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AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY May 9, 2000 TO: Eugene Planning Commission FROM: Eugene Planning Division ITEM TITLE: Autzen Stadium Code Amendment ACTION REQUESTED: Hold a public hearing on the proposed code amendment BRIEFING STATEMENT: On March 6, 2000 the University of Oregon submitted a request that the City Council initiate an amendment to Chapter 9, Land Use of the Eugene Code to allow expansion of Autzen Stadium seating without provision of additional on -site parking spaces. In lieu of additional parking, the University has proposed submittal of a Transportation Demand Management (TDM) Plan for city approval. On March 13, 2000 the City Council initiated a code amendment to allow a reduction in the parking requirement for Autzen Stadium in excess of 50% in conjunction with city approval of a transportation demand management plan. The code amendment is subject to public hearings before the Eugene Planning Commission and City Council. BACKGROUND: The University of Oregon is proposing an expansion and renovation of Autzen Stadium. The project would add up to 12,100 seats to the stadium. The stadium site is located about lfi mile north of and across the Willamette River from the campus, and is bordered by Centennial Boulevard and Leo Harris Parkway. The land within the site is fully developed, preventing the addition of significant supplies of surface parking. The Eugene Code requires one parking space for each 4.4 seats in the stadium. The code also allows a reduction in required parking by up to 50% when the applicant demonstrates that the use of alternative modes of transportation will reduce expected vehicle use and parking space demand. In 1997, the City reduced the required parking at the stadium by half (to a level of 4,749), the maximum reduction allowable under the code, in response to an Athletic Department study demonstrating that sufficient means of travel, beyond the automobile, exist to satisfy the transportation needs of spectators. Assuming that the City also granted the maximum 50% reduction in parking spaces for the expansion, 1,375 additional parking spaces would be required. Since the site is not large enough to provide additional surface parking spaces, expansion of Autzen Stadium can only go forward as planned if the code is amended. Construction of a parking structure at the stadium would result in significantly more auto traffic at the stadium on game and event days, which is not consistent with efforts of the university and the city to increase the use of alternative modes of transportation. The Transportation Demand Management (TDM) plan proposed for Autzen Stadium is a comprehensive set of demand -based techniques that will be employed to change travel behavior