March 12, 2024 JOINT LANE COUNTY AND CITY OF EUGENE PUBLIC HEARING

The River Road -Santa Clara Neighborhood Plan and Code Amendments

(Summary by Jon Belcher)

Councilors present: Leech, Yeh, Zelenka, Semple, Groves, Clark, Evans, Mayor Vinis

absent: Keating,

Commissioners: Ceniga, Buch, Farr, Lovall, & Trieger

Link to Agenda and Video timeline:

Staff presentation and formalities: (6:30à16:10)

Testifiers

Bill Kloos (Start at 16:20) Representing Action Rental on River Avenue. Stated code amendments will run River Avenue out of business (did not acknowledge Staff recommending removal of River Avenue from code amendments). No basis in plan for removing Auto Oriented Businesses. Asserts that being a non-conforming use is a death knell for business

Teresa Bishow (19:05) Represents Action Rental. Businesses affected aren’t Auto Oriented. Amendments conflict with Goal 9. No basis in plan for amendments.

to Electeds

Tiffany Edwards Eugene Planning Commission Chair (21:56) Refers to Commission Memo to Electeds in support of adopting entire plan. Spoke to Covid, New State Controls & Staff turnover which changed the trajectory of plan. (I thought there was going to be another commissioner to give minor position but there was not)

Mike Reeder (25:05) represents Meekers of Clemens Marina on River Avenue. Oppose the Code amendments.

Louie Vidmar (27:56) CAC member. Spoke to the Neighborhood’s efforts despite difficulties including waning support from City.

Clemens Marina (30:00) Mr. Meeker outlined Marina’s history and products.

Jolene Siemsen (33:15) Please approve reduction of C-2 Height (especially in Greenway and adjacent to R-1 residences) and limit auto oriented businesses (because we need more other use businesses). Please add back commercial business requirement in mixed use developments.

Louisa de Heer (36:00) described the involvement process. Promised neighbors that efforts were valuable, and results will be enacted. Only a few needed code changes remain in proposal. If only aspirations are approved, it will reduce trust in community.

Jon Belcher (39:00) asked record to be open a week.  Request 3 key issues be reviewed.

  1. Lack parking enforcement. Ask Council to direct staff to report on solutions. 
  2. Potential Loss of Commercial Property.  Request language to require commercial on ground floor and feasibility study. 
  3. (time elapsed before requesting reconsideration of Staff’s proposal of one size fits all ordinance for densifying Key Transit Corridors).

Dawn Lesley (42:00) Described suspicion from Sewer Wars, We told neighbors that this time things will be different.  Please pass the code amendments to show them their trust is justified.

Hillary Kittleson (44:15)  Adopt code amendments and add requirement for commercial on ground floor of C-2. Lost robust code amendments so please pass remaining amendments to avoid a document left on the shelf.

Kate Perle (46:30) requested record stay open, Described extensive outreach process. Needed unprecedented collaboration with staff and neighborhoods. We took uncomfortable role as bridge between them. If code amendments aren’t passed, an opportunity will be lost

Staff Comments (49:05) normally would respond to issues raised in hearing but because both elected bodies must approve identical ordinances, will return with response later.

Elected questions/response (most thanked the neighbors who participated and many thanked staff)

Councilor Clark (50:15)

How will you justify 3.5 in support of businesses and land use plan to promote businesses?

Terri Harding: goal 11.2 & 14.1 economic development policy in plan. Will elaborate more in memo. 

Clark: respond to allegation proposed code changes will harm businesses.

Harding: River Avenue is removed from code amendments.

Commissioner Buch: (53:50) Concerned with commercial on first floor removed.

Harding: removed from proposal as Commercial is allowed but not required anywhere in Eugene. Additional reason is that state requires cities to remove/waive barriers to housing.

Councilor Groves: (56:10) 

Will Public record be kept open? 

Atty Lauren Summers: record doesn’t close until decision.

Groves: Supports mixed use. Doesn’t understand business concerns outside River Avenue, will look for information from staff. Likes the process other than how long it took. Wants a debrief of process.

Commissioner Farr (59:30) Raised time spent working on parking issues especially ECCO apartments. Include how parking will be treated in staff memo. 

Commissioner Ceniga (1:01:15) Please discuss incentives for mixed use in staff memo. Supports reduction of C-2 height. Concern over Auto oriented restrictions but they seem to be removed.  Agrees that parking enforcement is an issue.  Hears neighbor’s frustration.

Councilor Zelenka (1:02:55)  Glad River Avenue has been removed from proposed code amendments.  Agrees that code amendments are needed for Plan to have teeth. Sees this as a different approach and backing out of proposal will be a big mistake.

Commissioner Loveall (1:04:30)  Heard a lot of frustrations in testimony.  Supports mixed use but how will we attract them?   Wants incentives to attract businesses as they did in Springfield (who reduced SDCs & created support programs)

Councilor Groves (1:04:44) Parking concerns biggest problem for neighbors. Also concerns about current height allowed in C-2 especially along River edge but also River Road Corridor.

Mayor Vinis (1:06:55) honored Carleen Reilly

City Council 4/22 deliberation and possible action. Lane County Commission on 4/23.

We can submit testimony until decision made but encourage input by 10 AM. 4/22.

County voted to approve second reading. 

Video ends (1:11:10)

Summary of Issues mentioned by Electeds:

Limiting Auto Oriented Businesses:

Councilors Clark, Groves

Commissioner Ceniga

Limiting C-2 Commercial Maximum Height:

Councilor Groves

Commissioner Ceniga

Supporting mixed use/commercial use on C-2 ground floor:

Councilor Groves,

Commissioners Buch, Ceniga

General Support for Code Amendments:

Councilor Zelenka,

Parking Enforcement issues:

Councilor Groves

Commissioners Farr, Ceniga 

Requested Process Debrief:

Councilor Groves

Mentioned Neighborhood Frustration with Process:

Commissioners Ceniga, Loveall, 

RRCO Board Testimony for River Road / Santa Clara Neighborhood Plan Hearing

      River Road Community Organization                                The River and Garden District

Date: March 11, 2024

From: River Road Community Organization Executive Board
To: RRSCPlan@eugene-or.gov.
Re: Testimony for River Road /Santa Clara Neighborhood Plan and Code Amendments Hearing before Eugene City Council and Lane County Commission
Dear elected officials,

We, the members of the River Road Community Organization Board, are writing in unanimous support of the Draft River Road/Santa Clara Neighborhood Plan being submitted by the Eugene Planning staff, the RR/SC Community Advisory Committee, and the River Road and Santa Clara community organizations.

For the past seven years, our community and board members have engaged in this effort with enthusiasm and with the needs of our unique and fast-growing neighborhood in mind.  The plan does not address all of the requirements outlined as part of the Envision Eugene initiative.   However, we believe that the current draft should proceed through the adoption process, moving us forward from the refinement plan of 1986 that currently guides the development for our area.  We are ready to partner with the City and County and are willing to accept some of the shortcomings of the document in order to proceed.

While the new plan will define much of the direction for the neighborhood, the River Road Community Organization Board has identified three core areas of opportunity that were eliminated from the plan. As these are central to the desires of our community, we are committed as a board to continue to advocate for them to meet the needs of River Road residents. 

  1. No Parking Resolution for County Streets:  Lane County controls 76% of River Road Local Streets (58% of Santa Clara’s) and they have little capacity to enforce on-street parking standards. The reduction in on-site parking requirements through the middle housing code amendments and other State standards means that our experience with parking overflow near ECCO housing will become more intense.  Many of the county streets in our neighborhoods are not developed to urban standards and have limited capacity to accommodate the overflow parking almost certain to occur.   Without some way to regulate on-street parking, further densification will lead to more unsafe streets in our neighborhoods.


Howard Meadows, an under construction Middle Housing development at Lake Drive just north of Howard Avenue, illustrates our concern. The project consists of 11-fourplex lots, appearing to have 2 on-site parking places each.  The planned Safe Routes to School project to be built this summer will only allow on-street parking on the north side of Howard Avenue.  Howard Meadows residents with additional cars will be parking on Rosewood Avenue which is a one-lane County Local Access Road with limited off-site parking opportunities. Eight other nearby streets are also under County jurisdiction with neither capacity nor authority to regulate parking.  This and many other middle housing projects in our neighborhoods will likely result in parking conflicts for neighbors just like we have seen on the streets surrounding ECCO apartments off River Road.

We request that the City Council direct the City Manager to explore and report to the

Council potential solutions to the parking issues in our Neighborhoods as part of the Climate Friendly and Equitable Community Parking Reform process.

2.  Potential Loss of Commercial Properties:  When we asked our neighbors to set goals for the Neighborhood Plan, they placed strong emphasis on having more commercial opportunities, especially restaurants, gathering spots & groceries. They also called for 20 Minute Neighborhoods– businesses they could easily walk or bike to.  However, the staff decision to eliminate the proposed Corridor Mixed Use zone which would have required commercial use on the ground floor leaves the majority of our current commercial properties in the C-2 Community Commercial Zone.  This zone allows 100% of the properties in the zone to be residential with no commercial. 

The economic study included in Sera Architect’s River Road Corridor Study showed that economic demand for housing is high and commercial use is low.  Without regulation requiring it or some kind of incentive to encourage it, the commercial facilities we currently have may well be replaced by multifamily housing that ironically will create an even greater need for the commercial properties they replace.

At the February 20,2024 Council Public Hearing, staff presented proposed code to require that the building frontage for C-1 & C-2 Mixed-Use Residential Developments include either 80% or 60% of the ground floor be used for commercial or non-residential purposes1. We are requesting that similar language be adopted for C-2 buildings in River Road and Santa Clara.  We also question why it is important to preserve commercial uses in C-2 when middle housing is a component of a building but not in the C-2 zoned properties in our neighborhoods likely developed at even higher density. 

We request that the City Council direct the City Manager to conduct a feasibility study to determine how to encourage more commercial services in the River Road/Santa Clara area and report the results to the City Council for your consideration.

3. Need for Neighborhood Specific Regulations for the River Road Corridor: We continue to believe that we need neighborhood-specific regulations to guide the development of the River Road corridor.  We appreciate the C2 code changes proposed instead of a special area zone but we recommend that you reconsider a one-size-fits-all ordinance for all seven corridors, as proposed to be enacted in 2026. 

We wish to recognize the efforts of the Eugene Planning staff, the RRCO and SCCO boards, the Community Advisory Committee, and all of the members of our joint communities who have engaged with us over these past seven years to reach this milestone.  It is our hope that we will continue to collaborate over the coming years as we work to implement the Action Plan and resolve our parking, commercial, and corridor issues.

We request that the public record remain open for 7 days after the hearing for additional public testimony.

Thank you for your consideration,

/s/ River Road Community Organization Board Members

Footnote:

1. (from City Council Agenda Page 72 February 20, 2024 Public Hearing – Item 4)

9.2161 Commercial Zone – Land Use and Permit Requirements Special Use Limitations:

(6)  In the C-2 zone, up to two dwellings are allowed in a structure

if the ground floor of the structure is used for commercial or non-residential purposes consistent with Table 9.2161.

RRCO General Meetings switch in APRIL to FIRST MONDAY

April 2024, our meeting is thus on MONDAY, APRIL 1

— NO FOOLING !

Same Location : The Annex, 1055 River Road

Same Time: 7-8:30 pm

1) Regular Community meetings will now be held on the FIRST MONDAY of the month.
2) Board Election for the four expiring positions will be held in the April 1st meeting rather than the March meeting. This will be an in-person meeting only (hybrid logistics for voting are too complicated).
We will begin the April meeting by calling for any additional nominations of active neighbors (anyone who has attended a meeting since last March and signed in either on paper or via zoom). This is your chance to throw your hat in the ring! Then we will provide time for all candidates to present a 3 minute statement about their candidacy after which all active neighbors will vote by paper ballot. 

Once those ballots are collected we will move on to hear from the candidates for City Council Ward 7 and receive information on the measures on the May Primary Ballot (4_J Eugene School District Local Option Levy Renewal, Star Voting & at this time a bond for a Multiuse Stadium at Lane County Events Center.

And finally, we will hear the results of RRCO’s board election.
So if you’re thinking about joining the RRCO Board, here are two ways to get more information:

3) E-Newsletters will come to you around the 18th of the month instead of in the beginning of the month. Please submit e-news items to board@riverroadco.org by the 14th.
4) Keep an eye on your snail-mailbox on March 18th for a postcard announcing the elections.
5) Board meetings will be on the 3rd Monday of the month.
6) Starting in May we will be switching from Zoom to Google meets.

RRCO BOARD Elections April 1, 2024

It is time for some new faces on the RRCO Board.

Do you want to increase the quality of life in the neighborhood we call home? River Road Community Organization (from RRCO web page purpose https://riverroadco.org) seeks to:

  •  Facilitate civic empowerment in decisions affection our neighborhood, especially Eugene and Lane County agencies.
  • Foster networks and relationships among neighbors.
  •  Encourage a resilient neighborhood protecting the Greenway producing food, energy and water locally.
  • Ensure all our neighbors feel safe and are welcome in our River Road Neighborhood.

We often see wild geese flying above our neighborhood, inviting us to notice the way they help one another, encourage and rotate leadership. As some of us “lead” geese rotate back into the membership of RRCO, perhaps, it is your time to lead.

IS IT TIME FOR YOU to step up for one of the four available RRCO Board positions?

Here is a link to a updated list of Board Member Job Description

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1HobvchMxw5IE1yBrUN3PS7yLRCgfj-cogqHed2QUgVI/edit?usp=sharing

Board members must live or work or own property or a business in the River Road Area.
Elections are on Monday, April 1 so please send a short paragraph about yourself and interest to board@riverroadco.org for inclusion in the March 14 RRCO E-News.

This report of our work last year may inspire you. riverroadco.org/2023-in-review

RRCO General Meeting

Monday March 11, 7 pm

Hybrid meeting at 1055 River Road and online at
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86399080539?pwd=vS4CXVFXdipYHaWL1m336MrGh7wXqe.1
It’s Spring and we are starting to unfurl from hibernation. This month we will celebrate the ways that we connect through neighboring activities.
Renee Duncan, the new superintendent of the River Road Parks and Recreation District will join our conversation about how community activities enhance community and personal health.  Other neighbors will also share their experiences of neighboring and community building.
We will also hear an update on Howard Avenue Safe Routes to School Project by Catherine Rohan from Eugene Transportation Planning and an update on the Neighborhood Plan process going to City Council & Planning Commission Hearing on March 12.
Come to the March meeting and be sure to sign in to be eligible to vote in April!

Senior Meals Winter Bowling Tournament on January 20

Winter Bowling Tournament FUNdraiser, benefiting LCOG Senior & Disability Services’ Senior Meals Program! We have partnered with Playground Sports to host this event and invite all who are interested to come out and have a ball!

The tournament is Saturday, January 20, 2024 from 12:00-5:00 p.m. at First Bowl, 1950 River Road, Eugene, OR 97404.

Click here to register.

The cost to register is $75.00 per individual, or $450.00 for a team of 6. Registration fees include shoe and lane rental, with a portion of all registration fees going directly to the Senior Meals Program. Up to 12 teams will participate in a no-tap tournament, meaning 8 or 9 pin bowls will count as strikes. There is a 3-game guarantee, prizes for winners, and raffle for ALL! Children are welcome to attend but only 18+ are allowed to bowl.

The Senior Meals Program is a nutrition Wellness program which helps Lane County adults aged 60 and up to maintain their independence by providing healthy meals and opportunities to develop vital social connections through Cafe 60 Dining Rooms and the Meals on Wheels program. To find out more about these vital programs, please visit our Senior Meals Program page.

River Celebration This Sat. Sept 9, 12 noon – 4 pm !

Along the Ruth Bascom Riverbank Trail from Rasor Park to Merry Lane

(new post every day till it starts!)

Play Beanbag toss win real prizes from Locally Owned Businesses – Lonches to Go, Lube It USA, River Road 2nd Hand, Paramont Sewing & Vac, Panaderia Y Peposteria Bendicion, and more. Also prizes for kids!

Spoken Words from authors and readers with a shady place to listen near the Grove (Hazelnut Grove area). Here is the schedule:

SPOKEN WORD area (in THE GROVE)
12:20Gabriel Gallon “Through Dalton’s Eyes” a Story of Science
12:40AUTHORS Sandi Goldie & Jim Bronson “Gray Love”
1:00AUTHOR Margo Solod “Washed Up in the Waves”
Chidren’s rhyming children’s book 
1:30Ravi Logan: Discussion circle – Transition to a new Era: humanity at a cross road
2:15Drasmin – poetry
2:30Jan Spencer: Discussion circle – Permaculture 
3:00What do the Kalapuya people have to teach US
about FLOURISHING into the 21st century ?
3:30Brenda Wills reading several children’s picture books
3:50Culminating circle with Drums from Merry Lane

Here is the Big Picture