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A% <br /> BUGBNg <br /> Public Works <br /> Parks and Open Space <br /> June 10, 2009 City of Eugene <br /> 1820 Roosevelt Blvd. <br /> Eugene, Oregon 97402 <br /> (541) 682 -4800 <br /> (541) 682 -4882 FAX <br /> www.eugene.or -gov <br /> Greg Estes <br /> 2765 Potter <br /> Eugene, OR 97403 <br /> Whitey Lueck <br /> 2755 Potter <br /> Eugene, OR 97403 <br /> RE: Vegetation complaint obstructing access of a public way within University Alley between <br /> East 27 and East 28 <br /> Dear Mr. Estes and Mr. Lueck: <br /> This letter is in response to a vegetation complaint received regarding obstructing alley access in <br /> University Alley. The complainant requested the City to require clearance of sufficient vegetation allowing <br /> for a 12' wide vehicular path through the alley. The vegetation management program resides within the <br /> Parks and Open Space Division of Public Works. Due to the non - typical condition of this unimproved <br /> alley, vegetation management staff referred the complaint to me. <br /> The City of Eugene typically does not provide any maintenance activities on unimproved alleys. Instead <br /> the City requires these activities to be performed by the abutting property owners. This issue is <br /> interesting in that the complaint is not about a lack of attention, as is typically the case, but instead in <br /> differences about what type of alley maintenance is being performed. <br /> On June 3 1 visited University Alley to view the scope of the vegetation complaint. My observation was <br /> that this unimproved alley is certainly in a more cared -for condition than many others I see. I will assume <br /> this is through the efforts of Mr. Lueck, as well as various other abutting property owners. <br /> The purpose of publically dedicated alleys is to provide for property access. This can be either pedestrian <br /> or vehicular. While the plantings are interesting in their own right and aesthetically pleasing it is difficult to <br /> see how they contribute to public access. <br /> The Vegetation Management Program was not developed nor given resources to provide a very strict <br /> interpretation or enforcement of the vegetation code. Instead we must triage the various complaints that <br /> we receive to determine which are the most serious and then dedicate our resources to those serious <br /> cases. In most cases these are limited to those that have a risk to life /safety component that needs <br /> resolution. <br /> In reviewing the unimproved alley I looked at three criteria. <br /> Was the alley passable? <br /> When determining if an alley is passable, City staff takes into consideration the current condition of the <br /> alley, the surface material, the character of the neighborhood and the degree of hazard to the public and <br /> impacts to the abutting property owners. I feel that in dry conditions this alley is passable for its complete <br /> Page 1 of 2 <br />