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May 10 7 pm RRCO General meeting IN PERSON only
May RRCO General Meeting May 8 at 7 PM
In person at 1055 River Rd.

It’s Time To Hear From You About the
Draft Neighborhood Plan
The exemplary public involvement that started our River Road/Santa Clara Neighborhood Plan unfortunately ground to a halt with the arrival of the Covid Pandemic. None the less, City and County Staff have continued to work with the River Road/Santa Clara Community Advisory Committee (CAC) to refine the draft plan all along. 

Now it is time to get your feedback on the proposal. City Staff and Committee Members have agreed to use a Plan Toolkit to guide group and individual information and get feedback through a Community Feedback Form. You can utilize them on your own, but we are providing several opportunities for folks to gather in person or by Zoom to utilize these tools and learn about the current proposal and how to provide feedback.
1) RRCO general meeting May 8 In Person
2) ZOOM sessions May 17 and 18 combined with online tools (see calendar below)
3) RRCO/SCCO combined community meeting May 25th 5:30 to 7:30 at North Eugene High School.

The current process is that you have these opportunities to review and comment on the draft plan The RRCO and SCCO boards will utilize your feedback to make recommendations to the CAC.  The CAC will submit their recommendation to the Eugene and Lane County Planning Commission and then on to the Eugene City Council and Lane County Commission. 

Though some issues remain unresolved, such as managing parking (see parking article below) the three groups have agreed to submit the Draft Plan to the Community for your feedback. The most significant change is the City’s Planning Staff proposal to replace the Special Area Zone for the River Road Corridor and Willamette Greenway with zoning changes such as lowering the maximum allowed height of the majority of commercially zoned properties from 120 ft. to 60 ft. 
 
While we worked on the plan,  the State passed HB 2001 (Middle Housing) and is in the process of implementing Climate Friendly and Equitable Community Standards. These significantly changed how land use is implemented throughout the State including our ability to implement our original vision for our Neighborhoods.  

The first opportunity for River Road residents is to attend the May 8th General Meeting (7-8:30 PM) at the River Road Annex (155 River Road).  We will have an information session and then break out into tables for each topic areas with Community Advisory Committee members and Staff to review the plan and action items and to answer your questions.  You will have an opportunity to discuss your thoughts and use the feedback form to share your thoughts. 

Unfortunately this format will not allow us to also have a Zoom Session this month but we will be back to hybrid meetings in June. To serve neighbors who prefer to meet by Zoom there will be two Zoom Virtual Information sessions: May 17 at 8 PM and May 18 from 12 to 1 PM. You must register to attend these meetings and to get zoom information by clicking on your preferred date.

And we are excited to return to North Eugene High School (200 Silver Lane) on May 25th for a Community Meeting from 5:30 to 7:30. The format will be similar to the 5/8 RRCO meeting.Help us plan  by RSVPing here)!  

More detailed information on the Draft Plan and all the meetings mentioned above can be found here:  https://engage.eugene-or.gov/rrsc-neighborhood-plan
Can you hear me now?
Last month we attempted our first hybrid meeting.  Unfortunately the microphone malfunctioned and people attending online were not able to hear much of the presentations. We invite you to listen to the City Club discussion of Measure 20-340: Renewal of Jail and Youth Services Levy with Sheriff Cliff Harrold and Jacob Trewe from the Healing Not Handcuffs coalition in opposition to the Lane County Jail levy.

We have since found that others have had similar problems with the zoom set up at the Annex. The City has a system called the OWL that might be more reliable for audio interface, which we intend to try out for future meetings. Our deepest apologies for the frustration and exclusion that you may have experienced due this combination of human and technical breakdowns.
More Problems for River Road Area Parking
 
Around 90% of River Road Streets are owned by Lane County which has very limited parking enforcement capacity beyond the Weighmaster dealing with abandoned vehicles. The challenge of increased demand for offsite parking adjacent to multifamily housing projects became evident when some ECCO Apartment dwellers taxed adjacent streets with their vehicles. The City of Eugene agreed to take authority over those street’s right of ways in a first step to assume parking enforcement. Unfortunately, the pandemic arrived and decimated the City’s parking revenue and they never followed up on managing parking around ECCO apartments.

Jump to 2023 and the City is about to implement the State mandated Climate Friendly and Equitable Community standards for parking which will essentially eliminate any parking requirements for any future developments in the darkened areas of River Road on this map:


 
 The City is currently conducting an online survey to get input about how residents want them to deal with past and future parking issues.  Please complete this survey by opening this link:  https://engage.eugene-or.gov/cfec/survey_tools/cfec-parking-reform-community-survey
There’s a New Noise Issue in River Road – Is it a Broken Locomotive?
 
This information is primarily gleaned from social media posts – so use your own judgement.
In recent weeks we’ve been hearing” noise”, as in complaints, about a new irritating sound in the River Road and Trainsong ‘Hoods. Many have likened it to an air raid siren that occurs several times throughout the day appearing to come from a locomotive (or two) in the Union Pacific Yards. 


Soundsleuth Dharmika Henshel has ventured out and recorded a level of 77+ decibels around 1 AM on 4/26. She also visited during the day and spoke with some workers who opined that it may be that the turbo is going out on the engine: 


 

Savanna Wood posted this message from Ward 7 City Councilor Lyndsie Leach on Nextdoor on 4/29:

 

Hi Savanna, 

 I hear it as well and have spoken with our compliance team a couple times now. We have reached out to UP, and I have a meeting with them coming up. From what I have gathered so far, if it is part of their operations it is federally protected. I have looked as I went by and it seems like there are 2 new yellow engines that appear to be making that awful siren noise, but I have not yet confirmed if that is the source. I will keep working to get answers and hopefully solutions.

 

Thanks for reaching out!
Lyndsie  


 

Unfortunately, Dharmika heard from Eugene Code compliance Supervisor Ken Green who shared the following email:


"I’m sorry to hear that you folks are having to deal with another noise disturbance, the noise is exempt under city code as it’s regulated by federal law. I have included a link below to file a complaint with the Federal Railroad Administration, all complaints should be filed with them. https://railroads.dot.gov/.../federal-railroad.

You can speak with a FRA representative within the region 8 office in Vancouver, WA by calling 360-696-7536. Please let me know if you have any further questions."

 

Who you gonna call?

 

Union Pacific: 

People have contacted Aaron Hunt (senior director of public affairs):

Phone: 503-249-3079 Mailing Address: 301 NE 2nd Ave. Portland, OR 97232

Email: amhunt@up.com or you can use this form: https://www.up.com/messages/index.cfm?address=amhunt 

 

His email response to a couple of neighbors (around 4/26):
“Our operating team in the yard is looking into the matter. We think the sound may be coming from a locomotive in the yard. I will be in touch with updates as we investigate. This is the first time seven (sic: ever?) encountered community feedback of this kind. We appreciate your patience as we work through this. 

Again, thanks for letting us know.”

 

Federal Railroad Administration:

https://railroads.dot.gov/railroad-safety/federal-railroad-administration-alleged-violation-reporting-form 

Call: 360-696-7536

 

Congressperson Val Hoyle:

DC Office: 1620 Longworth House Office Building,Washington, DC  20515 

Phone: (202) 225-6416

Eugene District Office 541-465-6732 

Website: https://hoyle.house.gov/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/RepValHoyle

Facebook: @100089086878873

Agency Help link: https://digitalprf.house.gov/AddressAuthentication?id=OR04 

 

Senator Wyden:

Address: 221 Dirksen Senate Office Building,Washington, DC 20510

Phone number: (202) 224-5244

Facebook: @senatorronwyden 

Twitter: @RonWyden

Agency Help link: https://www.wyden.senate.gov/services/help-with-a-federal-agency 

 

Senator Merkley:

Address:  513 Hart Senate Office Building, Washington, DC 20510 

Phone number: (202) 224-3753

Website: merkley.senate.gov

Facebook: @jeffmerkley

Twitter: @SenJeffMerkley

Agency Help link: https://www.merkley.senate.gov/services/help/all-other-requests

AND OF COURSE YOUR FAVORITE NEWS MEDIUM
RRCO Committees In Action

RRCO Social Justice Committee summer activities
The RRCO Social Justice Committee will be meeting informally throughout the summer. Watch for a Social Justice Coffee Hour at Reality Kitchen with dates TBD for the upcoming months.  For more information contact rrco_social_justice@riverroadco.org.
 
The Indigenous Inquiry Group continues to meet. We are focused on building relationships as we explore Kalapuya people in our coity. Ellen Rifkin and Bee Vrzak supported the Friendly Area Neighborhood and their Kalapuya mural and wetlands meadow in Westmoreland Park by removing invasive plants to allow the indigenous camas and biscuit roots to flourish. 
Another activity focused on relationships is through reviewing the “Kalapuya Youth Education Curriculum” created by the Beyond Toxics team. We encourage you to find a few minutes to review this curriculum to discover the Kalapuya culture, history, plants, pollinators, wetlands, food, and even a recipe. This wonderful education is fun and looks at aspects in our lives today.
https://www.beyondtoxics.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/KalapuyaCurriculum_Feb2023.pdf
What we are watching:
Eugene City Club presents a discussion of  the upcoming Jail Levy and School Board Candidates Forum. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Id601mxGU0I&t=4s
Ready NW Eugene
(Emergency Preparedness in the Bethel, River Road, and Santa Clara Neighborhoods)
There will be no May meeting of Ready NW Eugene, but we will be sure to give plenty of notice of future meetings. With our longtime facilitator, Jacque Wurster, moving away soon, we are in a transition phase as we absorb all of the roles Jacque filled for us. Joel Robe and Charlsey Cartwright are now the point persons for Ready NW Eugene.
 
Please be sure to sign-up to be placed on our email list at ReadyNWEugene@gmail.com to stay informed.
 
Access the recordings of our past meetings and presentations on YouTube under the heading: Ready NW Eugene — Emergency Preparedness Team.
 
Ready NW Eugene had a booth on April 29th at the 12th Annual Awbrey Park Wildflower Celebration organized by the Santa Clara Community Organization. This event was well attended and our booth had a continuous stream of folks interested in discussing emergency preparedness as well as participating in our raffle!

 
ANNOUNCEMENTS
The RRCO Board has made some internal role change ups.  Clare Strawn has resigned from her co-chair position.  Dan Isaacson will now be co-chair along with  Jon Belcher. Michele O'leary will take up the slack by adding Treasurer to her Secretary responsibilities. Clare will continue to serve on the board and produce the monthly e-news.
Whiteaker Community Council invites you
to attend their Ward 7 Candidate Forum
 The Whiteaker Community Council’s May 12th General Meeting will include a candidate forum for the Ward 7 race and all three candidates have been invited to speak. The meeting is from 7 to 9 PM and you are invited to join via Zoom by computer at https://us06web.zoom.us/j/8998481158 or by phone by dialing (669) 900-6833 and use the meeting ID #: 8998481158. Thanks to WCC chair Margaret Steinbrunn for the invitation.  
RRCO is planning an August River Festival Promenade!
This will be a neighborhood-wide block party along the west bank path with activity nodes along the way. There will be dancing at Merry Lane bridge, neighborhood information tables at Hillard, native plant restoration at Rasor Park and the filbert grove, art activities for kids and grownups, buskers, places to sit and chat with neighbors. Now is the time to invest your creative ideas into making this happen! Email clarestrawn@gmail.com with subject line "River Promenade" with your ideas and interest in helping to plan. Tentative date is August 12.
Come on over to River Road Rec Center and Emerald  Park wading pool for the 36th annual children's' fishing derby.  Open to children 2 through 7 (accompanied by an adult.) Bring your own bait and tackle and try your luck.  The wading pool will be  fully stocked with rainbow trout.  Take a break and come on in and enjoy our community breakfast! We'll be serving eggs, ham, pancakes, fruit and juice!
Thank you to the Oregon Fish and Wildlife for givng us the fish!.
CALENDAR
May 6 Saturday 8 AM to 11. Fishing Derby and community breakfast. 1400 Lake Drive.
May 8, Monday. RRCO General Meeting. 7 PM In PERSON.  1055 River Road. Lets Wrap up  the neighborhood planning process!
May 15, Monday. RRCO Board 7 PM  on zoom. https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84187063006?pwd=dnFxMHlFN2pla1AwNUh3QkVJZmMwUT09 Meeting ID: 841 8706 3006 Passcode: RRCOBOARD
May 17  Weds.  8 PM River Road-Santa Clara Neighborhood Plan ZOOM Info Session #1. Register at https://eugene-or-gov.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_D2gHG3OXReO151D3124IBg#/registration
May 18, Thurs. 12 to 1 PM River Road-Santa Clara Neighborhood Plan ZOOM Info Session #2. Register at https://eugene-or-gov.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_FM3z2q1nScSoeeIsosX3ig#/registration
May 25, Thurs.  5:30-7:30. River Road-Santa Clara Neighborhood Plan community review at North Eugene High School. RSVP .
If you or your neighbors want to keep up with neighborhood happenings, please subscribe to the monthly enews.

Do you have items of interest to the RR neighborhood? Contributions to newsletter are invited.
Do you have ideas for discussion at our general meeting or concerns you want to bring to the attention of the RRCO board? Send us an email: cochair@riverroadco.org
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RRCO · 1055 River Road · Eugene, Or 97404 · USA

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