Overview
Downtown Eugene is the social, economic and cultural heart of our community, and the source of some of our most vexing community challenges. Since the Downtown Plan was adopted in 2004, we have made significant improvements to our downtown. We have invested in transportation options, redeveloped old buildings, and filled vacant and underutilized lots with purposeful buildings and significant community destinations. Downtown Eugene has world-class amenities and it is a hub of creativity and entrepreneurship. However, ongoing and emerging challenges continue to hold us back and impact the quality of life of people living, working, and visiting downtown. It is time to develop an updated list of priorities and projects that will guide the next phase of downtown investments.
Through conversations with residents, businesses, and organizations, the City is developing a list of Downtown Priorities and Projects to guide future improvements to the area. Eugene City Council will consider this list in early 2023 and begin strategizing on how to implement the priorities that come out of this process.
To develop the list of Priorities and Projects, the City conducted broad outreach to a variety of stakeholders through interviews and focus groups. The City engaged with stakeholders who have been involved in past planning efforts and conducted pro-active outreach to people who historically have had marginal input with decision-makers, such as youth, people of color, low-income residents, and people with disabilities. In addition, the City launched an online survey and hosted an open house to clarify challenges and opportunities.
Current Status
After four months of active outreach, city staff have compiled a draft list of priorities and projects organized into six categories: Housing, Public Safety, Social Services, Commercial Activity & Development, Public Spaces & Mobility, and Events & Culture. The possible projects were pulled from ideas from the community, staff, and existing City policies and plans. The actions identified to address the six categories are a broad mix of operational activities and physical improvements.
The City is convening an inter-departmental team to evaluate the actions listed in the Downtown Priorities and Projects. They will be looking at criteria such as: cost, potential funding sources, feasibility, effectiveness, and alignment with existing City policies. The team will also evaluate the timing and urgency of each of the projects and programs and how an equity and accessibility lens can be applied.
City Council Work Session
City Council discussed the list of Downtown Priorities and Projects at the January 25, 2023 work session. Click here to view the Council materials or watch the webcast.
At this work session, staff provided an overview of the draft list of Downtown Priorities and Projects and the public engagement process. Council directed staff to bring back a proposal to amend the Downtown Urban Renewal District to implement eligible projects.
Links to all the materials can be found here: Council Packet
Links to some of the key documents in the packet:
