General · 21st July 2010
Michael Kinnison
In March, more than 40 people attended a “livability summit” at the University of Oregon that was initiated by the South University Neighborhood Association. The gathering focused on the impacts to neighborhoods from loud parties and other behavior issues associated with students and other young adults. Participants included representatives from the University, City of Eugene, adjacent neighborhoods, and rental property owners and managers. Staff from Neighborhood Services, Planning and Police attended, as well as Mayor Kitty Piercy and Councilor George Brown. The discussion provided neighborhood representatives an opportunity to discuss their experiences and for other stakeholders to clarify actions underway to address problems.
To continue moving forward on this issue, Neighborhood Services is helping coordinate an effort to identify additional strategies with the potential to further reduce these impacts. Neighborhood Services staff are convening a small, informal stakeholder group to identify and clarify issues, existing and planned efforts, gaps and shortfalls, and identify actions for improvement. Amazon Neighborhood is being represented by board member Marci Cauthorn (mxjane,,,gmail.com).
The "Neighborhood Livability Woring Group" is planning to conduct best practices research to learn what is working in other communities and focus on strategies that could provide the best results. For more information or to become more closely involved, feel free to give Michael Kinnison a call at (541) 682-5009 or via e-mail michael.j.kinnison,,,ci.eugene.or.us.
Villages/Creating Mixed Neighborhoods
Comment by Sherry Wellborn on 30th July 2010
David’s comments are on-point that livability is directly proportional to number of vehicles in our lives. Please consider folding that into the livability issue. Arranging our neighborhoods to accommodate pedestrians and bicycles can only help. Why not morph our little city into sustainable villages with wide green spaces between? Each village would provide work, education, food, and housing. The green spaces would add back some of the native habitat we’ve lost as well as providing close-in agrarian spaces for small farms. A big idea, a major shift, and why not? If we’re serious about sustainability and creating jobs, shelter, and food where we are at a micro level, true livability, then let’s figure out how to get there. Make bicycling safer with more through bicycle routes and lights at dangerous crossings (e.g. 15th & Hilyard & Patterson).
To address the issues written about in the article, I’ll suggest these things: encourage mixed neighborhoods where young families can afford homes to rent or buy and older people feel welcome. Find ways to limit the number of student rentals: a surtax on student rentals, or tax reduced easements attached to the deed for those who agree to rent to those who are 24 and older or families, or a limit on the number of student rentals per block, some mixture of incentives to create mixed neighborhoods that are rich in types of people who live there. Create a city code that requires all food establishments to offer food in recyclable or biodegradable containers & charge a lot more for those who do not participate in recycling. Work harder to get neighborhood-scale composting functional. Why bring these up? Garbage (looks a lot like student garbage) is being left lately in 25th alley between Onyx & University. Broken bottles on the streets also make bicycling hazardous. A bit of a mixed bag her, but all relevant. Good luck.
Local Small Businesses
Comment by David Stucky on 21st July 2010
3. Local small business enhances livability. A vibrant local small business community makes it much more possible to exist materially without getting in an automobile, keeps business responsive to local needs, provide employment, etc. Again, in Amazon we're very fortunate in this regard. We have small groceries, restaurants, book shops, bike shops, bakeries, pubs, toy stores, coffee shops, and more. Tax incentives can and should be provided to encourage local ownership rather than to artificially encourage the entrance of large (not to mention temporary) businesses.
Reintegration of Wild & Agrarian Spaces
Comment by David Stucky on 21st July 2010
2. Reintegration of wild and agrarian space into urban communities directly benefits livability. Amazon is truly fortunate to have the slough, community garden, Masonic Cemetery, and (nearby) watershed. On a smaller scale, a number of private lots (including one of my own) have been permanently dedicated to garden space. These reallocations of land have a significant beneficial effect on the livability of communities. As we plan for increased density (almost a certainty), I suggest that we create and work by land use guidelines which compel us to purchase density by 1.) reducing automobile density and 2.) increasing the % of wild/agrarian space within the community.
Automobiles
Comment by David Stucky on 21st July 2010
Glad to hear you'll be attending/representing Marcy. I wanted to offer three pieces of livability input I'm hoping you'll relay:
1. In any defined urban space, automobile density and livability pretty much exist in an inverse relationship with each other. The more cars there are, the less livable the community becomes. I've seen this pattern in every city I've lived in or visited here in the States and in other parts of the world. Population density (which is projected to go up by 20% over the next 20 years in Eugene) directly drives automobile density unless countermeasures are taken to reduce the desirability of automobile ownership/use. Left to 'market forces', our Eugene communities (especially those proximate to U of O) will become increasingly clogged with cars. In my view, this is probably the single most salient factor impacting livability. I should emphasize also that I'm offering observations regarding what has already occurred in Amazon over the last decade as much as I'm offering a prediction of what will continue to happen going forward unless measures are implemented (as has been done in other cities worldwide) to curtail automobile usage. Student favored neighborhoods simply presage what will occur more generally in Eugene.