HomeMy WebLinkAboutPublic Comments submitted at City Council Public Hearing (9-21-2015)Received in Public Hearing
City of Eugene Planninq & Development
SEP 212015
File HA15-1 -*Z 15-1
Written Statement for Eugene City Council Public Hearing for Consid&4": of an
Ordinance for a Metro Plan Amendment and Zone Change for the Rest Haven Memorial
Park Site
Robert R. Milks
388 Dellwood Drive
Eugene, Oregon 97405
Chairman of the Board of the Treehouse PUD Homeowners Association
Treehouse PUD Homeowners Association Liaison to the Southwest Hills Neighborhood
Association
Notification for this Rest Haven Memorial Park ("Rest Haven") Public Hearing
I provided written testimony and oral testimony (additional comments to submitted written
testimony) at the Eugene Planning Commission's Public Hearing for a Metro Plan Amendment
and Zone Change for the Rest Haven (July 14, 2015). I would have provided written testimony
for this public hearing had I not received notification of this hearing approximately one hour
before the deadline for submitting written testimony (5:00 p.m. on September 14, 2015). Later
on September 14, I alerted Board members of the Southwest Hills Neighborhood Association
about this public hearing. They were surprised to learn of this public hearing. From September
18 until September 21, talked to many home owners who have homes immediately adjacent to
or are located closer to the Rest Haven property than my home, and they told me they had not
received any notification of this public hearing. Therefore, it would not surprise me that you,
Mayor and Eugene City Council, have received little or no written testimony for this public
hearing. I am greatly concerned with the City of Eugene's notification process for this and other
land use issues in Eugene.
Rest Haven
My major concern about the Metro Plan Amendment and Zone Change is Rest Haven is being
treated by the City of Eugene ("City") as if it were simply a privately owned parcel of land in the
South Hills of Eugene. I believe this treatment is wrong. For whatever reason(s), Rest Haven
has been designated Parks and Open Spaces and Public Land for decades. I believe this makes
Rest Haven a special area in South Eugene. Furthermore, I do not believe the issue of amending
the Metro Plan and re-zoning Rest Haven should be decided by just the City and the property
owner with only limited input of an extremely small number of South Eugene residents who
happen to live within an arbitrary 100 to 500 feet from the Rest Haven property lines. I believe
the decision making process should be inclusive of residents in a much greater area in South
Eugene who heavily use Rest Haven as a park and open space.
If you approve the Metro Plan Amendment and Zone Change for Rest Haven, I am concerned
that the residents of South Eugene will totally lose a Parks and Open Space in the area. The
Eugene Planning Commission expressed a concern at their public hearing that such an area was
needed in the vicinity of Rest Haven. The Commission even asked the Rest Haven owner at the
hearing if he would be willing to sell some of the Rest Haven property to the City to be used to
create a park (July 14, 2015).
If you approve the Metro Plan Amendment and Zone Change for Rest Haven, I am concerned
residential development of Rest Haven (the intention of the Rest Haven owner) will have a
negative impact on the South Willamette Special Area Zone. The Eugene Planning Commission
expressed this concern as well at their public hearing (July 14, 2015).
Request to the Mayor and City Council
Please schedule a new public hearing after extending the time for written testimony to be
submitted by South Eugene residents and South Eugene Neighborhood Associations and
Organizations.
Respectfully Submitted, Robert R. Milks