Temporary Camping Update

The City of Eugene continues to make progress in establishing its first Safe Sleep sites and will start to draw down the two large temporary camps at Washington Jefferson Park and 13th Avenue as Safe Sleep sites become operational. The Safe Sleep sites will provide a safe and legal place to go for people living in tents or in their vehicles.

This update is meant to provide information on the progress of Safe Sleep sites, as well as the two large temporary camps. We know these camps have created challenges for the housed, unhoused, and those who work nearby. We’ve taken steps to mitigate the impacts, but it’s a continuous process. Below you will find information on our ongoing efforts.

For more information about Safe Sleep sites, including the two approved locations, visit https://eugene-or.gov/safesleep. For information about the criteria for temporary camping visit https://eugene-or.gov/tempcamping.

Washington Jefferson Park

A view of tents in Washington Jefferson Park in October 2021.
There are currently 234 tents in the park, as some of the 12’x12’ spaces now have multiple tents within them. Eugene Police park resource officers were limited this week because of court commitments and department training. Site monitors and resource officers removed more than a dozen abandoned tents and addressed non-compliant campers. Unified Command Logistics section contracted with NW HazMat to replace the Sheriff’s work crew for regular park trash pickup three days per week. NW HazMat is also able to remove human waste, needles and other hazardous materials appropriately. EPD has requested supplemental budget funding to help stabilize park resource officer presence; this duty is challenging for regular patrol officers to perform in a backup capacity since experience with park rules and camping is so critical to success.

13th Avenue

The 63 gridded spaces remain occupied. Site monitors will focus on some camps decreasing amassed property in preparation for eventually moving to Safe Sleep sites or other stable locations. Since the area has been closed to new camping, some newcomers were denied access, and those people attempted to set up camps on or near sidewalks in adjacent areas. City staff and police worked to halt and remove these disallowed activities. Mitigating nearby unsanctioned camping remains a priority near temporary camps, Rest Stops and Safe Sleep sites.

Safe Sleep Sites

The Safe Sleep site at 310 Garfield in October 2021.
Work is ongoing to firm up sites as soon as is practicable.

310 Garfield St.
The City of Eugene opened its first Safe Sleep site at 310 Garfield St. on October 4. The site reached capacity October 14 and accommodates up to 55 vehicles used for shelter, along with additional vehicles used by those residents for transportation. Most of the vehicles at the site have been in unsanctioned streets in west Eugene. St. Vincent de Paul Society of Lane County operates the site, which has a waiting list. The site currently serves 78 community members.

Chase Commons Park
Staff are still seeking a service provider for Chase Commons Park, which is expected to host up to 20 Conestoga huts. A draft site plan has been created, and staff will also engage more with the neighborhood and businesses to respond to questions and concerns related to this site. The site has water and electricity available for connection in the street.

2243 Roosevelt Blvd.
Approved as a Safe Sleep site by City Council on September 29; staff will begin community engagement and site and operator planning. To be operated by SquareOne Villages.

Dani Street
Approved as a Safe Sleep site by City Council on September 29; staff will begin community engagement and site and operator planning. To be operated by EveryOne Village (Everyone Church).

410 Garfield St.
Approved as a Safe Sleep site by City Council on September 29; staff will begin community engagement and site and operator planning. To be operated by St. Vincent de Paul Society of Lane County.

More information about the City’s response to homelessness is available online.

Oct. 25, 2021

Dear East 40th Neighbors,

Following is a round-up of recent activities on the water storage project, information about stormwater management, and FAQ on controlled underground blasting.

What’s been happening at the site?

Third-party pre-blast home inspections are nearly complete. TerraFirma will email the reports directly to homeowners this week.

The additional, unplanned work to reduce the slope angle on the west side of the site is complete (see Oct. 7 email for more information).

Excavation of topsoil around Tank #1 (east side) is nearing completion. Excavation for Tank #2 (west side) is about 60% complete.

Drilling is beginning this week. Drilling hours are anticipated to be 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. M-F. We expect this will be the noisiest phase of the project and will last 6-8 months.

Blasting is tentatively scheduled to begin this Thursday (10/28) at 1 p.m. The first blast will be a small, test. Starting next week, blasting is expected to take place on Tuesdays and Thursdays between 1-1:30 p.m.

Six seismographs/vibration monitors have been installed around the perimeter of the site.

In the next couple of weeks we will be installing a temporary construction power supply. The new conduit will be bored from an electric box near 4065 Hilyard St. There could be traffic impacts on Patterson St. that day.

Benches are here! We will be putting two on the west side of the construction site and one on the east side to provide a place to watch the construction.

Detention pond collects runoff

Just in time for the rainy season, a detention pond has been built to collect runoff from the site. Water is funneled to this low spot and treated with a chemical called Chitosan which works as a flocculant, binding sediment together in a mat which then settles out in the pond. Clean water is then discharged via a pump to the City’s storm system.

For now, the pump is being operated by a diesel generator, which will be noisy when running. Once power is supplied to the site, the pump will be run off electricity.

Eventually the pond will be replaced by a permanent rain garden/swale that will collect runoff from the site and discharge it to a newly constructed stormwater system. Long term this will have the same function as the pond but will not require pumping and will flow by gravity to the City’s stormwater system.

EWEB, the contractor and City staff continue to work together to adjust and improve stormwater management. The switch from dry weather best management practices (BMP) to wet weather BMPs is causing some mud build-up on Patterson St., and we have requested a meeting with the City so that we can make adjustments that align with our erosion control permit.

The contractor is sweeping Patterson Street multiple times a week to keep mud to a minimum. We have asked the contractor to move the “biobags” during street cleaning and then replace them afterward. This should help keep bags and surround areas a little neater.

Underground Controlled Blasting FAQ

What is underground blasting?

Underground controlled blasting is a common infrastructure construction method used to break rock for excavation. Holes are drilled into the rock for placement of the blasting agent. Packed dirt is added to holes and above the rock. A seismograph records blast vibrations to verify they are within specifications.

Is it safe?

Yes. Controlled blasting is highly regulated and conducted using safe methods and procedures by trained professionals. Blasts will be monitored by seismographs to maintain acceptable levels of ground motion in conjunction with vibration controls. Each blasting event will occur only after verification of all safety precautions and the site is deemed cleared and secure by the blaster-in-charge.

What can I expect to hear/see/feel?

Air horn safety signals will sound 5 minutes and 1 minute before the blast and at the conclusion of the blast. In addition to the air horn, those very near to the construction site may feel a vibration comparable to a door slam or a large truck driving down the street.

Dust suppression systems and heavy blasting mats will be in place to minimize vibration and debris.

Watch an example of controlled underground blasting.

When will blasting occur?

Blasting activity will likely begin the second or third week of October and continue for approximately six months. Current plans call for a blasting event once a day between 1-1:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The blasting schedule is subject to change and to the extent weather or project schedule necessitates blasting outside of those times, blasting would occur during daylight hours Monday through Friday. No blasting will be performed weekends or federal holidays.

What should I do to prepare?

Residents living adjacent to the project site may wish to keep windows closed for the brief period of the blasting, between the one-minute signal and the following all-clear signal. If you are near the construction site and hear an air horn, please be aware blasting activity will occur shortly and follow instructions of site personnel or any additional signage that may be posted.

Water Storage Improvement Projects

Access to clean water is vital to our community. EWEB is hard at work making sure safe, reliable water continues to flow even as critical infrastructure ages and new challenges arise. In the next decade, we plan to construct new water storage facilities near 40th Ave. and Patterson St. and replace the water storage systems at EWEB’s College Hill and Hawkins Hill sites. The projects will be built to seismic and contemporary operating standards, providing more than 40 million gallons of resilient, safe water storage.

Visit our Website

Contact us with questions
If you have questions or input, please don’t hesitate to reach out to the project team at
541-685-7899 or water.storage@eweb.org. Emails sent to this address will reach:

Laura Farthing, Project Manager/Senior Civil Engineer
Jen Connors, Communications Supervisor
Jeannine Parisi, Customer Relationship Manager
Wally McCullough, Water Engineering Supervisor

Three emergency management leaders from the State of Oregon will share their insights at a free online webinar Oct. 28 from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Speakers will include Peter Mackwell, Medical Surge Planner, Oregon Health Authority; Ed Flick, Emergency Management Director, Oregon Department of Human Services; and Sonya McCormick, Public/Private Partnership Program Manager, Oregon Office of Emergency Management.

The webinar is sponsored by a Bend non-profit, PathFinderEX. to bring together community members and experts to discuss disaster awareness and preparedness topics.

The schedule is as follows:

5:00 p.m. – 5:05 p.m.: Introduction

5:05 p.m. – 5:25 p.m.: NETs in Disasters / Hurricane Katrina best practices and lessons learned. Mr. Peter Mackwell will discuss the importance of NETs in Disasters and share his experiences & best practices learned from Hurricane Katrina in 2004. Mr. Mackwell is a thirty-year veteran of EMS/Fire and Disaster response, and a member of the Oregon State and the Federal disaster response system. He has served as the Operations Section Chief on the Incident Management Team for IMT-West, overseeing Emergency Support Function 8 (ESF-8).

5:25 p.m. – 5:45 p.m.: Oregon’s Wildfires: A look back, and what can we expect in the future. Ed Flick will discuss what has happened to the areas throughout Oregon that were impacted by wildfires over the past few years. Mr. Flick is the Emergency Management Director for the Oregon Department of Human Services. In his role he organizes, coordinates, and prepares Emergency Support Function 6 (ESF-6), Mass Care, for the state of Oregon. He has decades of experience in disaster risk reduction and preparedness from his time as an Army Special Forces officer to his experience as a county emergency manager.

5:45 p.m. – 6:05 p.m.: Public & Private Partnerships: The importance of working with state agencies.  Sonya McCormick will discuss the importance of working with state and local agencies prior to, during, and following a disaster. Ms. McCormick is the Public/Private Partnership Program Manager for Oregon Office of Emergency Management, in Salem, Ore. She has worked for local and state governments in the fields of epidemiology, environmental health, and emergency management.

6:05 p.m. – 6:20 p.m.: Open forum: question & answer session. Closing remarks.

This event is supported by the Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons of Oregon (OPSO).

You may register for the event at: https://www.pathfinderex.org/event-details/pfx-summit-neighborhood-team-response-in-an-emergency-2

Do you want to help kids and your community? Consider working with the Eugene School District 4J!

4J has many part-time and full-time school support staff positions open, including classroom, school building and food service assistants, bus drivers and aides, nurses, and more. Some positions offer evening hours or part-time school day schedules, to fit your life and responsibilities.

The list of jobs at 4J on Oct. 12 included 41 positions (from Assistant Boys Basketball Coach – North Eugene High School through Warehouse Operations Assistant): https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/laneedu/

by Lindsey Selser, City of Eugene

The noon City Council Work Session Oct. 13 will focus on planning to address the full spectrum of housing needs over the next few years.

The council materials for the Housing Implementation Pipeline (HIP) planning work identify two potential future affordable housing Land Bank sites:

• 13^th and Chambers – Former Naval Reserve Site (Jefferson West Side)
• 33^rd and Hilyard Site (Southeast Neighbors)

These sites, on land owned by the City of Eugene, are listed as potential future Affordable Housing sites in our HIP Materials, which will be available from the City’s website in advance of the meeting.

We are bringing these to your attention to assure you that both of these sites will have future Council discussion and would require necessary approvals before either could move forward.

Although these sites will not be the specific focus of the upcoming council work session, we encourage you to watch at noon Oct. 13 for information about the Housing Implementation Pipeline – how the City is proposing to move our collective housing work forward over the next five years and beyond.

Middle Housing Information and Q&A Sessions

by Sophie McGinley, City of Eugene

The Middle Housing Public Hearings process is about to begin! Join us for an opportunity to hear about Middle Housing project and changes coming to the Land Use Code. Staff will review the requirements of House Bill 2001, the public engagement process, what’s included in the draft code, and how to get involved in the public hearings process. Afterwards, there will be time for questions. This session will be held twice over Zoom and both sessions will include the same presentation. The presentation and both Q&A opportunities will be recorded for those who can’t join us live. Meeting information is below.

Session 1: Tuesday October 19, 2021 7:00 – 8:30pm

Zoom link: https://eugene-or-gov.zoom.us/j/81848116549

Meeting ID: 818 4811 6549

Passcode: Triplex3

Phone-In: +1 971 247 1195 US (Portland)

Session 2: Thursday October 21, 2021 4:00 – 5:30pm

Zoom link: https://eugene-or-gov.zoom.us/j/85806239620

Meeting ID: 858 0623 9620

Passcode: Quadplex4

Phone-In: +1 971 247 1195 US (Portland)

For more information, visit the project webpage, Engage Eugene, Facebook, and Instagram. To receive formal mailed notice or informal email project updates, sign-up for the new Interested Parties List. The project team has set up an email address for public comments about the middle housing project. Community members can send their comments to middlehousingtestimony@eugene-or.gov and staff will compile the public testimony for sharing with the Planning Commission and City Council at their respective points in the process.

If you have any questions about the information sessions or the project, please reach out. We hope to see you there!

The city is entering an exciting phase of work in planning for middle housing options – the formal adoption process!

Project staff kicked off the project in the summer of 2020, and spent 10 months reaching out to an Equity RoundTable, Healthy Democracy panel, boards and commissions and local partners, and the general public. To learn more about our outreach efforts to date for this project, check out this infographic. Outreach will continue as we reach more people and work our way through the formal adoption process.

Earlier this summer, the project team drafted middle housing land use code language, using the results of the technical analysis and community engagement work as a foundation. Highlights of the Planning Commission’s guidance to staff in preparing the draft land use code include:

• Focus on equity and inclusion as code choices are made.
• Encourage and incentivize middle housing across the community.
• Near transit routes, encourage compact development by reducing parking requirements.
• Pursue incentives and programs beyond the code as part of our ongoing housing work.

The project team completed technical and legal review of the draft code this month. The draft land use code and plan amendments are published on our website and will be presented to the Planning Commission in work sessions on September 28 and October 12.

The Planning Commission’s public hearing will be held over zoom on October 26, and deliberation sessions are scheduled for November. Once the Commission completes its recommendations, the Council will hold its own work sessions and public hearing, anticipated for January 2022.

We want to hear from everyone! The project team is planning a variety of outreach strategies to assist people in adding their voices at this important stage of the process. Look to our website over the next month for a summary of the middle housing proposal, informational videos, links, FAQs, and ways to get involved. To receive formal mailed notice or informal email project updates, sign-up for the new Interested Parties List.

The project team has set up an email address for public comments about the middle housing project! Community members can send their comments to middlehousingtestimony@eugene-or.gov, and staff will compile the public testimony for sharing with the Planning Commission and City Council at their respective points in the process.

For more information, visit the project webpage, Engage Eugene, Facebook, and Instagram,. If you have any questions about the project, contact Public Engagement Lead Sophie McGinley.

Dear East 40th Neighbors,
Following is a round-up of recent activities on the water storage project, more information about controlled underground blasting, and a traffic safety message.

What’s been happening at the site?

Topsoil excavation is still underway and on schedule.

A third-party contractor is performing pre-blast home inspections for neighbors within 500 feet of areas to be blasted.

EWEB’s Safety Officer visited the site to take noise measurements. Noise was within acceptable OSHA limits on the property and workers on the site were using appropriate safety measures while the equipment was operating.

EWEB met with the Lane Regional Air Protection Authority (LRAPA), the City of Eugene and the Contractor to discuss dust mitigation. As a result, additional rock was installed over the haul roads on the site, one laborer from the construction company has been dedicated to spraying down the haul road and each dump truck load as it leaves the site when conditions are dry, and dump truck load size has been reduced.

EWEB, the contractor and City staff worked together to improve stormwater management. Check dams were installed to keep turbid water from the newly installed rock on the haul routes from running off the site into the gutter.

EWEB hosted a drop-in information session for neighbors at the project site. The contractor was available to answer questions about controlled drilling and blasting.

EWEB worked with the contractor to add more signs on E. 40th that alert drivers to trucks entering the roadway.

Drilling work to prepare the site for underground blasting will begin soon. Expect elevated noise levels during the drilling phase.

Drilling and underground blasting is expected to begin the second or third week of October.

Underground Controlled Blasting Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is underground blasting?

Underground controlled blasting is a common infrastructure construction method used to break rock for excavation. Holes are drilled into the rock for placement of the blasting agent. Packed dirt is added to holes and above the rock. A seismograph records blast vibrations to verify they are within specifications.

Is it safe?

Yes. Controlled blasting is highly regulated and conducted using safe methods and procedures by trained professionals. Blasts will be monitored by seismographs to maintain acceptable levels of ground motion in conjunction with vibration controls. Each blasting event will occur only after verification of all safety precautions and the site is deemed cleared and secure by the blaster-in-charge.

What can I expect to hear/see/feel?

Air horn safety signals will sound 5 minutes and 1 minute before the blast and at the conclusion of the blast. In addition to the air horn, those very near to the construction site may feel a vibration comparable to a door slam or a large truck driving down the street.

Dust suppression systems and heavy blasting mats will be in place to minimize vibration and debris.

Watch an example of controlled underground blasting.

When will blasting occur?

Blasting activity will likely begin the second or third week of October and continue for approximately six months. Current plans call for a blasting event once a day between 1-1:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The blasting schedule is subject to change and to the extent weather or project schedule necessitates blasting outside of those times, blasting would occur during daylight hours Monday through Friday. No blasting will be performed weekends or federal holidays.

What should I do to prepare?

Residents living adjacent to the project site may wish to keep windows closed for the brief period of the blasting, between the one-minute signal and the following all-clear signal. If you are near the construction site and hear an air horn, please be aware blasting activity will occur shortly and follow instructions of site personnel or any additional signage that may be posted.

Use caution as truck traffic increases
Vehicles and cyclists using E. 40th Ave. and Hilyard St. should use caution as dump truck traffic increases as part of the construction project.

“Hilyard Street as it passes by Tugman Park can start to feel a bit crowded with vehicles parked on both sides of the street,” said EWEB Senior Engineer Laura Farthing. “We’re asking people to slow down, keep an eye out for kids and drive cautiously.”

Contact us with questions

If you have questions or input, please don’t hesitate to reach out to the project team at 541-685-7899 or water.storage@eweb.org. Emails sent to this address will reach:

Laura Farthing, Project Manager/Senior Civil Engineer
Jen Connors, Communications Supervisor
Jeannine Parisi, Customer Relationship Manager
Wally McCullough, Water Engineering Supervisor

by the EWEB East 40th Water Storage Project Team

On Monday, Sept. 20, the blasting contractor will be on-site for drop-in Q&A. Feel free to stop by between 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. to learn about the blasting process, safety plan, schedule, etc. Please remember to wear your mask.

What is controlled drilling and blasting? Controlled drilling and blasting is used to loosen and fragment in-place rock materials to a size that can be removed, transported, or crushed.

A few facts about controlled blasting: Contrary to common perception, blasting in generally less disruptive than mechanical excavation. We will be very proactive in informing and preparing neighbors with information about when, where and how blasting will take place. Blasting is highly regulated and only proven and safe methods will be used.

As of today, the contractor anticipates that drilling and blasting will begin during the first or second week of October.

Click here to see a short video example of controlled blasting.

What is happening at the site? Site preparation activities are still underway and on schedule. Crews are removing approximately 15 feet of top soil in preparation for the next phase of excavation. This work is expected to wrap up within the next couple of weeks.

On Friday, 9/17 crews began installing rock on the haul routes around the site which were constructed to mitigate noise associated with truck beeping, and will also help to limit mud once it starts raining. The contractor is using a roller to compact the rock. This phase of work will be completed early next week.

If you have questions or input, please don’t hesitate to reach out to the project team at 541-685-7899 or water.storage@eweb.org. Emails sent to this address will reach:

Laura Farthing, Project Manager/Senior Civil Engineer
Jen Connors, Communications Supervisor
Jeannine Parisi, Customer Relationship Manager
Wally McCullough, Water Engineering Supervisor

by Jen Connors, EWEB Communications Team

This past year reminded us all of the importance of preparing for emergencies. The Covid-19 pandemic alongside a devastating wildfire in our watershed tested our community’s resiliency and ability to manage multiple risks.

At EWEB, when we speak of “resiliency,” we don’t mean preventing damage. No infrastructure can be completely immune to disruption from storms, earthquakes, or other extreme events. Rather, resiliency measures enable electric and water systems to continue operating despite damage or return quickly to normal operations when outages do occur.

As climate change increases the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, EWEB is serious about making the necessary investments to ensure we can provide safe and reliable water and electricity.

Our Resiliency Priorities
* Improving extreme weather preparedness and response
* Replacing and reinforcing aging infrastructure
* Developing redundant power and water sources and alternative delivery infrastructure

Learn more about investments in drinking water, electric system resiliency, and wildfire safety.

Prepare to Protect
Each September, we set aside some time think about preparedness and what it means for EWEB, our customers and our community. The theme for this year’s National Preparedness Month is “Prepare to Protect,” which highlights how preparing for disaster is one way to protect what we love—our families, our homes, our neighbors, and our community.

This year, EWEB is featuring a series of public service announcements on our social media channels designed to share how we are preparing our water and electric supply and infrastructure to be more resilient to the challenges we face – and what community members can do to be ready. We have also created a new National Preparedness Month website that features tips and resources such as:

* How to find the Emergency Water Station closest to your home
* Wildfire safety and prevention
* Preparing for winter storms
* Tips for landlords
* How to join the Pledge to Prepare
* EWEB’s backup generator program

Be sure to check out EWEB’s National Preparedness Month website and follow us for preparedness tips and resources.

National Preparedness Month
https://www.facebook.com/EWEButility

Sign up for the Southeast Neighbors Preparedness Committee

Check out our Wildfire Evacuation Tabletop Exercise