Capital Hill PUD Page 25 of 67 <br />Planned Unit Development Application - Tentative Stage - Written Statement <br />March 3, 2017 Revised:June 19, 2017 <br />c. To insure provision of recreational areas in close proximity to major concentrations of <br />population. <br />d. To provide connective trails between major recreational areas <br />e. To provide connective passageways for wildlife between important biological preserves. <br />f. To contribute to Eugene's evergreen forest edge. <br />g. To provide an open space area as a buffer between the intensive level of urban <br />development occurring within the urban service area and the rural level of development <br />occurring outside the urban service area. <br />The Capital Hill PUD proposal includes the subdivision and development of single family or single <br />family attached residential lots, which, according to the above policy language, requires that the <br />proposed development be consistent with the purposes of the Ridgeline Park section of the South <br />Hills Study (SHS). <br />While the SHS focuses on the highest areas (above 900'), in this case, the highest areas are the <br />least visible for the entire community. The existing home that resides at the highest elevation of <br />924' has been there for roughly 100 years. In addition to the home, there is an existing carriage <br />house that has been used to both store vehicles and as a residence. <br />This property, while at the highest elevation, is also on a fairly flat section of the property. The <br />steepest slopes are in the lower elevations of the property. As such, the property was cultivated <br />much like a typical residential property, with cleared open spaces that are currently in use as a <br />vineyard and open expanses of lawn and ornamental plantings around the house. This house is not <br />sited in a wooded forested environment. <br />A large area (Tract A) is preserved as part of this proposal. See Site Plan. This approximately 2.33 <br />acre piece provides an area that preserves existing vegetation and ensures a continuous visual <br />buffer between the Ribbon Trail and the subject property. Moreover, there will be portions of each <br />individual tax lot that are also required to be preserved with respect to healthy trees and vegetation. <br />This preservation area amounts to 2.08 acres. In addition to other small preservation areas <br />scattered throughout the site, this brings the total preservation area to approximately 4.54 acres. <br />Individual property owners will not be allowed to build in those areas, further increasing the buffer <br />between the development and the Ribbon Trail. In this manner, the Capital Hill PUD ensures <br />preservation of those areas most visibly part of the entire community. <br />With respect to a link to the Ribbon Trail, the project explored the possibility of providing a <br />connecting trail and dedicating it to the City of Eugene Parks and Open Space Department. As it <br />turns out there are standards with respect to maximum steepness of the trail. The property <br />necessary to accommodate this limitation would have required donating 2 additional lots as well. <br />Instead, the area that could have been a potential connection is now a buffer proposed on the <br />south property line between existing development and proposed development. <br />One large areas of preserved property extends east-west from the east boundary of the property. <br />This area will serve to provide connective passageways for wildlife. In addition, the CCRs for the <br />project will prohibit the construction of fences between individual lots. So for all intents and <br />purposes, the site remains open to all wildlife and acts as a large wildlife corridor. <br />In this manner, the proposed PUD will comply with four of the relevant purposes of the stated <br />Ridgeline Park section of the South Hill Study. <br />Schirmer Satre Group • 375 West 4 m Avenue, Suite 201, Eugene, OR 97401 • (541) 686-4540 <br />