The City was honored for its work on Envision Eugene, the community process for creating and implementing a vision for the future growth of Eugene. The Oregon Chapter of the American Planning Association (OAPA) Awards Committee praised the project for its collaborative approach to building a shared vision.
The Envision Eugene process included 17 full days of meetings with the Community Resource Group; hundreds of hours of volunteer work by the Technical Resource Group; dozens of community workshops, listening sessions, meetings, surveys, and forums. The project launched innovative engagement strategies including an art contest and on-line open houses. The approach to finding new ground focused on ‘best outcomes’ is becoming well known in the community, and has set a new standard for planning in Eugene.
The Envision Eugene Recommendation provides a balanced vision for growth centered around 7 Pillars. In June 2012, the Eugene City Council directed staff to begin the process of plan adoption. Over the next year, plan amendments, zone and code changes, a new Urban Growth Boundary, and a Eugene Comprehensive Plan will be brought forward to the City Council.