5283 W Amazon Dr <br />Eugene, OR 97405 <br />27 October 2015 <br />Eugene Planning Commission <br />RE: Chamotee Trails PUD Tentative Plan <br />Tax Map: 18-03-20-23, Tax Lot 1100 <br />W Amazon Dr. <br />Dear People, <br />I am writing with regard to the Chamotee Trails PUD Tentative Plan. Our property is adjacent to <br />the planned development, separated by the City right-of-way labeled "Vivian Way" on the <br />maps. I do not oppose this proposal in general, although I do have conditions that I consider to <br />be necessary to moving this proposal forward. These include: <br />1). Fire Safety and Egress: The addition of 10 (or 11?) houses to West Amazon Dr will bring the <br />number of houses using the current single egress from the neighborhood to 44 (or 46, if already <br />established parcels are developed). There is only one route of egress at this point and that is <br />uphill to the intersection of Fox Hollow, Owl Road, and W. Amazon. Last summer was more <br />than ample demonstration of the serious danger involved. A major fire erupted on August 2014 <br />on the property southwest of the Owl, Fox Hollow, W. Amazon intersection. It was clearly <br />visible from downtown and could have been the disaster we all fear in dry weather in South <br />Eugene. The fire was expertly handled by the Fire Department and involved multiple vehicles, <br />road closure, and helicopter service to control it. However, this effort closed the intersection <br />and necessarily staged the equipment to carry out the fire fight there. They then alerted <br />people on W. Amazon, Foxboro, Pine Forest and Senger Lane to prepare for evacuation. There <br />is no other way out, so that was particularly concerning to those who were here at the time. <br />The City has previously approved these developments without arranging for alternative egress, <br />despite there being an explicit condition on development that it not include more than 19 <br />houses with single egress. While each PUD added less than 19 houses (and the Walter <br />Development also adds less than 19 houues), the standard to ensure safe fire egress is <br />meaningless if it doesn't apply to aggregate development. The proposed addition would <br />exacerbate an already serious safety issue for the neighborhood in the event of fire. <br />I have talked with the Fire Chief and personnel from the Bonneville Power Administration <br />regarding access to the power line right-of-way and both have assured me that we could get <br />access through the gate at the downhill end of W. Amazon. At this point, however, there are <br />multiple locks on that gate and how we would get through it in an emergency has not been <br />addressed. After that gate, the right-of-way, en route to Fox Hollow near Donald, crosses at <br />least two privately held parcels which are currently fenced with locked gates. One of these, <br />owned by Scot and Cecilia Forest, could be easily passed through, or the gate locks cut if <br />