WEC Analysis Committee/Relocate some land uses
From Eugene Neighbors
Contents |
[edit] Overview
This is one of eight integrated design issue clusters being developed by the WEC Analysis Committee starting mid-June, 2008.
Eight draft clusters... Intensify Development, Relocate Land Uses, Increase Public Transit, Enhance Pedestrian and Bikeways, Connections to Natural Resources, Enhance Natural Resources, Natural Watershed, Transportation Network
[edit] Description
Some land uses in the focus area may no longer be appropriate and should make way for other land uses. A relocation strategy would make this possible. This cluster assembles all related ideas.
[edit] Key Parameters and Rules of Thumb
- Heavy Industrial land use is and has been declining for some time. [RD-Most uses in the West Eugene industrial area do not require land zones Heavy Industrial.](reference? Historically this area had a number of saw mills)
- Manufacturing facilities are undergoing gradual ongoing transitions. (reference? Tangfelt Lumber, Lane Plywood & Barker Timber are gone. Those areas are being redeveloped into warehouse and distribution uses.)
- The industrial area is somewhat more of a warehousing area than in the past. [quantify effect]
- Small manufacturing is growing in the area.
- There are redevelopment opportunities. [RD- Commercial and industrial land density in the area of focus' is low. Portions of developed sites are unused of minimal used based on direct observations.]
- Industrial land uses are critical to the economic base of the community and need to be protected. [Lane Metro Partnership experience]
- [RD-Industrial land values in the area of focus are to low to foster industrial redevelopment.]
- Residential/commerical mixed uses are much more likely to be compatible than residential/industrial mixed uses. While some light industrial uses might be compatible with residential mixes, most are not. This is already somewhat reflected in the zoning code division between commercial and industrial uses, though it may be to be refined.
- There is a high volume of large truck traffic. [quantify]
- There are high paying jobs in the industrial zone areas.
- Current low industrial land values inhibit the redevelopment of this low densely developed area. (good or bad for the community?)
- The area contains underutilized land, due to old style industrial development.
- Some of the current industrially zoned lands (and lands in other zones as well) in West Eugene are already off limits to development as protected conservation areas including wetlands.
- Other wetlands protected by the Clean Water Act are not in conservation ownership.
- Land use patterns that are dense, walkable, and well-served by transit and bikeways can provide substantial public health benefits as compared to more loosely distributed motor vehicle oriented land use patterns. Frank, et al. 2005 Frank, et al. 2006
- West Eugene overall should be expected to accommodate a reasonable share of the residential growth of Eugene over coming years and decades. While this growth share has not been quantified, it represents thousands of new households.
- The location of new residential land uses within west Eugene will have significant impacts on future west 11th traffic volumes.
- In order for Eugene to meet state-adopted greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets [1], densification should be discouraged outside of low-VMT areas, because, as calculations show, to plan to meet the targets, we need to plan for large reductions over time in VMT. Ewing et al., 2007, sidebar at ArchitectureWeek 2008, State of Oregon 2008, City GHG Report 2007, City GHG Memo 2007.
- Adding residential uses above commercial uses along a multiway boulevard or other form of transit-oriented development (TOD) may be an appropriate offset for accommodating growth while discouraging residential density west and north of Beltline, outside the average VMT contour. (See Multiway Boulevard info)
[edit] Key Questions
- Are there particular areas within the west Eugene industrial area, within the area of interest, which could be better utilized by more intense mixed-use development?
- Are there opportunities to relocate industrial lands that would help reduce traffic congestion in the area of interest and move truck traffic to a more appropriate location (routes)?
- Is the supply of usable industrial land appropriate for future needs?
- With the removal of the industrial lands deemed to be important wetlands, should those lands be replaced elsewhere?
- How would relocation of industrial land uses impact traffic corridors?
- How would relocation of residential land uses impact traffic corridors?
- If additional lands are needed, where would the appropriate location(s); such as Hwy 99 North, LCC basin, outside of Eugene’s UGB, possibly in other communities.
- How many people work at jobs in the industrial zoned land between Belt Line and Chambers and Roosevelt and 13th? Where are other jobs located in West Eugene?
[edit] Community Design Implications
- Consider the area within a walkable distance of full-service transit, for example along the West 11th corridor, as a prime candidate for mixed-use development, especially areas closest to existing residential neighborhoods, from Garfield to Bailey Hill.
- Realize that current technology is melding light, medium, and heavy industrial uses and that the division between industrial uses may be in transition.
- Promote mixed-use as an integral part of a live, shop, work environment.
- The low land values within the industrial area may well be a good area in which the introduction of good affordable housing can be mixed with work, live and shop environments. (disagreement here)
[edit] Implementation Process Comments
- Encouraging mixed-use will require owners with large resources to accomplish. This may require incentives to get it started.
- The City may need to look at zoning codes and develop way of encourage industry to locate in more appropriate locations (around the airport).
- Suggesting relocation needs the business communities buy-in.
[edit] References
- A Pattern Language, Christopher Alexander at al., Oxford University Press, 1977
- Driven to the Brink - How the Gas Price Spike Popped the Housing Bubble and Devalued the Suburbs, Joe Cortright, CEO for Cities, May, 2008
