Eugene City Council Aligns Parking Requirements With New State Climate Rules

In response to a 2020 state mandate setting goals to reduce pollution, Oregon’s Land Conservation and Development Commission adopted the Climate-Friendly and Equitable Communities (CFEC) rules. Eugene and Springfield, among other metropolitan areas across the state, are required to change housing and transportation planning systems to encourage more climate-friendly development and reduce emissions from transportation.

The first set of requirements to take effect relate to how cities require vehicle parking for new development or redevelopment. After substantial public involvement, on November 13 the Eugene City Council adopted changes to the land use code to eliminate minimum off-street parking requirements citywide. Additionally, these changes include other required parking reforms such as a requiring tree canopy or solar panels to cover large parking lots and establishing parking maximums for some uses where they did not yet exist.

This decision is the third and final piece of Eugene’s implementation of the CFEC Parking Reform state requirements. Other effective changes include:

• As of January 1, 2023, the City could no longer enforce minimum off-street parking requirements for development/redevelopment within a half-mile walking distance of a frequent transit corridor. The November 13 City Council decision extends this citywide.
• As of April 1, 2023, new development with more than 5 dwelling units must install electrical service capacity to accommodate 40% of vehicle parking spaces, paving the way for a future with more electric vehicles.

The City Council’s decision, and the CFEC rules generally, do not mean that people cannot choose to build and provide parking. This change means that the City will not require them to. Many developments will still provide parking based on financing requirements and the needs of residents. Reduced parking requirements can lead to reduced housing costs, increased business development, and more diverse types of development through more creative approaches to providing parking, while advancing Oregon’s climate goals.

Parking Reform is the first of several projects to implement the CFEC state requirements. Catch up on what’s already happened and what’s coming next on Eugene’s CFEC webpage.

On August 1, the Eugene Planning Commission recommended removing off-street minimum vehicle parking requirements citywide. The last step in the process is to bring the draft land use code amendments to the Eugene City Council for a work session, public hearing, and potential action.

Mark your calendars to watch and participate in the City Council process:

• Monday, September 13 at 12:00 PM: City Council Work Session
• Monday, September 18 at 5:30 PM: City Council Public Hearing

More details on how to provide verbal testimony at the City Council Public Hearing will be available in the meeting materials. To provide written testimony or ask questions, please email CFECParking@eugene-or.gov or mail comments to: c/o Reid Verner, Land Use Supervisor, 99 W. 10th Avenue, Eugene, OR 97401.

At this point, any public testimony received will be shared with the City Council for their consideration.

From March to May 2023, as a part of public involvement for CFEC Parking Reform, the City hosted 9 individual interviews, small group conversations with 62 participants, discussions at two tabling events attended by 180+ participants, a virtual information session with 18 participants, and collected 437 online survey responses. Involvement included proactive outreach to Black, Indigenous, and other communities of color, the LGBTQ+ community, Spanish speaking residents, people experiencing disabilities, neighborhood groups, and groups affiliated with affordable housing, transportation, environment, development, and more.

A complete summary report of public involvement is available here. We appreciate the willingness of community members to engage and share your thoughts with us – it is incredibly helpful as we refine our approach to implement the state requirements.

Parking Reform goes to the Eugene Planning Commission to begin the formal public hearing and adoption process next week! The Eugene Planning Commission will participate in a work session, hold a public hearing, and make a recommendation to City Council.

Mark your calendars to watch and participate:

1. Tuesday, June 13 at 5:30 PM: Planning Commission Work Session
2. Tuesday, June 27 at 5:30 PM: Planning Commission Public Hearing

The June 13 meeting agenda packet includes information on how to access the meeting, including an opportunity for public comment.

To provide written testimony or ask questions, please email CFECParking@eugene-or.gov or mail comments to: c/o Reid Verner, Land Use Supervisor, 99 W. 10th Avenue, Eugene, OR 97401.

Climate-Friendly Areas are higher-density areas of the city where people can live, work, and play without relying on a car. Learn more about Climate-Friendly Areas here.

Climate-Friendly Areas Designation Process

Step 1: Study

In 2023, Eugene will identify potential and study the most promising locations for Climate-Friendly Areas across the city. This study is primarily a technical analysis, considering certain state requirements and where in Eugene can meet those criteria.

An important part of selecting Climate-Friendly Areas will be engaging historically marginalized communities to identify any areas where people might be at risk of being displaced from increased development and propose strategies to prevent or mitigate displacement.

Step 2: Select and Adopt

In 2024, we’ll begin the process to select Eugene’s Climate-Friendly Areas. Selection will include community engagement, a recommendation from Planning Commission, and a decision from Council to adopt the final Climate-Friendly Areas.

Adoption will require revisions to the Eugene Land Use Code, as well as revisions to the Envision Eugene Comprehensive Plan – which staff expect will include two new chapters for Housing and Compact Development, as well as revisions to the Eugene Transportation System Plan.

City staff intend to adopt these plan and code amendments alongside Eugene’s next Urban Growth Boundary (UGB) analysis, which is scheduled to be adopted in 2026.

Step 3: Evaluate and Increase

Climate-Friendly Area designation will not be static. The City will monitor and potentially increase areas under this designation during future UGB analyses. Climate-Friendly Areas will function as an important land use efficiency measure, which is a strategy for more compact development within the current UGB.

Stay involved with the Climate-Friendly Areas designation process by signing up for the EUG Planning Newsletter or following the project on Engage Eugene. There will be opportunities for community members to weigh in on the most promising areas when the study is available in Summer 2023.

The City of Eugene is carefully considering how we use land, now and into the future:

• How do we plan for parking cars throughout the city, including neighborhoods and commercial areas?

• Who decides if parking is needed on an individual property? Could areas be used for housing, gardens, or trees instead of cars?

• What actions are most equitable and effective: who’s impacted and do outcomes slow climate change and promote walking and biking?

Here are a few ways to engage:

• Take a 5 minute online survey

• Join our Virtual Info Session on Wednesday, May 3 from 6-7 PM

• Visit our table at the Move EUG Open House at the Farmers Pavilion from 4:30 - 7:00 PM at Farmers Market Pavilion at 8th and Oak in Downtown Eugene

• Read a summary of parking reform requirements and policy options

Weigh in on how we adapt to climate change and plan a community that is flexible, sustainable, and affordable!

The State of Oregon has an adopted goal that 90% of new vehicles sold will be electric by 2035. To help meet that goal, the City needs to ensure people can charge their vehicles. The most convenient place to do so is at home.

The City of Eugene implemented the second phase of state-required parking reforms focused on electric vehicle charging infrastructure. Starting on April 1, 2023, new multi-unit housing (5 or more dwellings) and mixed-use development (with multi-unit housing) must now include electrical conduit (pipes) to 40% of their parking spots, ready for adding wiring and charging stations to support electric vehicles as the market expands.

To learn more about the City of Eugene's electric vehicle strategy and other projects to make them more accessible, check out the Eugene Climate Action Plan 2.0.

The City of Eugene has heard through years of engagement efforts that residents want more housing choices, more transportation options, less pollution, and more equitable outcomes. To accomplish this, CFEC will include a change to the City's approach to parking requirements.

Previously, most new development required a certain number of parking spots be built. Starting January 1, 2023, CFEC eliminates minimum off-street parking requirements in certain situations. There will no longer be required minimum parking for certain types of development, such as smaller housing types, childcare facilities, affordable housing, and shelters. Additionally, there will no longer be minimum off-street parking requirements within one-half mile walking distance of frequent transit corridors (map below).

These changes don't mean that developers can’t build parking, just that the City doesn’t require it. Most developers will continue to provide some parking, but it will be based on what the market demands.

This change to the development review process is the first of several changes to parking requirements as a part of CFEC. At a broader scale, Eugene will also select one of three options to reform parking requirements city-wide. Stay tuned for opportunities to share your thoughts on how the City should approach parking reform.

To submit questions or comments regarding CFEC Parking Reform, please email: CFECParking@eugene-or.gov.