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) technology - which uses lasers and advanced imaging to
dramatically improve the understanding of landslide risk in the area. The project is scheduled to be completed by the
end of 2017. This project is important because it will allow property owners and City staff to better understand the
potential scale and risk of future landslides and will inform a wide variety of planning and hazard mitigation efforts.
Eugene staff will work with Springfield, Eugene Water & Electric Board (EWEB) and other local partners to assist
DOGAMI with this study. Since 2005, the cities of Eugene and Springfield have maintained a Eugene-Springfield Multi-
Jurisdictional Natural Hazards Mitigation Plan that evaluates local risks and prioritizes actions to reduce damage from
a host of natural hazards, including landslides. Updating local landslide risk maps is one of the priority actions within
the Natural Hazards Mitigation Plan.
For more information, please contact Matt McRae, Central Services Department, Emergency Management Program, at
541-682-5649.
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 2
February 11, 2016
Eugene Water & Electric Board Offering Emergency Water Containers Again
Oregon had 80 earthquakes in the past month. Most of these were little tremblers, but there was a 4.9 off the coast near
Port Orford. While people may not think about it much, this is a region that is seismically active. The Eugene Water &
Electric Board (EWEB) has steadily increased capital investments to mitigate infrastructure vulnerabilities and improve
the community’s resiliency from a serious seismic event.
The City of Eugene is also encouraging employees and the community to take emergency preparedness seriously and
take steps to get their households ready in the event of a prolonged disruption to utility services. Stored water is an
essential part of an emergency supply kit and, once again, thanks to a funding partnership, EWEB is able to offer three-
gallon containers to EWEB customers and City employees. On Feb. 16, EWEB will begin accepting pre-orders online at
www.eweb.org/waterreliability. Employees who are not members of EWEB should check with their utility district for
similar offers.
The $5 charge per container will be applied to customer’s water bill, and one dollar of every purchase will support the
local Red Cross emergency preparedness and disaster response. This year, container distribution will coincide with
Drinking Water Week (May 1 - 8). The program is gaining traction in other areas of the state, including the cities of
Gresham and Lake Oswego.
Last year’s order sold out quickly, so EWEB customers who haven’t gotten around to ordering containers should mark
their calendars for Feb. 16.
For more information, please visit eweb.org/waterreliability.
City Receives Awards for Racial Equity Work
On Feb. 5, the Eugene Police Department (EPD) and Human Rights
and Neighborhood Involvement (HRNI) each received a
Community Service Award at the Blacks in Government Black
History Month Banquet for their efforts and support building
healthy and equitable communities.
The event featured Dr. Dexter B. Gordon, Professor of African
American Studies at the University of Puget Sound. Dr. Gordon
spoke about micro-aggressions and marginalization - the often
subtle, unconscious and unintentional, yet dehumanizing slights
and biases that people of color face on a daily basis.
EPD was recognized for a number of achievements, including
training officers in crisis intervention and implicit bias, development of a Professional Stops Policy with strong
community input, receipt of grant funds to equip officers with
body- worn cameras, engagement and partnerships with schools
and community organizations, collaboration with the Police
Auditor and establishment of an Oregon Veterans Network.
HRNI achievements noted how the office serves as a resource for
persons experiencing discrimination in housing, employment or
public accommodations, collaborates with EPD in tracking and
community response to hate and bias crimes, champions equity
and human rights principles within the City organization and
community, supports the work of the Human Rights Commission,
fosters community conversations on race, racism and privilege, and
assists the City organization in conducting inclusive, culturally
competent outreach to groups typically underrepresented in City decision-making.
Blacks in Government is a national organization that advocates for equal opportunity and professional development for
Black government employees at the local, state and federal government levels and others dedicated to justice for all.
For more information about the awards, contact Michael Kinnison at Michael.j.kinnison@ci.eugene.or.us.
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 3
February 11, 2016