First and foremost, the Planning Team would like to acknowledge the horrible wildfires occurring statewide. We are heartbroken to witness the devastation of both buildings and natural areas. We are grateful for the first responders, those fighting the fires, and our community volunteers. For more information and resources for the Holiday Farm Fire, visit the City webpage. Our hearts are with all those who have experience loss during this time. We wish safety and health to you and your families.

In the wake of House Bill 2001 and our ongoing upcoming Middle Housing project, we are conducting a series on each housing type we are discussing in that project, the fifth of which is Rowhouses. Stay tuned for next month's introduction to and photos of the sixth and final middle housing, the cottage cluster.

Rowhouses are a unique type of middle housing because they feature several adjoined yet distinct housing structures. Commonly, rowhouses are made up of three to seven houses in a row, ranging from two to three stories tall. There are many different architectural layouts and styles for rowhouses, making them customizable to most lot configurations. Rowhouses share common walls and a sidewalk. Additionally, there is an option to include detached rowhouses that look like a bungalow or cottage.

House Bill 2001 states that, no later than June 30, 2022, Eugene must amend the City’s land use regulations to allow rowhouses on some lots in all “areas zoned for residential use,” where only single-detached houses are currently allowed.

Currently, rowhouses can be built in some places in R-1 zones and are subject to special development standards in the R-1.5, R-2, R-3, and R-4 zones. New rowhouses cannot be constructed in the city recognized boundaries of Amazon Neighbors, Fairmount Neighbors, and South University Neighborhood Association.

Next time you’re on a stroll in your neighborhood, look to see if you can spot some rowhouses! Use our Housing Scavenger Hunt to spot different types of housing around you. For more information, check out our Missing Middle Handbook.

Thank you to everyone who has participated in Urban Reserves planning so far! We have come a long way from the Technical and Suitability Analysis, to now seeking direction from decision-makers on their preferred Urban Reserve option.

Options Review: On September 21st, staff presented four Urban Reserves Options to the Eugene City Council and Lane County Board of Commissioners at a joint work session. Staff also shared recommendations from the Envision Eugene Technical Advisory Committee (EETAC), Eugene Planning Commission, Lane County Planning Commission, and the results of our Virtual Open House survey.

Next up: We are meeting with the City Council on Monday October 12th and the Board of Commissioners on Wednesday October 20th (tentative) to seek direction on a preferred Urban Reserve Option. Links to meeting materials will be posted on our Engage Eugene page when available.

Please note: Public comment needs to be submitted in writing in advance of the meeting. Please do so by submitting written input directly to the Eugene City Council or Lane County Board of Commissioners or to staff, and we will forward your input. 

Questions? Reach out to Project Manager Rebecca Gershow at 541-682-8816, or submit a question on our Engage Eugene page. For more information, review our Urban Reserves Options Story Map.

We now have a Middle Housing Engage Eugene page! Visit and share your middle housing story, ask questions, and stay updated on key project happenings. Beginning in October, we will be hosting Boards and Commissions and Local Partners Roundtables. Stay tuned for more project updates and outreach opportunities.

As mentioned in past newsletters, the Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD) is still in the process of developing guidance for cities. Their Model Code and Minimum Standards for implementation of the House Bill will be finalized by the end of 2020. In the meantime, outreach will focus on providing opportunities to learn about Middle Housing and the House Bill and developing guiding values and principles for the project. 

For more information, visit the Engage Eugene page or project webpage. For more frequent updates, sign-up for our Interested Parties List. If you have any questions about the project, contact Project Manager Terri Harding at 541-682-5635.

When the Urban Growth Boundary was adopted in 2017, most of the expansion area was located in the vicinity of Clear Lake Road and near the Eugene Airport. Almost 1,000 acres were identified to meet our future land needs for jobs, parks, and schools in the Bethel neighborhood. Over the past couple of years, the Planning Team has been committed to creating a development strategy to ready the Clear Lake area for development. We have convened an array of Public Works staff including stormwater, transportation, wastewater, parks, and wetlands specialists to coordinate the infrastructure planning for the area. Given that the area is large and currently without urban services, ensuring proper alignment and phasing of infrastructure is critical. Infrastructure planning is an iterative process balancing the needs of transportation, stormwater, and wastewater among the other utilities and upcoming jobs, parks, and school uses.

With the help of a Business Oregon grant, we have started the infrastructure cost analysis to determine the best way to pay for the new services required to develop the area and to help property owners mitigate wetlands on their property, such as through the City’s wetland mitigation banking program. We expect this planning process to result in a development strategy that offers the City a potential path to pay for infrastructure improvements over time, as resources become available and are prioritized through capital improvements programming.

For questions and more information, visit the project webpage or contact Chad Cramer at 541-682-5561.

As the planning team shifts most of our public engagement online, we are looking for opportunities to reach more people in the community. You can keep up with all things planning related through this newsletter, our Facebook, and now on our Instagram! If you’re on Instagram, find us at @EUGPlanning or click the link at the bottom of the newsletter.

Is there social media we should have a presence on or content you'd like to see? If so, share your thoughts with Sophie McGinley.

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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