The Eugene Public Health Overlay Zone
Our first community forum is Tuesday, March 29th from 7 - 8:30 pm
REGISTER
What is an OVERLAY ZONE FOR PUBLIC HEALTH?
An overlay zone is an additional land use zoning code that applies to established residential neighborhoods and industrial zones.
A Public Health Overlay Zone is an additional land use zoning code that applies to established residential neighborhoods and industrial zones. These types of zones are designed to ensure that future land development projects promote a healthy environment and improved quality of life for surrounding neighborhoods. The City of Eugene adopted a similar land use concept in 2017 when it annexed lands to add acres for industrial and manufacturing jobs in the Clear Lake Road area in West Eugene.
Risk Bonds are used to ensure financial responsibility for the impacts of future releases on surrounding neighborhoods and public infrastructure.
What will this do for Eugene communities?
The Public Health Overlay will uphold the community’s values around climate change, sustainability, health, local food systems, and conservation of natural resources. These new rules are designed to reduce pollution and improve public health for the local community going forward.
LET'S MAKE THIS HAPPEN IN EUGENE!
Tuesday, March 29 at 7 - 8:30 PM
Learn More and Take Action!
Neighborhoods in West Eugene have been exposed to a disproportionate burden of air, water and soil pollution for many decades. For example, the Oregon Dept of Environmental Quality heavily fined JH Baxter, a creosote chemical manufacturer, for multiple violations of their environmental permit. Other industrial polluters expose the thousands of Eugene residents to toxic chemicals that are known to cause cancer and chronic diseases such as asthma.
The City Council, in recognition of these unacceptable pollution exposures, unanimously voted to hold three upcoming work sessions to adopt policies to deal with chronic toxic polluters.
Councilors Claire Syrett and Randy Groves are holding a community forum to discuss the Council’s plans and to ask for community input and answer questions. Along with Beyond Toxics, councilors invite the public to join the meeting to learn more and ask questions.
Visit the REGISTRATION page to register for the zoom meeting->>
Councilors Syrett and Groves have also organized this forum to get community feedback on the following proposals:
● Requiring risk bonds or liability insurance for industrial users of fossil fuel or hazardous chemicals.
● A public health overlay zone.
● Chronic toxic polluter solutions.
City councilors also agreed to ask the staff to determine how a local government could implement meaningful solutions to address chronic toxic polluters.
The Community Public Forum has enlisted several local experts on the topics slated for discussion, including:
● Laura Allen, Member, Eugene Sustainability Commission
● Lisa Arkin, Executive Director, Beyond Toxics
We will keep you appraised of progress in forthcominge-alerts.
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