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River Road - Santa Clara Neighborhood Plan
Neighborhood Planning
The River Road and Santa Clara Community Organizations, City and County staff, consultants and neighborhood volunteers have been working together since the spring of 2017 to create a neighborhood plan for the River Road and Santa Clara neighborhoods. The earlier phases of the neighborhood planning process focused on outreach and engagement, asking community members what they value in their neighborhoods now and about their hopes and visions for the future. The community input was used by the Community Advisory Committee (CAC) and Topic Area Working Groups to draft goals and policies in the Neighborhood Plan that reflect the neighborhood priorities under five Topic Areas - Land Use, Economic Development, Transportation, Parks and Natural Resources, and Community.
Action Planning
The CAC and staff have been preparing an Action Plan to support implementation of the Neighborhood Plan. The Action Plan will consist of community identified actions that are possible strategies to implement the policies of the Neighborhood Plan and will help focus the community work towards the vision for how the River Road and Santa Clara neighborhoods will look, feel and function over the next 20 years and beyond.
River Road-Santa Clara (RRSC) Special Area Zone
An in-depth analysis of the River Road corridor was done with the River Road Corridor Study, including stakeholder interviews, public workshops, economic and demographic research, and conceptual design work. This work helped inform the Draft RRSC Special Area Zone Code and the Draft Proposed Zoning Map.
Summary Documents
Read a short overview about the Neighborhood Plan and Action plan and a brief summary about the purpose of the Special Area Zone, key code topics, and how the proposed zoning and development standards compare to existing zoning and development standards in the RRSC Code Summary.
Topic Areas
The Neighborhood Plan focuses on the Topic Areas of Economic Development, Transportation, Parks and Natural Resources, Land Use, and Community. To reflect the community values, aspirations and priorities expressed during outreach, each Topic Area includes:
- Vision statements which are aspirational descriptions of the community’s best outcome for how the neighborhood will look, feel and function 20 years and more into the future.
- Goals that translate the vision, describing hopes for the future on a particular idea.
- Policies that will be formally adopted by the City of Eugene and Lane County to provide a consistent course of action and move the community toward attainment of its goals.
- Actions which are possible strategies identified by the community, captured in the Action Plan, to implement the adopted policies over time and will require ongoing advocacy and continued coordination between various partners.
Find the vision statements, goals, and policies for each Topic Area in the Neighborhood Plan and actions in the Action Plan. To get an overview of each Topic Area and reltaed resources, click on the tabs below.
The community vision for economic development includes the creation and growth of local businesses, redevelopment that promotes walkability and increases access to daily needs, and availability of more living wage employment opportunities within the neighborhoods. The Neighborhood Plan policies focus on incentives for local businesses, supporting redevelopment that fosters active mixed-use centers, and encouraging neighborhood-scale businesses in residentially zoned areas.
While economic development changes won’t occur overnight, adopted policies provide a framework for promoting current resources for local businesses, encouraging community organization efforts to create a business network, and supporting businesses that utilize neighborhood assets. Additionally, the proposed draft code encourages walkable mixed-use development and requires commercial development in certain nodes along the River Road corridor. The draft code will also allow urban farmers to collectively sell produce on-site.
The community vision for transportation envisions a transportation network that is safe and accessible for all users, increases walking, biking, and transit options, improves connectivity, enhances traffic flow, and transitions to zero carbon. The Neighborhood Plan includes policies focused on expanding active transportation networks, prioritizing infrastructure improvements, educating youth about transportation options, and creating a transportation system that responds to long-term needs.
This transportation vision is in line with Eugene and Lane County’s Transportation System Plans, and many of the specific transportation projects referred to in the Action Plan are included in these long-term plans. River Road is a key transportation corridor and the proposed draft code supports coordinated land use and transportation planning by focusing on neighborhood centers near future transportation improvements along the corridor. The draft code also includes design objectives to support innovative, active transportation options such as walking, bicycling, and public transit while promoting human scale design.
Want to learn about ongoing transportation projects in River Road-Santa Clara, and how they relate to the Neighborhood Plan?
The community vision for parks and natural resources highlights the desire to create and enhance parks and open spaces, tree canopy, and natural stormwater conveyances. The Neighborhood Plan includes policies focused on providing access and connectivity to parks, greater availability of recreational opportunities, balancing preservation and access to the Willamette River, as well as the promotion of agricultural enterprises.
The parks and natural resources vision aligns with the Eugene Parks and Recreation System Plan and other City initiatives. Similar to the transportation topic area, there are a number of specific parks and natural resources projects referred to in the Action Plan that are included in these long-term citywide plans. The proposed draft code includes additional standards to protect, maintain, preserve, and enhance the natural, scenic, historic, and recreational qualities of the Willamette River Greenway.
Want to learn about ongoing parks projects in River Road-Santa Clara?
- Check out the Eugene Parks and Recreation System Plan Planning District Summary for River Road-Santa Clara.
- View Parks and Recreation Bond Projects in River Road and Santa Clara.
- Learn more about Stormwater and Natural Resource Projects in River Road and Santa Clara.
- Get involved in active projects such as the Santa Clara Community Park and the East Santa Clara Waterway.
- Volunteer for Lane County Parks Projects at Hileman Park and Whitely Landing.
- Watch a video to learn more about Stormwater and how the City of Eugene protects waterways.
- See the River Road-Santa Clara Parks and Natural Resources Map.
The Neighborhood Plan’s community vision for land use in the River Road and Santa Clara neighborhoods is based on the desire to have more walkable neighborhoods with a variety of housing options, shops, services, and community space. Encouraging redevelopment along the River Road corridor helps meet housing and economic needs in an environmentally responsible way and aligns with city-wide compact development goals. The Neighborhood Plan includes policies supporting development that is well designed, compatible with existing surroundings, and creates an active and accessible corridor. The proposed draft code promotes walkable neighborhood centers by encouraging a mix of commercial and residential uses and regulating form with pedestrian-friendly design standards (e.g. lowers allowed C-2 Community Commercial building height, establishes maximum building length, increases front yard setback, transition options requiring buffering and setbacks for development next to R-1 Low Density Residential).
Want to learn more about the proposed zoning and code changes to help implement the Neighborhood Plan?
- Read the River Road-Santa Clara Special Area Zone Code Summary.
- View the Draft Proposed Zoning Map.
The community topic area in the Neighborhood Plan conveys a vision for welcoming and inclusive neighborhoods that are safe, resilient, and engaged and have more community gathering spaces and developed networks to share resources. The Neighborhood Plan includes policies focused on supporting and advocating for neighborhood services and opportunities, such as affordable housing, public art, library and cultural services, and emergency preparedness.
Much of the vision for community relies on building community support and participation, as well as collaborating with the City, County, and other local service providers. The River Road and Santa Clara Community Organizations may be the lead on facilitating some of the community actions, as many of them overlap with current work being done by the community organizations and their related committees.
Want to learn more about how to get involved in your community organization?
Both the River Road Community Organization and Santa Clara Community Organization are active in the neighborhood planning process as well as other neighborhood issues. Check out their websites to learn more about neighborhood events and news.
Adoption
The neighborhood planning process is now in the Adoption Phase - working towards the final adoption of the River Road-Santa Clara Neighborhood Plan. The Adoption Phase will include community outreach and opportunities for input as the Community Advisory Committee, River Road and Santa Clara Community Organizations, and staff prepare and recommend a Neighborhood Plan adoption package to the Eugene and Lane County Planning Commissions to begin the formal adoption process. The Planning Commissions will deliberate and form a recommendation to City Council and the Lane County Board of Commissioners as final decisionmakers on the plan adoption package.
Implementation
Adoption of the Neighborhood Plan is a key step in implementing the community vision and sets the policy direction for ongoing collaboration. The River Road and Santa Clara communities will continue to represent the Neighborhood Plan and collaborate with City and County staff as on-going implementation and advocacy occurs. Neighborhood Plan representatives from the River Road and Santa Clara community organizations will meet with key City and County staff during an annual coordination and information sharing meeting.
Though being in the Action Plan doesn’t guarantee that these actions occur, it does help agency staff apply for funding and prioritize and recommend projects when considering city-wide needs. The actions will also help guide the community when advocating for implementation and identifying community priorities as they change. To support implementation of the Neighborhood Plan vision along the River Road corridor, the proposed zoning and land use code is a tool to implement some of the land use actions identified in the Action Plan.
Stay Connected and Updated
Contact Us
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Planning Division
Chelsea Hartman
Senior Planner
99 W. 10th Avenue
Eugene, OR 97401
Ph: 541-682-5686