[WEC-All] Lowe's W. 11th Site

[Tom Schneider]

Bailey Hill and W.11th site for Lowe's new building products store would
make more sense for apartments or dense residential development.
More time is needed before a decision is issued by Eugene Planning Director
issues ruling on Friday Jan 18, 2008. 
  _____  


   Putting Lowe's, an additional retail outlet for building supplies, into
the crowded W. 11th corridor between Chambers and Bertelson would be a
disaster. It would eventually cost the City, County, and the State huge
amounts of money to improve access when the added traffic volume results in
complete gridlock along W11th! 

   This site at W. 11th and Bailey Hill would be an ideal site for
apartments or dense housing to encourage foot traffic in an area where many
restaurants, grocery and retail stores already exist. The site is close to
Stewart Pond, the east end of the West Eugene Wetlands, good schools, the
pedestrian and bike paths.

   With all the effort being spent on planning improvements to W. 11th's
traffic problems, why was the public given 10 days to respond? (Register
Guard article business section on Jan 8 saying public had only until Jan
18th to comment.) I am pretty plugged into the West Eugene Neighborhood
Association, the West Eugene Collaborative, LTD's West Eugene BRT Planning
process, and the Sustainability Commission and this was the first I've heard
about Lowe's application to move into a site 3 blocks from where I've lived
for 25 years. Who in the City Planning office missed that we were trying to
create a more livable City when they declared Lowe's application complete in
late November and started the 45-day clock ticking toward a Jan 18th
approval? We need more time and more public input.

  People aren't going to get onto an LTD bus or the new multi-million dollar
BRT with a piece of plywood! They are going to drive their vehicles and
travel on W 11th towards Beltline or towards Garfield. There are no choices
unless the West Eugene Parkway is going to be revived. Has the City Planning
office looked at this area in the broader context of what would be its best
use for the City who resists expanding its urban growth boundary and prides
itself on livability? Or is that not the Planning Department's job?

   If another building supply store needs a site with good vehicle access,
could it possibly go into the Target Store site at Beltline Road and W 11th
which there are rumors may be closing? That would make some logical sense. 

   I am not in favor of making everyone walk or ride bikes and I generally
in favor of the capitalistic, free-market system. I don't think we are going
to run out of oil to drive our cars anytime soon. But the true costs of
another poorly sited development would eventually be born by the citizens of
Eugene not the developer. That is wrong. The short term perspective these
decisions are made just doesn't look at all the long term dollar and human
costs this development would cause. We need to look at a longer time frame.

   I think this development application should be denied or at least delayed
until more comments are heard and presentations are made at all the
Associations, Commissions and Committee's who are looking at the West
Eugene's long term planning. This is not the process we deserve.

 

Tom Schneider

3245 W 16th Ave

Eugene OR 97402

343-3699

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