Attachment A <br />• Allow private pathways on public parkland, restrict access, or remove any of the existing <br />public access facilities (including roughly 26 linear miles of existing pedestrian/bike path) <br />within the Willamette River Greenway Boundary. <br />Staff will be prepared to discuss these topic areas in more detail as needed to answer any <br />additional questions about the project scope and facilitate further deliberations. <br />Relationship to River Road-Santa Clara (RRSQ Neighborhood Plan <br />From the beginning of the RRSC neighborhood planning process launched in 2017, the <br />Willamette River has been an important component of the topic area vision statements, goals, <br />and policies in the Draft RRSC Neighborhood Plan and Draft RRSC Action Plan. <br />For example, Goal 9 of the Draft RRSC Neighborhood Plan addresses Willamette River health <br />and vitality, with policies relating to safe and convenient access, ecosystem stewardship, and <br />recreational uses. Draft Goal 14 promotes land use compatibility and neighborhood character <br />with Greenway related policies. While these draft goals and policies are specific to the River <br />Road and Santa Clara neighborhoods, they encourage the very type of land use code <br />amendments currently underway to include additional development standards that help <br />protect the qualities of the Greenway consistent with Statewide Planning Goal 15. <br />The Draft Neighborhood Plan and Action Plan are anticipated to begin the formal adoption <br />process this year (2023). For a variety of reasons, staff have proposed to shift the scope of the <br />Special Area Zone/River Road Corridor Code to a City-wide, multiple corridor project to be <br />completed later (by the end of 2026) to better align with State deadlines for housing planning, <br />and City-wide growth management planning. More information about this adoption phase <br />update can be found here. Given this shift in the proposed path to neighborhood plan <br />adoption, which would no longer include the initial effort to create and adopt a draft River <br />Road Corridor Code and Special Area Zone with Greenway-specific standards, staff recognizes <br />that there is heightened neighborhood stakeholder interest in these proposed Willamette River <br />Greenway Code Amendments. <br />Staff understands that Greenway protections are a priority for the neighborhood and staff <br />remain committed to keeping these important stakeholders updated and involved in the <br />ongoing City-wide Willamette River Greenway Code Amendment process. As discussed at the <br />recent (second) Planning Commission public hearing on the proposed Willamette Greenway <br />Code Amendments, this is an iterative process and feedback from the River Road Community <br />Organization resulted in significant changes to the original version of the proposed code, <br />including the addition of tree preservation standards to better protect the natural and scenic <br />qualities along the river, further limiting building fagade lengths near the river to facilitate <br />views, and ensuring that trees and plants located near the river consist of native species. These <br />changes are both responsive to, and take into consideration, the special qualities of the <br />Willamette River Greenway within the area of the River Road neighborhood. <br />In summary, the Willamette River Greenway Code Amendment process offers an opportunity to <br />incorporate and align some of the intended RRSC goals and policy outcomes in the near term, <br />Page 7 of 43 <br />