Eugene council approves $2.1 million CDBG allocation, initiates three‑year land‑use extension and adopts hazardous‑substance fee

EUGENE, Ore. — The Eugene City Council voted April 27 to approve the Eugene‑Springfield 2026 Community Development Block Grant allocation, initiate a three‑year extension process for certain land‑use approvals, expand a riverfront advisory committee and adopt a hazardous substance user fee.

City manager Harayama told council the proposed 2026 CDBG allocation includes about $1,400,000 in HUD grant funds plus an estimated $690,000 in program income, for a total of roughly $2,100,000 aligned to affordable housing, human services and job creation priorities. The manager said the amounts reflect continuing declines in federal funding for local programs.

"The proposed CDBG allocation includes a grant amount of approximately $1,400,000 and $690,000 estimated program income for a total of $2,100,000," the city manager said. Councilor Zelenka noted the grant represents a decline from prior years and said, "That's just stunning numbers."

Council president (who moved the motions) put the CDBG allocation up for a vote; the motion passed 8‑2‑0. The council also approved the consent calendar (minutes and tentative agenda) by the same margin.

On urban renewal business, the Urban Renewal Agency moved and approved expanding the Riverfront Urban Renewal "River Guides" advisory committee from seven to nine seats to improve quorum reliability and broaden representation; the vote was 8‑0.

Council then voted to initiate a land‑use adoption process to extend the expiration date of certain already‑approved type 2 and type 3 land‑use approvals, expedited land divisions and middle‑housing approvals by three years. Assistant city attorney Lauren Summers clarified the action initiates the process and that a later ordinance and hearings (planning commission and another council hearing) would be required to adopt the change. The initiation motion passed 8‑2‑0.

Finally, council adopted an ordinance establishing a hazardous substance user fee, as described in materials from an April 20 public hearing. City staff said the proposed rate is $75.22 per full‑time‑equivalent employee with a $2,000 maximum charge per facility, a structure required under state law; the ordinance passed 8‑0.

The votes recorded in the meeting audio were announced as tallies rather than individual named roll calls. Each motion was moved by the council president and seconded as noted in the record. No formal amendments to the major motions were recorded during debate.

Next steps: the land‑use extension initiation will proceed through the standard land‑use amendment process with a planning commission hearing and subsequent council hearing before any ordinance is adopted; the CDBG allocations will be administered through the Eugene‑Springfield annual action plan process.