This month's EUG Planning Newsletter includes updates on the Envision Eugene Comprehensive Plan, new resources for renters and landlords released by the Rental Housing Program, notice of an upcoming Renter Protections City Council work session, and information about projects at the historic Mims houses shared on behalf of the Black Pioneer Families of Lane County and Long Tom Watershed Council. 

We hope you'll find this information useful and reach out if you have questions. As always, you can find more information on all of our work by visiting our website.

Image: Amazon Trail and downtown Eugene

On February 24, the Eugene Planning Commission will hold a work session on Phase II of the Envision Eugene Comprehensive Plan. The Comprehensive Plan guides the City in its land use planning for future growth within Eugene’s urban growth boundary. The first phase of the Comprehensive Plan was adopted in 2017. The second phase includes the following chapters:

• Chapter 1 – Community Engagement
• Chapter 2 – Compact Development & Urban Design
• Chapter 4 – Housing
• Chapter 5 – Community Health
• Chapter 11 – Land Use (Including a new parcel-specific land use designation map)

These new chapters are based on years of work and engagement with the community -- over the last two years City staff have engaged over 1,400 people on components of the Urban Growth Strategies Project, including the Comprehensive Plan. In late 2024 and early 2025, staff used this input to draft goals and policies for community review. Residents provided feedback through in-person events, digital surveys, a community advisory panel, and through the City’s boards and commissions. Over the past several months, staff have incorporated that feedback into the draft goals and policies. As a result, some policies have been removed, changed, added, or strengthened. To learn more about what staff heard from the community, check out the 2024 Community Engagement Summary (PDF) and the 2025 Community Engagement Summary (PDF).

To learn more about Phase II of the Envision Eugene Comprehensive Plan and its development, tune in to the February 24 Planning Commission meeting or visit the project webpage. The Planning Commission welcomes input from the community and encourages community members to provide input during the Public Comment section of the agenda.

Please email project staff (Stuart Warren: swarren@eugene-or.gov) with your questions, thoughts, and feedback.

Next Steps

During the February 24 Planning Commission meeting, staff will ask for the commission’s feedback on the updated draft chapters. Staff will then incorporate the commission’s feedback in advance of the official adoption and public hearing process, which will begin in May 2026.

New Resources Available!

We’re launching a new Rental Housing Program Toolkit. The toolkit includes a collection of resources and educational videos in English and Spanish designed to help landlords, renters, and community partners navigate local housing rules. The videos and one-page guides simplify complex topics like relocation assistance and application processing with access to more in-depth information.

A newly published Landlord Handbook is also available in this centralized hub. The handbook can be used as a guide for City rental housing code, policies, and procedures.

Renter Protections

City Council Review Work Session on Phase I & II

The Eugene City Council is holding a work session to review Renter Protections Phase I & II. The review is the first item on Council’s tentative agenda on February 25, 2026 at 12PM on zoom. See the Public Webcasts and Meeting Materials webpage to watch the live session, access the published meeting documents, or view a video recording of the session.

Background

On July 12, 2023, Council directed the City Manager to document the implementation and impacts of the City’s Phase I and II renter protection policies and to provide Council with a report, including a qualitative and quantitative analysis of the impact of renter protections on renters, landlords, and the rental housing market prior to a Council work session to review renter protections.

For more information on the Renter Protections process and next steps, please sign up for the Renter Protections Interested Parties email list or visit the Eugene Renter Protections Process webpage. 

Preservation of the Historic Mims Houses 

Image: City of Eugene staff touring the historic Mims houses

Thanks to Black Pioneer Families of Lane County and Long Tom Watershed Council for sharing the following article:

Due to prejudice, segregation laws, and racially restrictive covenants, the Mims and other Black families were prevented from residing within Eugene’s city limits. In 1947, the Mims family first settled on EWEB property that was used for cutting firewood in what is today Alton Baker Park. In 1949, eviction notices were posted on the community known as "Across the Bridge," and the area was bulldozed. Fortunately, in 1948, CB Mims' employer, Joe Earley Sr., purchased two homes at 330 and 336 High Street with an agreement to sell them to the Mims family, effectively bypassing a racially restrictive covenant that prevented Black people from living on or owning the property and enabled Black home ownership. 

Over the last decade, the Mims's son Willie and his wife Sally have worked to preserve the legacy of these two homes, installing a historical memorial marker, nurturing cultural recognition for the property, and providing low-cost office space for the Eugene-Springfield NAACP. The Mims family is working to preserve these two historic homes in the East Skinner Butte neighborhood, including foundation repairs and adding community resources such as outdoor seating, a gazebo, and an educational kiosk.  

The home at 336 High Street sits on its original site, while the home at 330 High Street is the second oldest house in the city and one of only two gothic cottage style structures in the state. The homes were designated a National Historical Landmark in 1979 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in the early 1980s. 

The houses tell a story of courage and determination as a sanctuary for People of Color in Eugene. Throughout the 1950s, the Mims housed entertainers such as Louis Armstrong, Nat "King" Cole, and Ella Fitzgerald, as well as Black athletes at the University of Oregon when they were excluded from other lodging in the city and on campus. Today, the Mims are working to secure the future of these homes as a community meeting and arts space and educational landmark preserving the history of the original Black pioneer families of the area. 

The Mims houses are more than historic buildings; their preservation honors the resilience of Eugene's Black community and ensures future generations understand the full story of our city. By contributing to this effort, community members help transform these homes into living monuments that celebrate courage in the face of injustice while creating a welcoming space for education, art, and community gathering for generations to come. 

Those interested in learning more or supporting the preservation of the Mims houses can contact Sally Mims at historicmimshouses@outlook.com, visit the Historic Mims House webpage (external link).

It’s important to us that community members know when someone has applied to develop their property through the land use application process. City staff are always happy to discuss a project before the formal review, and can provide information about what the formal review process will be to ensure that you have a fair opportunity to review and comment on a project. Sign up to start receiving emails that list recently submitted projects.

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