d. Decreased acreage of leapfrogged vacant land, thus resulting in more efficient and <br />less costly provision and use of utilities, roads, and public services such as fire <br />protection. <br />e. Greater urban public transit efficiency by providing a higher level of service for a <br />given investment in transit equipment and the like. <br />3. The disadvantages of a too-compact UGB can be a disproportionately greater increase in <br />the value of vacant land within the Eugene-Springfield area, which would contribute to <br />higher housing prices. Factors other than size and location of the UGB and city limits <br />affect land and housing costs. These include site characteristics, interest rates, state and <br />federal tax laws, existing public service availability, and future public facility costs. <br />4. Periodic evaluation of land use needs compared to land supply provides a basis for <br />orderly and non-excessive conversion of rural land to urbanizable land and provides a <br />basis for public action to adjust the supply upward in response to the rate of consumption. <br />Prior to the late 1960s, Eugene and Springfield had no growth management policy and, <br />therefore, growth patterns.were generally dictated by natural physical characteristics. <br />6. Mandatory statewide planning goals adopted by the Land Conservation and Development <br />Commission (LCDC) require that all communities in the state establish UGBs to identify <br />and separate urbanizable land from rural land. <br />7. Between 1970 and 1983, Springfield's population increased about 4 percent and <br />Eugene's about 2.5 percent a year, but unincorporated portions of the metropolitan area <br />experienced a population decline. About 17 percent of the total increase in the <br />population was related to annexations. This indicates that growth is occurring in cities, <br />which is consistent with the compact urban growth urban servjee afe concept, and <br />limitations on urban scatteration into unincorporated areas, as first embodied in the 1990 <br />Plan. <br />8. In addition to Finding 7 above, evidence that the UGB_s<.r ice area is an effective growth <br />management tool includes the following; <br />a. Consistent reduction over time of vacant land within the UGB. <br />b. Reduction of vacant residential zoned land in Springfield and Eugene. <br />C. Greater value of vacant land within Springfield and Eugene than similar land <br />outside incorporated areas but within the UGB ofeieeted urban service are <br />d. Increase since 1970 of the proportionate share of residential building permits <br />issued within city limits. <br />II-C-2 <br />Laurel Ridge Record (Z 15-5) Page 130 <br />