From:Mark Biggin <br />To:GIOELLO Nick R <br />Subject:Re applications for planning permission PDT 24-1 and ST 24-3 <br />Date:Wednesday, July 31, 2024 8:14:06 AM <br />You don't often get email from markbiggin@sbcglobal.net. Learn why this is important <br />[EXTERNAL ] <br />Re applications for planning permission PDT 24-1 and ST 24-3 <br />To Nick Gioello for the Eugene Planning and Development Department <br />Dear Nick <br />I have several concerns about the proposed development of Videra Meadow, PDT 24-1 and ST <br />24-3. Broadly the developer and their agents have maximized the number of houses at the <br />expense of traffic and fire safety, the environment, and ground water management. My <br />specific concerns related to City codes are. <br />1. The Eugene City Fire Marshal has said that the current design would not allow <br />street parking at all. Of course people will park their cars on these narrow roads. This will <br />inevitably lead to daily trouble with delivery trucks and residents getting in and out of the <br />development. Currently some narrower streets in the south hills allow parking on only <br />one side of the street. That just about works. Allowing even narrower streets with no <br />parking allowed on both sides does not strike me as wise. In the event of a fire, <br />especially god forbid a forest fire, fire trucks will have difficulty reaching the houses and <br />the homeowners escape will be delayed. <br />2. No professional assessment by qualified engineers has been made of storm <br />water flows. Instead, and engineering firm were given figures by the applicant. As a PhD <br />scientist, let me tell you this is what we call "science by assertion". i.e. making claims <br />without any credible data. The application should be rejected on these grounds alone. <br />The applicant should be told to have an independent study made using real data. <br />Anything else is make believe BS. <br />In addition, there are deficiencies in the Eugene Planning and Development Department's <br />codes and regulations that I find negligent. I hope as a Department you will reconsider these <br />codes. <br />i. Apparently you allow a developer to fill in wet land, which increases the risk of <br />downstream flooding and landslides, without mitigation at the time of the in-fill. You rely <br />instead on each home owner putting in remediation later, assuming that the land is in fact sold <br />and built on. But many plots on other developments in the area remain unsold after years. And <br />just below the Videra Meadow, there was a serious ground water related landslide that <br />damaged homes last winter. I cannot wrap my head around this abdication of responsibility by