Erik Berg Johansen <br />Assistant Planner <br />City of Eugene Planning Division <br />The End Of River View Street, north of 30th Avenue, west of Moon Mountain <br />I am very pleased to receive your notice about the second Public Hearing to <br />reconsider the boundary lines between the "low density residential zoning" ( 400 <br />homes) and the Parks and Open Spaces area between The End of River View <br />Street, north of 30th Avenue, and west of Moon Mountain. <br />The new proposed subject site is a big improvement from the original development <br />plan. My hopes are that you and your fellow City Planners will see the benefit of <br />restricting the development sites to one specific area. Breaking up this beautiful <br />wooded area will have devastating consequences on the surrounding environment. <br />The plan of building "Low Density Residential Areas" in multiple places reminds <br />me of clear cutting a forest and leaving a stand of three or four trees here and there. <br />I have heard arguments from our cities Parks and Open Spaces department, that <br />South Eugene has enough paths that lead to the Ridge Line Trail System, enough <br />of their share of Parks and Open Spaces, too many compared to the rest of the city. <br />This area is a beautiful geological fact. Everyone in Eugene, all of Lane County, <br />and people visiting from other countries will remember and enjoy it. Personally I <br />feel a sense of pride that it has remained. I thank the trees for being there, and <br />sharing themselves with me. I say this out loud. People are losing their touch with <br />the natural world. They don't care about it because they don't see it, don't touch it, <br />don't smell it, and don't hear it. What a great experience it would be to show <br />children how everyone can help save a little bit of nature in their own city. Maybe <br />they would understand that woods and open spaces don't = development or = <br />Hopefully they will learn that this equation is not good for humanity. Not good for <br />all living things. <br />I have shared my feelings of the beauty and solitude of this area with many hikers, <br />bikers, bird watchers, black berry pickers, every one who enjoys this gift. Each <br />person is awe struck that this area is here in Eugene. When I tell these people that <br />these forests will be divided and that there are plans to develop most of the area <br />into subdivisions, they are very angry and very very sad. "Where do I write to?" <br />"Who do I write to?" "What can I do?" Most feel a sense of hopelessness. "Why <br />don't we hear about these things?" "Nothing will ever change." "City planners <br />work with developers, they see money." There is a sense of apathy. <br />I've walked these woods for years. The beauty and diversity are enormous. The <br />variety of trees, the bird calls, many hawks, osprey, tree bats, wild flowers that I <br />have never seen before. I have even seen the elusive Bob Cat. Many native <br />