Thank you for your questions!

To your first question, you’re right! Climate-Friendly Areas are a new take on a long-standing concept. Some of our nodal development areas in Eugene were successful, like the Crescent Village node. Some of them have been less successful, like the Royal Avenue node. Zoning does not make development happen – but it can be a part of paving the way. Some of the difference between these examples is whether the local market conditions could financially support and produce the type of development the zoning allows for. The City’s work with ECOnorthwest to complete a redevelopment analysis was part of the City’s intended approach to not only zone for higher density, mixed-use development, but to also understand where this type of development is truly feasible, and what financial incentives may be necessary to increase that feasibility. The results of the redevelopment analysis informed the three proposed CFA options.

To your second question, very high density, student-oriented developments (typically rented by the room) have different market feasibility than other types of higher density, mixed-use development. The redevelopment analysis included a few key takeaways about delivering density and mixed-use:

• In higher rent areas, increased density increases feasibility (which is part of why we see more student-oriented development in higher rent areas near campus)
• In lower rent areas, increased density generally does not increase feasibility because of increased construction costs (which is why we don’t see higher density development in some parts of town)
• In both higher- and lower-rent areas in Eugene, ground floor retail decreases feasibility compared to residential only
• Eugene’s Multiple Unit Property Tax Exemption (MUPTE) had a greater impact on 5-6 story construction

The City can encourage higher density and mixed-use development by allowing for it (through zoning and development regulations), encouraging it (through financial incentives), and improving local conditions (through improvements to streets, sidewalks, public amenities, etc.) We hope to use all three of these tactics within Climate-Friendly Areas and other types of mixed-use centers citywide.

Thank you for your interest in CFEC Parking Reform. I will try to answer this as comprehensively as I can. The Land Conservation and Development Commission adopted the Climate-Friendly and Equitable Communities rules in July 2022. The first component of the rules to be implemented is Parking Reform. Here is a short summary* from the Department of Land Conservation and Development. The rules are made up of several distinct parts – some of which have already gone into effect:

• As of January 1, 2023: Reduced or Removed Off-Street Parking Minimums
  • New development applications may include a minimum off-street parking requirement of no more than 1 parking space per dwelling for residential developments with more than 1 dwelling
  • Eugene cannot require minimum off-street parking requirements for:
    • Properties located within 1/2 mile walking distance of frequent transit corridors 
    • Specific types of development like day care, facilities for people with disabilities, shelters, affordable housing, and dwellings less than 750 square feet
• As of April 1, 2023: New Electric Vehicle Charging Requirements
  • New private multi-unit residential or mixed-use developments with five or more dwellings must install electrical service capacity to accommodate 40% of all vehicle parking spaces.

The City of Eugene is required to follow the rules listed above. The survey focuses on the final part of parking reform where we do have some options to tailor parking reform to our local context. The state offers three basic paths we can choose from:

• Option 1: Remove minimum off-street parking requirements city-wide (expanding beyond the transit corridors that have already gone into effect)
• Option 2A: Enact certain parking policies (we can choose from a list of 5 policies provided in the state requirements)
• Option 2B: Remove minimum off-street parking requirements for additional uses and in more locations. In addition, we need to select one of two parking pricing tools, as provided by the State.

Regardless of which of those three options Eugene chooses, there are certain other parking regulations we will be required to adopt by the end of 2023, including:

• Preferential placement of carpool/vanpool parking
• Allow redevelopment of any portion of a parking lot for bike or transit
• Allow and encourage redevelopment of underused parking
• Allow and facilitate shared parking
• Require new developments with parking lots more than 1/4 acre in size to install 50% tree canopy or solar panels
• Require street trees and street-like facilities along driveways
• Implement parking maximums in appropriate locations

* On April 20, the Land Conservation and Development Commission adopted temporary rules that change some of the policy options for parking reform. These changes are not yet reflected in the linked summary.

I hope that clarifies the scope and breadth of the state requirements for parking reform, and the options we have in front of us. Based on the reference in your question, I assume you are talking about the guidance documents provided by DLCD. In addition to the Parking Regulation Improvements (OAR 660-012-0405), there are four other OAR Guidance documents Eugene is required to follow and implement:

• Guidance on OAR 660-012-0405, Parking Regulation Improvements (as noted)
• Guidance on OAR 660-012-0410, Electric Vehicle Conduit
• Guidance on OAR 660-012-0415, Parking Maximums
• Guidance on OAR 660-012-0430, Parking Reform for Equity Uses
• Guidance on OAR 660-012-0440, Parking Reform Near Transit

For more questions on parking reform or additional comments, please reach out to CFECParking@eugene-or.gov.

Thank you for your question and interest in land use in your neighborhood!

Climate-Friendly and Equitable Communities (CFEC) is made up of many implementation projects, some of which will affect every neighborhood in the city, including south Eugene.

To implement CFEC, Eugene will update the Land Use Code to require future development to be more pedestrian-friendly and compact across the city so neighborhoods are more connected. Neighborhoods must be designed with street, sidewalk, and accessway networks where it is safe to walk, bike, and use a mobility device. Commercial and mixed-use areas must have compact, walkable design, such as with building entrances oriented to the street, pedestrian-friendly parking areas, and other site design requirements. This CFEC implementation project is not expected to lead to rezoning but instead would result in changes to the Land Use Code across many zones, especially mixed-use and commercial areas.

CFEC will also intersect with the upcoming Urban Growth Boundary (UGB) analysis required to be adopted by the end of 2026. The UGB analysis is a “refresh” of the City’s growth management strategy. We’ll analyze whether we have enough space within the current UGB for our projected growth, as well as come up with strategies to grow more efficiently within the UGB. These strategies may include rezoning in some areas of the city to accommodate future growth.

Any rezoning or land use code updates should align with the Envision Eugene Community Vision. One of the pillars of the Envision Eugene Community Vision promotes compact, urban development and efficient transportation options, such as 20-minute neighborhoods where residents can meet daily needs without driving. To achieve this, the City’s vision focuses on increasing density along key transportation corridors and core commercial areas.

Finally, you may be interested to know that C-1 zoning (Neighborhood Commercial) can be approved anywhere. Property owners have the opportunity to initiate rezoning from residential to C-1 through the typical rezoning application process.

I hope that gives you a better sense of opportunities and alignment with CFEC. If you want to stay involved in the project, I encourage you to sign up for the Envision Eugene newsletter, where we’ll share regular updates on both CFEC and the UGB analysis.