[FoE-M] TIMELY: Take action to protect Eugene's riverfront & bike path

[Kevin Matthews]

The "Connecting Eugene" web site, created by UO students, is at:
    http://www.uoregon.edu/~citylink/Welcome.html

It has a sample comment letter and additional background material.

5:00pm today is the deadline for emailing comments on renewal of the UO Riverfront Research Park Conditional Use Permit (CUP), which finally expired on October 10, 2009 after 20 years.

If the CUP extension is denied, then the plans will have to be updated to meet current code and with our engagement, to meet the current environmental values of our community.

Let our words be heard!

with best wishes,

Kevin



On Fri, 20 Nov 2009 08:43:32 -0800 (PST), kstingle at efn.org wrote:
> What is this Connecting Eugene website of which you speak??
> 
> Karen S
> 
> 
> On Thu, November 19, 2009 9:42 am, Kevin Matthews wrote:
>> UO Riverfront Research Park
>> Conditional Use Permit comment opportunity!
>> 
>> 
>> 7pm Tonight: Information Event
>> Thursday, November 19, 2009
>> St. Mary's Catholic Church
>> 11th and Charnelton
>> 
>> 
>> By 5pm tomorrow, Friday, November 20, 2009
>> Send in written comments by email to:
>> Heather.M.ODonnell at ci.eugene.or.us
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> ----- Begin forwarded message -----
>> From: Allen Hancock <impact at efn.org>
>> Date: Wed, 18 Nov 2009 22:42:36 -0800
>> To: Recipient List Suppressed:;
>> Subject: TIMELY: Take action to protect Eugene's riverfront & bike path
>> 
>> 
>> The future of Eugene's riverfront and bikeway system is imminently
>> threatened. Your help is needed by Friday November 20 to protect it.
>> 
>> You may know that EWEB will be moving from their current location near
>> the river and that this area will be redeveloped with a mix of housing,
>> commercial space, and public plazas.  EWEB and the City of Eugene have
>> had many opportunities to involve the public. Two broadly accepted goals
>> of this development are to connect Eugene to the river and to create a
>> pedestrian and bicycle friendly neighborhood.
>> 
>> What you may not know is that the adjacent parcel of land just upstream
>> from EWEB is imminently slated for development. This land is owned by the
>> University of Oregon and is part of the Riverfront Research Park.  It may
>> be hard to picture where it's located because it's a neglected fenced-off
>> area.
>> 
>> But the choices made about this property will have a huge impact on the
>> future of Eugene's riverfront.  If the office building and surrounding
>> parking lots are built as proposed it will make it exceedingly difficult
>> to make a viable connection to the river and it will block an effort to
>> create a seamless bicycle route between the campus and the river via
>> Alder Street.
>> 
>> 
>> The University has been quietly pushing this project forward for over a
>> year using an out-of-date plan that's more than 20 years old to justify
>> their action. The City of Eugene will allow this project to proceed
>> unless we act now.
>> 
>> TAKE ACTION
>> 
>> 
>> We have until Friday, November 20 at 5:00pm to comment on the
>> University's request for an extension of the Conditional Use Permit.
>> Comments should be sent to Heather.M.ODonnell at ci.eugene.or.us
>> 
>> 
>> Visit the Connecting Eugene website and click on "Take Action!" for a
>> sample letter you can easily send to the City.
>> 
>> An informational event is being held at St. Mary's Catholic Church at
>> 11th and Charnelton St. on Thursday, November 19th at 7pm. Look for the
>> Connecting Eugene signs.
>> 
>> 
>> If you have questions, feel free to write or call me.
>> 
>> 
>> Allen
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> --
>> Please join with Friends of Eugene to help save our city's creeks
>> and ridges and rivers, for birds and fish and trees and otters and people,
>> too.  For affordable housing and urban place and green space and greater
>> health and happiness.
>> 
>> This special part of Oregon needs all our hope, help, and love
>> together to create real solutions to West Eugene transportation concerns,
>> for downtown revitalization and riverfront restoration, to drive
>> comprehensive greenhouse gas emissions reductions, to reach toward social
>> and political and environmental equity, to support all the efforts for a
>> safe, fun, sustainable, livable Eugene!
>> 
>> 
>> Please help, join, and contribute online:
>> http://www.FriendsofEugene.org
>> http://www.eugeneneighbors.org/wiki/Friends_of_Eugene
>>