South Willamette Neighbors
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They are people who say, 'This is my community
and it is my responsibility to make it better.'"
- Tom McCall, former Governor of Oregon
WELCOME to our website created and maintained by neighborhood volunteers to share information and express our concerns about the proposed South Willamette Special Area Zone (SW-SAZ).
UPDATE: On May 9, 2016, the City Council of the City of Eugene voted unanimously to withdraw the complex plan known as the South Willamette Special Area Zone (SW-SAZ) and all of the land use applications associated with the plan.
In late May of 2015, the City of Eugene Planning Division had proposed major land use changes in South Eugene that would have greatly increased density by rezoning 474 properties on 122 acres around South Willamette Street between 22nd and 33rd Avenues and along 29th Avenue from Lincoln to Amazon Parkway.
This complex plan would have rezoned 229 single-family homes currently zoned R-1 (Low Density Residential) to higher densities and allowed five, seven, and eight stories next to existing single-family homes.
The proposed building heights and increased densities would have fundamentally changed the neighborhood we live in. It would have led to highly congested traffic on Willamette and 29th, forcing drivers onto neighborhood streets, and limiting access to Willamette businesses. Parking would have become almost impossible and would have spilled over into neighborhood streets.The area’s mix of affordable housing would have been lost to high-end apartments and condos.Tall buildings would have blocked views of Spencer Butte and many yards and gardens would have lost sunshine.
HOW OUR NEIGHBORS TOOK ACTION:
We conducted neighborhood walking tours with City officials and staff and later with candidates for Mayor and Ward 1 City Councilor
WE USED PUBLIC TESTIMONY OPPORTUNITIES
Public testimony regarding may be presented in a scheduled Public Forum during a City Council meeting. This is one of the opportunities for citizens to be heard and to have your comments recorded. Public testimony is usually limited to three minutes or less and it is regulated by Council meeting rules.
Public Forum opportunities are noted in the Eugene City Council's Tentative Working Agenda All meetings are currently at Harris Hall, Lane County Building, 125 East 8th Avenue.
Public testimony about a topic is permitted when that topic is not on the agenda. Check our calendar to see when the next and future Eugene City Council Public Forums are scheduled.
We learned about the City of Eugene's planning process at the city's recently overhauled website promoting the SW-SAZ plan here. And we studied the documents associated with SW-SAZ posted on our website on the Documents page.
WE SENT COMMENTS, WROTE ARTICLES, AND LETTERS TO THE EDITORS OF LOCAL NEWSPAPERS
THAT WERE ALSO ADDED TO "THE PUBLIC HEARING RECORD FOR THE SOUTH WILLAMETTE SPECIAL AREA ZONE" (SEE EXAMPLES AT In the News)
To make sure your comments are part of the public record, send a copy of your email or letter to city planner Jennifer Knapp with a statement requesting to place it on the "Public Hearing Record for the South Willamette Special Area Zone." Statements will be accepted until the date of the Public Hearing on the SW-SAZ Ordinance.
Jennifer Knapp, Urban Designer
Jennifer.L.Knapp@ci.eugene.or.us
Eugene Planning Division, 99 West 10th Avenue, Eugene OR 97401
541-682-5445
You may also send comments directly to the Mayor, City Manager, and City Councilors, but these do not become part of the "Public Hearing Record."
Mayor, City Manager, and City Council (combined email)
125 East 8th Avenue, 2nd Floor, Eugene OR 97401
541-682-5010
Mayor Kitty Piercy
Kitty.Piercy@ci.eugene.or.us
Ward Map
Ward 1: George Brown
George.r.brown@ci.eugene.or.us
Ward 2: Betty Taylor
Betty.L.Taylor@ci.eugene.or.us
Ward 3: Alan Zelenka
Alan.Zelenka@ci.eugene.or.us
Ward 4: George Poling
George.A.Poling@ci.eugene.or.us
Ward 5: Mike Clark
Mike.Clark@ci.eugene.or.us
Ward 6: Greg Evans
Greg.A.Evans@ci.eugene.or.us
Ward 7: Claire Syrett
Claire.m.syrett@ci.eugene.or.us
Ward 8: Chris Pryor
Chris.E.Pryor@ci.eugene.or.us
Letters to the editor :
Register Guard rgletters@registerguard.com (250 words max.)
Eugene Weekly editor@eugeneweekly.com (200 words max.)
