HearingsOfficial, <br />MynameisMariGalloway,andIamcurrentlyasecondyearlawstudentattheUniversityof <br />OregonSchoolofLaw.Iamanavidrunnerandbikerandthoroughlyenjoytheriverfrontareato <br />commute,recreate,anddestressfromschool.WhenIwasapprisedofthe <br />ƓźǝĻƩƭźƷǤ͸ƭplantoinstall <br />artificialturffieldsin <br />h͸ƭnaturalriverfront,Iwasdeeplydisappointed.Iagreewithmostofthe <br /> <br />ƓźǝĻƩƭźƷǤ͸ƭproposeddevelopmentandrecognizethesentimentthatimprovementsneedtobemadein <br />theareaforenvironmentalandsafetyconcerns.However,installmentsoflargeartificialturffieldson <br />thelastremainingnaturalareaoncampusrunscountertotheĭźƷǤ͸ƭownzoningregulationsandinterest <br />inkeepingtheWillamettefreeofƦƚƌƌǒƷźƚƓΓź͵Ļ͵rubberpellets.Fortheforegoingreasons,theCUP <br />shouldbereducedtothenormalapprovaltimeof18months.EC9.7340(2) <br />Theproposeddevelopmenttakesplaceinariverfrontparkspecialareazone.EC9.3700.Accordingto <br />EugeneCode,thefundamentalpurposetothisdesignationistoͻƦƩƚǝźķĻforactivitiesandusesthat <br />complementtheresearchandeducationfunctionsof...UniversityofhƩĻŭƚƓ͵ͼ EC9.3700.ThoughEC <br />9.3710(3)allowsUOtoconstructrecreationalfacilities,installinganartificialturffieldrunscounterto <br />theriverŅƩƚƓƷ͸ƭͻŅǒƓķğƒĻƓƷğƌƦǒƩƦƚƭĻͼandallofthefactorsthatcomprisethatpurpose.Anartificial <br />turffieldhardlycomportswithaͻƭǒĭĭĻƭƭŅǒƌresearchanddevelopmentƦğƩƉ͵ͼ <br />Furthermore,whilethe <br />ƓźǝĻƩƭźƷǤ͸ƭattemptstoalleviateenvironmentalconcernsbycreatingawider <br />bufferthanrequiredandplantingnativeplantsareappreciated,itstilldetractsfromtheƦǒĬƌźĭ͸ƭ <br />interest.Notably,thesemitigationmeasuresfailtoprovideassurancethatrubberpelletsfromthefields <br />willnotnegativelyimpacttheWillametteRiver.Moreover,theEugenecodedoesnotspecifically <br />addressandaccountforimpactscreatingfromartificialturffields.UOclaimsthe200ftsetbackis <br />sufficienttopreventrunoffissues,buttherearenoassurancesthatthisistrue.Variousstudieshave <br />shownthealarmingeffectsofcutorscrappedrubberonsurroundingmarinebiota.See KelloughRM., <br />Effectsofscrapautomobiletiresinwater,OntarioMinistryoftheEnvironment,Toronto,Waste <br />ManagementBranch,1991;InGualtieri,etal.,Toxicityoftiredebrisleachates,Environment <br />International 31(2005):АЋЌΑ730;Sullivan,J.AnAssessmentofEnvironmentalToxicityandPotential <br />ContaminationfromArtificialTurfusingShreddedorCrumbRubber,NorwegianInstituteforWater <br />Research(2008). <br />TheconcernoftheartificialƷǒƩŅ͸ƭimpactsontheWillametteriverandsurroundingecosystemsraise <br />issueswithadditionalEugenecitycodesthatrequirecompliancewithMetroPlanpolicies.Therein, <br />developmentsarerequiredtobecompatiblewithenvironmentalqualitiesofwaterfeatures.EC <br />9.3725(1)(a).Concernsraisedwithpotentialrunofffromartificialturffailtocomplywithenvironmental <br />qualityrequirements. <br />Inlieuofthepublicinterestregardingthesensitivityoftherivercoupledwithuncertaintyofthe <br />potentialseverenegativeimpactsfromturfpelletsshouldrequireashorterperiodofapproval.This <br />wouldallowtimetofacilitatenecessaryadaptivemanagementmeasuresthatcanpreventharmto <br />aquaticecosystems.Fortheaforementionedreasons,Iurgeyoutoreducetheapprovaltothenormal <br />18monthsenumeratedintheCUPtimeextensioncode.EC9.7340(2). <br />Respectfully, <br />MariGalloway <br /> <br />