Public Comment Submitted During First Open Record Period

Judith David and r 28 September 2015 Honorable Mayor and Councilors of Eugene c/o Heather O'Donnell 99 West Tenth Avenue Eugene,. OR 97401 RE: Rest Haven Metro Plan Amendment and Zone Change (MA 15-1; Z 15-1) Honorable Mayor and Councilors, Thank you for extending the opportunity to comment on the subject of this hearing. We were out of town during the original comment period. While we have become accustomed to the southern 45 acres of Rest Haven Cemetery being open space - and we are grateful to the property owner for allowing public access to it as such - we recognize that it is private property that has been improperly designated at no fault of the property owner. Thus, we do not oppose the Metro Plan Amendment application to align the designation and zoning of Rest Haven to Low Density Residential and R1, respectively, subject to City's approval of the application and responses to its Completeness Review. That said, however, whenever it is appropriate in the steps leading towards development of this property, we respectfully request that you consider the environmental effects of its development on neighboring properties along the east and north side of Brae Burn Drive that sit at the bottom of the slope that comprises the western- and southern-most edges of Rest Haven, as regards stormwater runoff, erosion, and wind throw. While there is currently imposed a 75-foot buffer between Rest Haven and neighboring properties mandated in the cemetery's existing Conditional Use Permit, we would like to see this buffer redrawn based on the topography of the land rather than an arbitrary linear distance. The U.S.G.S. Topo map shown below depicts the geography of the landscape and the gradient between Rest Haven and adjacent properties. Each contour represents a 20-foot gradient. The dark brown line through Rest Haven is the 700-foot contour. Brae Burn Drive circumscribes Rest Haven's western and southern boundaries. Observe the steep gradient coming off the720-foot ridge along the western edge and 700-foot ridge - lowering to 640-feet - along the southern edge of Rest Haven (drawn-in red line), that drops down to the back yards of neighboring properties below on Brae Burn Drive. The gradient presents a 40 to 80-foot drop in elevation as you move south on Brae Burn along the redesignation area (drawn-in blue line). This slope is currently forested, which largely protects neighboring properties from stormwater runoff, erosion, and wind-throw that would otherwise have a damaging effect on these properties, and provides a haven for the wildlife that inhabit it. The 75-foot buffer designated in the cemetery's existing Conditional Use Permit is arbitrary and doesn't reflect the depth of the geography that more appropriately describes the affected area. We, therefore, respectfully request that whenever it is appropriate in the steps leading towards development of this property that the buffer be restated in terms of its geography - specifically along the ridge line (720- and 700-640-foot contours) as shown below - instead of an arbitrary distance - and further, that this buffer be not only restricted from development, but also restricted from deforestation to continue its environmental protection of neighboring homes. 4125 Brae Burn Drive Eugene, OR 97405.2037 541.683.0904 david_berg@comcastnet