The Eugene City Council has unanimously approved a Middle Housing ordinance that’s been in the works for about two years.
Before Tuesday’s vote, councilors reduced the maximum lot coverage for duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes and cottage clusters from 75% down to 60%. The move is part of an effort by the city to increase its housing supply and allow for more housing types of all shapes and sizes in more places.
Eugene City Councilors met in a special work session Tuesday, May 24, 2022 to vote on middle-housing code amendments.
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After the vote Mayor Lucy Vinis thanked councilors and city staff.
“This has been hard work,” she said. “These have been hard conversations. We have a lot of work to do with the community to bring everyone on board with the work that you’ve done. And I have hope that this ordinance will, in fact, enable us to build much more of the housing that we need in this community and that we will see progress.”
The council plans to have work sessions this fall on tree canopy and solar access — issues that came up during public hearings.
The ordinance takes effect June 30, the deadline imposed by the state’s new law, HB 2001, requiring Oregon’s larger cities to provide more variety in housing size and increase affordability.
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