Planning Commission

AGENDA Meeting Location: Sloat Room—Atrium Building Phone: 541‐682‐5481 99 W. 10th Avenue www.eugene‐or.gov/pc Eugene, OR 97401 The Eugene Planning Commission welcomes your interest in these agenda items. Feel free to come and go as you please at any of the meetings. This meeting location is whe elchair‐accessible. For the hearing impaired, FM assistive‐listening devices are available or an interpreter can be provided with 48 hours notice prior to the meeting. Spanish‐language interpretation will also be provided with 48 hours notice. To arrange for these services, contact the Planning Division at 541‐682‐5675. TUESDAY. JANUARY 22, 2013 – REGULAR MEETING (11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.) 11:30 a.m. I. PUBLIC COMMENT The Planning Commission reserves 10 minutes at the beginning of this meeting for public comment. The public may comm ent on any matter, except for items scheduled for public hearing or public hearing items for which the record has already closed. Generally, the time limit for public comment is three minutes; however, the Planning Commission rese rves the option to reduce the time allowed each speaker based on the number of people requesting to speak. 11:40 a.m. II. EWEB RIVERFRONT MASTER PLAN WORK SESSION Staff: Gabe Flock, 541‐682‐5697 1:15 p.m. III. ITEMS FROM COMMISSION AND STAFF A. Other Items from Staff B. Other Items from Commission: C. Learning: How are we doing? Commissioners: Steven Baker; Jonathan Belcher; Rick Duncan; Randy Hledik, Chair; John Jaworski; Jeffery Mills; William Randall, Vice Chair PC AIS January 22, 2013 - Page 1 PC AIS January 22, 2013 - Page 2  AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY January 22, 2012 To: Eugene Planning Commission From: Gabe Flock, Senior Planner Subject: Overview of EWEB Downtown Riverfront Land Use Applications ACTION REQUESTED To hold a work session for an overview of EWEB’s land use application package implementing the EWEB Riverfront Master Plan. The public hearing for this request is scheduled for February 5, 2013. BACKGROUND The Eugene Code and the Eugene Downtown Plan require a master plan for the EWEB riverfront site prior to any redevelopment. In 2007, EWEB and the City entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that directed the development of a master plan for the site. A nine‐member Community Advisory Team (CAT) was jointly appointed by the EWEB Board of Commissioners and City Council to help guide the initial steps for the creation of the master plan. The CAT was established to represent various community interests and incorporate diverse public opinion in the development of the master plan, and operated as a guiding force behind the resulting vision. Led by EWEB’s design team including Rowell Brokaw Architects and other supporting consultants, this group met bi‐weekly over the course of approximately two years and coordinated extensive public outreach in the development of the master plan. This included a series of community stakeholder interviews, focus groups, and multiple community meetings which led to completion and the CAT’s approval of the master plan in the spring of 2010. The conceptual EWEB Riverfront Master Plan was unanimously approved by the EWEB Board of Commissioners in June 2010. Since that time, EWEB and their consultant team has prepared a package of proposed land use applications that, if adopted by the City Council, will allow the riverfront site to be redeveloped consistently with EWEB’s conceptual master plan. These land use components include: • Amendments to the Metro Plan diagram to reflect the vision for mixed‐use redevelopment; • A new Downtown Riverfront Special Area Plan and Zone to guide redevelopment of the site; • Amendments to the Downtown Plan and Riverfront Park Study to remove obsolete sections; • Amendments to the Eugene Code to revise policies, criteria, and development standards for consistency with the new Special Area plan and Zone; • Rezoning of the subject property to the new Special Area Zone designation; and, • A Willamette Greenway Permit. This work session is a chance to inform the commission of the key elements of the master plan and 1 PC AIS January 22, 2013 - Page 3 special area zone, as well as the relevant procedural steps involved in implementing this plan. As we will cover in greater detail, several key features of the proposal include approximately 8 acres of proposed public open space including a riverfront park; a pedestrian‐oriented street system; adaptive reuse of existing buildings on the site; and a “cultural landscape” that displays the ecological, social, industrial and civic history of the place. The plan and proposed zoning establishes the standards and design guidelines for the proposed framework of streets, open space, and mixed‐use redevelopment parcels that seek to create new residential capacity and a complimentary mix of commercial and supporting uses in an urban riverfront setting. EWEB proposes a “hybrid” form‐based code which uses a combination of traditional zoning and form‐ based development standards, tailored specifically to the EWEB riverfront site and implementation of EWEB’s conceptual master plan. It is intended to achieve a balance between certainty and flexibility in the redevelopment process; to support the appropriate enhancement of riverfront habitat while also providing a publicly accessible riverfront park and open space; and, to promote a mix of uses that will complement downtown and riverfront development. At the work session, we will focus on building an understanding of the basic zoning elements which establish this framework for redevelopment, including allowed uses, sub‐districts and overlay areas, adaptive re‐use provisions, form‐based development standards, and design review. To that end, commissioners are encouraged in particular to review EWEB’s proposed Special Area Plan and Zone (Exhibits A and B of the applicant’s materials) in advance of the meeting. The applicant’s written statement also includes a useful overview for background and context, as well as addressing the applicable approval criteria for each of the land use applications involved. PLANNING COMMISSION ROLE Ultimately, EWEB’s master plan and the various implementation tools will come before the City Council for adoption. To assist in this process, the Planning Commission’s primary role will be to review the various implementation tools including EWEB’s proposed code amendments and related land use applications, to ensure the conceptual vision can be carried out. NEXT STEPS The Planning Commission is scheduled to hold a public hearing for this item on February 5, 2013. Additional meetings will be scheduled as needed for Planning Commission deliberations and to take action on a recommendation to City Council. ATTACHMENTS The full package of land use application materials including the draft special area plan and code language, findings addressing the applicable approval criteria, and supporting documentation are being provided separately. These materials are also publicly available on the City’s web at: http://ceapps.eugene‐or.gov/PDDONLINE/LandUse/ApplicationSearch. FOR MORE INFORMATION: Please contact Gabe Flock, Senior Planner, by phone at (541) 682‐5437, or e‐mail at gabriel.flock@ci.eugene.or.us. 2 PC AIS January 22, 2013 - Page 4