Eugene City Council Takes Action on CFEC Parking Reform
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.
