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A critical report from Eugene city planners could delay a proposed 608-unit housing project indefinitely and lead to a showdown between developers and neighbors before the Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals.

Staff members for the Eugene Planning Division this week issued a report recommending that developers of the Laurel Ridge subdivision be denied the zoning change they requested because they want to build on what staffers maintain is protected green space.

“It’s a big deal because it runs through the middle of the property where they want to build their multifamily units,” associate planner Steve Ochs said. “There is disagreement over what could be developed in that area. The applicant wants the zoning changed to permit low-density residential.”

The property is southeast of Eugene’s city center, west of Interstate 5. Property owner Environ-Metal Properties of Sweet Home is represented in its conversations with city officials by the Schirmer Satre Group, a consulting company of land-use planners, landscape architects and environmental specialists in Eugene.

Carol Schirmer, the firm’s owner, said she and her clients are not giving up.

“We’re going to keep pressing forward because we think we have an exceptional development that does its level best to work with these vague land-use regulations,” she said.

Schirmer added that she wishes city staffers had approved the development and tacked on conditions to meet any concerns.

“It’s not a get-out-of-jail-free card,” she said. “You still have to meet all of the conditions.”

A public hearing was held this week. The deadline for offering public testimony was extended through September. Once that deadline has passed, a hearings officer has 15 days to make a ruling on the staffers’ recommendation.

The decision can be appealed to the Eugene Planning Commission. Appeals beyond that must be taken to LUBA.

Sandy Tilcock, a member of Laurel Hill Valley Citizens‘ executive committee, said neighbors are getting ready for a long fight and have already raised $20,000 to go toward a potential LUBA appeal. She added that the staff report is an important first victory, even if it’s a minor one.

“It’s positive that the city agrees with us, that they find … issues with the development as it stands,” Tilcock said.

Plans for the development call for 533 multifamily units (either townhomes or apartments) and 75 single-family homes. Townhomes would be in 19 clusters, while the multifamily units would be in 20 clusters.

To address residents’ concerns, Schirmer said a wide, undeveloped buffer is planned along the western edge of the property, with multifamily units packed more densely in the interior. A total of 69 acres would be undeveloped, she added, with 10 acres of the 11.3 acres of stream corridors and wetlands preserved.

“That’s unprecedented as far as I know,” she said.

Tilcock said neighbors are not impressed.

“There are still a lot of questions left unanswered,” she said. “One big one is accessibility, there being only one access road to the development, and the fire department wants at least two. This is up on the ridgeline. If there’s a fire, everyone could be trapped.

“This development could double the population of the neighborhood, with 15,000 to 16,000 people coming in,” she added. “That’s a huge amount of people for only one way out.”

A lack of access roads to and from the development was another problem cited in the staff report.

Schirmer said developers thought they had worked out access road issues with city and county officials. Another neighboring development was going to add even more access, she said.

“Now, much to our surprise, the staff report says we know you don’t have access,” she added.

Ochs said the development has fired a lot of emotions in Eugene.

“It seems like (those) bigger developments we’ve seen lately,” he said. “There seems to be a lot of neighborhood opposition.”

Expect more, Tilcock said.

“Our neighborhood is very passionate about maintaining the livability of our area,” she said. “It’s a very sensitive area where they want to build. It’s not an easy piece of property to develop, and it has to be done with care.”

The staff report is available online at bit.ly/18gdLf4.