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Eugene city officials are looking to possibly introduce a design review process, and they’re looking at Portland become more informed.

City planners and Eugene Planning Commission members will attend a Portland Design Commission meeting on June 5. Afterward, they’ll be able to ask the commissioners questions.

“The community has told us over and over again that design is important and that we do whatever we can to improve design in Eugene,” said Lou Christofferson, a Eugene city planner. “Portland has this institution of knowledge in urban design.”

Insight gained from the visit will help city officials as they develop a proposal for design review in Eugene, he said.

“We’ll have a meet and greet with the (design) commissioners and find out what does and doesn’t work with Portland’s design review program,” he said. “That’s something we can incorporate in our program and do it right the first time.”

Also important will be determination of how design review can be catered to a smaller city, Christofferson said.

“We don’t have the same type of projects. We don’t have the same economic climate as Portland,” he said. “It’s important to consider what parts of town we would implement this and what types of projects.”

A recent surge in development in Eugene is one reason why the city is looking more seriously at creating a design review process, Christofferson said. It’s expected to fit into an overall planning effort to improve livability.

“We really see how important it is to have some measures in place that these big buildings that are being built are positive contributors to our community,” he said.

One of the biggest challenges, Christofferson said, will be to adopt design guidelines that aren’t restrictive.

“You really can’t codify great design; it’s literally impossible,” he said. “You can’t dictate great design. You have to (have) some sort of discretion to weight all the variables that go into a great building.”