Thursday, June 30, 2005
Eugene residents want density, but somewhere else
Eugene Oregon's plan to curb urban sprawl by densifying existing neighborhoods is strongly supported by many of the city's residents -- just so long as the neighborhoods to be densified aren't their own. "I ask you to reject the fallacy that our neighborhood must be sacrificed for the greater good," one resident recently told the city council.
The neighborhood in question, near the county fairgrounds, is currently mainly single-family homes, but a recent zoning plan would infill it with "cheap apartments." This has already happened to other neighborhoods in Eugene, but mainly near the University.
The city appears to have agreed to reduce the density standards for the fairgrounds neighborhood and plans to make up the difference by increasing the density standards for another planned mixed-use neighborhood. But planners wonder what will happen if other neighborhoods ask to have their density standards reduced. The whole plan could fall apart.
When the density plan was first proposed, planners led residents to believe that "infill" meant cute cottages in the large backyards of some older homes. Instead, what is happening "is really low-end, poorly designed, overbuilt, multi-unit structures being jammed in backyards and alleys with no consideration for the impact on adjacent properties," complained a resident.
Those who oppose urban sprawl should be careful what they wish for. As H.L. Mencken said, they may get it -- good and hard.
The neighborhood in question, near the county fairgrounds, is currently mainly single-family homes, but a recent zoning plan would infill it with "cheap apartments." This has already happened to other neighborhoods in Eugene, but mainly near the University.
The city appears to have agreed to reduce the density standards for the fairgrounds neighborhood and plans to make up the difference by increasing the density standards for another planned mixed-use neighborhood. But planners wonder what will happen if other neighborhoods ask to have their density standards reduced. The whole plan could fall apart.
When the density plan was first proposed, planners led residents to believe that "infill" meant cute cottages in the large backyards of some older homes. Instead, what is happening "is really low-end, poorly designed, overbuilt, multi-unit structures being jammed in backyards and alleys with no consideration for the impact on adjacent properties," complained a resident.
Those who oppose urban sprawl should be careful what they wish for. As H.L. Mencken said, they may get it -- good and hard.
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