What do you think?
Published by Staff on June 20, 2008
We want your feedback on the Lane County Moving Forward Together “smart growth” conference:
- What did you think about the conference? What worked well? What could we do better next time?
- What did you learn at the conference? What themes struck you as most important?
- What additional information would you like to have?
- What are your ideas for next steps? What can people in the public, private and nonprofit sectors do to keep Lane County moving forward together?
Please post your comments below. Please provide your full name and email address so that we can contact you if questions arise. We will keep your email address confidential.
6 Responses to “What do you think?”
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Warren Wong on 20 Jun 2008 at 4:04 pm #
I enjoyed the conference; I thought it was great!!! I would like to continue to follow the issue.
Warren Wong
Lane County Fair Board
Lorette Waggoner on 20 Jun 2008 at 3:39 pm #
I wanted to follow up after the event and let you know that I did find it very informative. I think that one of Cortright’s comments gives the explanation. He said that cities with a strong, vital core are seeing this. Cities without a strong vital core are floundering with this problem. I think that’s the answer for Eugene. We really need to concentrate on moderately priced, owner occupied housing in the core. As with field of dreams … If you build it, they will come! Both seniors (if they are single level units w/ elevator access) and the new “shiney-brights” college graduates (as the governor called them). Now we need the city, developers, builders and realtors all on the same page to make it happen.
Thank you and your crew for a good session. My only complaint was the fact that there were few breaks and I hated to leave the room to use the bathroom … I might miss something! If you do it again, please plan some 15 minute breaks … thanks!
Lorette Waggoner
Prudential Real Estate Professionals
P.S. I’m attaching the data from the MLS (just FYI) that shows both 2007 numbers and YTD as of April 2008. Areas in the UGB are flat, areas outside are increasing:
• Median Sale Price Appreciation by Area
• Area Report, May 2008, Lane County, Oregon
Diana Alldredge on 20 Jun 2008 at 3:53 pm #
Here are my comments. I attended as a member of the Citizen Advisory Committee of the LCOG Metropolitan Transportation Committee:
1. I thought it was well planned and an excellent venue—certainly close to my work which made it easier to attend.
2. It mostly gave me hope that there were people in decision making places that recognized the need to change the transpiration strategy as it relates to work commute, purchase or rental of home, and age dynamics.
3. I would love to see what ideas were transferrable to our area and how that would look. And what steps can be taken in the meantime.
4. We need the bus system to become more flexible and to serve to some degree at all hours. 30 years ago service hours for the 8–5 worker were about it, but how many families do you know that are active only 8–5? We have three work shifts in our household alone. And we need the federal government to recognize the great impact of the automobile industry and use to our economy and climate. To support with words and tax incentives those technologies and transportation systems that will lower our oil consumption and diminish the affect on the earth.
Denise Couch on 25 Jun 2008 at 1:41 am #
I enjoyed the conference and was impressed by the speakers. A couple of quick observations/comments.
1. It would have been nice to have a bit more diversity as to the speakers.
2. Workshops or Breakout sessions would have been a great way for attendees to brainstorm, learn and share ideas. Eight hours of speakers is tough, regardless of how interesting they and the topic are.
Francesca Patricolo on 26 Jun 2008 at 2:55 pm #
I thought the most interesting information was about the changing demographics—soon we will be seeing a shift where Baby Boomers are out of the workforce and there will be suddenly a lot of room for younger professionals. Also this poses some significant questions about how such a change will affect our communities.
I thought that the speakers could have been more polite and allow the audience commentators to be heard more. I noticed that individuals had to stand in the middle in front of a microphone for several minutes before they were acknowledged although they were asked to come forward.
Cory Neu on 27 Jun 2008 at 4:34 pm #
I would have liked to hear more from the Home Builders and Developers on their experiences locally. The concept of smart growth is great and has a lot of merit. However, the former Governor of Maryland and the other smart growth advocates really talked up the money and investments that the governments have thrown into that concept. Ask a developer how easy it is to build a “nodal†or smart growth project in this area.
At least from the outside looking in, it does not appear that the leadership in Eugene is willing to make much investment in growth at all whether it be smart growth or otherwise. If it remains too expensive and awkward to build housing in Eugene, then any concept of affordable housing (home ownership, or renting) has been abandoned.
If it’s harder to develop outside the Urban Growth Boundary, and increasingly more expensive and awkward to develop anything inside the Urban Growth Boundary, then cities like Creswell, Veneta, Harrisburg, Junction City, etc. are going to continue to burst at the seems, and create the sprawl that none of us want to see.
The conference was well organized, informative and overall great! Let’s find some of the developers, companies and home builders who wanted to invest locally but chose to go elsewhere, and hear from them next time.