NEWS RELEASE
August 22, 2002

1000 FRIENDS OF OREGON WILL APPEAL
WEST EUGENE PARKWAY DECISIONS

EUGENE, OREGON

Yesterday, 1000 Friends of Oregon announced that it will appeal various planning decisions related to the West Eugene Parkway, the first of many anticipated legal challenges to the Parkway.

1000 Friends and community members have long held that the West Eugene Parkway violates various local, state and federal land use, transportation and environmental laws. According to Lauri Segel, the organization's Lane County Advocate, the appeal filed yesterday is "the first step toward a better future for west Eugene and for our region-a livable future with clean air, choices for transportation, housing and employment, and comfortably compact neighborhoods."

1000 Friends gave notice that it is appealing land use decisions by the City of Eugene, the City of Springfield, Lane County, and the Lane Transit District. Those decisions change various planning documents and lay the groundwork for the West Eugene Parkway. The appeal headed to the Land Use Board of Appeals will be based on noncompliance with Oregon's Statewide Planning Goals.

According to Mike Collmeyer, the 1000 Friends attorney who filed the appeal, the organization felt it had no choice. "Our legal and policy concerns about the West Eugene Parkway, while shared by the Eugene Planning Commission, fell on deaf ears when the region's elected officials finally made their decision to move forward with the highway in August."

According to Collmeyer, the organization wants to partner with local governments and the Oregon Transportation Commission to find a lasting-and legal-solution to West Eugene's numerous land use and transportation woes. "Sometimes, you have to say 'No' to a flawed proposal to help find a solution you can say 'Yes' to," said Collmeyer.

1000 Friends staff remained optimistic that a creative solution could be found that will meet the region's needs without breaking the law. "Regional governments have to comply with the law, just like everyone else," said 1000 Friends transportation advocate Jacob Brostoff. "The challenge is to find an innovative, sensible and cost-effective solution."

To that end, 1000 Friends and local community activists have enlisted the help of Crandall Arambula PC, a well-known, professional planning and urban design firm, to help develop legal, livable and innovative alternatives to the massive highway project.

George Crandall, one of the firm's principals, is confident that a better answer can be found, saying "West Eugene has so many wonderful assets-beautiful wetlands, biodiversity, and many great opportunities for compact, livable neighborhoods with choices in housing, travel and employment. It would be a shame not to take up this challenge and help the community find its own better future." Crandall Arambula PC plans to release an outline of alternatives to the West Eugene Parkway by September 9, 2002.

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