From: <br />Ken Beeson <br />To: <br />Euaene RR -SC Plan <br />Subject: <br />RRSC Code Amendments <br />Date: <br />Friday, February 16, 2024 11:02:19 AM <br />IYou don't often get email from ken4395@gmail.com. Learn why this is im op rtant <br />[EXTERNAL <br />February 16, 2024 <br />Mayor Lucy Vinis and Eugene City Councilors <br />Dear Mayor Vinis and Councilors: <br />My name is Ken Beeson. <br />I urge you to not approve the proposed amendment to the Eugene Land Use Code to limit building height in the C2 <br />Community Commercial zone in the River Road - Santa Clara (RRSC) neighborhoods to 65 feet (current limit is <br />120 feet). This code amendment is one of several coming to you for approval consideration along with the proposed <br />RRSC Neighborhood Plan. <br />As you know, I currently serve on the Eugene Planning Commission. I am providing this testimony on my own <br />behalf, and not on behalf of the Planning Commission or any individual members of the Commission. <br />The main reason put forward for this amendment has been that reducing the maximum height of buildings in the <br />RRSC area has been a high priority in the neighborhood planning process since 2017. <br />I believe a substantial reduction in this maximum height standard in the C2 zone in the RRSC area would not serve <br />the best interests of the Eugene community. I also think that if the current 120 ft standard is maintained - consistent <br />with the rest of the city - the potential adverse impacts are quite limited. <br />Eugene needs housing and amending our existing development code to reduce our capacity to develop housing in <br />one area of Eugene isn't consistent with virtually any other current city plan, policy or initiative to address our <br />housing shortage. <br />I offer the following points for you to consider in deliberations on this question: <br />• The C2 zone, although limited across the city (approximately 5% of zoned land), provides relatively <br />substantial opportunity for additional housing in the form of mixed use development (ground level <br />commercial with residential upper stories). A good share of this "opportunity" comes in the form of vertical <br />development capacity inherent in the current 120 ft maximum height development standard. <br />• The C2 areas (as is the case with RRSC) also tend to be situated predominantly along arterials with <br />substantial infrastructure in place and also generally aligning with frequent mass transit service that complies <br />with state requirements (4 stops/hour) for urban transit zones. I believe these are the areas we want increased <br />density and more housing. Limiting potential development in an urban zone intended for density is at odds <br />with our overall ability to address our housing shortage. <br />• If the 120 ft standard is maintained and there are some buildings higher than 65 ft constructed in the area in <br />the next 10 - 20 years, it's likely they could be mixed use as mentioned above and would offer a mixture of <br />higher density housing, jobs, businesses, and services where most people could meet their daily needs <br />without relying on cars. <br />36 <br />