Letters to the editor: Transform EWEB grey water towers with art, make it a destination
The College Hill Reservoir for the Arts
I read the article in The Register-Guard about the new water treatment reservoirs being constructed in Eugene's south hills. It would be a great idea to turn it from a grey concrete eyesore into a work of art.
Have local artists paint beautiful murals celebrating our beautiful city. Reinforce the defunct College Hill reservoir it and make it a destination for the community and the citizens of Eugene. Add benches for stargazing, picnic tables for picnics, small play structures for kids and cover it with artificial turf. Add a large screen and small stage for movies and concerts in the park. Add restrooms for patrons. College Hill reservoir can be used for many other activities too, like a small farmers' market for the area.
Daphne Loose, Eugene
Private advantage
Choices and family values matter, but MacKensey Pullam’s guest view is disingenuous (Guest View, May 20). Our tax dollars are an aggregate from all contributors to be spent collectively for the greatest common good.
The common good is debatable but Ms. Pullam’s examples of disputed values are troubling. Why, after the killings in Buffalo, are we still hearing about the evils of critical race theory? Why is sex education vilified as a promoter of sex as opposed to a protector of children’s emerging sexuality?
Unfortunately, many parents believe that these issues must remain hidden from their children. Ms. Pullam’s plea to dismantle our public school system is nothing more than a veiled attempt to justify public money for the indoctrination of their choice, with us all paying the bill. Untroubled by superiority issues or the challenges of children’s budding sexuality, these families could then have their own publicly funded schools excluding those who disagree.
Clearly our nation’s troubled racial history would be canceled at their schools. Ultimately, beyond academics, the question is what values we want our schools to instill in our democracy, so our children learn the common good, not just private advantage.
Richard Young, Eugene
Beware of city middle housing plans
My neighbors and I will be among the first victims of the middle housing code amendments if the Eugene City Council approves the draft by city planners.
A developer purchased the modest ranch house next to me. He plans to tear it down and build six, two-story houses on this one lot! That’s six times the current density. These new “cottages” can each be larger than the average house on our street. There are no requirements for any of this “middle housing” to be either small or affordable.
To help assuage our concerns, the developer mentioned he could have done even more with the property, and he’s right. Thanks to city planners, a gigantic three-story (42 ft. tall) quadplex could be built that would fill the entire lot and loom over the neighborhood. With no off-street parking requirements, all the new residents can be made to park on our narrow street.
While HB 2001 requires that multi-plexes be allowed on all residential lots, city planners’ draft code goes much farther than necessary.
Eben Fodor, Eugene
Seeking sustainable options
I read with alarm Europe's shift toward using bio-methane to reduce its dependence on Russia for oil ("EU farmers make biogas to offset Russian energy," May 11). While energy independence from Russia is a laudable goal, biogas is not the right answer. For one, methane is a potent greenhouse gas, 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide. This form of energy, then, would contribute even more drastically to global warming than the one it is trying to replace.
Second, the biogas would be produced in part by using crops grown specially for this purpose. With the global food supply already impacted by Russia's war with Ukraine, the world breadbasket, we do not need to sequester more farmland for the production of non-food items. There are many more sustainable energy options that Europe (and the rest of the world) should be pursuing instead.
Erica Lyon, Eugene
Embodied energy
Thanks for The R-G lead story on the April 18 City Council hearing on middle housing. Some 50 speakers, the majority, asked council to reject further housing developer rules relaxation.
On April 10, our progressive and environmentally conscious Southwest Hills neighborhood board voted unanimously that zoning “be enacted with provisions to protect existing large health trees and increase city greenspace” as called for by the Eugene Climate Recovery Ordinance and CAP 2.0.
Rules allowing 75% building coverage on smaller lots, without tree protection, would create heat islands. Portland lost 823 acres of city trees in five years to “densification” as August temperatures reached 125 degrees.
On April 18 speakers noted that the middle housing zoning changes, developer’s windfall, are sure to speed gentrification, speed the demolition of affordable “workforce” small houses and foment climate change. Yes “environmentally friendly” large structures will have good R-value insulation. But constructing yard-less “plexes,” more trees will be chopped down and more steel smelted. That environmental cost is called embodied energy. Compared to insulating the existing houses, it takes an average of 75 years to pay the carbon debt. Do we have the luxury of 75 years?
Ralph McDonald, Eugene
Monetary aid for Ukraine is enough
Bill Northrup (Letters, April 29) laments that we're not doing enough in our support for Ukraine. I share Mr. Northrup's concern. We should have spent more money ... yesterday. However, I must disagree with him on practically every other issue. President Biden's support of Ukraine has been north of $3 billion dollars; nothing to sneeze at.
Further, President Biden's future pledges won't stop until Russian aggression is reversed. Northrup's suggestion of giving Ukraine "half a trillion dollars,” I submit that the dollars be spent wisely: For example, an Abrams M-1 tank would be practically worthless: M-1 tanks require a huge amount of time teaching the Ukrainian tankers all the complications into the M-1 tank: The MBT-70 would be far more appropriate for Ukrainian usage.
Mr. Northrup concludes: "I wish our troops would've been first to stand inside that Ukrainian border right away." Talk about a stance most Americans would not be in favor of is their own children involved in such a conflict that could escalate into World War III.
Michael E. Peterson, Eugene
Disappointed in my councilor
I was disappointed, but more concerned about the vote by my councilor Matt Keating against increasing penalties for camping in the street. It’s unsafe for campers and motorists. Of course community service is better and less costly than jail and/or fines that won't get paid. My concern is that Keating doesn't understand these are guidelines and very few judges would add to jail capacity and most will end up with community service. Was this just an error by Keating, or does he not have the skills and awareness needed to be an effective counselor?
Don French, Eugene
We need climate leaders in government
I know I am not alone in my worries about what is changing on our planet. Living in rural Oregon the last 40 years, I have witnessed the growing threat of wildfire, the lack of rain and snowpack, the increasing heat in the summer, shocking population growth and the loss of clean drinking water sources. I am frightened for the current inhabitants of this state and for my children and grandchildren. We are losing our glaciers, our forests and our wetlands.
The only solution is systematic change in the way we use resources and an urgent conversion from the use of fossil fuels to clean energy sources. I do my best to drive as little as possible, refrain from buying items with lots of packaging, recycle, shop at resale stores and growing a garden, among other things. I believe we need people in government who are committed to slowing climate change by any means possible.
Michelle Bouvia-Emeott, Monroe
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