In July, the City Council completed their discussion of the urban growth boundary (UGB) recommendation for housing and voted to move forward with a “hybrid option” for addressing population growth. The Council direction on the hybrid option for housing is to establish the urban growth boundary with no expansion for housing at this time; commit the City to monitor and report on growth assumptions and outcomes; improve the land use code for needed housing development; and begin urban reserves planning for longer term (50 years) population growth. This strategy allows our city to complete work on the UGB and begin to transition staffing resources to Area and Neighborhood Planning projects that are so crucial to community livability. Previously, in January the Council took action to direct us to prepare an adoption package for jobs, parks, and schools in the Clear Lake and Santa Clara areas.
Staff will now move into drafting the full Envision Eugene Plan. This will include the creation of a four part plan that will guide Eugene’s growth over the next 20 years. The Envision Eugene Plan will include:
Part I: Community Vision, the foundation for Eugene’s growth management approach, centered on the seven pillars
Part II: Comprehensive Plan, the regulatory document that outlines goals and policies to guide land use planning and for a Eugene-specific UGB
Part III: Urban Form Plan, the inspirational, visual guidance for urban form and community design
Part IV: Action Plan, the list of implementing actions and monitoring program necessary to achieve our vision
Over the next two months, these documents will be assembled and compiled by staff with the help of city committees, boards, and commissions, drawing heavily from the 2012 Envision Eugene Recommendation and recent Council direction.
On Monday August 31st the Planning Commission will be discussing the upcoming Public Involvement Approach for the Envision Eugene Plan and UGB adoption process, along with an update on the Transportation System Plan work.
For more information on upcoming Planning Commission and Council discussions and opportunities for public involvement visit the Envision Eugene website: www.EnvisionEugene.org.