in part because of Portland’s inner-city decline in the late
1980s and ’90s. “Infill has really transformed the city’s pros-
pects,” he says.
Infill works when an area of a city is “going downhill,”
Fregonese says, or a city has “a great plan that doesn’t rely
Get ready to grow. Portland is focusing on infill to meet its
on grandiose ideas or heavy subsidy,” and “steady political
growing population, but Eugene is looking to expand its city
leadership provides a stable hand and resists the ‘prairie fire’
limits in the next few years. The sprawl is likely to happen
mentality that we are all going to die if someone infills a
despite the city’s commitment to make Eugene more bike and
three-story mixed use building.”
pedestrian friendly.
Councilor Betty Taylor opposes expansion of the UGB
Five years of community input and technical analysis have
and says the destruction of prime farmland for industry “is in
led to Envision Eugene expansion plans that appear to be fa-
direct contradiction of our avowed interest in food security
vored by the city administration and the majority on the coun-
and reduction of the carbon footprint,” and “we could easily
cil, including Mayor Kitty Piercy.
change the ratio of single-family to multi-family and elimi-
But don’t expect anti-sprawl advocates,
nate the need” to expand housing land. She
or even some council members, to remain
does favor UGB expansion for Santa Clara
‘While we may not Park.
quiet when the proposals go public begin-
ning next week. See times and places be-
Councilor George Brown agrees, say-
be able to stop growth,
low.
ing
he’s “very skeptical of the ‘need’ to
we should not
Some infill elements are in the Envi-
expand the UGB for single-family hous-
encourage growth.’ ing. More disturbing is the push to cover
sion Eugene plan, but expanding the urban
growth boundary (UGB) for residential
up productive farmland with industrial
— COUNCILOR BETTY TAYLOR
and industrial development is controversial
plants north of Clear Lake Road. This area
since Eugene already has a low population
is comprised of mostly Class 1 and Class 2
density and hundreds of acres of undeveloped industrial land.
soils, among the very best quality soils in the entire world,”
Expansion leads to more infrastructure, more vehicle miles
and they make our valley famous for its agricultural prod-
traveled, more police and fire services, etc., and system de-
ucts. “When you pave them over with asphalt and concrete,
velopment charges never cover the hidden costs, according to
they are gone forever, further diminishing our ability to
Eben Fodor of Eugene, author of Better Not Bigger — How to
achieve local food security.”
Take Control of Urban Growth and Improve Your Community.
Taylor adds that “while we may not be able to stop
Fodor is concerned about plans to develop the LCC basin and
growth, we should not encourage growth. There is a limit
its impact on traffic at 30th and Hilyard, which is already at
to the capacity of the airshed, as well as the watershed, to
capacity. City services will cost about $45,000 per home, not
sustain healthy conditions for human beings.”
counting transportation-related costs, he says.
Envision Eugene recommendations will be presented at
Noted Portland urban planner and consultant John
an open house from 4 to 6 pm Tuesday, Jan. 13, at the Atrium
Fregonese says he has “observed Eugene my whole career
lobby, 99 W. 10th Ave., and at a public forum at 7:30 pm
and for a great town they are really underperforming — prob-
Tuesday, Jan. 20, at Harris Hall, 125 E. 8th Ave. The coun-
ably because of fear. The key to overcoming that is to start
cil is planning a work session on the topic Jan. 28 followed
where there’s consensus and move out as experience grows.”
by more hearings, including before the Lane County Com-
Fregonese says some UGB expansion is acceptable, but
mission. See envisioneugene.org regarding the proposals.
Portland has welcomed infill “quite a lot more” than Eugene,
— Ted Taylor
ENVISION EUGENE SPRAWL
PLANS GET PUBLIC REVIEW
The Willamette Valley Sustainable Foods Alliance is
planning its annual “Fun with Fermentation” Festival
from 11 am to 4 pm Saturday, Jan. 10, at the Veterans
Memorial Building at 16th and Willamette. A variety of
local business will be there sampling products either
made by their company or made with their ingredients.
WVSFA members will be showcasing breads, beers,
mead, cheese, teas and other locally produced
products. The event has an educational focus centered
on discovering the many ways that fermentation is
used in making foods and the different types of locally
produced fermented foods. Live demonstrations
include sauerkraut, bread starters, mulled beer and
miso. Vendors include 100 Mile Bakery, Agrarian Ales,
Down to Earth Distributors, Independence Creamery,
Herbal Junction, Hop Valley Brewing, McKenzie Mist,
Mountain Rose Herbs, Nectar Creek Honey Wine,
Singing Dog Vanilla, Take Root Magazine, Wandering
Goat and more. Suggested donation of $5 with two
cans of food for FOOD For Lane County or $10 without
food donation, kids 12 and under free.
As we go to press this week, several local
businesses are set to be recognized as finalists for the
Bold Steps Award at the Mayor’s State of the City
address Jan. 7. They include Café Yumm!, Essex
General Construction and Thermo Fisher Scientific. The
award recognizes sustainable businesses and
recognizes a partnership between the city of Eugene,
Mayor Kitty Piercy and BRING’s RE:think Program.
POLLUTION UPDATE
BY PAUL NEEVEL
HAPPENING PEOPLE
Know anyone whose good work deserves attention in this space?
Call the editor at 484-0519 or editor@eugeneweekly.com.
The new nonprofit Rapid Access Center (RAC) and
Medical Clinic is having its grand opening from 4 to 6
pm Thursday, Jan. 15, at 195 W. 12th Ave. The facility
offers same-day assessment and treatment for “those
suffering from behavioral health issues” and provides
immediate medical attention if needed, according to a
statement from Willamette Family, Inc. which operates
the facility and others in Lane County. Jon Smith is the
senior program manager for the RAC. “If someone is
motivated to get help and they have to wait, they might
lose their drive,” he says. “We’re here to provide
services immediately.” For more information, call
Willamette Family at 344-0031.
Tuesday, Jan. 13, is the deadline to register for the
gathering of local arts organizations called “New
Connections in the New Year.” The event is from 5:30 to
7:30 pm Friday, Jan. 16, at the Oregon Supporting
Living Program (OSLP) offices, 309 W. 4th Ave.
Sponsored by Emerging Leaders in the Arts Network
and the Arts and Business Alliance of Eugene. Space is
limited. Email director@artsbusinessalliance.org or
call 242-2364.
KELSEY JULIANA
“I was known as ‘eco-girl,’” says Kelsey Juliana,
recalling her K-8 years at the Village School in
Eugene. “I ran down the hall, turning off lights, and
went through the recycling bin to find usable stuff.”
The daughter of Catia Juliana and Tim Ingalsbee, who
spurred on the Warner Creek timber sale protest, she
was two months old when her parents got married at
the protest site in May of 1996. “I grew up around
adults who made it their life’s work to protect these
places,” she says. At age 14, with the help of her
mom, Juliana became a co-plaintiff in a lawsuit to
require the state to develop a strict carbon emissions
reduction plan. The suit was dismissed in Lane
County Circuit Court, but reinstated in 2014 by the
Oregon Court of Appeals. It will go to trial in March.
Juliana took part in a week-long Sierra Club grassroots
training camp after her freshman year at South
Eugene, then returned as a trainer the following two
summers. She was one of nine young climate
activists nationwide to write and narrate a short
documentary film, and she often speaks in local
schools, at film festivals and rallies. After graduation
in June of 2014, she joined the Great March for
Climate Action. “I walked from Nebraska to D.C.,” she
says, “15 to 20 miles a day. We met a lot of mayors
and a couple of governors.” Juliana heads back east
this month to begin environmental studies at Warren
Wilson College in Asheville, North Carolina. Her short
film and a long interview with Bill Moyers are easy to
locate and view online.
We hear the dramatically lower gas prices are
good for local businesses. Transportation costs are
down for everything that travels by car or truck, which
improves profits now and maybe customers will
benefit later. Car sales are up and more people are
traveling. The downsides don’t get much attention.
High fuel prices helped alternative transportation
enterprises grow and kept our focus on locally
produced goods. Will we see bike businesses and local
farmers take a hit, and less support for cycling and
pedestrians? We expect urgent care and ER rooms to
get more business. More drivers and more vehicles
means more collisions and more cracked skulls. Be
careful out there.
Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ)
recently followed up on the pre-enforcement notices it
sent to Jeanne M. Burris and Michael & Rosemary
Cress in November for illegal waste-tire storage at
property owned by Burris at 29882 Kelso St. in Eugene
(see EW 12/11, goo.gl/uGo453). DEQ sent Burris a civil
penalty assessment in the amount of $15,041 on Dec.
31, and sent Michael Cress a civil penalty assessment
in the amount of $19,755 the same day. Burris is the
current owner of the property, while Michael Cress is a
prior owner. It is against Oregon law to store 100 or
more waste tires without the appropriate permit, and
the Kelso Street property has an estimated 10,000
tires.
eugeneweekly.com • January 8, 2015
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