HomeMy WebLinkAboutComments COUNTY 7/8/2009
Lane County
Public Works Department I Transportation Planning Division
3040 North Delta Hwy./ Eugene, Oregon 97408
Phone: 541-682-6936/ fax: 541-682-8554
July 8, 2009
Matt Stouder
City of Springfield Public Works
225 Fifth Street
Springfield, OR 97477
Re: Annexation of 19th Street
Thank you for requesting comment on an annexation proposal concerning North 19th Street. The City of
Springfield is proposing to annex a portion of N. 19th Street, a Public Road (also called a "Local Access
Road" or LAR) that is within the Springfield Urban Growth Boundary. Lane County is generally supportive of
the transition to urbanization of LARs, due to the County's limited authority to improve, them pursuant to
ORS 368.031, which states;
"A local access road that is outside a city is subject to the exercise of jurisdiction by a county governing
body in the same manner as a county road except as follows:
(1) A county and its officers, employees or agents are not liable far failure to improve the local access
road or keep it in repair.
(2) A county governing body shall spend county moneys an the local access road only if it determines that
the work is an emergency or if:
(a) The county road official recommends the expenditure;
(b) The public use of the road justifies the expenditure proposed; and
(c) The county governing body enacts an order or resolution authorizing the work and designating the work
to be either a single project or a continuing program."
It is unlikely the County will ever prioritize any portion of N. 19th for improvement due to its LAR status,
limited funds, and other priorities. Therefore, this proposal raises some 'concerns regarding the segment
connectivity to the north that is not proposed for annexation, and connectivity that will result from the
annexation of the north segment. The proposal is to develop the Jackson property with a 30-10t subdivision,
and improve only the adjacent section of 19th Street to urban standards. This plan leaves approximately
350 feet of unimproved LAR between the south end of the proposed improvements and Yolanda Avenue, a
Lane County facility that has been fully improved to urban standards. Once this connection is developed, it
is a certainty that this development will significantly increase daily traffic on the unimproved section.
There will also be a lack of transition between the section that will be improved and the unimproved
portion, and there are no curb returns at the south end at the intersection with Yolanda, only a standard
driveway approach. Essentially the segment that is not proposed for annexation is currently functioning like
a driveway and will be handling a significantly increased level of traffic, which in turn, unfairly increases
the maintenance responsibilities of the adjacent property owners.
Lane County would support a proposal that transfers jurisdiction of North 19th Street in its entirety, in
order for the City to be sole authority for land use and the public right-of-way and to require adequate
road improvements on the entire length of North 19th Street. Absent that, we will request that barriers be
erected at the southern terminus of the segment of North 19th Street adjacent to be annexed, assuming
alternative access is available to properties to the north.
Thank you for providing this opportunity to comment on the annexation proposal.
~
Celia Barry, Manager
Lane County Public Works
Transportation Planning
PRE-SUBMITTAl REC'D
OCT j 2.009