1 <br />JANISCH Amy C <br />From:Ron-Janet Bevirt <beznys@gmail.com> <br />Sent:Monday, May 18, 2015 6:47 AM <br />To:HENRY Chris C; KNAPP Jennifer L <br />Subject:The proposed development on Willamette St and 29th Ave. <br />We have seen and are experiencing an immense increase in traffic on W 29th Ave with an increase in <br />constant noise experienced inside our homes located on Charnelton Street, Olive St, and the houses along <br />W 29th Ave. When we have attended the meetings covering the topic of the Willamette area plan and <br />brought up this issue we were told that it was only rush hour traffic for a half hour window of time in the early <br />evening. This is not true. The increase in traffic has been significant over the past year and spans the entire <br />day. In addition to the volume of the traffic the speed of the drivers greatly exceeds that of the posted 30 <br />MPH speed limit. We have not had this issue until the city has taken notice of the area and decided to make <br />'positive' changes. This is a very negative change that is greatly unappreciated by the residents along our <br />street. Something needs to be done to not only reduce the traffic but also regulate the speed to make drivers <br />abide by the posted speed limit. First, a cop needs to be posted to bring the speed back down to the limit <br />and ticket individuals who exceed it, and second, two traffic cameras need to be put up at both W 29th Ave <br />and Willamette Streets main traffic lights to capture the people who are speeding through the area. This is <br />still a residential neighborhood, first and foremost, and treating it otherwise is disrespectful to the residents. <br /> <br />In addition, we are also seeing the jam up of traffic from Lincoln Street all the way down to the Woodside <br />Station entrance along W 29th Ave. Making it difficult for us and the people in our neighborhood to exit <br />Charnelton Street, Olive street and the driveways along W 29th Ave. The added traffic congestion makes it <br />harder for people to transition onto 29th with their cars, which makes people drive faster and react more <br />competitively in order to make their way from side streets, onto side streets or into business parking lots. If <br />an effort is made to reduce traffic it will help calm the traffic speed and make the area safer for pedestrians <br />and cyclists. This will require redirecting traffic. So that the flow of traffic that should travel through the main <br />artery of Willamette will not be flooded onto 29th and the surrounding neighborhood streets. The added <br />traffic congestion, speeding and noise has greatly reduced the quality of the lovely neighborhood that my <br />family resides in along Charnelton Street. <br /> <br />We want to limit any proposed massive housing zoning reassignments that will make this area more <br />congested with traffic and not friendly to the pre-existing residents of the area or any future residents. <br />People don't just walk or bike they also drive, especially when they are shopping for groceries. Its important <br />to be realistic about how people travel through the area. There is more than enough multi-building Tax <br />Subsidized housing units that are being built throughout Eugene. Most of these apartment units are <br />predominantly empty and are changing the feeling and aesthetic of Eugene for the worse, besides being <br />cheap construction with short longevity they will be dumped when the 10 year tax subsidy runs out. There is <br />a significant amount of existing housing, with more housing comes more cars and more congested traffic. <br /> <br />We believe that the Willard School property should be exempt from the rezoning, because the property <br />should remain a school and not be the future location of another massive ugly housing block or any other <br />building project. My daughters attended elementary school at this property in the 90’s, where we could easily <br />walk them to school and back home after school. We have watched our neighborhood change over time <br />from retired senior residents to young couples with babies and small children. These parents and their <br />young children want to live in areas near a school. Its easier for transport and pickup and having a school <br />here will attract more young families that will populate the area and sustain the businesses along Willamette. <br />Families with children want to live in homes, not apartments. In addition, Eugene receives a good deal of <br />rain throughout the year and covering land that absorbs the water will become a massive problem with <br />drainage and flooding. This is a known issue. It’s also important to protect and preserve the green open <br />spaces in Eugene as public land for parks.