City staff present Bethel and University neighborhood visions, propose citywide engagement for Highway 99

City staff presented draft visions and community‑identified priorities for the Bethel and University planning areas and proposed a citywide engagement process for Highway 99 during the Eugene City Council work session on April 22, 2026.

"It's an approach that starts with conversations with community members," said Fabio Andrari of the Office of Equity and Community Engagement, describing a process of listening sessions, follow‑up meetings and staff‑level vetting to turn resident input into an action plan. Cindy Koller, the city's neighborhood and community liaison, stressed that the materials being shown represent what residents said and "have not been vetted by staff."

Why it matters: the presentations lay out resident priorities and a practice for moving from visioning to action at a time when state law changes and resource limits have reduced the city’s ability to pursue neighborhood‑level refinement plans. Staff said the vetting step will show which resident requests are already planned, which are feasible, and which lack funding. The city manager and staff said they expect an initial, compiled vetting of community requests in about three to four weeks.

What staff presented: For the Bethel area staff…