This month's Envision Eugene Newsletter provides updates on a number of important projects that support our community vision: transportation system development charge incentives, the Housing Tools and Strategies project, Urban Reserves planning, and the Clear & Objective Housing Approval Criteria Update. We hope you'll find this information useful and reach out if you have questions. As always, you can find more information on all of our work by visiting our website.

On Monday, November 26th, City Council will take action on a new methodology for calculating transportation system development charges (SDCs), the fees developers pay to support investments in our transportation system. As part of the new methodology, Council will also vote on proposed incentives for compact development and accessory dwelling units.

The Envision Eugene Recommendation of 2012 included direction to reduce SDCs for developments that implement our community vision around compact growth, efficient transportation, mitigating climate change, and providing affordable housing options. Under the proposal, qualifying developments along our key corridors, in downtown and within walking distance of our frequent transit network would receive up to a 50% reduction in their SDCs. Accessory Dwelling Units would receive a 100% waiver.

If you have questions about the Envision Eugene incentives, you can contact Eric Brown at EBrown@eugene-or.gov.

City Council Meeting

November 26th, 5:30 PM

Harris Hall

125 E 8th, Eugene OR

The Housing Tools and Strategies working group met for the third time on November 14, 2018. Mayor Lucy Vinis welcomed the group members and stayed to observe the meeting. At this meeting, the working group focused on understanding and evaluating the list of options that was generated at the previous meeting. Strategic Economics, the economics consultant for the project, presented information on Eugene’s demographics and housing market. The working group discussed the benefits and drawbacks of the options and identified additional questions. At the end of the discussion, the working group members identified options they liked or disliked.

We invite community members to watch the video and review the meeting materials from the November 14 ^th meeting. Please submit feedback regarding this meeting by the end of the day on Sunday, November 25th. Community feedback will be summarized by the facilitator, shared with the working group and made available online. The full text of all feedback will be retained and included in the final packet of materials for City Council.

The Housing Tools and Strategies working group will hold their next meeting at the Baker Downtown Center from 5:30-8:30 p.m. on Wednesday, November 28. The meetings are open to the public and anyone who is interested is welcome to attend and listen.

At the November 28th meeting, the group will deliberate and vote on which options to move forward in a final recommendation to City Council at a work session scheduled for December 10th at 5:30 pm. The project team sends a big thank you to working group members for spending their volunteer time helping the City gauge how different housing options might fit with community values. Please see the project web page for additional information, updates, and to submit general feedback or questions to the project email HousingTools@eugene-or.gov.

Urban Reserves planning is deep in the technical analysis stage. Staff is working on the constraints analysis to start determining which land within the draft study area may be appropriate for inclusion in urban reserves. The interactive map on our project website shows some of the factors that will be considered in the analysis.

The Envision Eugene Technical Advisory Committee (EETAC) will review this work at upcoming meetings. At their two meetings in November, the EETAC reviewed the project assumptions for determining the amount of land that will be needed for Urban Reserves. They also approved bylaws and elected committee Co-Chairs, John Barofsky and Howard Saxion. The next EETAC meeting is on December 6 ^th and meetings are open to the public. Upcoming dates and meeting materials are posted on the EETAC webpage.

Staff have also been setting up meetings with residents of the draft study area who would like to learn more about Urban Reserves planning. We encourage you to let us know you would like to hold a meeting in your neighborhood. Reach out to project manager Rebecca Gershow at 541-682-8816 or RGershow@eugene-or.gov to set something up.

The Clear & Objective Housing Approval Criteria Update has reached another milestone with the release of the Draft Preferred Concepts Report. This report outlines recommendations based on staff research, stakeholder input and an evaluation of various options for addressing each of the key issues identified during the first phase of the project. Draft recommendations are conceptual only. Actual code language will be crafted in the next phase of the project. Community members, the Planning Commission and City Council will be asked to review the draft code language before moving on to formal adoption. 

On November 19, staff presented the recommendations to the Eugene Planning Commission. This Monday, November 26, recommendations will be presented to City Council for their approval before moving forward. 

Contact project manager, Jenessa Dragovich, if you would like to be involved. You can also visit the project website for more details and to see all project materials.   

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