The UO Campus Planning Committee will hold a public hearing Nov. 10 regarding its standard amendment process to incorporate the university’s land north of Franklin Boulevard into the Campus Plan.  

The purpose of the north campus amendment is to guide future campus development and connect the university community to the Willamette River based on Campus Plan principles.  It will be consistent with the area’s new conditional use permit, which was designed to accommodate the university’s long-term potential needs.  

The amendment will establish a framework of designated open spaces and major campus pathways in the area, establish building density limits, and identify development opportunities and constraints. Any specific projects in the area would need to be identified based on need and approved separately through the campus planning process.

The public hearing will take place during the Campus Planning Committee’s Nov. 10 virtual meeting, starting at 10 a.m. People are encouraged to submit feedback in advance of the meeting using a webform or contacting the Office of Campus Planning directly..

To request a Zoom link to the meeting, interested parties should contact the Office of Campus Planning at uplan@uoregon.edu or 541-346-5024.

“This is an important and exciting step to establish the framework in our Campus Plan that will guide future projects for this part of campus to accommodate growth and better connect the campus and students to the Willamette River,” said UO landscape planning associate Aaron Olsen.

The amendment will establish “natural areas” as a new classification of designated open space in response to community feedback that will better define these areas on campus. It also recommends preserving the urban farm outdoor classroom and recommends considering opportunities to showcase urban agriculture and other uses that reflect the academic mission of the university in the Willamette design area, between the railroad tracks and the river.

“The amendment considers the wide range of university needs and reflects feedback we have heard throughout the multistep, inclusive campus planning process,” Olsen said.

Following the public hearing, the Campus Planning Committee will make its recommendation to the university president. The amendment process, which began in February 2020, is anticipated to be completed by winter term.