Applicant Response to Public Comment

January 10, 2017 Erik Berg-Johansen, Associate Planner Sent Via Email to: City of Eugene, Planning Division erik.berg@ci.eugene.or.us 99 West 10t" Avenue Eugene, OR 97401 Subject: Developer Comment re: Amazon Corner mixed-use development, Traffic Impact Analysis (TIA) 16-7 & Adjustment Review Application (ARA) 16-17 Erik: We are in receipt of and have reviewed much of the public comment received to date regarding the above-referenced TIA and ARA for the proposed Amazon Corner mixed-use development, located at the intersection of East 3211 Avenue and South Hilyard Street. We submit the following comments in order to share our perspective on the project and in response to the general categories of public comment submitted by community members. This is not intended as a direct response to any singular or specific comment submitted by the general public. Despite much of the seemingly negative comment which seems to have a no-growth undertone, we are encouraged by the amount of positive comment submitted in favor of the project. We believe this to be a bit unusual for development projects in Eugene and take it as a favorable sign that the project has aspects that can be embraced by the community as a whole. We believe in the project. We believe we have the right timing, the right location, the right scale, and the right mix of use for the project to be successful and to contribute to the vibrancy of the local area. We have considered a number of alternative development schemes from drive-ups and a car wash, to a strip mall, to a high-rise retirement center. We sincerely believe that the proposed mixed-use project offers the best compromise for the location and balance of net- positives versus net negatives for the local neighborhood and larger community. The project is the proverbial "in-fill" project, promoted through the Envision Eugene planning initiative. It is located along a significant transportation corridor that offers a variety of alternative transportation modes. The location is proximate to a wide variety of employment destinations and recreational opportunities. It does not displace wetlands or other valued natural resources that are treasured by the community. It is not on the edge or beyond the Urban Growth Boundary. The project serves the perceived need for additional retail and dining venues in the area and provides additional residential capacity for projected growth in area. The location seems ideal for this type of project. We have categorized the concerns expressed into the following general areas and will attempt to generally address each of them: traffic concerns, pedestrian & bicycle safety, parking, and building height.