∙ Active Project

Housing Opportunities in Non-Residential Areas

These amendments will include changes prompted by recent state legislation and will clarify existing code language related to income-qualified housing per recent changes to ORS 197.308.

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Project Overview

Summary

Background

Updating the Development Code to support efficient, timely, and clear development review is part of Springfield’s Housing Strategy. This work would amend Development Code sections related to income-qualified housing.

In 2023, the Oregon Legislature made efforts to address the state’s housing crisis with new laws and $1.2 billion in additional spending on housing and homelessness. On any given night in 2022, at least 18,000 Oregonians were homeless and State analysts predict Oregon needs to build at least 500,000 homes over the next two decades to keep up with demand. The Legislature passed several bills that have prompted the following Housing Opportunities in Non-Residential Areas Amendments to the Springfield Development Code (SDC):

House Bill 2984 – Commercial to Residential Building Conversions (effective January 1, 2024)

House Bill 2984 requires local governments to allow conversion of a building from commercial to residential use without requiring a zone change or conditional use permit, as long as the land is not zoned to allow for industrial uses.

House Bill 3151 – Manufactured Dwelling Parks on Non-Residential Lands (effective January 1, 2024)

House Bill 3151’s major impact on Springfield is to allow manufactured dwelling parks serving households with incomes of 120% or less of area median income (AMI), to be added to the bill’s definition of “affordable housing”. The bill also adds property owned by a housing authority, manufactured dwelling park nonprofit cooperative, or nonprofit corporation organized as a public benefit corporation whose primary purpose is the development of affordable housing, to the list of properties where local government is required to allow “affordable housing”. This will result in changes to SDC 4.7.405, which allows for the development of income-qualified housing on non-residential lands if certain conditions are met.

House Bill 3395 –Residential Use of Commercial Lands (effective June 30, 2023)

House Bill 3395 allows housing within commercial land use districts if it is affordable to households with incomes of 60% AMI or less, or for mixed-use structures with ground floor commercial with residential units that are affordable to moderate income (80-120% AMI) households.

Project Purpose

The purpose of the Housing Opportunities in Non-Residential Areas Code Amendments is to update the Springfield Development Code to comply with recent state legislation and to allow and encourage the development of income-qualified housing. These amendments to the Springfield Development Code will encourage economic development and revitalization and will promote and enhance Springfield’s hometown feel while focusing on livability.

The project objectives are to:

Ensure the City is complying with state law by amending the Springfield Development Code to:
- Expand opportunities for residential development in commercial areas by allowing income-qualified housing on lands zoned for commercial uses and allow conversion of a building from commercial to residential use.
- Allow manufactured dwelling parks serving households with incomes of 120 percent AMI or less on certain non-residential lands.
Change the use of the term “affordable housing” to “income-qualified housing” in the Springfield Development Code. Clarify and improve integration of income-qualified housing-related language throughout applicable code sections (e.g., within use tables and cross reference appropriately, remove redundancy, update terms and definitions).
Identify opportunities to address other Springfield Development Code barriers to income-qualified housing beyond compliance with recent legislation if the code changes are consistent with current local adopted policies and Springfield’s Housing Strategy.

(Note: More comprehensive policy and code changes related to housing may occur with upcoming work on Springfield’s Housing Capacity Analysis and Housing Production Strategies.)

Project Contact Information

City staff welcome all questions about the project. We are here to help you. Thank you!

Haley Campbell, Project Manager
541.726.3647
[email protected]

Draft Code Workshop: Housing Opportunities in Non-Residential Areas

Representatives

Haley Campbell

Senior Planner, Project Manager

Chelsea Hartman

Senior Planner, Project Staff

Resources

Community Involvement Strategy: Housing Opportunities in Non-Residential Areas Code Amendments ( 0.25 MB )

Planning Commission Staff Report Housing in Non-Residential Areas ( 0.51 MB )

Legislative Version Housing in Non-Residential Areas ( 1.88 MB )

Key Changes to the Development Code ( 0.22 MB )

Timeline

Tue, Dec 5, 2023

Community Involvement Strategy Approved by City's Committee for Citizen Involvement

Tue, Feb 27, 2024

Draft Code Available for Review & Feedback!

Thu, Feb 29, 2024

Held Community Workshops on Draft Code

Tue, Mar 19, 2024

Springfield Planning Commission Work Session

Update • Tue, Apr 2, 2024

Springfield Planning Commission Public Hearing

On April 2, 2024 the Springfield Planning Commission issued a recommendation of approval to the Springfield City Council and Lane County Board of County Commissioners for the Housing in Non-Residential Areas Code Amendments. The Springfield City Council will hold a work session for the project on May 28, 2024 followed by another work session and public hearing with the Lane County Board of County Commissioners on June 10, 2024.

Attachments

ATT4 - Springfield Planning Commission Order and Recommendation ( 0.31 MB )

Update • Tue, May 28, 2024

Springfield City Council Work Session

The draft code, along with a summary of the key changes, is available for review and feedback! Feedback can help inform revisions to the next iteration of draft code that will be presented to the Springfield City Council and Lane County Board of County Commissioners.

Upcoming City Council and Board meetings:

You may attend either of these meetings via Zoom or in-person as noted for each meeting.

6pm Tuesday, May 28, 2024 - Springfield City Council work session - via Zoom and in person in the Jesse Main Room at Springfield City Hall

5:30pm Monday, June 10, 2024 - Springfield City Council and Lane County Board of County Commissioners work session and public hearing
- You may submit written testimony through Springfield Oregon Speaks at: www.springfieldoregonspeaks.org/ or by mail or delivered in person to the staff contact: Haley Campbell, City of Springfield, Community Development, 225 Fifth Street, Springfield, Oregon 97477; 541-726-3647; Email: [email protected] or for Text to Telephone Relay 711 or 800-735-2900. All written comments will be provided to the Planning Commission.
- Oral testimony must be provided at the June 10, 2024 public hearing.

Mon, Jun 10, 2024

Springfield City Council & Lane County Board of County Commissioners Joint Work Session & Public Hearing