City fights to block hundreds of citizens from their rights!
Updated: September 5, 2022
On July 26, 2022, the City filed the “Official Record” for the HB 2001 Code Amendment public process and intentionally omitted the final version of the “Housing and Climate Justice Petition,” which had the names, addresses, and testimony of over 1,200 individuals.
I filed a formal “Record Objection” on August 9, 2022. In that document, I provided an email with evidence that a person had mailed a printed petition to the mayor and all city councilors.
On August 23, 2022, the City Attorney filed a “Response to the Record Objection” with a scurrilous insinuation that the person who mailed the copies of the petition may have been lying!
I filed a “Reply to the City Response” on August 30, 2022, with a notarized affidavit from the person the City Attorney had impugned. In addition, I provided a copy of one of the envelopes received by a City Councilor as further evidence that copies of the petition had, in fact, been mailed.
It’s bad enough that the City is trying to abridge citizens’ First Amendment rights and stifle Eugene citizens’ participation in this important land use process. But the tactics employed by the City Attorney in the City’s “Response” set a new low.
LUBA has not yet ruled on this issue.
Below was updated on: July 2, 2022
THANK YOU! To citizens who have provided financial support to ensure the meaningful engagement of ALL Eugene citizens.
FLASH! We’ve just met our $6,500 goal for filing the LUBA appeal! Stay tuned for future opportunities to support genuine citizen involvement. THANK YOU TO ALL THE CONTRIBUTORS!
The stark reality of the HB 2001 Code Amendment process is this: City staff orchestrated a sham process that failed to even send a postcard notice to property owners about the extreme deregulation of residential zoning that staff developed and promoted.
The City recognized fewer than 700 individuals as “Interested Parties” who received notice of the City Council adopting Ordinance No. 20667, which made sweeping changes to the residential lot and development standards, including increasing allowable density by FIVE TIMES. The staff chose to keep citizens out of the loop from beginning to end, even though over 1,200 individuals signed the “Housing and Climate Justice Petition.” Even though this petition included names and mailing addresses that who specifically “requested” action by the City Council, the City Planning Division staff intentionally refused to notify all of those individuals.
Whatever your opinions are regarding the deregulation that was adopted with the Mayor breaking a 4:4 split of the elected City Councilors, please join your fellow citizens and neighbors to force the City Council to reconsider the ordinance after full notification to all Eugene residents and property owners and providing a genuine opportunity for all Eugene citizens to have their voices heard and respectfully considered.
Together we can restore a legitimate citizen involvement process for such momentous decisions. Please join the effort — Here’s how …
Thank all the contributors who made it possible to reach our goal in quickyly! Please contribute to the cost of the appeal of Ordinance No. 20667 to the Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals, which was filed on June 15, 2022. We have a firm budget of $6,500 for all the steps necessary in this appeal, including legal representation by local attorney Charles Woodward, IV..
An initial group of supporters ponied up the $1,300 that it cost to file the required “Notice of Intent To Appeal” (“NITA”) and mail a copy to almost 700 “interested parties,” as required by Oregon Revised Statutes. Additional supporters have contributed so we’ve reached our $6,500 goal. (A full accounting and receipts are available to contributors for review.)
The appeal will challenge multiple errors by the City Council, including failing to adopt standards that would protect the Willamette River Greenway and failing to require that sufficient infrastructure (e.g., water, sewers, and emergency access) is available to ensure residents’ health and safety before allowing development at substantially higher residential density.
All donations will be used only for attorney’s fees and direct expenses, such as printing and mailing. No individuals other than our attorney will receive any remuneration.
Please feel free to send questions regarding contributions and other ways to support this effort using the on-line form or email address available on the Contact tab (above).
More information will be posted shortly on other upcoming efforts and opportunities to help as a vounteer or by a financial contribution.