April 5, 2024 <br />To: Mayor Lucy Vinis and Eugene City Councilors <br />From: Ken Beeson, Ward 2 <br />Subject: River Road - Santa Clara Plan and Related City Code Amendments <br />Dear Mayor Vinis and Councilors: <br />I am providing this as followup to testimony on this matter I submitted to you in <br />February. I provide this on my behalf, and not on behalf of any City of Eugene, Lane <br />County, or local nonprofit board or commission I currently serve on including the <br />Eugene Planning Commission, Lane County Emergency Food and Shelter Board, <br />Community Development Block Grant Advisory Committee, and Community Supported <br />Shelters. <br />don't believe amending the C2 maximum height development code from the <br />existing 120 ft down to 65 ft in the RRSC area will benefit the Eugene community. <br />urge the Council to not approve it. <br />Apart from the two neighborhood associations and some local residents who don't <br />want to see future structures higher than 65 ft in the limited C2 area of RRSC, I think <br />most other affected constituencies/interest groups will be adversely impacted by this <br />amendment (e.g., potential home buyers, renters, builders, developers, businesses, <br />etc). <br />I'm not aware of an existing building higher than 65 ft in the RRSC area. However, if the <br />current code is left in place, there might be a few built in the next 20 years and, if so, I <br />think they could be multi -unit development with ground floor commercial, upper level <br />housing and other related benefits. And we can assume the added housing will be <br />needed in this community. <br />I also think if the code is not amended and some taller structures are built, adverse <br />impact on local residential land owners will be limited, particularly when weighed <br />against the potential benefits to the greater community. The C2 area in RRSC is <br />confined primarily along River Road and River Avenue and most of it does not abut <br />existing R-1 property. If the 120 ft standard is maintained, the chances are low that <br />buildings higher than 65 ft will be constructed adjacent to R-1 property and, if that <br />does occur, the current code includes effective and reasonable transition standards. <br />4 <br />