<br />September 28, 2013 <br /> <br />Eugene Hearings Official <br /> <br />Eugene Planning and Development <br />Atrium Building <br />99 West 10th Ave. <br /> <br />Eugene OR 97401 <br /> <br /> <br />Re: Citizen Comment in Opposition of the Oakleigh Meadows Tentative Planned Unit <br />Development Permit (PDT 13-0001) and Willamette Greenway Permit (WG 13-0001) <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />Dear Hearings Official, <br />My name is Sandy Thoms and I am the owner of 135 Oakleigh Lane, the property directly north of this <br />planned unit development, and also the owner of TL200 and 150 East Hilliard Lane (immediately north of <br />135 Oakleigh). I would like to voice my strong opposition to the Oakleigh Meadow Cohousing (OMC) <br />project in its current size and layout. <br />Early on in this process, David Adee, the property owner and Oakleigh Meadow Cohousing member, was <br />in communication with my family and we stood out on Oakleigh Lane and discussed what our desires <br />would be for how the project would look from our home and along the lane. I personally discussed with <br />David that we would like to see smaller units along the road, the appearance of front yards like the rest <br />of the homes along our street, and not feeling like we were looking at the backs of people’s homes. We <br />discussed that we knew we would have new neighbors someday and hoped that they would plan their <br />cohousing development in a way that would allow us to feel like we had new homes and neighbors <br />across the street and that it appeared to be a continuation of the current look of our lane. I went away <br />from this conversation feeling good that David and OMC cared about the neighbors and the impact on <br />our existing neighborhood. I felt they would make it look like three individual homes abutting the street <br />across from my home and that the appearance would be a continuation of the lane. <br />The OMC application materials clearly state that they would like to “Continue the Rhythm of the Lane”, <br />just like David and I discussed. <br />To my dismay and that of the other neighbors, OMC’s interpretation of this is to put the largest unit at a <br />size of 80 feet wide and 30 feet tall directly in front of the existing homes to the north. In addition, they <br />are asking for special setbacks so that they can put this building as close to the right of way as physically <br />possible. They have showed no evidence that this is necessary. This will put their building as far north as <br />possible, in the small gravel shoulder of the current right of way, ignoring the standard setbacks of at <br />least 10 feet from the new property line. This is NOT the appearance of front yards like David and I <br />discussed or anything similar to the setbacks of every other home on Oakleigh Lane, McClure Lane, or <br />any other neighboring lane. They chose to not honor any of the items that were discussed that day on <br />the street. How will they plant screening to the neighbors to the north, in this asphalt and gravel, or <br /> <br />