HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem C: Envision Eugene - Project Approach
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Work Session: Envision Eugene - Project Approach
Meeting Date: June 14, 2010 Agenda Item Number: C
Department: Planning and Development Staff Contact: Lisa Gardner
www.eugene-or.gov Contact Telephone Number: 541-682-5208
ISSUE STATEMENT
The goal of this work session is to provide the council with an update on the Envision Eugene project
and to discuss the project approach, scope of work, and timeline. Staff will introduce a new approach to
the project for the council’s consideration and feedback.
BACKGROUND
The goal of Envision Eugene is to create a collective community vision for how and where to
accommodate Eugene’s expected population growth over the next 20 years. State law requires all cities
to plan for projected population growth and to ensure that their urban growth boundary (UGB) is sized
accordingly. The City Council made a motion in late 2009, to complete local adoption of a Eugene-
specific UGB in February of 2011.
On May 24, 2010, the City Council discussed the scope of work for Envision Eugene based on
suggestions from the Community Advisory Committee for the Eugene Comprehensive Lands
Assessment (ECLA) and other community members. At that meeting, the council asked staff to come
back with a timeline for inclusion of additional scope of work items. Attachment A shows three options
that address the additional scope of work items. The three options are:
Option A- Current timeline and scope of work (including items 1-5)
Option B- Expanded scope of work and timeline (including items 1-13)
Option C- Expanded scope of work and timeline (including items 1-20)
Option C includes work items that would require significant resources from Public Works. The
schedule presented in the timeline for “Option C” is a gross estimate of the time needed for that item. If
council chooses to pursue these items for inclusion in the Envision Eugene project, additional
coordination with Public Works staff will be needed to fully understand the resource needs and
implications for that department’s work plan.
An Alternative Approach
Staff is considering a new approach to the Envision Eugene project for council’s consideration.
Following up on a successful three-day workshop with 50 members of the community, a process can be
structured that builds on the commitment, knowledge and hard work of this group. The concept of this
approach is to continue to convene this group of 50 (with additional members as needed to address fair
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representation) as a working group to make recommendations that will form the basis of a draft future
growth scenario. This approach will also have a thorough public engagement component that keeps the
general public informed while providing opportunities to have a voice in the process. The primary
components of this approach include:
1.Community Consensus
Since the beginning of 2010, staff has listened to over 300 community members in all corners of
the city about their views on planning and future growth. This effort recently culminated in a
three-day workshop that included participants with a wide variety of views on the issue of
growth. One example from this workshop included two participants who identified themselves
as coming from different ends of the political spectrum. After several days of listening to one
another and finding common purpose, the two sat down to talk about their hopes for the future
and found that 80% of them were held in common. It is this type of relationship-building and
problem-solving that can lead to a community consensus decision. Attachment B is a collective
statement of the best possible outcomes of the three day workshop in the words of the
participants.
2.Strategic Technical Analysis and Information
Time and money can be saved by strategically focusing data and information needs. Rather than
spend lots of time and money on upfront technical analysis from which a growth scenario is
selected, this approach utilizes a “just in time” analysis that is specifically tied to desired
outcomes of the community. There is a tremendous amount of knowledge and local expertise
within the Eugene community. This approach relies on this local expertise. As a future vision
for Eugene begins to take shape and specific information needs become apparent, staff and
consultants will work to provide this information in a more defined and strategic manner.
3.“Jaws of Uncertainty”
The concept of the “jaws of uncertainty” has been brought up as a way to deal with the inherent
difficulties of forecasting the future. There is an understandable level of discomfort with locking
Eugene into a future growth scenario which may or may not be relevant over the next 20 years.
Staff continues to explore options with the state that can allow for flexibility and responsiveness
to changing conditions throughout the 20-year planning period. One of the options that is being
explored is a recurring “land needs analysis check-in,” that examines whether past assumptions
have held true and accounts for any unexpected variations in the land supply.
A future growth scenario that results from a community-backed process can lead to an expedited legal
adoption process. State and regional partners will be invited to be at the table as the future growth
scenario is developed.
The traditional process for urban growth boundary decisions is cumbersome, rigid, and overly-complex.
This is an opportunity to redefine the City’s working relationship with the state, the county, and
Eugene’s citizens while reaching an outcome that is more satisfying to more people. This is a new
approach and, as such, there is not a clear map to use for guidance. If for some reason, this process
proves to be unsuccessful, a more traditional approach can be taken without much loss of time. The
work that will be undertaken as part of the new approach is the same work that needs to be done as part
of a traditional approach.
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RELATED CITY POLICIES
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The City Council has directed staff to schedule local adoption of a preferred growth scenario by
February 2011.
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Growth Management Policies are related to Envision Eugene, 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
This item is for discussion only.
CITY MANAGER’S RECOMMENDATION
This item is for discussion only.
SUGGESTED MOTION
None.
ATTACHMENTS
A.Scope of Work and Timeline Options
B.Best Possible Outcomes of the Three Day Workshop
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Staff Contact: Carolyn Weiss; Lisa Gardner
Telephone: 541-682-8816; 541-682-5208
Staff E-Mail: carolyn.j.weiss@ci.eugene.or.us; lisa.a.gardner@ci.eugene.or.us
Project Website: www.envisioneugene.org
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