Neighborhood Leaders Council (NLC)

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Please join the Neighborhood Leaders Council (NLC) on Tuesday, April 24th at 7:15 pm. In the Atrium Building located at 99 West 10th Avenue (off Olive Street in Downtown Eugene).

When we host
Eben Fodor

For a presentation and conversation around housing, zoning, neighborhoods and potential big changes to all three looming on the horizon.

While the goal of providing a growing population with more housing choices and more affordable options is widely accepted, there is concern that the idea of increasing density in the areas of single family lots throughout the city might fail to provide increased affordability and at the same time negatively impact the character of low density neighborhoods.

Eben Fodor is a local community planning consultant.
He has been a leading researcher on the impacts of urban growth and land development. He writes on growth and sustainability issues and speaks on these topics across the US.

www.fodorandassociates.com

Second on the agenda will be a presentation and discussion with

Eric Brown, City of Eugene Planner and
Rene Kane, Human Rights & Neighborhood Involvement (HRNI) Neighborhood Planner
who will talk about the draft Neighborhood Planning Guidelines developed by the Planning Dept. & HRNI. The Neighborhood Planning Guidelines are intended to serve as a resource to residents interested in addressing local concerns and aspirations through a planning process or neighborhood project.

Park District Feasibility Study Committee

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Community supporters would like to invite you to attend an organizational meeting to explore the feasibility of creating a Metropolitan Park District to serve the recreational needs of the Eugene area. When speaking to neighborhood groups throughout the greater Eugene area for the past 5 months, we have noted great interest in this type of district and received very favorable results.

Now it’s time to take the next steps! We would like to put together a committee of Metropolitan Park District supporters that can organize a process to achieve the goal of completing a feasibility study. This is needed to determine if a Metropolitan Park District would be in the best interest of Eugene residents. This organizational meeting will be held on Tuesday, April 17th at 7:00 pm at the River Road Park and Recreational District, located at 1400 Lake Drive.

Middle Housing Questions

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Middle Housing Questions from the Southeast Neighbors Forum with Eben Fodor
held on March 1, 2018 at Good Samaritan.

Middle Housing (MH) is being proposed to essentially rezone existing single-family neighborhoods to allow duplexes, triplexes, multiplexes, townhouses, and cottage clusters. Proponents advocate that this can be done in a manner that is compatible with single-family homes. Typically existing homes would be torn down or redeveloped into multiple one- and two-bedroom units. To help make these MH conversion “pencil out”, advocates typically recommend that current off-street parking requirements be waived.

Here are some questions to consider on the topic:

1. What about impacts to neighbors (loss of privacy, noise, solar shading, etc.)?

2. What about parking impacts and increased traffic?

3. What about loss of onsite open space, yards, gardens, play areas?

4. With loss of yards, won’t we need more parks and community gardens?

5. What sorts of additional infrastructure (like schools, roads, and parks) is needed to accommodate increased population density? (And how will this be planned/funded/provided?)

6. What about families with children who don’t fit into one and two-bedroom floor plans?

7. Do most of these units turn into rentals?

8. Is there evidence that these MH units will be more affordable to rent or own than existing housing?

9. Aren’t traditional apartment buildings more economical and affordable than MH.

10. How does MH address low-income housing needs?

11. How do you prevent loss of modestly-priced single-family homes to MH conversions?

12. What about peoples’ expectations to live in a single-family neighborhood?

13. Demand for single-family homes is strong. What hard evidence is there for MH demand?

14. If existing urban single-family neighborhoods are converted into MH, won’t this force those who want a single-family home to the urban fringes (sprawl)?

15. Isn’t the “secondary dwelling unit” (already allowed in cities statewide) a better way to meet demand in established neighborhoods?

16. We see lots of nice pictures, but what prevents MH from being hideously ugly and overcrowded?

17. In Eugene, we just completed our Comprehensive Plan last year and determined that there is enough land and housing capacity to meet projected needs through 2035. So why do we need to rezone single-family neighborhoods?

 

Lane County Hate Crimes Forum – March 10th, 11:00 – 3:00pm at the UO Law School

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Lane County Hate Crimes Forum will be held this Saturday, March 10th, from 11:00-3:00 pm at the UO Law School.

Please join us, register here: http://bit.ly/2CAM3zT

Agenda: “The state of bias and hate” – understanding hate crimes laws, investigations, and prosecution; “The community speaks” – voices of community leaders on the challenges facing their diverse groups; “You are not alone” – resources for the community in the aftermath of hate.

Conversation on Rezoning, Infill and Middle Housing on Single Family Lots

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The City Council is considering zoning changes to encourage infill and make possible more dense development on single family (R-1) lots throughout the city. The theory behind this approach is that by allowing the development of more accessory dwellings, duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes, courtyard apartments, cottage clusters, bungalow courts, townhouses, multiplexes and live/work buildings (all called “Middle Housing”) on single family lots, we can provide a growing population with better access to more “affordable” housing.

Southeast Neighbors have invited Eben Fodor, a local planning consultant and researcher on the impacts of urban growth and land development, to discuss the theory.

He asks us to consider:

  • What evidence exists to demonstrate that these new housing types are more affordable?
  • How would we prevent the loss of older more affordable homes if increasing land values spur speculation?
  • Will new infrastructure (schools, parks and roads) be needed and how will it be paid for?
  • What about impacts to neighbors (solar shading, loss of privacy, yards, gardens, play areas, open space and trees, increased traffic, parking needs and noise, etc.?

     
    All Community Members of Eugene Neighborhoods Welcomed!

    Join the South Eugene Neighbors for a Lively Conversation on

    Thursday, March 1st, 7:00 pm at Good Samaritan, 3500 Hilyard Street

     

Eugene Police Chief Selection Process – Get Involved!

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The City of Eugene has entered the Hire phase of our Police Chief Recruitment process. We have a talented pool of applicants and plan to host finalists for the position in Eugene the week of March 12th!

Our goal is to create opportunities for community members to get to know the finalists and for the finalists to get to know our community. There will be multiple opportunities for community members to engage with this process. Visit this website for more information on community opportunities to engage: https://www.eugene-or.gov/3834/Community-Opportunities

 Community Panel:
A Community Panel is scheduled for the morning of March 13th. The purpose of this panel is to offer the opportunity to engage with candidates and contribute in the selection of the next Police Chief to a broad spectrum of the community.  Selected panelists will participate in small group interviews with each finalist.

If this opportunity interests you and you’re available on March 13th from 8:00am -10:30am please submit your name, contact information and a brief statement of interest (30 words or fewer) here.

Process:

–        All interested parties must submit their interest statement no later than February 28th at 9pm (DEADLINE EXTENDED) using this form.

–        City Councilors, the Mayor and City Manager will make the final selections of individuals who will participate in this process.

Community Forum:
Join us for a Community Forum open to everyone and viewable through webcast! Community members who attend the forum and those viewing from home can submit questions in advance or during the forum. This interactive forum will be held on March 13th from 5:30 – 6:30pm at Harris Hall.

Submit Questions
You can submit questions in advance (by email epcrecruit@ci.eugene.or.us) or in person at the forum to be asked of finalists. Planning to watch on the web? Submit your questions by email through 6:00pm to epcrecruit@ci.eugene.or.us.
All questions will be reviewed, themed and asked of finalists as time permits.

What Do You Think?
People present can provide written feedback in person. Everyone can provide feedback by email to EPCrecruit@ci.eugene.or.us. All feedback collected before Saturday March 17th at 9pm will be compiled and shared as submitted to the City Manager for review.

For more information, questions and ADA accommodations requests (with 48 hours notice) contact Jennifer Lleras Van Der Haeghen at 541-682-5619 or Jennifer.e.vanderhaeghen@ci.eugene.or.us.

Police Chief Recruitment Process Opportunities

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Eugene Police Chief Selection Process – Get Involved! 

The City of Eugene has entered the “Hire” phase of our Police Chief Recruitment process. We have a talented pool of applicants and plan to host finalists for the position in Eugene the week of March 12th!

Our goal is to create opportunities for community members to get to know the finalists and for the finalists to get to know our community. There will be multiple opportunities for community members to engage with this process. Visit this website for more information on community opportunities to engage.

Community Panel:

A Community Panel is scheduled for the morning of March 13th. The purpose of this panel is to offer the opportunity to engage with candidates and contribute in the selection of the next Police Chief to a broad spectrum of the community.  Selected panelists will participate in small group interviews with each finalist.

If this opportunity interests you and you’re available on March 13th from 8:00am -10:30am please submit your name, contact information and a brief statement of interest (30 words or fewer) here>> 

Process: 

All interested parties must submit their interest statement no later than February 28th at 9pm (DEADLINE EXTENDED) using this form>>

City Councilors, the Mayor and City Manager will make final selections of individuals who will participate in this process.

Community Forum:

Join us for a Community Forum open to everyone and viewable through webcast! Community members who attend the forum and those viewing from home can submit questions in advance or during the forum. This interactive forum will be held on March 13th from 5:30 – 6:30 pm at Harris Hall.

Submit Questions

You can submit questions in advance or in person at the forum to be asked of finalists. Planning to watch on the web? Submit your questions by email through 6:00 pm. All questions will be reviewed, themed and asked of finalists as time permits.

What Do You Think?

People present can provide written feedback in person. Everyone can provide feedback by email. All feedback collected before Saturday March 17th at 9 pm will be compiled and shared as submitted to the City Manager for review.

For more information, questions and ADA accommodations requests (with 48 hours notice) contact Jennifer Lleras Van Der Haeghen at 541-682-5619.

Possible Housing, Density & Zoning Changes in South Eugene Join the Conversation

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Sunday, February, 18th, 2-5pm, at the Youth House – 3350 Willamette St

  1. What is most appealing about our neighborhood?
  2. What does “livability” mean to you?
  3. What do you hope for in the future of housing in your neighborhood?
  4. What do you fear for in the future of housing in our neighborhood?
  5. Eugene’s population is growing rapidly and that is exacerbating housing access andaffordability.
    Do you agree with the idea that there is a need for more densification in South Eugene? Why or why not?
    [Brief Slide Presentation from UO Architecture Grad Student, Clay Neal.
    Clay will present a paired series of nine slides depicting a range of proposed options being considered for densification in South Eugene.]
  6. What are your reactions to the proposed ideas you’ve just seen? [Clay will explain the differences between the paired series of slides.]
  7. Where do you think new housing could be built in Southwest Eugene? Where not?
  8. What are you willing and unwilling to compromise on to accommodate more density?
  9. How would you want the City to seek your opinion about zoning changes to allow moredensity in our neighborhood?
    Would you want your neighborhood association to represent you in this process? Would you participate in a neighborhood land-use sub-committee?
  10. What feedback can you offer about this forum process? Was it useful?What would make it more useful?