45 E 39th PI <br />Eugene, OR 97405 <br />July 6, 2015 <br />Heather O'Donnell <br />Senior Planner <br />Planning Commision <br />West 10th Avenue <br />Eugene, Oregon 97401 <br />REST HAVEN MEMORIAL PARK <br />I am writing to provide testimony against the proposed land use designation and zoning <br />changes to Rest Haven Memorial Park. Having recently purchased a house in the immediate <br />vicinity, I am alarmed at the detrimental and irreparable harm the loss of such a large amount <br />open space and public land would have on the neighborhood generally and my property <br />specifically. The memorial park is an essential part of South Eugene, providing a safe walking <br />area and critical natural habitat that will be lost forever, decreasing the quality of life for <br />residents and their property values. <br />The proposed land use changes to Rest Haven Memorial Park should be rejected because they <br />repeatedly contradict the stated purpose of the Eugene land use code in EC 9.0020. While the <br />land use code encourages increased density of underused land to support the Eugene Urban <br />Growth Boundary, the goal of increasing density comes with important caveats. According to <br />Policy 6 of the land use code, increased density is to be achieved "while maintaining the <br />character and livability of individual neighborhoods." Such a large loss of open and public areas <br />will profoundly change the neighborhood, and not for the better. The proposed changes to Low <br />Density Residential will not increase a greater variety of housing types (Policy 7), nor will it, <br />given the location, "promote the construction of affordable housing" (Policy 8). Also because of <br />the location, the proposal will not increase the use of alternative transportation (Policy 11), but, <br />rather, goes directly against the purpose of Policy 12 of encouraging alternatives to the use of <br />single-occupant vehicles, thereby increasing traffic on Willamette Street. Finally, the proposal <br />unequivocally goes against the purpose of the land use code as stated in Policy 18, which is to <br />"increase the amount and variety of parks and open spaces." <br />Under EC 9.8865, Zone Change Approval Criteria, the proposal for changing the land use <br />designation of Rest Haven Memorial Park should be rejected by the Planning Commission for <br />being inconsistent with the Metro Plan as it it has been implemented by the land use code and <br />its stated purpose under EC 9.0020. <br />Sincerely, <br />Michelle Davila <br />PC Agenda - Page 30 <br />