<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> July 16, 2018 <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />Hearing Officer Fred Wilson <br />c/o Rodney T. Bohner <br />City of Eugene Planning and Development Department <br />99 W 10th Ave, Eugene, OR 97401 <br />rodney.t.bohner@ci.eugene.or.us <br /> <br />Re: Lombard Apartments project <br /> <br /> <br />Dear Mr. Wilson and Mr. Bohner: <br /> <br />This letter is in response to the most recent letter from Michael Reeder, his previous correspondence, <br />th <br />and his testimony at the June 27 public hearing. It supplements the detailed comments I made in my <br />June 9, 2018 letter to you. <br /> <br /> This assertion is wishful thinking. It is <br />simply not true. <br /> <br />If City of Eugene staff, the River Road neighbors, and the people of Eugene were to accept these <br />arguments we would essentially be saying that all the community values we have established through <br />Envision Eugene and the other city and neighborhood planning processes over the last 10+ years have <br />no real meaning. And that money and profit supersedes all other values, and fear of being sued by <br />developers and their attorneys prevents us from standing up for what we really want for our <br />community. <br /> <br />rubber can meet the road. I believe the best use for this site is a public park, and I understand that the <br />city parks department has wanted to acquire it for a long time. The money for this purchase can come <br />from the $3.2 million in back taxes that the city just learned it will now receive from Comcast. <br /> <br />Alternatively, Homes for Good could construct an affordable housing development on this project that <br />is in keeping with the goals of the Greenway. This project would have far fewer than 94 apartment <br />units and 127 parking spaces and would be located near the River Road side of the site, to maximize <br />the amount of open space near the river and bike trail, and to maximize the number of trees and <br />wetland vegetation left in place. <br /> <br />The low-income people who would live in this affordable housing would have access to the beautiful <br />Maurie Jacobs Park next door, and the bike trail and river, which would be a great benefit to them. <br />-1- <br /> <br />