Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutPUBLIC TESTIMONYApril 27,2017 To: Althea Sullivan, Assistant Planner RE: Wendall Canyon Subdivision(ST 17-4) North of East 43rd. Ave. As a property owner and interested party I would like to submit an observation and comment for your consideration. We own property at 1880 E. 43rd. Ave. and have resided here for 11 years after building our home on the site. When we were in the application process with the city we were required to allow the city to come and measure the circumference of any trees that were to be removed from the site for the afore mentioned home. After the measurements were made we were required to plant a certain number of trees on our property to replace those that had been removed. In keeping with the policy of the city I would like to point out an observation of ours that occurred on the Wendall Canyon site. The property that is directly East of the Wendall Canyon site was recently subdivided as your records will show. After the access road and utilities were put in for this subdivision we noticed that within a year of this activity many of the Douglas Firs on the Wendall Canyon property were dead. We don't know if it was due to the disruption caused by the road or if it was due to water being diverted onto the property and rotting the roots of the trees. Nevertheless, we are asking that the city measure these dead trees in your calculations to determine how many trees should be planted on the Wendall Canyon site as a requirement of any approval. Thank you for your time and consideration, 0 Kri tin Okray 1880 E. 43rd. Ave., Eugene, OR. 97405 Phone: 541-342-8587 NOTICE OF SUBDIVISION Request Tentative Subdivision - Needed Housing approval to cre- ate 9 lots on the north side of East 43rd Avenue, and con- struct a public street (Wendell Lane). Location North of East 43rd Avenue Assessor's Map/Tax Lots 18-03-16-20-02801 File Name/Numbers Wendell Canyon Subdivision (ST 17-4) Applicant's Representative Scott Morris, Olson & Morris A ^,wa qwPlanning v E4~yA~ E 43rd Ave SwEebna Lr You are receiving this information because you are listed as an interested party, own/occupy property near the subject property, or are otherwise entitled to notice. The Eugene Code requires that you receive this notice so that you will have a chance to comment on land use changes being proposed in your area. You may also want to share this infor- mation with others in your neighborhood. Approval Criteria The applicable Tentative Subdivision - Needed Housing approval criteria are addressed at Section 9.8520 of the Eu- gene Code. The Eugene Code is available to view at the Eugene Planning Division, 99 West 10th Avenue or online at http://www.eugene-or.gov/citycode. The applicant's request will be reviewed under Type II procedures beginning at Section 9.7200 of the Eugene Code. Following the comment period, the Planning Director will issue a decision which may then be appealed to the Eugene Hearings Official. It is also noted that issues which may provide the basis for further appeal to the State Land Use Board of Appeals must be raised in writing with sufficient specificity to enable the decision maker to respond to the issue. How to Comment on the Proposal Send a written statement to Althea Sullivan, Assistant Planner, Eugene Planning Division, 99 West 10th Avenue, Eugene OR 97401 or via email althea.c.sullivan@ci.eugene.or.us. Public comments should be directed towards the relevant approval criteria. Comments must be submitted by 5:00 p.m. on April 28, 2017. Where to Find More Information The application, related documents, and approval criteria are available for inspection at the Planning Division at no charge; copies can be obtained for $.25 per page. Application materials, as well as general information about the land use application process and criteria may also be accessed by visiting http://www.eugene-or.gov/3208/Land-Use- Application-Information. Staff Contact For questions, additional information, or to submit comments, contact: Althea Sullivan, Assistant Planner Phone: 541-682-5282 E-mail: althea.c.sullivan@ci.eugene.or.us Notice Date: 4/14/17 SULLIVAN Althea C From: Jens Inge Egeland <jensingeegeland@gmail.com> Sent: Wednesday, April 26, 2017 2:49 AM To: SULLIVAN Althea C Follow Up Flag: Follow up Flag Status: Flagged Wendell Canyon Subdivision Application should be denied due to the following issues that will affect the future of South Eugene and surrounding areas. -N. Shasta Loop, Amazon Parkway, Spring Blvd and 30th Ave will not be able to handle the additional 18+ cars that will be using these throughways. This does not include all the other new home sites that are proposed or pending sale around this section of town. Future traffic jams, noise and light pollution are inevitable if builders continue to seek these areas. -There are already issues with dangerous winding roads in the N. Shasta loop area and motorists abusing speed coming through the curves. Children playing at the bottom of Shasta Loop & 43rd are in danger of being struck by cars. Neighbors have opted to place caution cones out when children are playing. Increased traffic in these areas will only worsen the problem. -Home sites in this part of town are not at a price point that is attractive to the average home buyer. Many vacant lots are sitting. It's hard to justify that this area of town "needs more housing" when current home sites have not been sold. -Wendell Canyon would destroy natural fruit trees, and home to animals living and foraging near the wetland that is just adjacent to the proposed site. Why preserve a wetland, when you are going to destroy the habitat right next to it? -Current Wildlife inhabitants in the area are Turkey and Deer. Sightings almost on a daily basis in that area. Not including redheaded woodpeckers and other Passeriformes will leave the area. We also know that Mountain Lion and Bears are just up the hillside on Mt. Baldy which is right up the road. -Housing Market inflation has increased at a rapid and unhealthy rate. Higher than pre housing crisis of 2008. This is a volatile time to permit continue rapid housing growth knowing that economic correction and potential recession is almost inevitable. Permitting continued clearing of land and building more homes in Eugene seems opportunist for monetary gain, not taking into consideration of the above. -Bottom Line is that the current neighbors do not want increased urban sprawl and population density to increase in the South Eugene Neighborhood. Neighbors are already living in an area that is still home to natural wildlife as the stated above, as well as Mountain Lion and Bear near Mt. Baldy. We will start seeing increased rates of destruction and vanishing population if we increase the footprint. -NO to WENDELL CANYON SUBDIVISION. SULLIVAN Althea C From: Orin Schumacher <orin.schumacher@gmail.com> Sent: Friday, April 28, 2017 3:11 PM To: SULLIVAN Althea C Subject: Wendell canyon subdivision Follow Up Flag: Follow up Flag Status: Flagged Althea; Please consider the email as our formal response to the planned nine home subdivision. As with the previous planned development there were numerous concerns brought forth by residents that issues related to goal five, storm water and road connectivity were never resolved or explained. City staff, nor the developer have provided residents with information related to goal five impacts with this new development. City staff and residents are also aware of a significant issue with storm water off site of this development. Downstream, as far as west amazon drive there are issues with storm water capacity as the system exists now, city staff have confirmed this concern but nobody has yet to provide an answer or remedy as to how this new additional capacity will be handle. We would like to see the hydro study for both the groundwater containment and surface runoff. Also, how will the off site issues of storm water be handled? What has been done to mitigate the impacts to the goal five resource on site? The city has planned for this street to connect for decades in their planning, but city staff has told me and others that the ground conditions, primarily the nineteen percent slope may not allow for that. Is that correct? Obviously we are concerned that this will be a two phase development to allow for that future connectivity. If so that city should present that material and plans for how to manage the safety and structural engineering issues associated with that. This will be a city street, so the city, not the developer needs to present that information. You are likely not aware that forth third street is a thin overlay road, not constructed to city standards. It was previously gravel. The last five home development declined the condition of the roadway significantly, nine more will carry that factor times four. How is the city holding the developer accountable for these future repairs? It would be a burden on tax payer of the city to bear those costs. Please review the PCI data in your files to see the impacts to the road condition over the last three years, it should reflect what I am grinding to your attention. This road will not sustain another road of heavy equipment and material loads without significant impacts to the road surface and shoulder safety. This needs to be addressed in any approval for this sub division. I am also concerned there was no public hearing on this planned development. I have kept a close eye not his but was never notified, has the process and code changed to limit public engagement over the last three years? We did see the initial plans from the developer, it should be noted that was when we had the largest ice storm in recent times and most residents had no power or ability to attend that meeting. I did attend and had asked that another opportunity to provide comment be offered to allow people to view the plans and provide feedback, that was not offered. Please take the time to open that public process back up so we as a community can provide reasonable and accessible information to the city and the developer. I believe this planned subdivsion needs further review and opportunity for resident response. The city has not accommodated those requests to date, nor has the developer. I a, formally asking for a land use appeal for the lack of a transparent and open process by the city of Eugene. Also based upon a load of information related to the goal five resource impacts, stormwater management plan and street impacts. The maybe able to meet their on site stormwater goals, but pleas bring to the attention of the land use board the issue with city stormwater pipes downstream of the planned subdivision. They are aware of the issues. Thanks for your time and I look forward to a response. I am also requesting another opportunity to present materials and review of the process, residents have not been allowed to full vet this plan with no public hearing or meeting to review the plans. An ice storm that had residents locked in their homes should have allowed that meeting to be rescheduled or at the least another opportunity. Thanks again Orin Schumacher SULLIVAN Althea C From: Sent: To: Subject: Attachments: Follow Up Flag: Flag Status: LBrooks <ptabrooks@gmail.com> Tuesday, April 25, 2017 11:41 PM SULLIVAN Althea C Wendell Canyon Comments Wendell Canyon.docx Follow up Flagged In regards to the City File ST 17-4 WENDELL CANYON SUBDIVISION, There are numerous environmental and social concerns about creating 9 lots on the north side of East 43rd Avenue. The risks of placing this many homes, or any homes in this area run the risk of destroying space that is currently an area where local wildlife are foraging and relying on vegetation near the wetlands just adjacent to the property. Currently there are American Turkey, Deer and a host of other creatures including wild birds, redheaded woodpeckers, turkey vultures and hawks. They don't have a place to go in the vicinity because another housing development near Wendell Ln (I believe Spring Knoll) will pinch the wildlife in. The area stated, is not only near a wetland, it has numerous wild apple and pear trees that are producing fruit that the local fauna including deer are seen eating on a daily basis. In Wendell Canyon, there is enough light in the area for proposed development that allows for proper pollination including the attraction of bees to produce a fruit and vegetation haven for wildlife in the midst of thick woods in the adjacent areas, that do not allow for growth of fruit for these animals. The neighbors, including myself, are concerned about the term "Needed Housing". Numerous lots, homes, and areas of Subdivided Land (including Spring Knoll phase that are on the other side of the Wetland) have not sold. Some lots and homes have been on the market for well over 365+ days without being sold. Land has been cleared, and permanent footprints to this beautiful area are being carved out irresponsibly. Builders should look to expand housing in other arenas in Eugene where footprints have already been made. This is responsible urban growth. As South Eugene continues to clear out more areas of Timber for housing subdivisions (also around the edges of city maintenance lines near Spring Blvd), how will we account for the need to provide proper sewage, roads, schools, etc as the city begins to press further out? This is not the Eugene that we have come to enjoy. How will Eugene keep true to its desire to respect nature and have a quality of life for the inhabitants when we are pushing for a model that mimics that of Portland, Seattle and San Francisco? If we continue to create new footprints instead of reusing existing footprints we have made, there is no turning back. We should think twice before packing more people into a small space of land, at the expense of future generations and the wildlife that currently exists in the area. What's the point of trying to save a wetland, when the city will allow for everything around it to be swallowed up and developed. No wetland will be left, and the wildlife will die. Please consider revoking the request to put in an additional 9 lots at Wendell Canyon. There are vacant lots and homes that have not sold just on the other side of the wetland, we don't need to expand permanent damage in areas that are not in "need of Housing" Thanks for your consideration, Southeast Eugene Neighbor