The destruction of an irreplaceable hilltop environment at the end of Capital Drive in Southeast Eugene is well under way. Large dump trucks now rumble up and down undersized Spring Boulevard, threatening any cars and pedestrians in their way. Loggers have taken out all the trees on the hilltop, many large and stately, for 35 new homes. There appears to have been no consideration for leaving at least a few big trees to maintain the character and appearance of the project. The landowner defied the neighbors in 2017 and got the buy-in of the Eugene Planning Department, despite multiple fire and safety concerns.
Two years of neighbor testimony against paving over this beautiful forested area next to Hendricks Park went nowhere. This despite the South Hills Study from 1974 stating “The south hills (of Eugene) constitute a unique and irreplaceable community asset… (that) function as a strong visual boundary or edge for the city.” This parcel, in my opinion, called out to become park land.
Now from my house I get to watch history and nature taken down the hill in pieces. Many neighbors warned in 2017 that there was no way to do this project without endangering all drivers in the neighborhood. The owner of the property and the city apparently did not care. Now it is happening. In a world where Nature is under constant assault, this whole Capital PUD project, both morally and logistically, should never have been contemplated. The purpose of this letter is to warn other Eugene neighborhoods that the city will apparently not stand in the way as some of its best natural areas are eroded.
Andrew McIvor
Eugene
A Note From the Publisher
Dear Readers,
The last two years have been some of the hardest in Eugene Weekly’s 43 years. There were moments when keeping the paper alive felt uncertain. And yet, here we are — still publishing, still investigating, still showing up every week.
That’s because of you!
Not just because of financial support (though that matters enormously), but because of the emails, notes, conversations, encouragement and ideas you shared along the way. You reminded us why this paper exists and who it’s for.
Listening to readers has always been at the heart of Eugene Weekly. This year, that meant launching our popular weekly Activist Alert column, after many of you told us there was no single, reliable place to find information about rallies, meetings and ways to get involved. You asked. We responded.
We’ve also continued to deepen the coverage that sets Eugene Weekly apart, including our in-depth reporting on local real estate development through Bricks & Mortar — digging into what’s being built, who’s behind it and how those decisions shape our community.
And, of course, we’ve continued to bring you the stories and features many of you depend on: investigations and local government reporting, arts and culture coverage, sudoku and crossword puzzles, Savage Love, and our extensive community events calendar. We feature award-winning stories by University of Oregon student reporters getting real world journalism experience. All free. In print and online.
None of this happens by accident. It happens because readers step up and say: this matters.
As we head into a new year, please consider supporting Eugene Weekly if you’re able. Every dollar helps keep us digging, questioning, celebrating — and yes, occasionally annoying exactly the right people. We consider that a public service.
Thank you for standing with us!
Publisher
Eugene Weekly
P.S. If you’d like to talk about supporting EW, I’d love to hear from you!
jody@eugeneweekly.com
(541) 484-0519
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