Eugene Approves ‘Missing Middle Housing’

“The Eugene City Council has unanimously approved a Middle Housing ordinance that’s been in the works for about two years,” reports Rachael McDonald for KLCC. “Before Tuesday’s vote, councilors amended the maximum lot coverage for duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes and cottage clusters to 60%– down from 75%.”

The ordinance comes on the heels of a state law, HB 2001, “which requires cities to have more variety for housing size and affordability” and takes effect on June 30th of this year.

According to the city, their new standards will include smaller minimum lot sizes, lot size reductions for affordable units, parking reductions for housing built near transit, and permitted detached ‘plexes’ which “would allow for flexibility, encourage tree preservation, and allow for backyard development that would reduce displacement.” The city clarifies that “House Bill 2001 does not prohibit single-family homes or make it more difficult to build single-family homes where they are currently allowed, rather it allows middle housing types to be built in the same residential areas where single family homes are allowed.”