HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem C: Eugene Comprehensive Lands Assessment
ECC
UGENE ITY OUNCIL
AIS
GENDA TEM UMMARY
Work Session: Eugene Comprehensive Lands Assessment
Meeting Date: April 27, 2009 Agenda Item Number: C
Department: Planning and Development Staff Contact: Jason Dedrick
www.eugene-or.gov Contact Telephone Number: 541-682-5451
ISSUE STATEMENT
This work session is an opportunity for the City Council to receive a project update on the Eugene
Comprehensive Lands Assessment (ECLA), and approve key assumptions that are used to estimate
future land needs.
BACKGROUND
The goal of ECLA is to determine whether Eugene has a sufficient supply of land within the Urban
Growth Boundary (UGB) to meet the projected demand for residential, commercial, industrial, and
public/semi-public land over the next 20 years. This study addresses Oregon House Bill 3337, which
directed the City of Eugene to undertake a study of residential lands sufficiency. The scope was
expanded by the City Council to assess all land types, including employment lands (commercial and
industrial) and public/semi-public land needs.
Project Update
land supplylandneed
Work has continued on the and (demand) analysis since the City Council’s
February 23, 2009, work session. A summary of these components is presented in Attachment A. The
land supply
current is being determined through an analysis of lands within the UGB that are currently
vacant or otherwise able to accommodate additional growth. This analysis continues to be refined and
will be presented to the council at a future date.
land need
The (demand) is being determined through an analysis of historic trends, current policies and
forecasts for employment, housing and public lands. Recent work on land need includes analysis of
preliminary data and assumptions related to the employment land needs, residential land needs, and
public/semi-public lands needs. All preliminary data and assumptions have now been presented to the
groups that are advising the staff on this, the Agency Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) and the
Community Advisory Committee (CAC). Attachment B provides a list of committee members.
Key Assumptions
The analysis to establish a baseline for land need is built on:
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key assumptions that are guided by state statute,
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historical and recent trends,
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recent data and forecasts (city, state, etc.), and,
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current policies.
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Key assumptions used in the land needs analysis are organized into three categories: employment land
needs, residential land needs, and public and semi-public land needs. A summary of the key
assumptions and recommended values is presented in Attachment C. Further detail on each of these
assumptions is provided in Attachment D. Committee comments, staff input, and consultant expertise
helped produce the values for each key assumption.
Next Steps
Continued refinement of the key assumptions associated with the baseline analysis and the resulting
preliminary findings will continue through the summer. If there is a broad range of uncertainty about
some of the assumptions that comprise the baseline analysis, it may be appropriate to model some
variations in these assumptions, provided that these variations are within the reasonable ranges provided
in Attachment C. This process will conclude with the land need determination by the end of the year.
Additional council updates are tentatively planned for June, September and November as products
become available. Special presentations to community organizations will take place in late summer and
public workshops are currently scheduled for September. An updated project timeline is included in
Attachment E.
The completion of the land needs analysis will address Eugene’s compliance with HB 3337, completing
the technical phase of a larger planning process. If the study determines that additional lands will be
needed to accommodate projected growth, the City will need to initiate a process for addressing these
needs, either through infill and redevelopment policies, UGB modifications or some combination of
both. This process would contain ample opportunities for engaging the community in a dialogue about
how to accommodate future growth.
RELATED CITY POLICIES
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The City Council has included ECLA as a priority item on the Planning Division Work Program.
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Growth Management Policies are related to ECLA, most notably policies 1, 2, and 5.
Policy 1 – Support the existing Eugene Urban Growth Boundary by taking actions to increase
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density and use existing vacant land and under-used land within the boundary more efficiently.
Policy 2 – Encourage in-fill, mixed-use, redevelopment, and higher density development.
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Policy 5 – Work cooperatively with Metro area partners (Springfield and Lane County) and other
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nearby cities to avoid urban sprawl and preserve the rural character in areas outside the urban
growth boundaries.
COUNCIL OPTIONS
Option A: Approve key assumptions, expressed as recommended values in column 2 of Attachment C,
for the analysis of future employment land needs, residential land needs, and public and semi-public
land needs.
Option B: Direct the City Manager to amend key assumptions, expressed as recommended values in
column 2 of Attachment C, for the analysis of future employment land needs, residential land needs, and
public and semi-public land needs.
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Option C: Direct the City Manager to provide additional information regarding key assumptions,
expressed as recommended values in column 2 of Attachment C, for the analysis of future employment
land needs, residential land needs, and public and semi-public land needs.
CITY MANAGER’S RECOMMENDATION
The City Manager recommends Option A: Approve key assumptions, expressed as recommended
values in column 2 of Attachment C, for the analysis of future employment land needs, residential land
needs, and public and semi-public land needs.
SUGGESTED MOTION
Move to approve key assumptions, expressed as recommended values in column 2 of Attachment C, for
the analysis of future employment land needs, residential land needs, and public and semi-public land
needs.
ATTACHMENTS
A. Summary of Technical Analysis Components
B. Project Committee Members
C. Summary of Baseline Assumptions and Recommended Values
D. Detailed Description of Baseline Assumptions
E. Project Timeline
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Staff Contact: Jason Dedrick
Telephone: 541-682-5451
Staff E-Mail: jason.p.dedrick@ci.eugene.or.us
Project Website: www.eugene-or.gov/ECLA
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ECLA PROJECT COMPONENTS
Housing Economic Public/ Semi-
Need Need Public Need
+ +
Population growth Employment Schools
???
Gross
=
National and state growth Parks and open
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housing trends National and state space
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Future
Local housing economic trends Public facilities
??
Land Need
development Local economic and operations
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trends advantages Churches
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(Demand)
Public/Semi
Demographic Site needs ?
??
Public Lands
changes Current policies
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Economic
Housing ?Memo
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Opportunities
affordability
Current policies Analysis report
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Housing Needs
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Analysis report
Current Land
-
Supply
GIS Data
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County Assessor’s
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Data
Current Policies
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Buildable Lands
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ATTACHMENT A
Inventory report
Net Future
=
Land Need
(Land Sufficiency)
ATTACHMENT B
Project Committee Members
Eugene Comprehensive Lands Assessment
Community Advisory Committee Member List
Jon Belcher At-Large
Howie Bonnett Eugene Sustainability Commission
Merle Bottge Developed Parks Community
Norton Cabell Eugene Housing Policy Board
Paul Conte At-Large
Rick Duncan Eugene Planning Commission (non-CAC member attendee)
Kim Hyland At-Large
Carolyn Jacobs Eugene Neighborhood Leaders Council
Bill Kloos Eugene Area Chamber of Commerce
Kevin Matthews City-Wide Local Advocacy Group
Brent McLean Commercial/Retail Community
Laura Potter Home Builders Association of Lane County
Matt Powell Eugene Association of Realtors
Erik Riechers Investment Community
Jack Roberts Lane Metro Partnership
John Winquist Natural Resource Community
Agency Technical Advisory Committee Member List
Barb Bellamy Eugene 4J Schools
Neil Bjorklund Eugene PW Parks
Savannah Crawford ODOT
Terri Harding Eugene ICS & OS Projects
Pat McGillivray Bethel Schools
Ed Moore DLCD
Steve Nystrom Eugene PDD Planning
Jeannine Parisi EWEB
Linda Pauly City of Springfield
Chris Ramey University of Oregon
David Roth Eugene PW Engineering
Stephanie Schulz Lane County
Tom Schwetz Lane Transit District
Mike Sullivan Eugene PDD Development
Bob Warren Oregon Economic & Community Development Department
ATTACHMENT C
Summary of Baseline Assumptions and Recommended Values
The analysis to establish a baseline for future land need is built upon key assumptions
that are guided by statute and rely on historical trends, recent information and current
policies. Key assumptions used in the land needs analysis are organized into three
categories: employment land needs, residential land needs, and public and semi-public
land needs.
The table on the next page presents a summary of these key assumptions for each of the
three categories. Additional information on each of these assumptions is provided in
Attachment C. It is important to note that some of the key assumptions have not yet been
discussed by the project committees. The cells for these categories contain “TBD” (to be
determined). Below are definitions to assist with interpreting this data:
Acronyms and Abbreviations
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PD – plan designation
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EPA – employees per acre
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du/acre – dwelling units per acre
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ac/pp – acres per person
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PROS – City of Eugene Parks, Recreation and Open Space
Column 1: Variable – Name of each key assumption in Attachment C.
Column 2: Recommended Value – Current technical recommendation for the baseline
assumption. This is a product of committee comments, staff input and consultant
This is what staff is asking for Council action on.
expertise.
Column 3: Source of Data – In many cases there are multiple sources. For the sake of
brevity, the primary source is shown in this table. Additional sources are provided in
Attachment C.
Column 4: Rationale – Reason for the data source or the value shown. In some cases safe
harbor provisions in statute are utilized.
Column 5: Reasonable Range – Statute implies that values utilized for determining land
need be reasonable and defensible. Where possible, this column shows the potential range
when there are multiple methods that can be utilized or some discretion involved.
Column 6: Impact on Land Need – Each key assumption is an important variable in
determining the land need in acres. Some of these variables have a larger impact on land
need than others. A “high” impact on land need would indicate that changing the value
for this variable could significantly decrease or increase overall land need, thus indicating
its relative importance to the overall analysis.
Column 7: Data Type – Point data is from a specific moment in time. Often this is
census, state or City data with a date. Trend data indicates a longer period of time.
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ATTACHMENT C
This Page Intentionally Left Blank
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ATTACHMENT C
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ATTACHMENT D
Phone • (541) 687-0051 Suite 400 Other Offices
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FAX • (541) 344-0562 99 W. 10 Ave Eugene • (503) 222-6060
info@econw.com Eugene, Oregon 97401-3040 Seattle • (206) 622-2403
April 15, 2009
TO: Community Advisory Committee (CAC)
CC: Eugene City Council
FROM: Terry Moore, Beth Goodman, and Bob Parker
SUBJECT: LAND NEED ASSUMPTIONS AND TECHNICAL
RECOMMENDATIONS
1 B
ACKGROUND
ECONorthwest is conducting the Eugene Comprehensive Lands Analysis (ECLA).
Though there are many reasons for conducting such an analysis, the main one directing
the content and timing of the analysis is Oregon House Bill 3337, which allows Eugene
to establish its own Urban Growth Boundary (UGB) separate from the joint
metropolitan UGB that Springfield and Eugene has shared for about 25 years. The full
scope of work for ECLA is described elsewhere. It includes creating many products to
comply with state requirements for LCDC Goals 9, 10, and 14: a Buildable Lands
Inventory (BLI), an Economic Opportunity Analysis (EOA), and a Housing Needs
Analysis (HNA).
Those pieces (and others) must eventually lead to a comparison of estimates of the
need / demand for buildable land (to accommodate employment and residential
growth) to the estimates of the amount of buildable land for the City of Eugene. That
comparison would be the basis for a determination about whether land inside the
Eugene portion of the existing metropolitan urban growth boundary is sufficient to
accommodate Eugene’s expected growth. That determination is where this project will
end in December 2009. If the result is that land inside the UGB is unlikely to be
sufficient to meet demand, the City of Eugene will subsequently evaluate policies that
might expand the capacity of land inside the existing UGB (e.g., by increasing density),
add land to the UGB, or both.
House Bill 3337 requires that Eugene establish a UGB and “demonstrate, as required
by ORS 197.296, that its comprehensive plan provides sufficient buildable lands within
an urban growth boundary established pursuant to statewide planning goals to
accommodate estimated needs for 20 years.” The scope of work for ECLA
housing
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House Bill 3337 was codified in ORS 197.304. Emphasis added.
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Recommendations for Baseline Assumptions ECONorthwest April 2009 Page 2
provides further direction. First, the Eugene City Council expanded the analysis to look
not just at land (housing needs), but at land as well. Second, the
residential employment
scope is about collecting data and making extrapolations of land need based on existing
policy and on market conditions and trends; it is not about researching, suggesting, or
adopting policies that could change those trends.
The written products for this project will ultimately comprise dozens of analyses,
tables, and maps. Making sense of them as an integrated analysis is difficult enough for
people involved in the analysis, and more difficult still for community members who
want to understand the implications for City land-use policy at a general level. With
that point in mind, ECONorthwest proposed in its work plan that the technical
information be consolidated and represented in The most important
land-use scenarios.
land-use scenario, and the one that the staff technical work and CAC review will be
focusing on, is the one related to historical trends and current policies in land use
consumption. If there is a broad range of uncertainty about some of assumptions that
compose the historical-trend scenario, then it may make sense to run some variations on
that scenario.
This memorandum describes the land need based on historical trends, which reflect
the impact of current policies on residential development in Eugene. It presents the key
assumptions about historical trends. Based on the CAC’s and TAC’s discussion of this
material the consultant team will (1) do more work to refine the assumptions that define
the need side the historical trend analysis (ECO), (2) make final adjustments to the
buildable lands inventory (LCOG), and (3) combine the results of ‘1’ and ‘2’ to assess
whether Eugene has enough land within the UGB to accommodate expected growth
given existing policies. City staff will present a tentative schedule for that process to the
City Council at the end of April.
The remainder of this memorandum discusses key assumptions in the land needs
analysis.
2 K
EY ASSUMPTIONS
In previous meetings and memoranda, ECONorthwest described the assumptions
that are needed to model land need for the Eugene UGB over the 2010-2030 period.
Table 1 lists these assumptions; underlining denotes what ECONorthwest believes to be
a key assumption and one that the CAC, Planning Commission, or City Council may
wish to comment on. Key assumptions are assumptions that (1) potentially have a large
impact on land needs, and (2) are most likely to be affected by City policies. Subsequent
sections of this memorandum provide information about those key assumptions as they
relate to historical trends.
Recommendations for Baseline Assumptions ECONorthwest April 2009 Page 3
Table 1. Assumptions for modeling land need
Residential land needs
Employment land Public and Semi-Public
needs Land Needs
Population growth
Employment growth Park Land
Population in group
Neighborhood Parks
quarters
Share of employment by
Community Parks
category
Persons in household
Natural Areas
Industrial
Residential vacancy rate
Other Parks
Commercial
Housing mix
Retail Schools
Single-family detached
Government 4J School District
Mfg home in park
Bethel School District
New employment in non-
Duplex
Public Operations and
employment PD
Single-family attached
Facilities
New employment in
Tri- and Quadplex
Semi-public uses
existing built space
Apt. with 5-19 units
Apt. with 20+ units
Commercial
Redevelopment
Housing density
Single-family detached
Employment Density
Mfg home in park
Industrial
Duplex
Commercial
Single-family attached
Retail
Tri- and Quadplex
Government
Apt. with 5-19 units
Net to Gross Factor
Apt. with 20+ units
Net to Gross Factor
Residential infill and
redevelopment
2.1 E:
MPLOYMENT LAND NEED KEY ASSUMPTIONS
The analysis of employment land need is driven by an analysis of employment
growth, Eugene’s competitive advantages, the types of firms that may locate in Eugene,
and the site needs of the firms that may locate in Eugene. The employment land need
must meet the State requirements of Goal 9 and OAR 600-009. The framework for
conducting the housing needs analysis is described in detail in the memorandum to the
CAC “Framework for Determining Land Needed for Employment in Eugene: 2010-
2030” (January 5, 2009). This section discusses the key assumptions necessary for
determining the amount of land needed for employment over the 20-year planning
period.
Recommendations for Baseline Assumptions ECONorthwest April 2009 Page 4
Employment growth
Employment growth is the amount of growth in jobs reasonably expected in Eugene
over the 2010 to 2030 period. Changes in the forecast of employment growth directly
result in changes in need for employment land.
There is no single “right” way to forecast employment growth. There are, however,
two methods for forecasting employment growth that, independent of their technical
merits, are legally sanctioned as “safe harbors”: (1) assume that employment will grow
at the same rate as population (OAR 660-024-0040(8)((a)(ii)), or (2) assume that
employment will grow at the same rate as the Employment Department’s forecast for
Lane County.
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Potential range of assumption: Assuming that employment will grow at the
same rate as population (a 1.0% annual growth) results in addition of about
27,000 jobs. Assuming that employment in Eugene will grow at the same rate
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as the one used in the Employment Department’s forecast for Lane County (a
1.4% annual growth rate) results in the addition of about 40,000 jobs.
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CAC and TAC discussion: Several CAC and TAC members said the
assumption that Eugene’s employment will grow at the rate forecasted for
Lane County (1.4% annual growth) is reasonable, and probably the more
reasonable of the two growth rates. Eugene is the central city and employment
center of the region: it is reasonable to expect employment to grow faster than
population. On the other hand, a difference in growth rates suggests greater
commuting to Eugene from outlying cities (e.g., Veneta).
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Current technical recommendation for baseline assumption: We recommend
assuming 1.4% annual employment growth, based on: (1) the assumption that
Eugene is the regional economic center of Lane County and likely to have the
greatest employment growth, and (2) average employment growth in Lane
County over the 1980 to 2007 was 1.7% average annual growth.
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Data source: The employment base is a point estimate for 2006 based on:
Quarterly Census of Employment and Workforce from the OR Employment
Department and Total Employment in Lane County from the US Bureau of
Economic Analysis.
Distribution of employment by land-use type
The forecast of employment growth can be divided into broad categories of land use
based on the characteristics of land needed: commercial, retail, industrial, and
The City has requested that Lane County adopt a population forecast based on the safe harbor in OAR 660-024-
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0030, which allows a city to adopt a 20-year population forecast based on the Oregon Office of Economic Analysis’
(OEA) long-term population forecast for the County. This forecast assumes that Eugene’s population will grow at
approximately 1.0% annually between 2010 and 2030.
Recommendations for Baseline Assumptions ECONorthwest April 2009 Page 5
government. In 2006, the share of employment in each of these categories was: 54.3%
commercial, 13.1% retail, 18.2% industrial, and 14.4% government.
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Potential range of assumption: There is no “correct” way to forecast the future
composition of Eugene’s economy. Possible approaches are:
Assume the future composition of Eugene’s economy will look like the
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present and use the existing distribution of employment by land-use
type;
Assume that employment in non-industrial sectors will grow more than
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employment in industrial based on County, State, and national
historical trends. An example of the shift in the mix: 55% commercial,
15% retail, 15% industrial, and 15% government; or
Use the mix of employment forecast in the Employment Department’s
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forecast for Lane County: 46% commercial, 13% retail, 23% industrial,
and 18% government.
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CAC discussion: Some CAC members said that the current mix of employment
seems more likely to continue into the future than the mix in the Employment
Department’s forecast for Lane County.
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Current technical recommendation for baseline assumption: We recommend
assuming that the future mix of employment will be similar to or the same as
the current mix of employment. The mix of employment forecasted by the
Employment Department for Lane County, with greater growth in industrial
sectors and decrease in share of commercial sectors, seems unlikely given long-
term economic trends and recent economic trends in Eugene and Lane County.
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Data source: The employment base is a point estimate for 2006 based on:
Quarterly Census of Employment and Workforce from the OR Employment
Department and Total Employment in Lane County from the US Bureau of
Economic Analysis.
New employment accommodated on land not designated for employment
Some employment is now accommodated on land that is located in a residential or
other non-employment plan designation. In 2006, about 15% of covered employment
(“covered employment” means employment that the state tracks because it is covered
by unemployment insurance and reported; covered employment was about 75% of total
employment in 2006) was located in residential and other non-employment
designations. This includes businesses located in non-employment plan designations
(such as a corner store in a neighborhood) and people working from home. This
estimate may be slightly low because it is based on covered employment, which
excludes sole proprietors (who may be more likely to work from home and therefore in
areas with non-employment plan designations).
Recommendations for Baseline Assumptions ECONorthwest April 2009 Page 6
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Potential range of assumption: There is little information available about the
amount of employment accommodated on land not designated for
employment in Eugene, beyond the data reported above. In work for other
Oregon cities, ECO has generally found that between 10% and 20% of
employment is accommodated in residential or other non-employment plan
designations.
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CAC and TAC discussion: Some CAC and TAC members suggested that the
share of employment accommodated on land not designated for employment
uses may increase in the future, based on trends in working from home.
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Current technical recommendation for baseline assumption: We recommend
assuming that 15% of non-industrial employment will accommodated on land
not designated for employment. The basis for this recommendation is that the
2006 covered employment data are the best available and we have little data as
a basis for assumptions about changes in the amount of employment that may
locate in non-employment designations in the future.
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Data source: The estimate of 15% of covered employment on land not
designated for employment is a point estimate. The data source for the
employment base was Quarterly Census of Employment and Workforce from
the OR Employment Department, overlaid with the LCOG GIS data showing
the City of Eugene Plan Designations.
New employment accommodated in existing built space
As firms add employees they may fit many of them into existing office spaces,
through filling vacant cubicles or offices or increasing density of use existing
workspaces (e.g., by adding new cubicles). There is no study that quantifies how much
employment is commonly accommodated in existing built space over a 20-year period
in a city.
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Potential range of assumption: There are no data that documents the amount of
employment located in existing built space. Clearly some employment is
accommodated through this type of intensification of use but, equally clearly,
not all employment can be accommodated this way. ECO typically assumes
that 7% to 10% of employment will be accommodated in existing built space.
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CAC and TAC discussion: CAC and TAC have not discussed this assumption
in great enough depth to have suggestions for different assumptions from
more than one committee member.
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Current technical recommendation for baseline assumption: We recommend
assuming that 10% of new employment will locate in existing built space.
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Data source: ECONorthwest has typically assumed that about 10% of
employment would locate in existing built space for similar studies in other
cities.
Recommendations for Baseline Assumptions ECONorthwest April 2009 Page 7
New employment accommodated in through infill and redevelopment
Some employment growth will be accommodated through infill and redevelopment
of existing commercial and industrial land. Determining how much redevelopment has
actually occurred is difficult because data about redevelopment (or indicators of
redevelopment) are not maintained.
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Potential range of assumption: We found no studies that attempt to estimate
the amount of infill and redevelopment that occurred in Eugene over the past
decade, it is clear that infill and redevelopment occurred, especially along
Coburg Road.
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CAC and TAC discussion: CAC and TAC have not discussed this assumption
in great enough depth to have suggestions for different assumptions from
more than one committee member. One TAC member suggested that the most
appropriate places for redevelopment is in mixed use centers and downtown.
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Current technical recommendation for baseline assumption: We do not
currently have a recommendation on an assumption about the amount of
employment that may be accommodated through infill and redevelopment.
We will be discussing this issue with the CAC in May.
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Data source: Quarterly Census of Employment and Workforce from the OR
Employment Department, overlaid with the LCOG GIS data showing the City
of Eugene Plan Designations.
Employment density
Employment density is the density of employment locating in commercial and
industrial plan designations. Forecasting employment land need based on forecasts of
employment growth requires a conversion, either explicit or implicit, of employment
growth to land need based on assumptions about employment density, which requires
assumptions about the number of employees per acre (EPA). In 2006, employment
densities in Eugene varied by use and mixture of uses, as follows:
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Industrial densities ranged from about 5 employees per gross acre (EPA) in
heavy industrial areas to nearly 20 EPA in light or campus industrial.
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Commercial densities varied from 30 EPA in mixed retail and office sites to 93
EPA in downtown.
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Retail densities varied from about 20 EPA to about 37 EPA at Oakway Center.
Existing employment densities are documented more completely memorandum
“Preliminary Estimate of Employment Land Need in Eugene During the 2010-2030
Period” (dated February 5, 2009).
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Potential range of assumption: The potential ranges of assumptions are
described above.
Recommendations for Baseline Assumptions ECONorthwest April 2009 Page 8
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CAC and TAC discussion: CAC and TAC did not have many comments,
questions, or expressed concerns about the employment density data
presented.
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Current technical recommendation for baseline assumption: We recommend
making the following assumptions about employment density, based on the
average densities in Eugene: 13 EPA for industrial, 68 EPA for commercial, 23
EPA for retail, and 20 EPA for government.
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Data source: Employment densities are based on density trends from 2001 to
20008, which are based on data from the Quarterly Census of Employment and
Workforce from the OR Employment Department and City of Eugene Plan
Designations.
Converting net acres to gross acres
The existing data about employment density is in acres, which do not include land
net
for public right-of-way. One way to estimate the amount of land needed for
employment including public right-of-way is to convert from to acres based on
netgross
assumptions about the amount of land needed for right-of-way.
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Potential range of assumption: We examined net to gross ratios for existing
commercial and industrial development on selected sites within Eugene. We
found the following net to gross factors:
Commercial sites had a net to gross factor ranging from about 17% in
o
community retail centers to 31% in Downtown and 34% in the area
directly south of Downtown Eugene.
Industrial sites had a net to gross factor averaging about 14%, with no
o
substantial different between light and heavy industry.
Work with other cities has shown similar net to gross factors. ECO typically
assumes a net to gross factor of 15% to 20% for employment lands.
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CAC and TAC discussion: CAC and TAC did not provide comments on the
net-to-gross factor.
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Current technical recommendation for baseline assumption: We recommend
assuming a 20% net to gross factor for commercial land need and a 15% net to
gross factor for industrial land need.
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Data source: The net to gross factors are point estimates based on Quarterly
Census of Employment and Workforce from the OR Employment Department
and City of Eugene Plan Designations.
Recommendations for Baseline Assumptions ECONorthwest April 2009 Page 9
2.2 R:
ESIDENTIAL LAND NEED KEY ASSUMPTIONS
The analysis of residential land need is driven by an analysis of housing need. The
housing needs analysis must meet the State requirements of Goal 10, ORS 197.296, and
OAR 600-008. The framework for conducting the housing needs analysis is described in
detail in the memorandum to the CAC “Framework for Determining Land Needed for
Housing in Eugene: 2010-2030” (February 5, 2009). This section discusses the key
assumptions necessary for determining the amount of land needed for housing over the
20-year planning period.
Population growth
A 20-year population forecast (in this instance, 2010 to 2030) is the foundation for
estimating needed new dwelling units. On June 25, 2008, the City of Eugene requested a
safe harbor forecast from Lane County. The forecast was based on the safe harbor in
OAR 660-024-0030, which allows a city to adopt a 20-year population forecast based on
the Oregon Office of Economic Analysis’ (OEA) long-term population forecast for the
County, assuming that the city’s share of the forecasted county population will be the
same as the urban area's current share of county population. In other words, the safe
harbor allows the City to assume that it will grow at the same rate as the OEA
forecasted that the County will grow.
The safe harbor forecast assumes that population inside the Eugene UGB will grow
from 176,582 people in 2007 to 221,515 people in 2030. The forecast projects that
population in the UGB will grow by 39,633 people between 2010 and 2030.
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Potential range of assumption: Lane County is in the process of developing
coordinated population forecasts for the cities in the County. The County’s
population forecast may present other assumptions about population growth
in Eugene but the County’s forecast is not expected to be completed until this
summer.
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CAC and TAC discussion: CAC and TAC have not discussed this assumption
in great enough depth to have suggestions for different assumptions from
more than one committee member.
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Current technical recommendation for baseline assumption: We recommend
using the requested safe harbor population forecast for Eugene.
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Data source: Letter to the Lane County Board of Commissioners from the cities
of Eugene and Springfield, “Request for Adoption of Alternative Population
Forecast for Eugene and Springfield,” June 25, 2008.
Population in group quarters
Persons in group quarters do not consume standard housing units: thus, any forecast
of new people in group quarters is typically backed out of the population forecast for
Recommendations for Baseline Assumptions ECONorthwest April 2009 Page 10
the purpose of estimating housing demand. Group quarters can have a big influence on
housing in cities with colleges (dorms), prisons, or a large elderly population (nursing
homes). In general, any new requirements for these housing types will be met by
institutions (colleges, government agencies, health-care corporations) operating outside
what is typically defined as the housing market. Group quarters, however, require land
and are typically built at densities that are comparable to multiple-family dwellings.
The U.S. Census tracks the number of people in group quarters. The share of Eugene’s
population living in group quarters was 5.5% in 1990, 4.4% in 2000, and 5.3% in 2007.
?
Potential range of assumption: The U.S. Census’ range of people in group
households (between 4.4% to 5.5% of population) is a reasonable range for this
assumption. The aging of the population may result in an increase in share of
seniors living in group housing but trends in senior housing (away from
nursing homes and towards assisted living) may hold the share of population
in group quarters within the range reported by the Census.
?
CAC and TAC discussion: CAC and TAC have not discussed this assumption
in great enough depth to have suggestions for different assumptions.
?
Current technical recommendation for baseline assumption: We recommend
assuming that 5.3% of Eugene’s 2030 population (2,180 people) will live in
group quarters.
?
Data source: The assumption about population in group quarters is based on a
point estimate from the U.S. Census, American Community Survey, 2007.
Persons per household
In 1990, traditional families (married couple, with one or more children at home)
accounted for 25% of all households in Oregon. In 2007 that percentage had dropped to
20%. Consistent with that trend, the average household size has decreased over the past
five decades and is likely to continue decreasing. The average household size in Oregon
was 2.60 in 1980, 2.52 in 1990, and 2.51 in 2000 and 2.49 in 2007. One and two person
households made up the majority of Oregon households in 1990. The direct impact of
decreasing household size on housing demand is that smaller households means more
households, which means a need for more housing units even if population were not
growing.
Average household size in Eugene followed the same pattern as the State: household
sizes have decreased. In 1990, the average household had 2.30 persons per household,
dropping to 2.27 in 2000, and 2.25 persons per household in 2007. OAR 660-024
established a “safe harbor” assumption for average household size—which is the figure
from the most recent Census.
?
Potential range of assumption: We could assume that household sizes will
continue to decrease or we could use the safe harbor and assume that
Recommendations for Baseline Assumptions ECONorthwest April 2009 Page 11
household sizes will continue at 2.25 persons per household. Note that the rate
of decrease is relatively slow: from 1980 to 2007 the average annual rate of
decrease was on the order of 1/10 of 1% per year.
?
CAC and TAC discussion: Some CAC members seemed to think that we
should assume that household sizes will change in the future.
?
Current technical recommendation for baseline assumption: We recommend
using the safe harbor assumption that household sizes will remain at 2.25
persons per household. Forecasting future household sizes requires
considering a number of demographic and social shifts that are complex:
continued aging of the population, changes in ethnicity, and changes in
student housing preferences. The differences over a 20 year period will be
relatively small.
?
Data source: The assumption about household size is based on a point estimate
from the U.S. Census, American Community Survey, 2007.
Residential vacancies
Housing vacancy rates are cyclical. Low vacancy rates signal an excess of demand
relative to supply, which brings new construction and, eventually, higher vacancy rates.
Vacancy rates for rental and multiple family units are typically higher than those for
owner-occupied and single-family dwelling units.
In 1990 the Census reported a vacancy rate of 3.6%, increasing to 5.4% in 2000, and
6.3% in 2007. The Census’ vacancy rate data is accurate for the date of the Census (April
1) but the vacancy rate may change significantly in the months following the Census.
Since state law and this project requires a 20-year forecast, and one should expect
several housing cycles during that period, this project should be looking for an average
vacancy rate (the “natural” rate of vacancy). OAR 660-024 established a “safe harbor”
assumption for average residential vacancies—which is the figure from the most recent
Census.
?
Potential range of assumption: Census data probably describes a reasonable
range of vacancy rates: 3.5% to 6.5% vacancy. ECO has typically found vacancy
rates of 2% to 9% in other cities, depending on the type of housing and local
housing market conditions.
?
CAC and TAC discussion: Several CAC members said the most reasonable
vacancy rate assumption would be 5%. That is an average rate that ECO has
used in other studies of this type.
?
Current technical recommendation for baseline assumption: We recommend
assuming that an average of 5% of new dwellings will be vacant, based
suggestions from the CAC.
Recommendations for Baseline Assumptions ECONorthwest April 2009 Page 12
?
Data source: The assumption about vacancy rate is based on a point estimate
from the U.S. Census, American Community Survey.
Housing mix
Housing mix is the mixture of housing types (e.g., single-family detached or
apartments) within a city. State law requires a determination of the future housing mix
in the community and allows that determination to be based on different periods: (1)
the mix of housing built in the past five years or since the most recent periodic review,
whichever time period is greater, (2) a shorter time period if the data will provide more
accurate and reliable information, or (3) a longer time period if the data will provide
more accurate and reliable information (ORS 197.296). This memorandum presents
housing mix data for two periods (1) housing mix over the 2001 to 2008 period and (2)
housing mix over the 1990 to 2007 period.
Table 2 shows the housing mix for residential development over the 2001 to 2008
period. We selected this time period over the 1999 to 2008 period because it shows
housing mix that occurred since the City’s revised zoning ordinance went into effect in
2001. About 64% of housing developed was single-family detached, 10% was single-
family attached, 5% was manufactured, 3% was duplex, and the remaining 18% were
structures with 3 or more units. The share of single-family housing varied from a high
of 84% in 2001 to a low of 43% in 2007.
Table 2. Percent of housing by structure type, 2001-2008, Eugene UGB
Tri- and
Single-Single-Quad-plex Apts with Apts with
family Manufact-family (3 or 4 5 to 19 20 or more
Yeardetachedured homeDuplexattachedunits)unitsunits
200184%2%3%2%1%8%0%
200277%8%2%0%2%11%0%
200382%8%3%1%5%1%0%
200464%3%2%1%1%20%8%
200561%8%6%4%1%1%20%
200647%4%2%36%4%5%2%
200743%2%4%26%5%3%16%
200848%6%3%1%2%34%6%
Average64%5%3%10%2%8%7%
Total Units 4,153 350 209 660 162 540 458
Source: LCOG GIS data and City of Eugene Planning Department, 2008
Table 3 shows changes in the mix of Eugene’s housing stock from 1990 to 2007, based
on U.S. Census data. The share of single-family detached housing was relatively stable
over the seventeen-year period, accounting for about 55% of housing stock in Eugene. A
caveat about the information presented in Table 3: the data about residential
development is both complex and somewhat scant. Each development may have
Recommendations for Baseline Assumptions ECONorthwest April 2009 Page 13
idiosyncrasies, such factors that limit development density or footprint (such as a
stream). Moreover, it is typical to see cycles in building: for example, a lot of single-
family units get built so then a lot of multifamily follows. We think it is more
appropriate to look at building trends broadly and on average over a several-year
period (e.g., for the entire 2001 to 2008 period) than on a year-by-year basis.
Table 3. Dwelling units by type, Eugene city limits, 1990, 2000, and 2007
199020002007New Units 1990-2007
Percent Percent
Structure typeUnitsPercentUnitsPercentUnitsPercentUnitsof totalIncrease
Single-family detached26,518 55%32,870 54%38,090 55%11,572 55%44%
Manufactured Home 2,250 5% 3,281 5% 3,833 6% 1,583 8%70%
Duplex (2 units) 2,163 5% 2,426 4% 1,979 3% (184) -1%-9%
Single-family attached 3,264 7% 4,011 7% 4,828 7% 1,564 7%48%
Tri- & Quad-plex (3 or 4 units) 2,723 6% 3,451 6% 4,794 7% 2,071 10%76%
Apartments with 5 to 19 units 6,345 13% 7,538 12% 8,456 12% 2,111 10%33%
Apartments with 20 + units 4,728 10% 7,755 13% 6,915 10% 2,187 10%46%
Total47,991 100%61,332 100%68,895 100%20,904 100%44%
Source: U.S. Census 1990 and 2000, American Community Survey 2007
Note: The decrease in duplex units between 1990 to 2007 may be the result of data anomalies, rather than an actual decrease in
duplexes.
?
Potential range of assumption: The assumptions of housing mix in the baseline
analysis could be taken from the average mix over the 2001 to 2008 period or
from the 2007 mix. The mixes are as follows:
Mix for housing built from Mix for housing stock in
2001 to 2008 2007
Single-family detached: 64% Single-family detached: 55%
Manufactured: 5% Manufactured: 6%
Duplex: 3% Duplex: 3%
Single-family attached: 10% Single-family attached:7%
Tri- & Quad-Plex: 2% Tri- & Quad-Plex: 7%
Apt. with 5-19 units: 8% Apt. with 5-19 units: 12%
Apt. with 20+ units: 7% Apt. with 20+ units: 10%
OAR 660-007 requires that cities of 50,000 or more people in the Metro UGB
assume that 50% of new residential construction will be single-family
detached housing types (including manufactured housing) and 50%
multifamily housing types (including all housing attached housing where each
dwelling unit is not on a separate lot).
?
CAC and TAC discussion: We are working with the CAC and TAC on
assumptions about future mix. Previous discussions with the CAC indicated
that some members prefer a mix that assumes about 55% of new housing will
be single-family attached, but this issue is not resolved. Additional discussion
on this topic will occur at the May CAC meeting.
Recommendations for Baseline Assumptions ECONorthwest April 2009 Page 14
?
Current technical recommendation for baseline assumption: We are working
with the CAC, TAC, and DLCD to develop a recommended baseline
assumption about housing mix.
?
Data source: The assumption about housing mix could be based on
development trends over the 2001 to 2008 period, based on LCOG GIS data
and City of Eugene Planning Department’s building permit data.
Alternatively, assumption about housing mix could be based on the housing
mix for Eugene’s housing stock, shown in point estimates for 1990, 2000, and
2007 from the U.S. Census.
Housing density
Housing density is the density of housing by structure type, expressed in dwelling
units per net or gross acre. Like housing mix, State law requires determination of
housing mix based on analysis of data and suggests using analysis of housing density
developed over the past five years or since the most recent periodic review, whichever
time period is greater, or for a shorter or longer time period.
The U.S. Census does not track residential development density. Eugene City staff
concluded that data prior to 1996 may not be accurate and consistent enough for an
analysis of long-term housing densities. Staff recommends using housing mix based on
development between 2001 and 2008 (rather than 1999 to 2008) because changes to the
City’s zoning code went into effect in 2001 that affect housing development.
Table 4 shows average residential development by structure type for the 2001 to 2008
period. The average density for all residential development over the 2001 to 2008 period
was 6.7 dwellings per net acre. Average residential densities ranged from 5.6 dwelling
units per net acre for single-family residential to 26.3 for apartments with 20 or more
units. These estimates are in the typical range and consistent with previous work by
ECONorthwest and others for other cities in Oregon.
Recommendations for Baseline Assumptions ECONorthwest April 2009 Page 15
Table 4. Average development density by structure type, dwelling units per net
acre, 2001-2008, Eugene UGB
Tri- and
Single-Single-Quad-plex Apts with Apts with
family Manufact-family (3 or 4 5 to 19 20 or more
Yeardetachedured homeDuplexattachedunits)unitsunitsTotal
20015.84.18.631.29.44.8na5.8
20025.78.011.810.75.312.5na6.3
20035.32.41.815.36.319.5na4.7
20045.36.48.85.410.218.412.56.7
20055.42.911.233.714.732.327.76.5
20065.83.59.922.35.27.647.97.9
20076.19.28.218.518.468.347.410.0
20085.77.84.69.214.529.382.18.8
Average5.63.96.820.27.813.126.36.7
Source: LCOG GIS data and City of Eugene Planning Department, 2008
?
Potential range of assumption: Table 4 shows the most recently data available
about housing density in Eugene.
OAR 660-007 requires that cities of 50,000 or more people in the Metro UGB
assume that new residential construction will be average at least 10 dwelling
units per net acre.
?
CAC and TAC discussion: We are working with the CAC and TAC about
assumptions about housing density.
?
Current technical recommendation for baseline assumption: We are working
with the CAC, TAC, and DLCD to develop a recommended baseline
assumption about housing density.
?
Data source: 2001 to 2008 housing mix: The assumption about housing density
is based on development trends over the 2001 to 2008 period, based on LCOG
GIS data and City of Eugene Planning Department’s building permit data.
Converting net acres to gross acres
The existing data about residential density is in acres, which does not include land
net
for public right-of-way. One way to estimate the amount of land needed for housing
including public right-of-way is to convert from to acres based on assumptions
netgross
about the amount of land needed for right-of-way.
?
Potential range of assumption: The net-to-gross factor for housing built
between 2001 and 2008 in Eugene averaged about 20%, based on analysis of
residential development that occurred in Eugene between 2001 and 2008.
?
CAC and TAC discussion: CAC and TAC did not provide comments on the
net-to-gross factor.
Recommendations for Baseline Assumptions ECONorthwest April 2009 Page 16
?
Current technical recommendation for baseline assumption: We recommend
using a net-to-gross factor of 20%.
?
Data source: The net to gross factor is a point estimate based on LCOG GIS
data and City of Eugene Planning Department’s building permit data.
Residential infill and redevelopment
Residential infill and redevelopment increases the intensity of development on land
that is already classified as developed. If the forecasted growth in population and
employment is held constant, then infill and redevelopment will reduce the need for
vacant, buildable land to accommodate growth (other things being equal). is
Infill
defined in this analysis as residential development on a tax lot that already has existing
development but is judged large enough (relative to the amount of existing
development and the legally permitted maximum development) that more
development could occur on it (i.e., that it has some unused capacity to accommodate
new development). For example, a two-acre tax lot in an area that allows eight dwelling
units per acre that has just one single-family house on a corner of the lot may have infill
capacity for more single-family houses, depending on lot configuration and other
factors. occurs when a residential structure is replaced with a denser
Redevelopment
residential structure, such as a single-family dwelling being replaced by a quad-plex.
One-for-one replacement of a residential structure with a structure of similar density
(such as a single-family detached dwelling being replaced with a new single-family
detached dwelling) is not considered redevelopment in this project because it adds no
new capacity.
There is little information available, in Eugene or elsewhere, about residential infill
and redevelopment. Analysis is complicated and time consuming because of the limited
and ambiguous quality of the information available and the fact that each residential
development may have special circumstances. Our analysis indicated that residential
infill and redevelopment accounted for about 11% of new development in the 2001 to
2008 period, the majority of which was for multifamily housing types. We will work
with staff to refine this assumption.
?
Potential range of assumption: There is little data that documents the amount
of residential infill and redevelopment that has occurred in Eugene since 1999.
We are working with City staff to identify and best use existing sources of
data.
?
CAC and TAC discussion: CAC and TAC have not discussed this assumption
in enough depth to have any consensus about different assumptions. We will
coordinate our efforts to identify trends in infill and redevelopment with staff
working in related planning projects, most notably the Infill and Compatibility
Standards project and the Opportunity Siting project.
Recommendations for Baseline Assumptions ECONorthwest April 2009 Page 17
?
Current technical recommendation for baseline assumption: We are working
with staff, the TAC, and CAC to develop recommendations about infill and
redevelopment.
?
Data source: LCOG GIS data and City of Eugene Planning Department’s
building permit data.
2.3 PS-PLN:
UBLIC AND EMIUBLIC AND EEDS KEY ASSUMPTIONS
Cities need to provide land for uses other than housing and employment. Public and
semi-public facilities such as schools, governments, churches, parks, and other non-
profit organizations will expand as population increases. The analysis of public and
semi-public land needs is driven by needs identified by other agencies (e.g., school
districts), needs identified by the City (e.g., parks), and historical needs. For the purpose
of estimating land needed for other uses, these lands are classified into four categories:
?
Land needed for schools. The 4J and Bethel school districts have plans for new
schools by general location within the City and may have plans for selling
surplus school properties.
?
Land needed for parks and open space. This includes all land designated for
park and open space use within the Eugene UGB. The
Parks, Recreation & Open
defines four categories of parks:
SpaceComprehensive Plan (PROS Plan)
neighborhood parks, community parks, natural areas, and other parks.
?
Land needed for public operations and facilities. This includes lands for city
offices and maintenance facilities, county facilities, state facilities, federal
facilities, and other related public facilities.
?
Lands needed for semi-public uses. This includes churches, non-profit
organizations, and related semi-public uses.
The memorandum “Framework for Determining Land Needed for Public and Semi-
Public Land Need in Eugene During the 2010-2030 Period” (March 5, 2009) describes
the methods used to develop an estimate of public and semi-public land needs. This
section discusses the key assumptions necessary for determining the amount of land
needed for public and semi-public uses over the 20-year planning period.
Schools
As population grows, school districts may need additional land for new schools in the
planning period. ORS 197.296 requires that cities coordinate need for new land for
schools with public school districts. We discussed land need with officials from the 4J
and Bethel School Districts. School land needs are based on the estimate of land need
Recommendations for Baseline Assumptions ECONorthwest April 2009 Page 18
provided by the school districts. The 4J School District does not expect to need new land
over the 2010 to 2030 period.
3
The Bethel School District expects to need two sites for future schools: (1) an 80-acre
site for a high school and (2) a 40-acre site for a K-8 school. These needs could increase if
the City expands the UGB and bring more residential land into the UGB in the School
District. The District currently owns an 80-acre site that is located outside but adjacent
to the UGB. The Bethel School District does not have surplus property.
4
?
Potential range of assumption: The school districts provided input on their
expected land needs. Unless the Council finds these needs unreasonable, there is
no range of assumptions.
?
CAC and TAC discussion: CAC and TAC discussed school needs but did not
have suggestions for alternative school land needs. CAC and TAC members
discussed concerns about availability of existing sites within the UGB to
accommodate the Bethel District’s land needs.
?
Current technical recommendation for baseline assumption: We recommend
assuming that the 4J District will not need new land and that the Bethel District
will need a 40-acre site and an 80-acre site.
?
Data source: Interviews with school district officials.
Parks and open space
The CAC suggested basing parkland needs on the level of service identified in the
despite the fact that the
Parks, Recreation & Open SpaceComprehensive Plan (PROS Plan),
City has not adopted this plan. The PROS Plan calls for a level of service of 20-acre per
1,000 people, broken into the following parks categories: 1.7 acres per 1,000 people for
neighborhood parks, 1.5 acres per 1,000 people for community parks, 10.0 acres per
1,000 people for natural areas, and 6.8 acres per 1,000 people for other parks.
?
Potential range of assumption: Based on the level of service standards, the City
currently has a deficit of about 380 acres of parkland to serve the existing
population. Based on the level of service standards and expected population
growth, the City will need 820 acres to fill the existing parkland deficit and
serve new residents.
?
CAC and TAC discussion: CAC and TAC discussed parkland needs but did
not have suggestions for alternative parkland land needs.
This information was provided by Barb Bellamy, Communications Director at 4J in an interview on March 12,
3
2009.
This information was provided by Pat McGillivray, Communications Relations for the Bethel School District in
4
an interview on March 12, 2009.
Recommendations for Baseline Assumptions ECONorthwest April 2009 Page 19
?
Current technical recommendation for baseline assumption: We are still
refining parkland need for natural areas, which may result in some adjustment
to parkland needs. We recommend that the City base parkland need on the
level of service in the PROS Plan and address existing parkland deficits, as well
as future parkland need.
?
Data source: City of Eugene Parks Department
Public facilities and operations
This category includes lands for city offices and maintenance facilities, county
facilities, state facilities, federal facilities, and other related public facilities. It does not
include right-of-ways, land used by the railroad, or land owned by the Bonneville
Power Administration. The City currently has 6.6 acres per 1,000 people (1,174 acres) for
public facilities and operations.
?
Potential range of assumption: Based on the existing level of service (6.6 acres
per 1,000 people) and expected population growth, the City may need about
260 acres of land for public facilities and operations over the planning period.
This estimate seems high because Eugene already has many of the operations
that are necessary for a city the size of Eugene, such as: a wastewater treatment
facility, local and regional government office buildings, the University of
Oregon’s campus and related facilities, utility and other operations, and other
public facilities. An alternative assumption might be that Eugene will need 100
new acres of land (2.5 acres per 1,000 people) for public facilities and
operations. Among other things, this estimate of land need will address the
University of Oregon’s expected growth of 30-acres over the planning period.
5
?
CAC and TAC discussion: CAC and TAC discussed public facilities and
operations land need and seemed to think that assuming a need for 6.6 acres
per 1,000 people was too high. Some committee members were concerned
about the availability of sites within the UGB to provide for needed public
facilities.
?
Current technical recommendation for baseline assumption: We recommend
assuming need for 100 acres of land for public facilities and operations.
?
Data source: LCOG GIS data and City of Eugene Planning Department’s
building permit data
Christopher Ramey, Associate Vice President at the University of Oregon, said that the University expects to
5
purchase and develop roughly 30-acres over the 20-year planning period.
Recommendations for Baseline Assumptions ECONorthwest April 2009 Page 20
Semi-Public uses
This category includes lands for semi-public uses, such as churches, non-profit
organizations, and related semi-public uses. The City currently has 1.3 acres per 1,000
people (232 acres) for semi-public uses.
?
Potential range of assumption: The City could assume that future need for
semi-public land will be similar to current uses, at 1.3 acres per 1,000 people.
Under that assumption, the City will need about 50 acres for semi-public uses
over the 20-year planning period.
?
CAC and TAC discussion: CAC and TAC had no comments on the need for
future semi-public land needs.
?
Current technical recommendation for baseline assumption: We recommend
assuming need for 1.3 acres per 1,000 people or 50 acres of land for public
facilities and operations.
?
Data source: The assumption about need for semi-public land is a point
estimate, based on LCOG GIS data and City of Eugene Planning Department’s
building permit data.