BACKGROUND

The Eugene wetlands study was initiated by "discovery" of wetlands in 1987 in the midst of Eugene's major industrial region and primary industrial growth area. A variety of valuable wetland types were found, including remnants of a rare Oregon plant community. Within the Metropolitan Plan urban growth boundary, 1,307 acres of wetlands were identified, with at least 608 of these occurring on lands which were planned for future industrial development.

The discovery of wetlands was first seen as a problematic situation. Difficulties in obtaining wetland permits and the impact on one local firm created great uncertainty over future development in west Eugene. To further complicate the problem, the City of Eugene had already invested more than $12 million in public facilities (roads, water and sewers) in the area. Without reasonable development, much of that investment would be lost, and services would have to be extended elsewhere at greater cost (due to inflation and geography).

The situation prompted the Chamber of Commerce and the City Council to consider options for solving the "wetlands problem." When faced with the prospect of each property owner in west Eugene having to go through the state and federal wetland permitting process, the City Council decided that the outcome was too uncertain and unpredictable. The Council concluded that a wetlands plan was needed to balance wetlands protection and development.

Using a plan approach allows a comprehensive view, one that considers both the landscape and its systems. The piecemeal nature of the permitting system can negatively impact the long-term water resources of a community because of fragmented cumulative impacts on the system as a whole. Decisions made out of context of the larger landscape picture rarely benefit wetlands or development. The comprehensive planning approach, however, allows wetlands to be viewed from both natural and human perspectives. Both environmental and urban development considerations can be viewed together and addressed accordingly.

Figure 2 illustrates the comprehensive planning process. Essentially it involves determining vision and goals, integrating and evaluating information and alternatives, and citizen participation, which leads to a plan with clearly articulated goals and policies. Ultimately this results in implementation which, for west Eugene, includes zoning, permitting, land acquisition, wetland restoration, establishing a wetland mitigation bank, and managing connected wetlands and streams that function as a whole.

Plan Direction

Having decided to use a planning approach to solve the wetlands dilemma, the City Council established four objectives to guide development of the West Eugene Wetlands Plan:

1. 1) Use the best information to help the community understand the choices available.
2. 2) Find a balance between protection and development that meets state and federal laws.
3. 3) Provide opportunities for involvement of all interested segments of the community in Plan development.
4. 4) Turn a perceived "wetlands problem" into an opportunity.

With that direction, on January 1,1989, the City of Eugene contracted with the Lane Council of Governments (L-COG) to be project manager of the West Eugene Wetlands Special Area Study. That same month, a work program was approved by the City as well. It contained a detailed list of work activities, a three year schedule, a list of products, an organizational chart (Figure 3), and a citizen participation program which was approved by the City's Citizen Involvement Committee (CIC). The Eugene Planning Commission provided policy direction.

Organization

An interdepartmental and interagency staff planning team, the "Wetheads," provided the work force for the study.. The Wetheads were formed from a multi-departmental, multi-disciplinary group, in order to have a full range of views, expertise and approaches from various disciplines. The Wetheads included public works, planning, finance, parks, intergovernmental relations, and business assistance team staff from the city; land management staff from the county; a plant ecologist from The Nature Conservancy (TNC); and planners from L-COG. A policy analyst from the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM), also became a member.

To provide technical assistance on issues related to federal and state wetlands law and the concerns of resource agencies, a technical advisory committee was convened. The West Eugene Wetlands Special Area Study (WEWSAS) Technical Advisory Committee, or TAC, was a collaboration of state and federal agencies. Membership included the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), and Oregon Division of State Lands (DSL). The TAC met on a regular basis between April 1989 and October 1990. Later in the process, the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) joined the TAC. The TAC provided invaluable assistance, reviewing and commenting on the key provisions of the study, including the methodology for delineating and assessing the wetlands, criteria for rating wetlands, mitigation concepts, staff recommendations, and adequacy for compliance with state and federal law.