Category: SHiNA News

From the editor

Happy May Day to us all. I am sending out this email early so we can recommend a fun event that will occur tomorrow:

“Asian Kite Festival: May, 2015

Saturday, May 2, 2015

250 Sliver Lane, Eugene

12:00 – 5:00 pm.

This year’s annual “Asian Kite Festival”, hosted by the community’s Asian Council, will be combined with Yujin Gakuen’s Children’s Day event. The UO’s Japanese Student Organization (JSO) and the Japanese-American Association of Lane County will contribute to this epic event on Saturday, May 2, 2015 from 12:00 – 5:00 pm.

The Children’s Day portion will host free field games and an obstacle course, as well as Samurai hat and Koinobori making. Origami Master Tomo Tsurumi will be on hand to exhibit and teach the intricate art of paper folding. Yujin Gakuen will also have sweet baked goods and pottery for sale. Kinokuniya, a Japanese bookstore based in Portland, will also be on hand selling Japanese books and stationary.

Students of Yujin Gakuen will hold a taiko and song performance, along with other local groups, such as Eugene Taiko, throughout the day. This is a fun community event for the whole family!

Families of fifth grade students will be on site in the parking lot collecting donation items in a Goodwill truck to raise funds for their summer trip to Japan. They would greatly appreciate you clearing out your attic and bringing items you no longer need to their Goodwill truck during the weekend of May 2nd. Please note that no singular item may weigh more than 100lbs.”

Then, meeting news:

Our board will meet on this Wednesday, May 6, at 7 pm, on the upstairs balcony at Market of Choice on 29th. We will be discussing future meetings and ways to contact and communicate with our neighbors.

All board meetings are open. We would be especially excited if pepole from the area south of 40th street, and representatives of any Homeowners Associations (HoAs) in our area, could attend.

We will be trying to visit the meetings of HoAs there as well as in the western reaches of our area around Chambers and City View. If you belong to one of those HoAs, let me know the date of your next meeting and we will come and learn if we can assist you in any way.

Our official area has its north boundary along 28th from Willamette to Chambers then along 24th to City View. The area extends south, bordered by Willammette on the west and City View on the east, down to the city border.

But, also I want to send out some less cheerful items.

Crime notes:

From the Eugene Police Department

“Greetings,

I wanted to let you know that I have noticed a jump in burglaries, especially on the Westside of town. Most of these have involved unlocked doors and windows (over half). There have been a number of thefts from garages with open doors. Several bikes have been stolen because the garage door has been left open.

Sometimes residents get a false sense of security if they are in the house or in the backyard. Please encourage residents to close and secure doors if they are not in the immediate vicinity.

Any help in getting the word out is appreciated. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Margaret Mazzotta
Crime Prevention Specialist
Eugene Police Dept.
541-682-5761”

Dog news

More complaints about off leash dogs in public parks:

“I, too, have been bothered by many people letting their dogs run loose in these two neighborhood parks. We walk our two dogs in these parks every day, always on leash. We walk with pepper spray to protect our dogs from being charged by dogs running loose which, I might add, are always identified as “friendly” by their smiling owners. No loose dog running toward a leashed dog can be perceived as friendly. I have pointed at the sign by the Morse Ranch sidewalk (that says dogs must be leashed) and asked a dog owner to please leash her dog. She laughed and said she didn’t want to. Both this lack of consideration for others and the lack of respect for park rules are disturbing.”

“I strongly support the enforcement of leash laws and proscription of free ranging dogs anywhere. Dogs defecate anywhere, are intimidating and can be a real menace to people and wildlife, as nationwide thousands of dog attacks and bites attest to.”

And about Barking dogs:

On our nextdoor.com site, neighbors have been discussing the problem of deterring barking dogs. They say that their dog owners’ attitudes have hardened and that the city has become lax in enforcing its own ordinances. They make various suggestions.

I found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BUx3tWnmZvs a list of videos showing what some people online have tried. Most report at best partial success.

The Eugene city code defines barking this way:
• Barking dog. A dog which persistently barks or howls and thereby unreasonably deprives a person of peace and quiet.

The code defines the offense as
• Continuous annoyance. Permit any animal to cause annoyance, alarm or disturbance for more than 15 continuous minutes at any time of the day or night, be it repeated barking, whining, screeching, howling, braying or other like sounds which can be heard beyond the boundary of the owner’s property.

The city web site says:
• Barking dogs: Dogs barking continuously for 15 minutes or more can be reported to Animal Services at 541-687-3647 during business hours. After business hours, barking dog complaints can be made to the Eugene Police Department non-emergency department at 541-682-5111.

On a more cheerful note, a report on our 4J school board debate

“The Southwest Neighborhood Association as well as the Southeast Neighborhood association together with other community leaders held a Candidate Forum for the 4J School district on April 30th. It was hard to find an empty seat at this packed forum.

Food, refreshments, tabling and information by many wonderful neighborhood association volunteers. Our timekeeper didn’t miss a beat and keep the candidates on track.

As they welcomed attendees, the candidates shared brochures and literature as well as engaged with visitors.

The Moderator, Rick Levin did a great job ensuring the flow and the full participation of the candidates participating in the debate. Amy Schneider, Education columnist and blogger for the Eugene Weekly was at hand and supporting the event with several teachers, former school administrators, parents and community members.

All other candidates not in the debate were given time to introduce themselves at the start of the event. They too, brought in their literature and networked with attendees.

Audience participation through the Q&A was equally engaging and timely. We wish we had more time for more questions.
Juan Carlos Valle and Heather Sielicki teamed up for this well attended event.

The next 4j Board Debate is at City Club of Eugene on May 8th at 12 noon.”

* * * * * *

Who we are:

Our new name: Southwest Hills neighborhood Association
Our old name: Crest Drive Citizens Association
Our area of the City: west of Willamette, extending south to the city borders, with our north boundary along 28th to Chambers then along 24th to City View.

Our contact information
For the newsletter: dkolb@bates.edu
For all other matters: vallecomm@gmail.com

The officers of our Association
Chair: Juan Carlos Valle
Vice Chair: Rachael Young
Reporting Sec.: Francina Verrijt
Corresponding Sec./Treas.: David Kolb

Purpose: Our purpose is to promote community at the neighborhood level and improve the livability of the neighborhood, and to educate neighbors and provide a forum for members to identify, discuss, and resolve neighborhood issues by encouraging and facilitating communications and participation among the members on matters of common concern.

How to keep up with news about our area and our activities:
You can check our Web site: crestdriveca.com
You can join the hundreds who receive our weekly email newsletter. Sign up using the form on the web site.
You can join ongoing discussions at our nextdoor.com web page. Sign up at that site.

Tomorrow’s the day

Southwest Hills Neighborhood Garden Fair.  All welcome. Meet the OSU Extension Services Master Gardeners, here to answer all your gardening and compost questions.  Snacks and beverages. Small crafts for kids. Door prizes. 2 to 4 pm, Morse Family Farm farmhouse, 595 Crest Drive, Eugene. Wheelchair accessible. Contact Rachael for more information: 541-221-2233. Free.
From the editor

So come to our Garden event tomorrow!

Three important events about our children

1) Inform yourself about an important decision at the election . We are helping with Southeast’s 4j School Board Candidate Debate.
Thursday, April 30 at 6:30pm, Hilyard Community Center in Eugene, Oregon

2) Playborhood and Free Range Kids Speaker & Forum
 Giving Our Children Freedom, Independence, and Health; from Free Range Kids to Playborhoods, how can we as a community help families and kids rediscover childhood? Mike Lanza, author of Playborhood will speak and then we will hold a forum and workshop session on the topic of creating a better city for kids and families and building a culture that supports childhood independence and freedom.

While the parents gather at the Hilyard Center the kids will work on some fun activities and games next door at the Amazon Community Center. It’s like a date-night, except dinner is free, the drinks aren’t as strong and you get to build a better community!

Join us for this special LiveMove, City of Eugene, and Safe Routes to School event!

Please register for this free event so we know how many people to expect.
Amazon Community Center, 2700 Hilyard Street
      May 15, 2015
6:00-6:30pm Social
6:30-7:30pm Speaker Mike Lanza
7:30-8:30pm Forum & Workshop

Register here

3) Young Women’s Fire Camp
Gain leadership skills and learn about firefighting at this free camp:

Are you or do you know a young woman interested in gaining confidence and leadership skills? Want to learn what firefighting is all about? Then click on the following link to learn more and complete your application for 2015 Young Women’s Fire Camp. Fire Camp takes place July 6-10.
 
This year’s Fire Camp will help build your confidence, leadership and team skills, while participating in hands-on firefighting training. If you are between the ages of 15 and 19 years old, consider learning more and submitting your application by June 5th: 2015 Young Women’s Fire Ca 
Information and application form
 

   
Proposed Lane County Vehicle Fee Information
Potential Projects in Eugene Identified
In May, Lane County voters will decide whether Lane County should establish a county vehicle registration fee. If authorized by the voters, 40% of the funds will be shared with the incorporated cities throughout the county. The proposed Lane County registration fee amount is $35 per year for most vehicles and $20 per year for motorcycles and mopeds. $35 per year is equivalent to $2.92 per month.
 
Fee Details: If adopted, the county fee would be collected by Oregon DMV at the same time motorists obtain or renew their state vehicle registration. Most new vehicles are registered for a four-year period; subsequent renewals typically occur every two years. Certain vehicles would be exempt from the county fee under state law. Disabled veteran, government, school, farm, antique, special interest and recreational vehicles and heavy vehicles paying the weight-mile tax would be exempt from the fee under state law.
 
If adopted the $35 annual fee would generate approximately $11 million countywide. Approximately $6.6 million would go to the county and $4.4 million to cities based on population. The eight largest cities and projected revenues are: Eugene (about $2.7 million); Springfield (about $1 million); Cottage Grove (about $165,000); Florence (about $145,000); Junction City (about $94,000); Creswell (about $85,000); Veneta (about $80,000) and Oakridge (about $55,000).
 
Potential Projects
At the request of Lane County, the City of Eugene identified three projects that are currently unfunded, but could be implemented if funding becomes available, and are in need of repair according to the City’s pavement management system:
• Amazon Parkway from 24th to approximately 29th avenues, an overlay project that would cost about $440,000 and fix about 1.4 lane miles
• Franklin (westbound) from Walnut to Agate streets, an overlay project that would cost about $430,000 and fix about 1.4 lane miles
• The City portion of NW Expressway from Maxwell to about a half mile south, a reconstruction project that would cost about $1.7 million and fix about 1.9 lane miles
Oregon’s Constitution requires taxes and fees on motor vehicle fuel and use, including vehicle registration fees, to be used exclusively for the construction, reconstruction, improvement, repair, maintenance and operation or use of public highways, roads, streets and roadside rest areas in this state.
 

Who we are:

Our new name: Southwest Hills neighborhood Association
Our old name: Crest Drive Citizens Association
Our area of the City: west of Willamette, extending south to the city borders, with our north boundary along 28th to Chambers then along 24th to City View.

Our contact information
For the newsletter: dkolb@bates.edu
For all other matters: vallecomm@gmail.com

The officers of our Association
Chair: Juan Carlos Valle
Vice Chair: Rachael Young
Reporting Sec.: Francina Verrijt
Corresponding Sec./Treas.: David Kolb

Purpose: Our purpose is to promote community at the neighborhood level and improve the livability of the neighborhood, and to educate neighbors and provide a forum for members to identify, discuss, and resolve neighborhood issues by encouraging and facilitating communications and participation among the members on matters of common concern.

How to keep up with news about our area and our activities:
You can check our Web site: crestdriveca.com
You can join the hundreds who receive our weekly email newsletter. Sign up using the form on the web site.
You can join ongoing discussions at our nextdoor.com web page. Sign up at that site.

From the editor

More rain, more flowers, and more news.

First, though, a big reminder: our Garden Party, coming on the 19th.

OREGON STATE EXTENSION SERVICE GARDENERS
Will be available for gardening advice and to answer your questions at the

SPRING GARDEN EVENT
on
SUNDAY, APRIL 19, 2:00-4:00pm
at the
WAYNE MORSE FAMILY FARM
595 CREST DRIVE

The event is FREE and open to everyone.
There will be cookies and juice and crafting projects for children.

For more information about the event, please see http://www.crestdriveca.com
or contact Rachael Young at rachael.anne.young@gmail.com or 541-221-2233

Park news

There is another project in our neighborhood that I want to recommend, at Lafferty Park.

Lafferty Park is 2.1 acres, just a block south of Morse Family Farm, but not obvious from Crest Drive. It has a pleasant 2 acre sloping lawn, a stream, play area, walkway and picnic tables. A neighborhood group helps keep it up and watches over its plants and trees. Several years ago they were awarded a grant from the city that helped build the play area and attractive retaining walls.

Now the group wants to build a concrete pad under the picnic tables, so that the walkway will be clearer for bikes and walkers, and there will be no need to move the tables for lawn maintenance.

The park department will do some hauling and finishing, but the group is looking for help digging a 7 1/2 inch deep base for the pad, filling it with 2 inches of gravel, then pouring 5 1/2 inches of concrete. Total length, 25 feet, total width, 4 feet, tie in with rebar to existing sidewalk. They are also asking for funds to help defray the costs of the rock, concrete and rebar, estimated at $600.

Are you or someone you know willing to help with a strong back in the excavation of the dirt? Would you help with the projected costs? They need to know before the end of April. You can volunteer to help by emailing brigham-glen@comcast.net.

Traffic news

In response to citizen complaints, the traffic department is going to make another attempt to measure speeding on Brae Burn.

City News

Friends of the Eugene Public Library Sale continues today, Apr. 12, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at Lane Events Center (Lane County Fairgrounds) Performance Hall.

A Cross Cultural Approach to Sustainable Transportation
LiveMove proudly announces Dr. Adonia E. Lugo as part of the LiveMove Speaker Series in partnership with the Center for Latino and Latin American Studies.

Thursday, April 16
5:30 PM – 7:30 PM
Downtown Lane Community College Room 112
(101 W 10th Ave)

Dr. Lugo is an urban anthropologist and leading voice for a diverse bike movement. She studies the conflicting, complex ways that people inhabit cities and streets as human infrastructure. Using bicycling, walking and riding transit as embodied methods for observing the power dynamics of urban space, she draws on the tradition of flânerie and feminist critical theory’s situated knowledge to argue that our social positions influence what we consider normal in street life.

Wastewater Treatment Protecting Waterways
Take a Tour and See Local Protection Effort
In-depth tours of the Regional Water Pollution Control Facility (aka wastewater treatment plant on River Avenue) are a great way to learn more about how wastewater is managed regionally. Each year, more than 700 people – the majority of them students from area schools – tour the plant. Free tours are available to interested groups year-round, Monday through Friday. To book a tour, email regional staff at mwmcpartners@springfield-or.gov or call Michelle Cahill, director of the Public Works Wastewater Division, at 541-682-8606.

Children’s Day/Book Day
Día de los Niños / Día de los Libros (Children’s Day / Book Day) is an international holiday honoring children, culture, and books. Local families are invited to celebrate at a bilingual festival including storytelling, live music and dance, creative activities, games, library card sign-ups, refreshments, and free books for kids to take home. This year’s featured performer is audience-favorite Carmen “T” Bernier-Grand, an award-winning children’s book author, storyteller, and educator.

Springfield Public Library: Saturday April 25:
On Saturday, April 25, between 1:00 and 4:00 p.m., join in free events starting with a performance by Carmen “T” Bernier-Grand, followed by music and dance with Mariachi del Sol, Alma de México Ballet Folklórico, and El Taller de Son Jarocho, plus hands-on activities for children. Springfield Public Library is located at 225 5th Street, inside City Hall; for more information, call 541-726-3766.

Downtown Eugene Public Library, Sunday April 26:
On Sunday, April 26, between 2:30 and 5:00 p.m., join in free events starting with a performance by Carmen “T” Bernier-Grand, followed by music and dance by Mariachi los Patos, and hands-on activities led by groups including Eugene Arte Latino with Jessica Zapata. The Downtown Eugene Public Library is located on the corner of 10th Avenue and Olive Street; for more information, call 541-682-5450 (press 5 for Spanish).

Who we are:
Our new name: Southwest Hills neighborhood Association
Our old name: Crest Drive Citizens Association
Our area of the City: west of Willamette, extending south to the city borders, with our north boundary along 28th to Chambers then along 24th to City View.
Our contact information
For the newsletter: dkolb@bates.edu
For all other matters: vallecomm@gmail.com
The officers of our Association
Chair: Juan Carlos Valle
Vice Chair: Rachael Young
Reporting Sec.: Francina Verrijt
Corresponding Sec./Treas.: David Kolb
Purpose: Our purpose is to promote community at the neighborhood level and improve the livability of the neighborhood, and to educate neighbors and provide a forum for members to identify, discuss, and resolve neighborhood issues by encouraging and facilitating communications and participation among the members on matters of common concern.
How to keep up with news about our area and our activities:
You can check our Web site: crestdriveca.com
You can join the hundreds who receive our weekly email newsletter. Sign up using the form on the web site.
You can join ongoing discussions at our nextdoor.com web page. Sign up at that site..

From the editor

We’re baaack! Arriving home to cooler weather much appreciated after sweltering in Phoenix, I find plenty of items for this week’s email.

Traffic question: a neighbor has reported on the problem of speeding on Brae Burn. The street is about to be repaved and the city has responded that it can put some speed bumps on 39th, it does not see the need for them on Brae Burn. If you live along or near Brae Burn, let me hear from you — dkolb@bates.edu — we will collect statements and add them to data collected by a vigilant neighbor, and then try to persuade the city to reconsider its decision.

Web site news: a while back we decided to wait on upgrading our Web site because there was a proposal to develop a new system for all the neighborhood association websites. Alas, that proposal has not succeeded, due to cost. The City hopes to redo its own Web site later this year, and that might include a new system for neighborhood associations web sites. So we will continue with our crestdriveca.com Web site for the foreseeable future. Because of our name change to Southwest Hills Neighborhood Association, “crestdriveca” is no longer quite appropriate but it would be expensive to register a new domain name, so we will leave it as is for now. If the City Web site does get redone and does have good facilities for us, then we’ll change to them. If they turns out to be inadequate then we’ll consider a new site of our own.

Incidentally, after rhyming and jiving, our Board likes “SHiNA” as the abbreviation for our new name.

From the City

Big Plan with Gradual Effects

For some years the City has been working on a plan to guide development in the South Willamette area just north of our neighborhood. The plan envisions changing codes to encourage new kinds of building there. The proposed code update follows the recommendations of the Concept Plan and will affect residents, property owners, and business owners as the district changes over time. The proposed new code provisions are now in the review and adoption phase.

The goal of the plan is to create an attractive, healthy, walkable neighborhood with successful businesses and new opportunities for jobs and housing. The timeline below outlines key steps in the implementation process and opportunities for community feedback.

The following events are currently planned or scheduled to engage the community in understanding and discussing the proposed code update:

April 16th – Friendly Neighbors Quarterly General Meeting Update

Late spring 2015 – Draft code available for public feedback

Summer 2015 – Planning Commission Open House, Eugene Downtown Library, Bascom-Tykeson Room

Check the South Willamette Special Area Zone web page for more
information:
http://www.eugene-or.gov/sw-saz

See the 2013 Concept Plan online: http://www.eugene-or.gov/SWillamette

For further information about the South Willamette Special Area Zone please contact Jennifer Knapp at 541-682-5445 or via email at Jennifer.L.Knapp@ci.eugene.or.us

Policing the Police
Your Right to Record Law Enforcement
The Eugene Police Department is in the process of drafting a new policy regarding the right of the public to record police interactions. This forum will discuss your constitutional rights to record police, why this right and responsibility is important to ensure police accountability, and how to record legally and safely. We will also discuss the proposed draft of EPD Policy 415, “Recording Police Activities By the Community,” and will provide information on how you can contribute to this process.

Tuesday, April 7 – 6 PM – 9 PM
UO Law School Room 110, 1515 Agate Street

Bike Share Comes to Eugene

Grant Funding Supports New System
On March 19, the Oregon Transportation Commission approved the City of Eugene’s grant request of $909,066 to create a bike share system in Eugene. Over the next year or so, City staff will be working with the University of Oregon and Lane Transit District to determine how to best launch, operate and maintain a successful bike share system in Eugene.

Bike share is an innovative transportation program, whereby system subscribers have access to public bicycles through self-service kiosk locations throughout the community. The system is accessed through low-cost subscriptions ranging from one-day access to annual membership. A bike share member can either swipe their membership key or credit card to release a bike from the station and can return it to any station in the system. The check-in and check-out transactions take a few seconds each. Therefore, bike share is ideal for short distance, point-to-point trips.

In cities across the U.S. bike share systems have proven very popular and successful by giving residents and visitors a fast, affordable, easy-to-use transportation option.

Keeping Families Off the Streets
This year, Catholic Community Services (CSS) received a special grant from Lane County to provide homeless families with children temporary shelter in local motels on cold nights. This new program complements the Egan Warming Center program administered by St. Vincent de Paul, which provides temporary cold weather shelter for homeless adults without children.

While it was a relatively mild winter, there were still several cold nights. Thanks to this new program, CSS provided 108 nights of motel shelter for 17 different homeless families. CSS served 29 adults and 37 children, ranging in age from a 1 month-old infant to a grandmother more than 80 years old.

CSS could use donated items such at deodorant, toothbrushes, razors, feminine hygiene products and diapers. Donations can be dropped off at either of their two locations: 1464 W 6th Ave in Eugene or 1025 G Street in Springfield.

Help Lane County School Gardens
Consider dining at McMenamins on East 19th Street Cafe (1485 E 19th Ave, Eugene, OR 97403) as they host a benefit for School Garden Project on Tuesday, April 28th. Half of all food and drink proceeds sold between 5pm-1am will be donated to SGP, whose mission is to help Lane County Schools create, sustain, and use onsite gardens by providing resources, professional consultation, and educational programming. SPG envisions a future in which school garden education helps children become healthy adults who eat their fruits and vegetables and know the basics of growing food and contributing to a thriving community.

SPG supports four school districts including Eugene 4J, Bethel, Springfield, and Crow-Applegate-Lorane; 36 K-12 Schools and Non-Profit Organizations and over 800 Students annually.

For more information, contact John Moriarty; 541-284-1001

Friends Host Annual Book Sale
Friends of the Eugene Public Library Sale

Book lovers: shop for a good cause! The Friends of Eugene Public Library Annual Book Sale will be held Saturday, Apr. 11, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday, Apr. 12, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at Lane Events Center (Lane County Fairgrounds) Performance Hall.

Proceeds from this all-volunteer project go to support Eugene Public Library classes, programs, and events, including Summer Reading for children and teens. Admission and parking are free.

Shoppers will be able to choose from thousands of gently used and like-new books on all topics, at bargain prices of only $1.00 – $2.00. Also for sale will be DVDs, LPs, audio books, sheet music, and a huge choice of music CDs. Recent bestsellers will be available in the “Good as New” section, and collectors can check for rare and specialty books in “Individually Priced.” A children’s area will offer a large selection of books, DVDs, and CDs for kids. VISA/Mastercard will be accepted, as well as cash and checks.

The book sale is the Friends of Eugene Public Library’s major fundraiser each year. Over 300 volunteers work on the book sale, many year-round.

Diversity & Multicultural Education
A Panel Discussion Reflecting the Current State of Lane County
Wednesday, April 15th from 6:00-7:30 pm at the Oregon Research Institute, 1776 Millrace Drive, Eugene. This informal format provides opportunities for each panel member to speak and engage the audience in questions and discussion.
Questions for the panel members include:
• From your perspective, what is the current state of diversity and multicultural education in Lane County?
• To what degree have multicultural perspectives been integrated into curricula, both as separate sections, and as part of other classes?
• What is the greatest single need to more effectively educate our children on the importance of appreciating different cultural perspectives?
• To what degree does institutional racism hamper efforts to bring a multicultural perspective to the classroom?
• If you had the authority to change any aspect of your educational institution in order to improve diversity education, what would you do?
• How can those not involved in the educational system support change efforts in this regard?
For more information email Sonya Gabor

Who we are:
Our new name: Southwest Hills neighborhood Association
Our old name: Crest Drive Citizens Association
Our area of the City: west of Willamette, extending south to the city borders, with our north boundary along 28th to Chambers then along 24th to City View.
Our contact information
For the newsletter: dkolb@bates.edu
For all other matters: vallecomm@gmail.com
The officers of our Association
Chair: Juan Carlos Valle
Vice Chair: Rachael Young
Reporting Sec.: Francina Verrijt
Corresponding Sec./Treas.: David Kolb
Purpose: Our purpose is to promote community at the neighborhood level and improve the livability of the neighborhood, and to educate neighbors and provide a forum for members to identify, discuss, and resolve neighborhood issues by encouraging and facilitating communications and participation among the members on matters of common concern.
How to keep up with news about our area and our activities:
You can check our Web site: crestdriveca.com
You can join the hundreds who receive our weekly email newsletter. Sign up using the form on the web site.
You can join ongoing discussions at our nextdoor.com web page. Sign up at that site.

It’s going to be SHiNA – We think that’s the best acronym for our new name. (Think of the possibilities: “SHiNA on Harvest Moon”, “Can America compete with SHiNA?”, “SHiNA adapts new Foreign Policy ”

From now until April 2, your editor will be traveling, so this newsletter will not be appearing until early April. I’m sorry for the interruption but am looking forward to our trip south.

A reminder: The next general meeting will be in April, focusing on garden advice and events. We will have expert gardeners to answer your questions, we’ll have displays, and we’ll have music, too!

One item we will delay until June. This is the issue of private roads in the city, which came up at our January meeting. We will try to find a speaker from the city to address this, and we will provide more accurate information on our neighborhood’s private streets, including Horizon Rd.

Progress on our new charter:

We have sent off the text approved by our general meeting to the City, which is examining it. If there are small changes requested we will make them. Larger changes would require another vote. Presuming all goes well, the charter will be submitted to the City Council for approval within the next month or so. That will mark the official name and border change, although we have already started using the new arrangements.

We are hoping to find new members for our board from the area to the south which is being transferred from Southeast neighbors to Southwest Hills. If you might be interested or if you know of anyone who would be, or if you belong to an organization or homeowners association whose concerns should have representation on our board, please contact me at dkolb@bates.edu.

We haven’t received any new local crime reports in the last week.

From the City:

1) Building a Culture of Preparedness in West Eugene
When it comes to being prepared for the unexpected, we need to take a community approach. As CERT volunteers, we have the ability to make a difference. Here in West Eugene, we have the training and resources to build a culture of preparedness.

During this workshop, we will discuss how to improve upon our communication in everyday life and in emergency situations. You will also have the chance to learn about the 5-step program for neighborhood preparedness, pioneered by the City of Los Angeles.

March 21, 2015
5:30 – 7:30 PM
2nd & Chambers, 1705 W 2nd Ave, Classroom 6

For more information, email cert@ci.eugene.or.us

2) Northwest Permaculture Convergence

The 2015 Northwest Permaculture Convergence will take place at the River Road Park Recreation Center August 28-30. Join us for a coming together of people from all over the Northwest who are making their homes, neighborhoods and communities safer, more healthy and green.
The Convergence will include presentations and site tours featuring front yard gardens, solar design, edible landscaping, green preparedness, collaborations between neighbors and much more. A priority for the event is to bring neighborhood leaders together from all over the Northwest to compare notes about greening their neighborhoods.

Jan Spencer is one of the core organizers and would be glad to make a presentation for Eugene Neighborhood Associations to show and tell about permaculture, the Convergence and what can be done with an average suburban property for taking care of more needs closer to home.

Take the Survey to help determine the most useful and practical presentations you might like
https://docs.google.com/a/northwestpermaculture.org/forms/d/19JeUSeOh7mdB5DM45NMlO83daBTXU4xB9KUSvs8TC8c/viewform

From the editor

Change in Meeting Plans

I’m sorry to tell you that the speakers we scheduled for our March 15 meeting have unexpectedly withdrawn. As a result, we are going are canceling the March 15 meeting. Rather than have the meeting with only a few items, it seemed better to delay. The next general meeting will be in April, focusing on garden advice and events. WE will have expert gardeners to answer your questions, we’ll have displays, and we’ll have music, too!

One item we will delay until June. This is the issue of private roads in the city, which came up at our January meeting. We will try to find a speaker from the city to address this, and we will provide more accurate information on our neighborhood’s private streets, including Horizon Rd.

Traffic Comment

A neighbor writes: “I have a comment on the curve near Courtney and Storey. Not only are cars going too fast but I nearly got hit driving when someone coming in the opposite direction in a large truck was half way into my lane taking a short cut around the curve. There was no way to go to avoid him but fortunately he reacted quickly enough to correct his course shortly before a near accident.”

Crime Note

A neighbor writes: “A number of slimy, hot pink markings have appeared on/near three houses on Lorane Highway (that I know of anyway, there may be more). The patio door at a neighbor’s house, sn entrance gate, a camper were marked. There also was an orange marking there that said, “no EWEB”. At our house, a dot was marked on steps, a few inches from the house.

One neighbor called EWEB and was told these are legitimate markings, that someone had asked for excavation, and to call 811 for more information. I called 811 and was told these are not utility markings, that pink usually indicates land surveys. When I told the operator where the markings are she said that did not sound right at all and she suggested I check with non-emergency police re tagging.

I contacted EWEB. They said EWEB does not use pink for markings, their markings are red, and these are not EWEB markings. She said there is a request for new water service at Lorane Highway but would not give any information about the location, so I am not sure that is even relevant. I asked about the name of the survey company they use and she would not give that information. I told her we are concerned because these houses are not very close together and we wondered if this could be tagging.

I also talked with a surveyor. When I explained the markings he said that no, they made no sense and if they WERE done by a surveyor, it would be “cause for a serious complaint”.

I am not sure what this is, but it makes little sense for a survey company to go through someone’s gate, walk quite a way into the property, and spray the gate and a patio door with slimy goo. It makes no sense to spray a camper. And there is no reason to come onto our property and spray next to our house. The neighbor who initially contacted me this morning said he was particularly concerned about burglary because they are often away for extended periods.”

Disaster Preparedness Class

I received the following note from the Red Cross. Disaster preparedness is important, and what the Red Cross is proposing fits very well with our hopes of encouraging smaller groups within the neighborhood to meet with their neighbors. It’s a way of getting to know the resources and problems in your own area. So I encourage you to think about finding a group of 15 or 20 neighbors and asking the Red Cross to come and do one of their disaster sessions with you. It might be the start of a new kind of community.

Here’s the text of their proposal; take advantage of it!:

“The Red Cross Oregon Pacific Chapter is offering free emergency preparedness classes to your 15+ person group so they can be better ready to deal with natural and man-made disasters. We cover all potential disasters in the Pacific Northwest but focus on the Cascadia Subduction Zone 8-9 Earthquake and Tsunami as well as home fires. The presentation can be adjusted to last from 20 minutes to one hour, based on your time constraints. The emergency preparedness presentation discusses the types of disasters (both man-made and natural) that can occur in our geographic area and how to prevent, prepare for and respond to disasters by establishing family meeting places, addressing emergency communication strategies, making personal and family disaster plans, and building emergency supply kits. Each audience member will receive a Red Cross Prepare! booklet.

Research published in the 2013 Oregon Resilience Plan by the Oregon Seismic Safety Policy Advisory Commission indicates there is high probability the Willamette Valley will experience a very large earthquake within the next 50 years; it’s not a matter of if, but when. The 2013 report expects that all utilities in the valley, including water, will be disrupted for at least several months.

For smaller groups and individuals – we offer a *Free Public Red Cross Emergency Preparedness Presentation – the Second Wednesday of Each Month 6-7pm at OPC Red Cross 862. Bethel Drive, Eugene*

Local KEZI news did a report on our emergency preparedness presentation. If you are interested, have a look at this video: http://www.kezi.com/red-cross-teaches-disaster-training/

If you would like to schedule a presentation, you can use this link to select a time that works for your group: http://www.redcross.org/or/eugene/preparedness/schedule-a-red-cross-presentation

Or – email henry.soderberg@redcross.org to schedule a free Red Cross emergency preparedness presentation and ask any questions you may have. You can also reach Henry on his cell at 630-631-6221. We look forward to hearing from you!
”

The Data: Who we are:

Our new name: Southwest Hills Neighborhood Association
Our old name: Crest Drive Citizens Association

Our area of the City: west of Willamette, extending south to the city borders, with a north boundary along 28th to Chambers then along 24th to City View.

Our contact information
For the newsletter: dkolb@bates.edu
For all other matters: vallecomm@gmail.com

The officers of our Association
Chair: Juan Carlos Valle
Vice Chair: Rachael Young
Reporting Sec.: Francina Verrijt
Corresponding Sec./Treas.: David Kolb

Purpose: Our purpose is to promote community at the neighborhood level and improve the livability of the neighborhood, and to educate neighbors and provide a forum for members to identify, discuss, and resolve neighborhood issues by encouraging and facilitating communications and participation among the members on matters of common concern.

How to keep up with news about our area and our activities:
You can check our Web site: crestdriveca.com
You can join the hundreds who receive our weekly email newsletter. Sign up using the form on the web site.
You can join ongoing discussions at our nextdoor.com web page. Sign up at that site.

We will have a board meeting of the Association on Tuesday, March 3, at Market of Choice, 7 pm, on the balcony. Anyone who has ideas or opinions or is just curious is invited to attend.

Our next general gathering will be in March, a celebration of spring gardening with a collection of people ready to answer questions and give advice. Sunday March 15, 2-4 pm, at the farmhouse in the Morse Family Farm Park on Crest Drive.

From the editor

A number of interesting city announcements and cautions today.

You may notice that this email newsletter is coming a bit late. For travel and health reasons, these emails may be irregular in March and will probably settle into a schedule of every week and a half or so later on.

Projects on our streets this spring and summer.

1) The South Willamette Street Pilot Project will re-stripe Willamette from 24th to 29th to test a different arrangement of lanes on the street.

2) Full repaving for the following street segments:

39th Ave: from Willamette St to Braeburn Dr;

Brae Burn Dr: from 39th Ave to Willamette St;

40th Ave: from Donald St to Hilyard St;

Donald St: from 32nd Ave to 40th Ave.

Another street issue.

A neighbor writes: “I am a neighbor on Shalar Ct. Most days I walk my dog up Crest Dr. to the school. The blind curve right before Storey and Courtney Place is extremely dangerous. People speed around the curve and with the sidewalk so close to the street, pedestrians are put in peril if a car skids when it is wet or just goes off the road as it is going too fast. There is a ped crossing sign the but no one ever stops and it cannot be seen before entering the curve. Down below there are flashing lights when a ped is in the crosswalk, and I propose the same be done is this area, or some measure to prevent cars from speeding around this blind curve.”

Your editor admits he at times drives too fast around that curve. Do others have observations, either as drivers or walkers?

Dog News

1) Ridgeline Leash Law Enforcement

Incidents regarding dogs off leash in the Ridgeline Trail System have caused concern for people who use the park and property owners who live in the vicinity of the park. There has been an increase in complaints in regard to people who use the trail and property owners not feeling safe allowing their children to play in their backyard with dogs on the property.

Dogs are required to be on a leash not more than 8 feet in length and must be kept under control at all times. Dogs may only be allowed off-leash in officially designated and signed areas (i.e. dog parks). Eugene Animal Services is reminding people to be aware of park rules and to be mindful of other people who use the Ridgeline Trail and all Eugene parks.

Failure to abide by the rules can result in a $500 fine and/or up to 30 days in jail.

2) Call for volunteers

Can you spare a few hours to help a four-legged friend find a forever home? West Coast Dog and Cat Rescue is in need of volunteers. Hours are flexible, and opportunities are diverse, including fun events, fostering, animal care and cleaning, helping with adoptions, and more. You can visit WCDC’s adoptable pets in Eugene at PetSmart North, 2847 Chad Drive; PetSmart South, 2858 Willamette Street; PetCo, 1169 Valley River Drive; and Wags Dog Emporium, 485 Coburg Road. Learn more or apply to be a volunteer at: http://www.westcoastdogandcat.org (click on “Volunteers” in the top green bar of the page). With the support of community members like you, WCDC (an all-volunteer nonprofit) has found homes for over 1,700 animals in need since 2007. Brighten your life by helping brighten theirs!

City notices

1) Local Grants Available for Arts & Culture

Funded by the City of Eugene Cultural Services Division and administered by Lane Arts Council, Community Arts Grants are available to all creative and cultural arts media and disciplines for projects and programs that make an impact on Eugene residents. “We are grateful for the City of Eugene’s ongoing investment in the arts. These projects make Eugene a creative and dynamic place to live,” states Liora Sponko, Executive Director of Lane Arts Council.

Community Arts Grant Goals:

• Enrich the lives of Eugene residents and visitors
• Increase opportunities for residents to engage in the arts in its many forms
• Encourage emerging artists and art forms
• Preserve and commemorate local and multicultural traditions and histories
• Represent the community in all of its diversity
• Encourage partnerships among artists, performers, businesses, organizations, and agencies
• Build existing audiences and develop new ones for arts and culture
• Provide comprehensive arts learning experiences for Eugene’s children, youth, and adults
Community Arts Grant Application Deadline: May 8, 2015
Visit http://www.lanearts.org for guidelines and applications

Community Arts Grant Informational Session: Monday, March 9, 4:00-5:30pm

Community members can attend this free workshop to learn more about this grant program.

Maude Kerns Art Center1910 East 15th Ave., Eugene
RSVP online at http://www.lanearts.org/workshops/ or call Lane Arts Council at 541-485-2278

2) Proposed Vehicle Fee Information

In May, Lane County voters will decide whether Lane County should establish a county vehicle registration fee. If authorized by the voters, 40% of the funds will be shared with the incorporated cities throughout the county.

The proposed Lane County registration fee amount is $35 per year for most vehicles and $20 per year for motorcycles and mopeds. $35 per year is equivalent to $2.92 per month.

If adopted, the county fee would be collected by Oregon DMV at the same time motorists obtain or renew their state vehicle registration. Most new vehicles are registered for a four-year period; subsequent renewals typically occur every two years. Certain vehicles would be exempt from the county fee under state law. Disabled veteran, government, school, farm, antique, special interest and recreational vehicles and heavy vehicles paying the weight-mile tax would be exempt from the fee under state law.

If adopted the $35 annual fee would generate approximately $11 million countywide. Approximately $6.6 million would go to the county and $4.4 million to cities based on population. The eight largest cities and projected revenues are: Eugene (about $2.7 million); Springfield (about $1 million); Cottage Grove (about $165,000); Florence (about $145,000); Junction City (about $94,000); Creswell (about $85,000); Veneta (about $80,000) and Oakridge (about $55,000).

Oregon’s Constitution requires taxes and fees on motor vehicle fuel and use, including vehicle registration fees, to be used exclusively for the construction, reconstruction, improvement, repair, maintenance and operation or use of public highways, roads, streets and roadside rest areas in this state.

http://www.lanecounty.org/Departments/PW/TransPlanning/Pages/VRF.aspx

3) (Repeat notice) Reserve A Community Garden Plot

Enjoy the bounty of the earth! Since 1978, Eugene’s community gardens have been growing friendships, community involvement, and an appreciation of the land. By giving participants the opportunity to cultivate their own gardens, the Community Gardens Program helps people experience a special connection to the earth and their community.

With six community gardens to choose from, new gardeners should look at several garden sites before registering if requesting a specific location. Please note demand is high for garden plots, and turnover rates are very low. In order to provide a process that is as fair as possible the Community Gardens Program will use a lottery process to determine the order of plot assignment and registration for available plots. Registration for new gardeners closes at 5 p.m. on Monday, March 16, 2015.

http://www.eugene-or.gov/index.aspx?NID=496

From the editor
More flowers, more sun, not enough rain and snow, so good times now, but worries about water in the summer.
There were 60 responses to our poll on whether to remove or keep the roundabout at Lincoln and Crest.
Responses were divided: Remove 33 (55%), Keep 27 (45%).
The poll included an optional box for writing comments, and 37 people did so, with and 23 arguing for removal and 14 for keeping.
At our upcoming board meeting (on the 3rd, 7 pm, Market of Choice, open to anyone who would like to attend) we will discuss whether we should take more steps on the issue.

Notes from the city:
1) Envision Eugene Revised UGB Recommendation for Housing
The revised recommendation does not include a UGB expansion for housing. The reasons why, and information about how the city is planning to accommodate our 20-year housing needs, will be presented at the meetings below for community input:
• February 23rd Planning Commission update on UGB housing recommendation in the Atrium Sloat Room, 11:30 am
• February 23rd City Council Public Forum on UGB housing recommendation at Harris Hall, 7:30 pm
• February 25th City Council Direction on UGB housing recommendation at Harris Hall, 12:00 noon

2) Safe Routes To School Action Plan for Southeast Eugene
The 4j Safe Routes to School program is working on Action Plans that look at different ways to improve the walking and biking environment for students throughout the Southeast region. We are engaging Spencer Butte Middle School, Edgewood Community Elementary, Charlemagne Elementary, and Ridgeline Montessori parents, staff, and students to create their Action Plans while Camas Ridge will be updating their existing plan.
We would also like to talk to the broader community about ways to improve the active transportation options for families in the Southeast region. A community meeting to discuss Safe Routes to School and active transportation issues will be held February 25th at 5:30 pm at Spencer Butte Middle School.
There will be a brief presentation on the SRTS program and existing conditions followed by a community input session that will help us address the top active transportation priorities for community members in the region.

3) Reserve A Community Garden Plot
Enjoy the bounty of the earth! Since 1978, Eugene’s community gardens have been growing friendships, community involvement, and an appreciation of the land. By giving participants the opportunity to cultivate their own gardens, the Community Gardens Program helps people experience a special connection to the earth and their community.
With six community gardens to choose from, new gardeners should look at several garden sites before registering if requesting a specific location. Please note demand is high for garden plots, and turnover rates are very low. In order to provide a process that is as fair as possible the Community Gardens Program will use a lottery process to determine the order of plot assignment and registration for available plots. Registration for new gardeners closes at 5 p.m. on Monday, March 16, 2015.
http://www.eugene-or.gov/index.aspx?NID=496

4) 2015 Northwest Permaculture Convergence
The 2015 Northwest Permaculture Convergence will take place at the River Road Park Recreation Center August 28-30.
Join us for a coming together of people from all over the Northwest who are making their homes, neighborhoods and communities safer, more healthy and green.
The Convergence will include presentations and site tours featuring front yard gardens, solar design, edible landscaping, green preparedness, collaborations between neighbors and much more.
A priority for the event is to bring neighborhood leaders together from all over the Northwest to compare notes about greening their neighborhoods.
Jan Spencer is one of the core organizers and would be glad to make a presentation for Eugene NAs to show and tell about permaculture, the Convergence and what can be done with an average suburban property for taking care of more needs closer to home.

We received a note seeking signatures on a Petition to Silence the Train Horns in Eugene

The City Council and Mayor Piercy are actively pursuing the creation of a Railroad Quiet Zone in Eugene. This would effectively silence the hundreds of train horn blasts which occur in Eugene on a daily basis — and at all hours — by installing supplemental safety measures at each railway crossing in according with federal law.
Although Council members are supportive of the creation of a Quiet Zone, they need to be made aware they have the support of Eugene citizens in order to pursue the necessary funding.
A petition has been set up to let the Council know they have broad community support for a railroad Quiet Zone. The petition can be found at:
http://eugenequietzone.com/

Currently, over 500 Eugene citizens have signed the petition, and their personal comments are telling — they cite everything from lost sleep, increased stress, lost business opportunities, and many other reasons for wanting an abatement in unnecessary train horn noise.
The petition is particularly timely at the moment since the Council is right now actively considering implementing a Quiet Zone.
Over 600 Quiet Zones across the country have been established — showing that citizens overall greatly support a quieter community (especially at night) and that funding for such projects has often been made available.

Please see the petition text for more information on the Quiet Zone. Please contact me if you have any questions or would like additional information.

Best regards,
David A. Caruso
Eugene, Oregon
davidacaruso@gmail.com

February 15, 2015

Upcoming

Meetings

We will have a board meeting of the Association on Tuesday, March 3, at
Market of Choice, 7 pm ,on the balcony. Anyone who has ideas or opinions or
is just curious is invited to attend.

Our next general gathering will be in March, a celebration of spring
gardening with a collection of people ready to answer questions and give
advice. Sunday March 15, 2-4 pm, at the farmhouse in the Morse Family Farm
Park on Crest Drive.

On our last email, our May meeting was mistakenly listed as on May 19. The
19th will be the annual open house and celebration at the farmhouse in the
Morse Family Farm Park, well worth attending. Our meeting there will be on
May 24.

From the editor

While my friends back in Maine and Massachusetts have been getting snowed
under, we have been seeing daffodils and blooming trees. We have crocus
blooming, too, for the brief time before the deer eat them. Welcome Spring!

As our January meeting some neighbors asked if the signs posted on Horizon
Street are meant to stop pedestrians from walking there. Your edito
examined the signs did not get that impression. Your board talked with the
family that owns the street and were assured that the signs were showing
the conditions under which people could walk on the private street, namely,
that pedestrians stay on the pavement and not trespass on the lawns on
either side, and that people keep their dogs on leashes.

We have been asked by many people if the city plans to anything about the
small roundabout at the intersection of Lincoln and Crest Drive. At our
January meeting councilwoman Betty Taylor said that while of the city
Council had held a hearing on the issue at her request, the city would not
make any decisions unless it was presented with a request from a sizable
group of people. So, in order to gauge opinions on this issue, we have
prepared a one question poll. If you are concerned about the roundabout,
either to keep it or to remove it, please give your opinion at our poll.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/7C5NN6M

At their February 9 meeting, the City Council voted unanimously to extend
the suspension of the MUPTE (Multiple Unit Property Tax Exemption) program
until September 1, 2015. That program provides tax breaks for those who
develop multiple housing units in certain designated areas of the city.
There are proposed changes to the MUPTE program that neighborhoods may want
to comment on. For instance there are proposed requirements that MUPTE
developments include a specified amount of workforce (“affordable”)
housing, that refinement plan policies cover areas in which MUPTE is
available to developers, and that a portion of the special fees that
developers pay for city infrastructure be reserved for the area around the
development.
An organization that is seeking to have these requirements added is
http://trusttheneighbors.org/mupte-sdc/.

This week we have more city announcements.

1) Hands-on Creativity at Eugene Public Library
The Library’s a great place to learn – and for self-expression! Creative
activities coming up soon include free hands-on workshops for adults to
make “pop-up cards” at Sheldon Branch on Saturday, Feb. 21, at 1 p.m., or
at Bethel Branch on Saturday, Feb. 28, at 1 p.m. Join artist Amanda Puetz
to learn basic techniques – then get inventive.
Kids will make colorful “kaleidoscopes” with Heather Campbell of MECCA at
Family Fun on Sunday, Feb. 22, at 2:30 p.m., at the Downtown Library.
There’s a different activity for kids and family every week – and they’re
free!
For more information, contact the Eugene Public Library at 541-682-5450 or
http://www.eugene-or.gov/library.

2) Boards & Commissions Recruitment Underway!
The City of Eugene is now recruiting for City boards, committees and
commissions. The recruitment will conclude on Friday, March 27, 2015.
Applicants are being sought for advisory committees to the City Council,
department advisory committees and intergovernmental committees. (Read
more)

3) Police Report: Suspicious Behavior
Eugene Police have received disturbing calls regarding women and girls
being followed by suspicious male subjects in vehicles. Three incidents
were reported in February. Police are asking people to please be especially
mindful of personal safety practices, and if at all possible try to get a
license plate and descriptions of vehicle and suspicious subjects inside
and call 9-1-1 to report incidents.

From the editor

A rainy week with lots going on. At the Association’sboard meeting this week we discussed plans for the future. We designed a tentative schedule of topics for our gatherings over the next few months. We hope that the topics may interest you.

February – no general meeting
March 15 – a city discussion of the state of Eugene’s parks
April 19 – our spring gardening event, and more about CERT emergency response teams
May 17 – discussing how to resolve disputes among neighbors, and how and when to file complaints with the city
June 21 – defending your property against wildfires
July – no general meeting
August 9 – our annual summer potluck picnic and play time

General meetings are held in the house at Morse Family Farm Park on Crest Drive, the third Sunday of the month from 2 to 4 PM.
Note, though, that the annual picnic will be on the *second* Sunday of August.

Board meetings are usually held at the Market of Choice on 29th Ave., on the upstairs balcony, 7pm. Board meetings are eagerly open to anyone with concerns to express.

We hope this year to sponsor the formation of smaller groups for emergency preparedness and getting to know your neighbors. At least two are already at work within our area but every few blocks would benefit from forming one of these groups. You’ll be hearing more about this in the coming weeks.

Another hope we have for this year is more participation from all parts of our area. We need more board members from south of 39th, and from McLean and Chambers to City View. We hope some of you might help your neighbors by voicing their concerns on our board

Coming events

The emergency preparedness and CERT exercises this month will be going ahead. We noted these last week but thought it was worth repeating them for emphasis. More new events are listed below.

1) Neighborhood Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Workshop

Talk about improving communication in the event of a disaster as well as during “normal” times and share ideas for using the CERT program to its fullest extent across our neighborhood.

Neighborhood maps and city maps will be available.

Anyone interested in emergency preparedness and safety response in S Eugene is welcome.

• DATE: 2/19/2015 (Thu 5:30PM – 7:30PM)
• LOCATION: Hilyard Community Center, 2580 Hilyard Street
•
For more info and to RSVP, go to http://www.signupgenius.com/go/20f0e49abab23a7fe3-southeast

2) Wildfire Exercise

What if the South Hills caught fire..?

A team of national, regional, state and local agencies and organizations have undertaken an effort to help communities assess their capability to prepare for, respond to and recover from a variety of natural disasters through a series of disaster exercises facilitated via the internet entitled “Formidable Footprint”.

Southeast Neighbors will be hosting a neighborhood wildfire exercise on Saturday, February 28 from 10am to 1pm at the Hilyard Center at 2580 Hilyard St.

This program is free for all participants but pre-registration is required. There are several important reasons to register: Preparing for emergencies is everybody’s business but we tend to put it off. There will be an event at the end of February which might be of use to you.

Prior to the exercise important situational awareness materials will be e-mailed to all registered participants.

Each participant in the exercise will be required to submit an evaluation after the exercise has ended.

Individual exercise Certificates of Participation will only be generated for registered participants.

To register for the exercise, go to
http://www.onxsystem.com/?q=onx/ex/2431.

Location Information

Hilyard Community Center is located in south Eugene at 2580 Hilyard Street across the parking lot from Amazon Pool. Hilyard Community Center houses the City of Eugene’s Adaptive Recreation Program and was designed for maximum accessibility including: wheelchair accessible bathrooms, full kitchen, FM loop systems, large raised print signs and easy access to the outdoors.

Fun event

Oregon Asian Festival
February 14-15, Lane Events Center

Bring family, friends, and loved-ones to the two-day Asian cultural heritage festival, the Oregon Asian Celebration, on Feb. 14 and 15, at the Lane Events Center. Enjoy cultural performances, music, fine art, children and youth activities, as well as demonstrations of crafts, cooking, and martial arts.

Celebrate Valentines’ weekend with special activities such as the canoodle-noodle eating contest and more. Visitors can tempt their taste buds with exotic and traditional cuisine of different Asian countries, and spend time strolling through the Asian Marketplace for special souvenirs, trinkets, and keepsakes.

The doors at the Lane Events Center open at 10 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 14 and 15, and close at 7 p.m. on Saturday, and 6 p.m. on Sunday. Admission is $6 for one day; $10 for two days; and free for children ages 12 and under. Tickets are available for pre-sale at all Oregon Community Credit Union branch locations or at the door on event day. The event is produced by the Eugene-Springfield Asian Council. For an up-to-date schedule of activities and events, visit http://www.AsianCelebration.org.

Beat back the invading monsters

Ivy Pulling Extravaganza at Hendricks Park
Monday, February 16

Join Friends of Hendricks Park and Eugene Park Stewards on Presidents’ Day to fight against ivy invaders!

Join Friends of Hendricks Park and Eugene Park Stewards on Presidents’ Day to fight against ivy invaders! Pulling ivy is vigorous work, but as George Washington once said, “The harder the conflict, the greater the triumph.” Help us be triumphant! Tools, gloves and snacks will be provided. Dress in sturdy shoes and clothes that can get dirty. Contact Mieko at mieko.e.aoki@ci.eugene.or.us or 541-510-4636 to RSVP or for more information.

City notes: The city is seeking input for future plans.

1) We received this note from Envision Eugene about the revised calculations about housing expansion. (A mistake was discovered in the data used for the original calculations.).

Things are moving along on the update to the UGB Recommendation for housing. As you may recall, staff and community members are analyzing information raised through the Technical Resource Group over the last month or so. The information relates to the capacity of land in Eugene’s south hills to accommodate single family housing. While the numbers are still being finalized, it is likely that Eugene’s expansion need for single family housing will decrease and we want to be sure to give you advance notice of public meetings where we plan to walk through the updated results. The tentative meeting dates include:

* February 18th City Council Work Session on UGB housing recommendation at Harris Hall, 125 E. 8thAve., 12:00 noon
* February 19th Community Open House on UGB housing recommendation at the Atrium, 99 W. 10th Ave., 4-6 pm
* February 23rd Planning Commission update on UGB housing recommendation in the Atrium Sloat Room, 11:30 am
* February 23rd City Council Public Forum on UGB housing recommendation at Harris Hall, 7:30 pm
* February 25th City Council Direction on UGB housing recommendation at Harris Hall, 12:00 noon

2) Capital Improvement Plan Update

Find out about the projects being planned in your neighborhood!

The Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) outlines plans for improvement and construction in parks, transportation (pedestrian, bike, and auto), and City-owned facilities such as community centers.

On Wednesday, Feb. 11, at 5:30 p.m., the Eugene Budget Committee will meet in the Bascom-Tykeson Room in the
Downtown Public Library, 100 West 10th Avenue, to discuss the Draft Capital Improvement Program (CIP) for fiscal years
2016 through 2021 (FY16-21). The CIP provides a six-year funding plan for the City’s capital improvements, including
transportation, airport, public buildings, parks and open space, stormwater and wastewater projects. The CIP also
documents unfunded capital needs over the next six years.

At the meeting on Feb. 11, the Budget Committee will provide an opportunity for the public to comment on the Draft CIP
and will formulate its recommendation to the City Council. The Draft FY16-21 CIP is available for public review online at
http://www.eugene-or.gov/CIP. Hard copies of the draft CIP document are also available for public review at the Downtown
Public Library reference desk, 100 W 10th Avenue, 2nd floor; Eugene Finance Division, 100 W 10th Avenue, 4th floor; and the
City Manager’s Office, 125 East 8th Avenue, 2nd floor.

Members of the public are encouraged to provide feedback on the capital projects proposed in the Draft CIP by
commenting at the Budget Committee meeting or via the comment form on the Budget web site

The Budget Committee meeting on Feb. 11 will be broadcast on Metro TV, and a webcast will be available at
http://www.eugene-or.gov/webcasts.

Here are two items important for transportation and recreation, repeated from last week:

LTD Proposes New Routes
Participate in the Annual Route Review
LTD has put together a package that addresses our communities desire to run the buses more often, earlier and later, or to increase coverage to more areas. Please take a minute to review the plan and add your comments!

Take the Survey! Go to LTD.org and click on the survey to submit your comments on the proposed changes.

Or attend an Open House and weigh in:
Open Houses:
Customer Service Center Lobby
February 11 & 12
7:00 – 9:00 a.m.
3:00 – 5:00 p.m.

Or attend LTD Board Public Hearings:
March 18, 5:30 p.m. -Eugene Library/Bascom-Tykeson Room
April 6, 5:30 p.m. – Eugene Library/Bascom-Tykeson Room

Of course you can always send your comments to LTD@LTD.org or call LTD at 541-682-6100

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Eugene Trail Plan – Update

Draft Plan Map and Guidelines will be based on your feedback!

A year ago the City of Eugene Parks and Open Space Division held a kick-off meeting for the Eugene Trails Plan – a plan to help guide and coordinate Eugene Parks and Open Space decisions about soft-surface trails. After a hiatus due to a number of factors including limited staffing resources and focus on implementing new trail construction efforts, this winter the project has kicked back into gear:
• A consultant has been hired to assist, Jeff Krueger of JK Environments;
• A second survey is being conducted by Oregon State University, http://oregonstate.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bg3yCuvaSQPOA0l
• A draft plan map and guidelines are being prepared based on input from citizens, local trail advocates and organizations, and city staff;
• The second public meeting has been scheduled for Thursday, February 26th, 6-8PM. Meeting details will be shared in a follow up email soon, but please set aside that time and date if possible so you’ll be able to attend.
During the hiatus, we have continued progress on a number of trail related projects including:
• The Dillard Connector Trail. This new section of the Ridgeline Trail was completed in October, a beautiful and much safer shared-use segment connecting the Fox Hollow Trailhead to the Dillard East Trailhead through park land, replacing the former route along the shoulder of Dillard Rd.
• The Spencer Butte Summit Trail project. Contractor’s bids are due this week for a reroute of the very heavily used trail from the treeline to the summit. This reroute will provide a much clearer and safer experience while also reducing negative impacts to the sensitive habitat on the rocky top. The project is expected to be complete by the end of this summer.
• Skinner Butte Columns Trail. This renovation of a badly eroded trail section above the rock climbing columns in Skinner Butte Park also has a contract out for bidding, with construction expected to be complete by the beginning of summer.
• Wild Iris Ridge connector. This new mile-long segment of the Ridgeline Trail will create an additional trailhead and looped trail connection through Wild Iris Ridge in SW Eugene. The alignment is currently being refined, with construction expected to be complete by the end of this summer.

Finally, and most importantly, the City is welcoming feedback and asking that community please take the second survey. On our behalf, Oregon State University is conducting this survey based on the recent statewide trails survey done for the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department, but shorter and focused on soft-surface trails in Eugene (including use of waterways by non-motorized craft). It only should take about 10 minutes.

Please take the survey and then send it to anyone you think might have an interest in Eugene’s Trails. Your responses needed – and the results will be presented at the upcoming meeting.