West Corvallis-North Philomath Plan
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. Prepared by:
Oregon Cascades West Council of Governments
in association with
Cynthia L Girling, Landscape Architect.
-BentonCounty
Roger Irvin, Plknning Director
.Jim Hope, Adv"anced Planner
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Scott Olson, Assistant County Engineer
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West Corvaliis Gro~th Management Task Force
John Koch, OSU (Chair)
Bruce Sorte, OSU
Cynthia Solie, Cascades West Council of Governments
Denny Hedges, City of Corvallis
Elinor McKe,e, City ?f Corvallis
Bruce Osen, City of Corvallis
Don Gist, City of Philomath
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Jean Worth, Benton County
Charles Fisher, Benton County
Dick Bryant, Benton CountY.
Elsie Ross, Greenbelt Land Trust
Meg Campbell, Greenbelt Land Trust
Betty Griffiths, Corvallis City Council liaison
Kent Daniels, B~nton Co~nty Board of Commissioners liaison
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Jerry Davis, Parks Director'
Graphics by:
, Kerry KenC.airn, (maps) -
Alexia Zerbinis, (drawings)
James Pettinari, (aerial perspective)
Mark Fa;ley,' (document design and layout)
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The City of Corvallis
The City of Philomath
Beriton County
For:
City of CorVallis
'Linda Sarnoff, Planning Division Manager
Fred Towne, AssoCiate Planner
Rene Moye; Parks and Recreation Director
. Based on:
West Corvallis Growth Management Plan:
. Draft Plan for Public Review, August, 1995.
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By: ..Blayney Dyett Urban and Regional Planners
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City of Philomath
Hal Million, Former City Manager
Randy Kubler, City Manager
The West Corvallis Growth Management Plan (1995) was partially funded
by a grant from the Transportation and Growth Management (TGM) Program,
a Joint Program of the Oregon Department of Land Conservation .and
Development. TGM grants rely on federal Intermodal Surface Transportation
Efficiency Act and Oregon Lottery Funds.
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Table of Contents
CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION Page 4.1 (c) Permitted Uses and Policies: Neighborhood Villages 31 CHAPTER 6 CIRCULATION
1.1 What is the WCNP Plan? 5 4.2 Urban Development Outside Neighborhood Villages 34 6.1 Interconnected Circulation Network 47
1.2 Why Do We Need the Plan? 6 4.2 (a) Low Density Residential Development 34 6.2 Pedestrian Circulation and Trails 48
1.3 Planning Process 6 4.2 (b) Permitted Uses and Policies: Low Density 6.3 Bicycle Circulation 48
1.4 Organization of the Plan 7 Residential Areas 34 6.4 Transit 49
1.5 Relationship to Other Plans 8 4.3 Commerce, Industry and Employment 34 6.5 Roadways and Automobile Circulation 49
4.3 (a) Commercial and Industrial Development 34 6.6 Policies: Circulation 51
CHAPTER 2 BACKGROUND 4.3 (b) Permitted Uses and Policies: Commerce, Industry
2.1 Location and Jurisdictional Responsibilities 9 and Employment 35 CHAPTER 7 PLAN IMPLEMENTATION
2.1 (a) Location 9 4.4 Public Uses 36 7.1 Introduction 53
2.1 (b) Planning Area Boundaries 10 4.4 (a) Public Use Needs 36 7.2 Plan Adoption 53
2.1 (c) Jurisdictions 10 4.4 (b) Policies: Public Uses 36 7.3 Urban Transition 54
2.2 Character of the Planning Area 10 4.5 Rural Development 37 7.3 (a) Objectives of the Urban Transition Process 54
2.2 (a) Natural Features 10 4.5 (a) Rural Residential Areas 37 7.3 (b) Requirements and Procedures 54
2.2 (b) Other Features 14 4.5 (b) Permitted Uses and Policies: Rural Residential Areas 37 7.3 (c) Urban Residential Transition Zone 55
2.3 Existing Planning Policies 17 4.6 Agriculture and Agricultural Research 38 7.4 Proactive Agenda 56
2.4 Population Growth 17 4.6 (a) Agricultural Needs 38 7.5 Open Space: Special Management Area 57
2.5 Conclusions 18 4.6 (b) Permitted Uses and Policies: Agriculture and 7.5 (a) Long Term Regional Values 57
Agricultural Research 38 7.5 (b) Acknowledging Existing Conflicts 57
CHAPTER 3 GOALS AND ORGANIZING ELEMENTS 7.5 (c) Resolving Planning Conflicts 58
3.1 Goals 21 CHAPTER 5 OPEN SPACE 7.5 (d) Redesignation Requirements 59
3.2 Organizing Elements and Land Use Pattern 21 5.1 Open Space Framework 39 7.5 (e) Interim Scenic Viewshed Requirements 59
An Open Space Framework 21 5.2 Parks and Public Open Space 39
Interconnected Circulation Network 22 5.2 (a) Major Public Open Space 39 BIBLIOGRAPHY 61
Neighborhood Villages 22 5.2 (b) Parks 41 GLOSSARY OF PLANNING TERMS 63
An Urban Transition Process 22 5.3 Conservation Areas 41 APPENDICES
3.3 General Land Use Policies 23 5.3 (a) Wetland and Riparian Areas 41 A. Detailed Account of the Planning Process 67
5.3 (b) Open Space Special Management Areas 42
B. Plan Alternatives and Their Impacts 69
CHAPTER 4 PROPOSED LAND USE PLAN 5.4 Trails 43 C. Transportation and Infrastructure Impacts 77
4.1 Urban Development within Neighborhood Villages 26 5.5 Corvallis-Philomath Buffer 43 D. Criteria for Review of the WCNP Plan 83
4.1 (a) The Neighborhood Village Concept 26 5.6 Permitted Uses and Policies: Open Space 44
4.1 (b) Design of the Neighborhood Village 28
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Table II-I Land Uses and Dwelling Units Based on Adopted
Comprehensive Plans
Table 11-2 Growth Projections and Housing Needs in West
Corvallis- North Philomath
Table IV-I Land Use Plan: Summary of Acres and Dwelling
Units
Figure IV-12 Conceptual Plan
and 13 Sketch of a Minor Neighborhood Center
Figure IV-I4 Streets as Public Space
Figure IV-IS Existing Industrial Site
Figure IV-I6 Existing Research and Technology Site
Figure IV-I7 Fairgrounds
Figure IV-IS Agriculture
Figure V-I Mary's Peak
Figure V-2 Open Space Plan
Figure V-3 Bald Hill Park
Figure V-4 Riparian Area
Figure V-5 Open Space - Special Management Area
Figure V-6 Stream Corridor with Adjacent Trail
Figure V-7 Corvallis - Philomath Buffer
Figure VI-1 Circulation Plan
Figure VI-2 Typical Circulation in a Neighborhood Village
Figure VI-3 Sidewalk in a Neighborhood Village
Figure VIA Multipurpose Paths
Figure VI-5 Bicycle Lanes on Collector Street
Figure VI-6 A Connecting Node Between Trail and Sidewalk
Figure VI-7 Existing Arterials and Collector Streets
Figure VI-S Typical Street Sections
Figure VI-9 Corvallis Street
LIST OF TABLES
Overview of the Planning Area
A Vision for West Corvallis - Six Points of
Consensus
Regional Location
Jurisdictions
Hillside Views
Riparian Area
Natural Constraints: Topography and
Surface Drainage
Figure 11-6 Natural Constraints: Soils and Geology
Figure 11-7 Natural Constraints: Flood and Fire Hazards
Figure II-S Rural Residential Housing
Figure 11-9 Agricultural Activity
Figure 11-10 Zoning Constraints and Ownership Patterns
Figure 11-11 Existing Comprehensive Plan Designations
Figure 11-12 Open Space Opportunities
Figure 11-13 Developed Sites and Potiential Development Areas
Figure IV-I Proposed Land Use Plan
Figure IV-2 Location of Neighborhood Villages
Figure IV-3 Structure of Neighborhood Villages: Major Center
Figure IVA Structure of Neighborhood Villages: Minor Center
Figure IV-5 Street Diagram
Figure IV-6 Plan Diagram of a Typical Neighborhood Village
Figure IV-7 Porches
Figure IV-S Alley
Figure IV-9 Building to Street Edge
Figure IV-lO Conceptual Plan
and 11 Sketch of a Major Neighborhood Center
Figure II-I
Figure 11-2
Figure 11-3
Figure IIA
Figure 11-5
Figure I-I
Figure 1-2
LIST OF FIGURES
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Introduction
1.1 WHAT IS THE WEST CORVALLIS-NORTH PHILOMATH PLAN?
This Plan lays out a framework to shape development in a ten
square mile area on the west side of Corvallis and north of
Philomath.
Elements of the plan include:
• An open space framework to shape and define urban areas,
protect resource lands and support OSU's agricultural research
mission, provide varied and convenient recreational opportu-
nities, protect hillside views, and protect residents and busi-
nesses from natural hazards.
• Neighborhood villages-pedestrian oriented neighborhoods
with a sense of place and community, which in their design
use our land resource efficiently. These neighborhoods are
designed to permit and encourage diversity of housing and
household types, income, age and lifestyle. They shall contain
the essential elements of wonderful, lively livable places and
allow the marketplace over time to respond to individual and
shared needs.
• An interconnected circulation system which encourages
walking, bicycling and transit use within a well-connected sys-
tem of streets and trails. This network of streets, trails and
bikeways is designed for safety and efficiency, contributes to
the neighborliness of the residential areas and conveniently
links them to shopping, employment and the greater
Corvallis-Philomath urban area.
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Figure 1-1 Overview of the Planning Area
Chapter 1
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61.2 WHY DO WE NEED THE PLAN?
Based on current comprehensive plans for the cities of Corvallis
and Philomath, one half of the planning area, that area within
Urban Growth Boundaries (UGBs), may ultimately be urbanized to
accommodate long term (20-50 yr) growth - new residential, com-
mercial and industrial development. This planning effort explored
in detail the potential of these urban fringe lands to accommodate
development, emphasizing efficient and orderly, rather than haphaz-
ard, change. It also looked at the areas outside the UGBs to see
whether they are appropriate for residential development.
The planning area offers some special opportunities for develop-
ment. Relatively large areas remain undeveloped and in single own-
ership. These offer flexibility and the opportunity for master
planned developments. There are opportunities to create compact
orderly developments that could allow efficient delivery of services
such as sewer, water and transportation. Most new developments
can be within bicycling distance of several major employers such as
OSU, Hewlett Packard and industry adjacent to the study area. New
developments can benefit from proximity to, and views of, sur-
rounding forested hillsides, the OSU research lands, other farm
lands and publicly owned open spaces. Riparian areas and wetlands
also offer both opportunities and challenges to efficient, cost effec-
tive and livable development.
We have the opportunity to shape how this area and the larger
Corvallis and Philomath area may grow; to create neighborhoods
that use our land resources wisely and efficiently, and are connected
to the larger community around them - places people are proud to
call home.
With this in mind, this Plan has four main purposes:
• To provide a vision for the long-range development of West
Corvallis and North Philomath that reflects the aspirations of
the community and to establish goals and policies for accom-
plishing that vision;
• To enable the City of Corvallis, the City of Philomath and
Benton County to reach agreement on overall land use and
development policies and standards applicable to their respec-
tive jurisdictions;
• To provide a basis for judging whether specific development
proposals and public projects are in harmony with Plan poli-
cies and consistent with the concept of a sustainable commu-
nity; and
• To allow City and County development departments, other
public agencies and private developers to design projects that
will enhance the character of the community, promote bicy-
cling, walking and transit use, preserve and enhance critical
environmental resources, and minimize hazards to develop-
ment.
1.3 PLANNING PROCESS
The process was initiated in 1991 and 1992 by the Greenbelt
Land Trust and owners of large parcels within the planning area
through a series of community meetings. In late 1992, the cities of
Philomath and Corvallis, Benton County and Oregon State
University appointed a twelve member task force charged with:
• Recommending land uses that consider:
a) open space and recreational opportunities;
b) urbanization - particularly housing needs;
c) transportation;
d) Oregon State University research program needs; and
e) economic development opportunities.
• Developing strategies to encourage implementation of the
project's land use plans.
With the support of the staff of the cities and county, the Task
Force spent a year gathering information about the area and listen-
ing to the ideas and concerns of property owners, residents and the
general public. The Task Force developed an understanding of the
area's natural features and topography, current land uses, parceliza-
tion and ownership patterns, and the current and planned trans-
portation and utility networks. Public meetings were held to share
information and gather input and ideas. This phase of the process
culminated in the development of six points of consensus which
shaped the subsequent development of the plan (See Figure 1-2).
Figure 1-2 A Vision for West Corvallis-North Philomath-Six Points of
Consensus: Phase one of the development of the WCNP plan culminated in the crafting
of six points of consensus which captured public sentiment and subsequently shaped devel-
opment of the plan.
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New developments should be
designed to be walkable and
have good bicycle routes. They
also should have a mix of hous-
ing types and densities.
New developments should be clustered and pedestrian friendly
Retain the wooded and natural appearance of hills
within the area~ viewshed.
Preserve riparian corridors
Preserve the hillside viewsheds
Reserve corridors along streams, creeks and drainage
ways to protect water quality and provide opportunities
for recreation.
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Trails and bike paths should provide efficient routes to
schools, shopping and places of work. They should also
provide access to open space resources both within and /'
outside the developed areas. ,-_...... --
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The two unique communities should retain independent
governments and individual identities. Separate them with
open space buffers.
The urban growth boundaries should be moved only when
areas within them have developed compactly and efficiently.
Amoderate rate of planned growth
Continue to develop good interconnected paths
and bicycle routes
Retain the individual identities of Philomath
and Corvallis
With the aid of a Transportation Growth Management grant
from the State of Oregon, a consultant team led by the firm Blayney
Dyett Urban and Regional Planners assisted the Task Force with the
next phase of the project. This second phase completed the map-
ping and analysis of the planning area and developed and analyzed
alternative land use plans. A preferred alternative was crafted based
on public input and a draft plan was developed, the West Corvallis
Growth Management Plan. Appendix B describes the alternatives
considered.
The third phase of the project involved the detailed review of
the draft plan by the public and Task Force and the refinement of
the policies, land use plan, open space plan, circulation plan and
implementation mechanisms. The Task Force came to informal
agreement on each element of the plan, balancing the public and
private needs and interests expressed throughout the plan develop-
ment process. Appendix D lists the criteria used in the review of the
draft plan.
Finally, this plan will be presented by the Task Force to the plan-
ning commissions of Benton County and the cities of Corvallis and
Philomath for their review and formal adoption by elected bodies.
Subsequently each agency will revise their comprehensive plans and
development codes to reflect the policies in this plan.
A detailed chronology of the process of developing the plan can
be found in Appendix A.
1.4 ORGANIZATION OF THE PLAN
Chapter 2 presents the existing site conditions and the related
opportunities and constraints to be considered in the development
of the area. These provided a framework for the development of the
plan.
Chapters 3 through 6 present the land use, open space, and cir-
culation systems which together will guide development in the area.
These chapters contain guiding policies (statements of philosophy
and objectives) and implementing policies, (commitments to specific
actions) necessary to achieve the objectives.
Chapter 7 describes steps and strategies necessary for the imple-
mentation of the plan policies.
A Glossary, Bibliography and the Appendices complete the plan.
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1.5 RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER PLANS
The West Corvallis-North Philomath (WCNP) Plan is a "refine-
ment" plan for the future development of the western portion of the
greater Corvallis-Philomath urban area. It is a long range plan
intended to guide development over the next twenty years and
beyond.
The Plan was developed to be consistent with and implement
the visions of the communities of Corvallis and Philomath, Corvallis'
Future Focus 2010 and Philomath 2020. It does not modify the
UGBs of either Corvallis or Philomath. The Plan was developed to
be consistent with the overall growth projected and accommodated
by the current comprehensive plans. It is also intended to be consis-
tent with the current transportation, sewer, water and storm
drainage plans. As a refinement plan, the WCNP Plan addresses the
form that development will take to reflect specific features of the site,
community values and consider the expressed interests of residents
and property owners.
Adoption of the West Corvallis-North Philomath Plan establishes
public policy regarding the development of the planning area and
directs the amendment of Comprehensive Plans and development
codes to ensure that development occurs in a manner consistent
with this plan. In some cases it modifies current policy and ordi-
nance requirements and in other cases it provides greater specificity
than now exists in public policy and development ordinances.
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Background
Chapter 2
As background for the WCNP Plan, this chapter describes exist-
ing conditions, applicable policies, growth trends in the planning
area, constraints to development and opportunities for development
in the West Corvallis-North Philomath area.
2.1 LOCATION AND JURISDICTIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES
2.1 (a) Location
The IO-square mile planning area straddles the boundaries
between Corvallis and Philomath, between urban and rural areas,
and between the lowlands of the Willamette Valley and the foothills
of the Coast Range. The planning area (shown in Figure II-l),
which lies west of the City of Corvallis and north of the City of
Philomath, contains portions of the acknowledged urban growth
boundaries (UGBs) of both cities. It also contains designated rural
residential and resource lands in Benton County outside of those
UGBs.
The planning area is approximately four miles west of the
Corvallis downtown and civic center. Downtown Philomath is with-
in a mile of the southern portions of the area. In addition to these
two employment and service centers, Oregon State University
adjoins the planning area on the east. Sunset Research Park and
industrial firms in Philomath are just south of the site.
feet 61XX'(1Y
Figure II-I Regional Location
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1>:::>1 Area Within Current City Limits
Figure II-2 Jurisdictions
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Figure II-3 Hillside Views. West Corvallis-North Philomath contains several
prominent hills and views of the Coast Range foothills.
Figure II-4 Riparian Area. Most of the WCNP area drains overland into one of
the three creeks. Protection of the floodplains and riparian vegetation along
these creeks is important for flood protection and water quality reasons.
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2.1 (b) Planning Area Boundaries
The West Corvallis-North Philomath planning area was delineat-
ed to focus on lands west of Corvallis and north of Philomath that
were expected to experience growth pressure in the near future. The
site was limited on the east by existing development in Corvallis, on
the south by existing development, the Highway 20-34 corridor and
a large industrial zoned area in Philomath. To the west the site
extends to Open Space Park. The north and northwest limits of the
site are ridgelines that enclose a viewshed seen from the valley
Portions of these are expected to be under pressure for rural residen-
tial development.
2.1 (c) Jurisdictions
The cities of Corvallis and Philomath and Benton County all have
land use authority within the planning area. Parts of the area are with-
in the Corvallis city limits, most of the area is within the UGBs of
either Corvallis or Philomath and much of the higher elevations are
outside of those UGBs. Benton County will retain land use jurisdic-
tion for the long-term outside of the UGBs; the County has agree-
ments with both Philomath and Corvallis on development within their
UGBs but outside the current city limits (See Figure 1I-2).
2.2 CHARACTER OF PLANNING AREA
2.2 (a) Natural Features
The West Corvallis-North Philomath planning area extends
from level plains north of the Marys River and west of the
Willamette River to the first row of Coast Range foothills (See
Figure 1I-3). The lowest point in the planning area is about 250
feet above sea level and the highest point is on Dimple Hill, at
approximately 1,400 feet. Besides Dimple Hill, the area contains
several prominent hills including Bald Hill, Witham Hill at the east-
ern edge of the planning area, Oak Hill above OSU's horse farm,
Double Hill and Skyline Hill along West Hills Road and portions of
Cardwell Hill at the western edge of the planning area. Also visible
from the area is MacDonald Forest to the north and east (See Figure
1I-5).
The climate on this site is characteristic of the Willamette Valley,
with mild, wet winters and moderate, relatively dry summers.
Mean annual precipitation in Corvallis is 40 inches, however the
amount of precipitation rises toward the west. At the Corvallis
Water Bureau site, four miles west of Philomath, the mean annual
precipitation is 68 inches. The average January temperature is 39
degrees F and the average July temperature is 67 degrees F Seventy
percent of the total annual rainfall falls between November and
March. (Source: Hull, Donald, "Geologic Hazards of Eastern Benton
County, Oregon," State of Oregon, Department of Geology and
Mineral Industries, 1979)
Surface Hydrology. Numerous natural conditions exist in West
Corvallis-North Philomath that are considered constraints to develop-
ment. Riparian corridors, wetlands, steep slopes, slide areas, lands in
floodplains, soils unsuitable for septic systems (in rural areas), lands
within the Corvallis UGB that are above the third level of urban water
service and areas considered to be extreme fire hazards have been
identified in this plan as the least suitable areas for development.
Located predominantly within the Mary's River watershed, the
study area includes three sub-watersheds: Oak Creek and Squaw
Creek flowing southeast and into the Mary's River in Corvallis and
Newton Creek flowing south and into the Mary's River in
Philomath. Most of the area currently drains overland into one of
these three creeks, making the protection of the floodplains and
riparian vegetation along these creeks important both for flood pro-
tection and water quality reasons (See Figure 1I-4). The study area
contains wetlands along Squaw Creek as well as additional areas of
hydric soils (soils that are wet for significant parts of the year).
Further analysis is needed to determine whether any of these areas
of hydric soils are wetlands. These sites represent both significant
natural resources and constraints to development (See Figures 1I-5
and 1I-6).
Soils and Geology. Soils on the site are predominantly clays
and silty clays with moderate to low permeability, moderate to high
shrink-swell characteristics and high winter water tables. Due to
these characteristics, these soils are difficult to build on and, except-
ing the Willamette soils, have severe limitations for use as septic
tank absorption fields. Clay and silty-clay soils also tend to be high-
ly erodable on slopes exceeding 20%, if vegetation is removed.
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The protection of natural surface drainage corridors
and their riparian vegetation zones contributes to
water quality, stream stabilization and the mainte-
nance of water-related wildlife habitat. This plan
recommends that riparian zones be protected. (Map
Source: City of Corvallis)
An off-site wetland inventory process was used to
delineate wetlands in the Squaw Creek basin.
Those inventoried wetlands are mapped. Federal
law prohibits development of wetlands, unless miti-
gation plans are approved. This plan recommends
that wetland areas be protected. (Map source: City
of Corvallis)
Based on the elevations of current City of Corvallis
water reservoirs, water service currently can be pro-
vided within the Corvallis UGB within what is
termed the first level water service areas (below 287
foot elevations). To provide water service in the
second and third level water service areas (287 feet
to 407 feet and 407 feet to 560 feet respectively),
the City of Corvallis will have to construct addi-
tional reservoirs and related facilities, adding to the
public costs of developing these areas. (Information
source: City of Corvallis). A feasibility study for the
North Philomath Planning Area determined that
after construction of a new reservoir at the 400 foot
level west of 9th street all of the Philomath UGB
area on the north side of West Hills Road could be
served with extension of the necessary service lines
(map 4-1, North Philomath Water &: Sewer
Update, Westech Engineering; August, 1993).
These sewer line extensions and a portion of the
new reservoir construction costs would need to be
financed by rate payers in the expanded service
area and developers of sites with increased (e.g.
urban) densities.
Drainage corridors
Water service
Wetlands
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Top of second level water service
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Hydric soils Hydric soils are one of the factors that indicate that
wetlands may be found on a site in a wetlands
delineation process.
Steep slopes Soils in the study area are predominantly clay and
silty-clay soils. These soils tend to be highly erod-
able on slopes exceeding 20%, particularly if vege-
tation is removed. Slopes exceeding 20% should be
considered hazards for road building or other heavy
construction. (Information source: "Soil Survey of
Benton County," US Soil Conservation Service)
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Corvallis Fault Zone
ft ;;:~ Mass movement hazard
~ Soils on slopes greater than 20%
Soil conditions and underlying geology indicate
that these sites have the potential for landslides.
These sites should be avoided for all forms of vege-
tation removal or development. (Map Source:
"Geologic Hazards of Eastern Benton County,
Oregon," Oregon Department of Geology)
A geologie fault line called the Corvallis Fault runs
in a NNE direction through the site. Under earth-
quake conditions, movement is likely to occur
along this fault line. (Map Source: "Geologic
Hazards of Eastern Benton County, Oregon,"
Oregon Department of Geology)
Corvallis
Fault Zone
Mass movement
hazard
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_ Flood hazard
_ High fire hazard
m Extreme fire hazard
In forested or grassland landscapes, certain vegeta-
tion communities and slope may combine to cre-
ate what are considered "critical fire hazards." The
most severe fire hazards in the study area occur on
dry grassland or grassland-and-Oak sites with
slopes exceeding 20%. Much of the grassland
within the UGBs may ultimately be developed.
Urban development will reduce or eliminate these
fire hazard conditions. (Source: Oregon
Department of Forestry)
Anticipated flood levels for 100 year floods and
the primary floodway for open streams and
drainage corridors have been shown. Effective
planning and maintenance of reasonable insurance
coverage rates prohibit urban development from
occurring within the floodway and areas within
the 100 year flood level. (Map source: Federal
Emergency Management Agency)
Critical fire
hazards
Flood hazards
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Figures II-8 Rural Residential Housing. Much of the existing housing in
WCNP is situated on large lots of half acre to five acres
Figure II-9 Agricultural Activity. More than 600 acres within the WCNP area
are in agricultural use.
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Most of the study area is underlain by middle terrace deposits
of semi-consolidated gravels, sands, silts and clays. Projecting
through this third river terrace are low sandstone hills, including
Witham Hill. The lower reaches of the foothills on the site are vol-
canic rock. Intrusive basalt outcroppings occur at the tops of Bald
Hill and the lower edges of Witham Hill, east of Circle Boulevard.
A geologic fault line called the Corvallis Fault runs in a NNE direc-
tion from the eastern end of Philomath past the eastern side of Bald
Hill and the western side of Witham Hill. Two sites with a high
potential for landslides (mass movement hazards) have been identi-
fied on the south slope of Oak Hill (See Figure II-6). (source:
Geological Hazards of Eastern Benton County, Oregon, Oregon
Department of Geology)
Vegetation. The foothills along the north-west border of the
study area are predominantly forested. Forest communities include
Oregon Oak and Oak-grassland communities on many of the south-
facing slopes, some mixed Douglas Fir-deciduous forests and
Douglas Fir forests on north-facing slopes. In numerous workshops
and community meetings, residents of the study area identified the
backdrop of forested hillsides lying along the north and west edges
of the study area as a very important characteristic to maintain.
Community values suggest that forested cover should be maintained
on those hillsides and ridgelines (See Figure II-6).
2.2 (b) Other Features
Water Service. Urban water service in this area is limited by the
locations and elevations of existing reservoirs and the costs of con-
structing new reservoirs. Based on the elevations of current City of
Corvallis water reservoirs, water service currently can be provided
within the Corvallis UGB in what is termed the 1st level water ser-
vice (below 287 foot elevations). To provide water service in the
2nd and 3rd level water service areas (287 feet to 407 feet and 407
feet to 560 feet respectively), the City of Corvallis will have to con-
struct additional reservoirs and related facilities, adding to the public
costs of developing these areas. Analysis of water and sewer services
in the North Philomath area indicate that levels of development
anticipated under either current zoning or at higher densities on
portions of the North Philomath UGB area could be accommodated
by the City of Philomath system. Plans have been prepared that
show the future extension of water mains, sewer trunks, and con-
nections to existing service lines. (Source: North Philomath Water &
Sewer Update, Westech Engineering, August 1993) (See Figure II-5)
Land Use. West Corvallis-North Philomath now contains a
wide range of land uses, from low-density rural residential housing
to industrial developments, and from farms and agricultural
research to suburban housing and parks. Few of these activities use
the land intensively While the area contains a few urban-density
subdivisions, most housing is at lower densities, both inside and
outside of the designated urban growth boundaries of Corvallis and
Philomath (See Figure II-8). The two suburban subdivisions (about
two to four homes per acre), are located on the west side of 53rd
Street and west of Walnut Park. The planning area is bordered by
urban neighborhoods in Corvallis at its eastern edge. Previously
subdivided areas represent a small proportion of the total study
area.
The planning area contains several large properties, some in
public and some in private ownership. Figure II-IO shows the lay-
out of land ownership, highlighting public lands and large private
parcels. Public holdings include the Benton County Fairgrounds
along the western side of 53rd Street and Oregon State University's
animal research facilities, located west of the campus and north of
Harrison Boulevard/Oak Creek Drive. The OSU animal research
facilities, predominantly grazing lands with livestock buildings, take
up approximately 520 acres of the 6000 acre planning area (See
Figure II-9). One of the two large parks in West Corvallis-North
Philomath, Bald Hill, is located just west of the fairgrounds. The
other park, County Open Space Park, is located at the western edge
of the planning area. The area also includes industrial uses along
Reservoir Road. Taken together public lands, conservation areas,
and exclusive agriculture or forestry uses, and undevelopable lands
represent one-half of the study area.
The large privately-owned parcels in the study area present
opportunities for the development of master-planned neighbor-
hoods consistent with the community's visions for development in
the area. For planning purposes "large parcels" include tracts of
land that are 40 acres or larger and are under a single ownership
(See Figure II-lO).
Circulation. West Corvallis-North Philomath is served by a
network of local streets and private roads, collectors and major arte-
OSU Lands Oregon State University owns approximately
520 acres of land in the planning area.
Utilized primarily for agricultural research pur-
poses, these lands are considered valuable
open space resources by the community
These lands, considered to be in permanent
public ownership, also segment the devel-
opable lands in WCNP
State law prohibits residential development
either at urban or rural densities on lands
zoned as exclusive farm use and greatly
restrains residential development in forest con-
servation zones.
Large private parcels (> 40 acres)
Other private lands
Public lands
Exclusive Farm Use and Forest
Conservation Lands
Oregon State University Ownership
-~
o
While all the lands identified in Figure Il-13
are potentially developable lands, certain large
parcels in private ownership provide unique
opportunities for developing masterplans for
larger new communities. Privately owned
parcels exceeding 40 acres in size have been
mapped here.
There are three large parks in the study area:
County Open Space Park, Bald Hill Park, and
Walnut Park. These lands, considered to be in
permanent public ownership, provide essential
resources for public recreation and provide
nexus points for a future interconnected open
space system.
Parks and public
open space:
Large private
ownerships
Exclusive Farm Use
and Forest
Conservation Lands
M onald Forest
4.5003.000
Scale In reet
o 750 1.500
r·_·--
.
I
-.
15
•
•
•
•
I
,._._ ...
I
..
I
...
Low density residential
r Medium/low density residential
•
Medium density residential
•
Medium/high density residential
•
Intensive development sector
•
Rural residential . 2 acres per unit
• &
Scale in feel
Rural residential· 5 acres per unit 0 750 1,500 3.000 4,500i !
•
Forest conservation •
•
•
Agriculture/open space •
•
•
Parks and Public Lands •
•
•
Commercial development •
•I Oregon State University lands •
•
Intensive industrial
•
Light industrial
This map is a compilation from the Comprehensive Plan Maps of
Philomath, Corvallis, and Benton County. For the precise designation
of a specific area, consult the appropriate jurisdiction's official
adopted map.
~,JiigQ'~I~Jl~11 ,~x~stj~g, Cpl1\IRliehensive ~Ian Designations
~:a~;ri.\:*u$'t;L;)!r-1i'm .~*"",~k","4't::kt;;07iZlA~;;",0:';1f~1.4{fi<1,i,;; j0 "1 C< j")f",~' ~~ 0~ f'''\:'~#i0k1%V:'Wiif&*,,(fflFd,,£f ~'-'i )r~" if /~,,JJ,,, t~L j""AM~';~ 5~ '. ,
16
rials, and a State highway connecting the Willamette Valley with the
coastal communities. Highway 20134, more commonly known as
Philomath Boulevard, runs along the southern edge of the planning
area. Walnut Boulevard/53rd Street runs north-south through the
planning area, forming a section of a circumference roadway around
Corvallis. Two streets run north from Philomath to the planning
area, 9th and 19th. The latter connects to West Hills Road, which
is one of the two main east-west streets through the area. At the
boundary between the Philomath and Corvallis UGBs, West Hills
Road connects with Reservoir Road, which runs along the north
side of the Southern Pacific Railroad lines. Besides West Hills Road
and Reservoir Road, Harrison Boulevard runs west from downtown
Corvallis and connects with Oak Creek Drive, a country road
extending into the hills at the western edge of the planning area
(See Figure II-I0).
2.3 EXISTING PLANNING POLICIES
Local and statewide planning policies in effect during the
process of developing this plan balanced the need to conserve local
resources with the need to provide for forecasted growth in the
county The comprehensive plans of Corvallis, Philomath and
Benton County designated lands for resource, open space, public,
industrial and residential use. Over half the planning area, includ-
ing the OSU research areas, was set aside for resource use. (All of
those OSU lands are within the Corvallis UGB.) Another one-sixth
of the planning area was designated for rural residential use (See
Figure II-H).
Although most of the planning area is currently utilized for
agriculture, forestry and rural residential uses, almost 70 percent is
within the UGB of either Corvallis or Philomath. As Table II-I
shows, the comprehensive plans for Corvallis and Philomath had
previously established plans for significant urban development in
these areas. One-quarter of the planning area was designated for
urban residential development, mostly at low suburban densities.
Another five percent, was set aside in Intensive Development
Sectors (IDS). These areas allowed an intensive mix of housing and
shopping in three parts of West Corvallis. The minimum density in
the residential parts of an IDS was six homes per acre. In addition,
300 acres were given an overlay designation of Research Technology
Center. The overlay designation would have allowed either the
underlying designation (in West Corvallis, either resource lands,
low-density residential or IDS) or these research-based industrial
uses.
These land use designations allow significant development in
West Corvallis-North Philomath. Planning staff has estimated that
existing plans would permit 9,415 homes within the planning area.
Assuming 2.15 persons per household, these plans would accom-
modate an ultimate population of between 17,200 and 18,275.
These plans also provide for over 100 acres of industrial use (much
of it existing), 90 acres of IDS with the potential for mixed shop-
ping and housing.
2.4 POPULATION GROWTH
In the 30 years between 1960 and 1990, Corvallis and
Philomath have more than doubled in size. Corvallis has grown
almost 120 percent to its current 47,485 and Philomath has grown
120 percent to its current population of 3,315. Benton County
itself grew 80 percent since 1960 while the state grew only 60 per-
cent, slower than the nation as a whole. This growth translates to
an overall growth rate for the two cities of 2.4 percent. If this
growth rate of 2.4 percent continued, it would mean the construc-
tion of over 500 new homes each year, or a community the size of
Philomath every three years.
Both Corvallis and Philomath have adopted growth projections
as part of their comprehensive plans. It should be noted that these
projections are planning tools to assure that the cities are prepared
for growth if it occurs. They are not goals for growth. The
Philomath Comprehensive Plan forecasts that the city will grow
from a population of 2,963 to 7,475 by 2010, for an increase of
105 percent. (This increase assumes that the city will annex signifi-
cant portions of its UGB.) For Corvallis, the population assumed
for the twenty year growth period was 62,500.
Corvallis also forecasts a longer-term population of 80,000
within 30 to 50 years. This longer-term projection represents an 80
percent increase over current population levels. Portland State
University forecasts that the county will grow from a population of
72,800 in 1990 to 86,860 in 2010. This represents an increase of
23 percent for a growth rate of one percent per year.
Land Use Acres % Study Average
Area Housing Units
Rural Residential 1,053 17% 301
Low Density Res. 1,414 22% 5,656
Medium Density Res. 365 6% 2,738
High Density Res. 24 720
Subtotal Urban Residential 1,803 9,114
Commercial 91 1%
Industrial 110 2%
Subtotal Nonresource Lands 3057 48%
Resource Lands
Agriculture 608
Conservation 288
Public 101
Open Space 134
EFU 756
FCAO 873
OSU 520
Subtotal Resource Lands 3,280 52%
TOTALS 6337 9,415
Source: City of Corvallis
17
The West Corvallis-North Philomath planning area is one of the
locations where growth is expected. Located adjacent to the exist-
ing Corvallis city limits, to urban areas in Philomath and to the
major east-west highway connecting the two cities, it is one impor-
tant area on the urban fringe designated for urban growth by the
Comprehensive Plans. However, it is not the only such area.
Considerable development potential remains within the existing city
limits of both cities as well as in other urban fringe areas.
Table II-2 summarizes the growth projections and housing
needs for West Corvallis-North Philomath that were used as the
foundation for this plan. Between 2010 and 2030, Benton County
is assumed to grow at 1.6% a year and Philomath is assumed to
grow at 1.7% annually Table II-2 assumes that for 2010 one third
of the projected growth for Corvallis, 5% of the projected growth
for Philomath and 2% of the projected growth for Benton County
will locate in the planning area. It assumes that for 2030, one-third
of the projected growth for Corvallis, 30% of the projected growth
for Philomath and 2% of the projected growth for Benton County
will locate in this area. Finally, the table assumes an average of 2.2
persons per household in 2010 and 2.1
persons per household in 2030.
2.5 CONCLUSIONS
tect any development from fire hazards. Significant portions of the
study area are in public ownership and are designated to remain as
open space and agriculture lands. By necessity, development will be
separated by these lands although this may not be the most cost or
energy efficient form of development. Because many development
sites are divided into numerous ownerships, it will take a coordinat-
ed effort to create unified and coherent neighborhood plans. For
this reason, the balance of this plan presents open space, land use
and circulation plans that will provide the basic structure for inte-
grated development in this area.
Figure II-13 depicts areas in WCNP not constrained by the fac-
tors just outlined and which may be more suitable for development.
t
t
(;
(
(
(
(
C
Note:1. Household size is assumed to be 2.2 persons per household. 2. Growth projections are based on the
comprehensive plans for the jurisdictions. They are planning tools only, not goals for growth.
18
Benton County
Corvallis
Philomath
Estimated Population
Growth in Planning Area
Additional Housing Units Needed
1990
72,800
44,500
2,963
Estimated Estimated Total
1995 growth rate Increase
Population to 2030 1990-2030
73,500 1.6%/ yr.
47,485 1.5%/ yr.
3,315 1.7%/ yr.
15,947
7,454
There are both natural and political
conditions in the West Corvallis-North
Philomath area that will influence the
patterns of future development. Figure
II-12 depicts specific natural conditions
that may preclude development, includ-
ing wetlands, floodways, landslide areas
and the Corvallis fault zone. These sites
are proposed for protection from devel-
opment. This plan additionally propos-
es the protection of riparian corridors to
assist with flood prevention and to pro-
tect water quality Development in the
hillside areas along the northwest
boundary of the study area will have to
be carefully planned to protect the visu-
al quality of these hillsides and to pro-
*Figures II-12 and II-13 are based on general,
and not Site-specific, information. They are
intended to show the general pattern of con-
straints and opportunities to be found in the
West Corvallis - North Philomath area.
Natural constraints and hazards are limitations
to development. At the same time, the need to
preserve these sites provides unique opportuni-
ties for creating a network of open space to
serve West Corvallis-North Philomath, as well
as providing an amenity for the entire area. As
the basis for an "open space framework" for the
planning area, the following natural constraints
have been summarized onto a single map:
Existing public open space; drainage corridors
with adjacent protection zones; 100 year flood
limits; wetlands; the Corvallis fault zone with a
200 foot wide protection corridor aligning it;
mass movement hazard sites.
McDonald Forest I
--
4,5003,000
Scale In feel
o 750 1,500
r
/J
I
~...•..•••.•...••..•.•••••.y:<
_fA.·~---
Open space defined by natural
conditions
Open space defined by current
public ownership
Open Space
Opportunities
19
20
Scale in reel
o 750 1.500 3.000 4.500
McDonald Forest
~I1._-
. I
I
I
I/--
Development Over 50% of the land in the WCNP study area
Opportunities currently is in public ownership - either for
parks and public open space or by OSU. Of the
remaining 50% of the study area, most land is
available for development, excepting those lands
restricted by state or federal law or by natural
hazards. To summarize all the potentially devel-
opable sites in the planning area a subtractive
process was used. The following land areas were
first removed: publicly owned land, sites
restricted by state or federal laws including for-
est conservation areas (exclusive farm use areas
and wetlands), lands that have hazardous condi-
tions (including landslide areas, the Corvallis
fault zone, flood hazard areas) and finally,
drainage corridors. The remaining land areas
were mapped as potentially developable lands.
Sites on visible hillsides, rural sites in high fire
hazard areas, and rural sites with severe limita-
tions for septic fields would be subject to addi-
tional density and design regulations.
Potentially developable areas
and developed sites
*Figures 1I-12 and 1I-13 are based on general,
and not Site-speCific, information. They are
intended to show the general pattern of con-
straints and opportunities to be found in the
West Corvallis - North Philomath area.
Goals and Organizing Elements
Chapter 3
This chapter presents the goals of the WCNP Plan. It
describes the physical form and pattern that development within
WCNP will take to achieve those goals. It presents the specific land
use designations, elements of the transportation network, and gen-
eral land use policies needed to attain the desired physical pattern.
3.1 GOALS
Six goals express the outcomes desired through development of
the West Corvallis-North Philomath area:
I. Establish a framework of open space that conserves natur-
al resources, supports the agricultural research mission of
Oregon State University, defines and buffers development
and provides opportunities for recreation.
2. Accommodate a fair share of the region's growth within
the West Corvallis-North Philomath area and provide afford-
able housing for the different economic and demographic
groups within the county
3. Reduce reliance on the private automobile by creating
neighborhoods and development patterns that encourage
walking, bicycling and efficient transit service.
4. Create new neighborhoods that encourage community
building, offer diverse housing types, sizes, prices and rents,
discourage auto use, and maintain or enhance the quality of
life for their residents.
5. Support the OSU agricultural research mission and the
economic health of the region by designating adequate area
for OSU research facilities, encouraging economic links to
adjoining public and private agricultural facilities, and desig-
nating appropriate sites for additional basic employment.
6. Balance open space conservation and growth in a way that
protects important natural resources, accommodates forecast-
ed growth, and maintains or enhances the quality of life of
existing and future residents of the Corvallis-Philomath area.
3.2 ORGANIZING ELEMENTS AND LAND USE PATTERN
To achieve these goals, four inter-dependent elements are criti-
cal to attaining the land use pattern, character of development and
community quality of life expressed by these goals. Together these
four elements give shape to development in the WCNP area:
• An Open Space Framework,
• An Interconnected Circulation Network,
• Neighborhood Villages, and
• An Urban Transition Process.
An Open Space Framework
The WCNP Plan establishes a system of open space areas that:
• conserves valuable resource lands
• protects sensitive riparian areas, wetlands and floodways
21
22
• visually contains urban development
• gives definition and identity to individual neighborhoods
• helps to order activity and development within neighborhoods
• offers spaces for recreation and relaxation
• links the area to other open spaces in Corvallis, Philomath,
Benton County and beyond through a network of paths and
trails.
Some open spaces, such as County Open Space Park, Bald Hill
Park, neighborhoods parks and trails are meant to be accessible to
the general public. Other areas like the OSU dairy farm and wood-
ed hillsides are meant to be seen but may not be open to the gener-
al public.
Interconnected Circulation Network
The WCNP Plan establishes an integrated circulation network
that:
• provides for choice and offers alternatives to automobile
travel
• encourages walking, bicycling and transit use
• relates the design of travel lanes, sidewalks and intersections
to the buildings and activities which they serve
• enhances the efficiency and safety of the street system by
dispersing local traffic through a grid of narrower streets and
smaller, more frequent intersections
• encourages slower traffic on neighborhood streets
• provides for convenient and efficient connections between
transportation modes.
Neighborhood Villages
Most new urban development in West Corvallis-North
Philomath will be focused into neighborhood villages, which offer a
diversity of living environments and convenient services. Key fea-
tures include:
• street design that recognizes streets as public spaces that
accommodate a variety of activities beyond vehicular traffic
• neighborhood centers with a mix of commercial, residential
and public uses
• a mixture of housing types offering choice and affordability for
all age groups and family types
• higher residential densities surrounding the neighborhood
center with rings of decreasing density further from the center
• an overall residential density of nine units per acre making
transit more efficient and providing a market for the shops and
offices in the neighborhood center.
Many of these concepts are not new and are commonly found
in older neighborhoods, especially those built before WWIl such as
neighborhoods near Downtown Corvallis and OSU.
Increasingly since WWIl, single family residential uses have
been segregated from retail and employment areas, blocks have
lengthened and cul-de-sacs have reduced the efficiency of walking,
bicycling and using transit. The central role that cars have come to
play in our lives is evident with the wider streets and bigger inter-
sections and resulting faster traffic. The use of street spaces, defined
broadly to include front yards, sidewalks, planting strips and travel
lanes has declined, as active areas for play, informal socialization
and relaxation.
An Urban Transition Process
The fourth critical element of the WCNP Plan is an urban tran-
sition process for those areas within the Corvallis and Philomath
UGBs. Through this process:
• limited clusters of urban development would be allowed
prior to provision of urban sewer and water services
• the ultimate pattern of urban development called for in the
WCNP plan would be established with such development,
preventing parcelization of these rural estates which make
eventual urbanization difficult
• assurances would be obtained that urban development
contributes its proportional fairshare of the costs of eventual
infrastructure improvements.
Chapter 7 provides detail on the urban transition process.
(
(
From the input received during the WCNP planning process, it
is clear that the Corvallis-Philomath community desires a different
pattern of development which uses our land resources and public
infrastructure wisely and creates neighborhoods with a sense of
place and community The goals of the WCNP Plan evolved from
six points of consensus which emerged from public workshops
regarding alternative patterns of development for the area. (See
Chapter 1.) The alternative patterns of development considered
during the planning process can be found in Appendix B.
The open space network, the interconnected circulation net-
work, development focused in neighborhood villages and the urban
transition process work together to create the character of develop-
ment desired for the WCNP area. Even development which will
occur outside of the neighborhood villages is shaped by these ele-
ments. Industrial and research technology activity, for example, is
located outside of the villages, but through the open space and cir-
culation systems will be appropriately linked to and buffered from
residential areas. Outside of the UGBs, rural residential develop-
ment will take place in a manner consistent with protection of valu-
able forest and farm lands through the policies which will guide
creation of the open space network.
3.3 GENERAL LAND USE POLICIES
Guiding Policies: Overall Land Use
LU-G-1 Plan for a fair share of the region's projected growth in
a pattern that balances growth and conservation within West
Corvallis-North Philomath.
LU-G-2 Provide for a mix of residential designations that
reflect the range of housing needs of residents within the Corvallis-
Philomath area.
LU-G-3 Strive to make adjoining land uses compatible and
complementary.
LU-G-4 Foster compact development and conserve open space
by maintaining urban growth boundaries.
LU-G-S Provide opportunities for development within the
urban fringe that are consistent with the planned urban scale
development.
Implementing Policies: Land Use Pattern
LU-I-1 Modify existing zoning classifications or create new
zoning classifications to implement the purposes, standards and
mix of land uses designated by the West Corvallis-North Philomath
Plan.
LU-I-2 Modify joint management agreements between Benton
County and the cities of Corvallis and Philomath to ensure that the
policies of the West Corvallis-North Philomath Plan are implement-
ed.
LU-I-3 Ensure that developments within West Corvallis-North
Philomath are linked together to facilitate interaction among resi-
dents.
LU-I-4 Establish a planned development process for convert-
ing partially predeveloped sites to neighborhood villages.
LU-I-S In order to ensure that the range of housing
costs/affordability mirrors the income profile of the Corvallis-
Philomath area, utilize publidprivate partnerships to create lower
and moderate cost housing.
LU-I-6 Develop standards for accessory dwelling units in low,
medium and medium-high density residential districts and rural
residential areas within WCNP
23
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
McDonald
Forest
_._.1
I
4.500
!
3.000
Scale in feet
o 750 1,500
i
I
_._._.1
I
I
i
I
Research & Technology Center
Rural Residential - 5 acres per unit
Rural Residential - 2 acres per unit
Residential (4 dwellings per acre minimum)
Public Lands and Facilities
New Park Vicinity
Industrial
Agricultural Research and Agriculture
Open Space- Special Management Area
Existing Parks
Medium High Density Residential
Mixed Use Area
Medium Density Residential
School Vicinity
• Neighborhood Village Center & Shopping Center
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
..
*
*nhe location of the neighborhood village within the Philomath UGB is
approximate and may occur south of the planning area boundary.
24
Chapter 4
Notes: 1. Existing rood rights of way are not included in these figures. This decreases the total site area.
2. Sites proposed for public open space on the Open Space Framework Plan have not been subtracted from these total acres.
3. 45 acres have been subtracted from medium density residential areas for schools and neighborhood parks.
4.30% of the total area has been deducted for road and utility easements.
Dwelling estimates are based on the reduced acreage.
5. The following density figures have been used to calculate average dwelling: Mixed use: 15 du/acre; Medium-high residential: 10.5 du/acre; Medium density
residential: 7.5 du/acre;low density residential: 4du/acre.
Table IV-l Land Use Plan: Summary of Acres and Dwelling Units
Corvallis UGB Philomath UGB Benton County Totals
Classification
Average Average Average Average
Acres -30% Dwellings Acres -30% Dwellings Acres Dwellings Acres -30% Dwellings
Mixed Use Area 146.05 102.24 1,534 9.18 6.43 96 155.23 108.66 1630
Med. High Density Residential 234.67 164.27 1,725 56.51 39.56 415 291.18 203.83 2140
Medium Density Residential 337.87 236.51 1,774 84.76 59.33 445 422.63 295.84 2219
low Density Residential 887.06 620.94 2,484 176.56 123.59 494 1,063.62 744.53 2978
Subtotal Urban Residential 1,932.66 1,352.86 8967
Neighborhood Centers 16.00 2.00 18.00
Shopping Centers 22.33 22.33
Industrial 124.14 124.14
Research and Technology 6.49 6.49
Schools and Neigh. Parks 45.00-60 45.00
Public lands 139.86 139.86
Parks/Open Space 227.40 164.56 391.96
Agricultural Research 971.38 971.38
Agriculture 288.02 288.02
Open Space: Special Mang. 1,042.05 104 1,042.05 104
Proposed
Land Use Plan
The proposed Land Use Plan is one of three composite plans
intended to guide orderly growth of the West Corvallis - North
Philomath area. The land use plan shows the schematic layout of
land uses proposed, however it does not show either of two crucial
structuring components: circulation and the open space framework
(These are detailed in Chapters 5 and 6). No one of these three
layers of the plan stands on its own.
The Land Use Plan subdivides the six thousand, three hundred
acre planning area into several major categories of land use: urban
development, including commercial, residential, public, industrial
and research and technology (2149 acres); rural residential (1249
acres); open space and resource lands (2833 acres). The proposed
urban development occurs entirely within the existing urban
growth boundaries of Corvallis and Philomath. Urban develop-
ment is organized around six neighborhood villages, five within the
Corvallis UGB and one within the Philomath UGB. Each neighbor-
hood village has a neighborhood center providing small-scale com-
mercial services. The neighborhood centers are surrounded by
decreasing densities of residential development, ranging from the
mixed use areas intended for up to twenty dwelling units per acre
to low density single family residential areas intended to be a mini-
mum of four dwellings per acre (See Table IV-l).
The development of designated urban areas of West Corvallis
under the proposed WNCP Plan will place additional burdens on
public facilities, two of the most important being the road system
and the public sewer systems of Philomath and Corvallis.
Appendix C documents the evaluation of the adequacy of the local
roadway and sewer systems to accommodate the expected effects of
the proposed West Corvallis-North Philomath Plan.
2S
4.1 URBAN DEVELOPMENT WITHIN NEIGHBORHOOD VILLAGES
The development of neighborhood villages is one of the key organiz-
ing elements of the WCNP Plan, The neighborhood village is designed
to emphasize the quality and order of the pedestrian environment in res-
idential areas and to place large numbers of dwellings within walking
distance of a service-oriented center. They are intended to encourage a
sense of community among residents and give them a high quality resi-
dential environment. The neighborhood village concept provides a way
to accommodate growth while limiting impacts on transportation sys-
tems, reducing the need to develop rural areas outside the urban growth
boundary, providing housing for the variety of households in Corvallis
and Philomath, and making efficient use of public facilities.
As their name suggests, the neighborhoods villages are intended pri-
marily as residential areas with supporting and complementary commer-
cial and public uses. All of the neighborhood villages could include retail
uses and small-scale office developments as part of the neighborhood
center, and some are also planned to include larger areas for compatible
employment uses.
• north of Harrison Boulevard just inside the planning area
boundary,
• west of the intersection of Oak Creek Drive and 53rd Street,
• at the intersection of 53rd Street and West Hills Road,
• at 35th Street and West Hills Road, and
• within the Philomath UGB at a site to be determined.
(See Figure IV-2 Location of Neighborhood Villages.)
4.1 (a) The Neighborhood Village Concept
Location of Neighborhood Villages
The WCNP Plan designates six neighborhood villages. Sites for these
new neighborhoods are within the UGBs and include a minimum area of
60 acres. The existence of larger property ownerships make design and
implementation of the neighborhood village concept easier. These neigh-
borhoods also are in locations that can be served by existing or new bus
service. Finally, to ensure that urban growth is not focused in only one
part of the West Corvallis-North Philomath area, these neighborhoods
are distributed around the planning area. Neighborhood Villages are
located:
Minor Neighborhood Center
h/- 2 acres)
Mixed use area
(10 to 20 acres)
Collector Street
Major Neighborhood Center
(2 to 5 acres)
--1.-Ii
I'
Figure IV-4 Structure of
Neighborhood Villages: Minor Center
/\ 112 mile I Collector Street
,jI
\ 1/4m;il
Collector Street
I
!
Figure IV-3 Structure of
Neighborhood Villages: Major Center
/
//\\jf1 /2mile
\ 1/4 mile
Arterial Street
Neighborhood Villoge
with Minor Center
Neighborhood Village
with Minor Center
Neighborhood Village
with Major Center
Neighborhood Village with
Minor Center
Neighborhood Village with
Minor Center*
R~~t~~
Figure IV-2 Location of Neighborhood Villages ~..::::::=:~~t
*Approximate location of neighborhood 1)( 0\~C-J~rfr
,mag,;, Philomath ~~~pi
Urban Growth Boundary - F
I
26
Structure of Neighborhood Villages
The form of the pedestrian neighborhood villages is designed to
provide a coordinated and attractive living environment that
responds to local conditions and emphasizes a range of good circu-
lation opportunities for walking, bicycling, using transit and driving
personal vehicles.
This structure incorporates several key concepts:
• The neighborhood center is the focus and heart of the neigh-
borhood village. This predominantly commercial area provides
service and public space for the neighborhood. A mix of land
uses may occur on sites or within buildings in this and the
adjacent mixed use area. Residential densities should be high-
est within 1/4 mile of this center (See Figures IV-3 and IVA).
• A high density mixed use area surrounds the neighborhood
center. This area is intended to be primarily residential,
accommodating higher density multi-family housing.
Compatible uses such as small scale retail (i.e. speciality shops,
artist studios), offices and daycare facilities are also allowed
within the residential buildings. In certain circumstances, free-
standing non-residential buildings will be allowed where their
design and situation contribute to the character of the area.
• The primary area of the neighborhood village is an area rough-
Figure IV-6 Plan Diagram of a Typical Neighborhood Village
• Neighborhood Center
• Mixed Use Area
o 1/4 Mile Radius
Arterial Road
~
o 100' 400' 1000' 1/4 mile
• Streets are considered valuable public space and are to be
designed to accommodate pedestrians, bicycles and vehicles
equally well. Providing, through design, for additional public
uses of this space or adjacent areas such as sitting, play or out-
door eating is encouraged.
• The design of the neighborhood villages should use arterial
ancIJor collector streets, rail lines, open space and hillsides to
define clear edges to each neighborhood.
ly within a 1/2 mile radius of the
neighborhood center. Beyond
that, secondary areas must still
adhere to standards for circula-
tion, streets, and parks and open
spaces; however, these areas are
not required to achieve the aver-
age 9 dwelling units per acre that
neighborhood villages must have.
• The circulation system should
disperse traffic rather than con-
centrate it, providing multiple
travel routes for all forms of
transportation throughout the
neighborhood. Hierarchical road
systems that quickly concentrate
traffic on arterial roads are dis-
couraged. Collector streets should
be incorporated into the neigh-
borhood design to provide bus
service routes, focus development
on the neighborhood center, and
limit traffic on residential streets.
Heavy volumes of through-traffic
should be directed to adjoining or
nearby arterials. Off-street trail
and pathway systems along and
within parks and natural open
spaces should link with the roadway system (See Figure IV-S).
Figure IV-5 Street Diagram.
Street system A provides greater
connectivity than system B.
System A is the preferable model.
27
Figure IV-7 Porches. Porches allow residents to overlook and interact with
street life.
Figure IV-8 Alley. Alley spaces are appropriate for vehicle stor-
age, trash and utilities, and they also provide casual public space.
28
4.1 (b) Design of the Neighborhood Village
Neighborhood Center. One of the driving principles behind
the neighborhood village concept is the desire to create real neigh-
borhoods rather than merely subdivisions. Each neighborhood vil-
lage must set aside land and establish the basic framework for a
neighborhood center (See Figures IV-IO,ll,l2, and 13). The
ground floor of buildings in the neighborhood centers should be
predominantly retail, including small-scale shopping (such as video
rentals, convenience shopping and bakeries), professional offices
(such as medical and dental clinics, insurance and real estate
offices), personal services (such as barbers and beauticians), and
eating and drinking establishments. Public or semi-public uses
could include day care facilities and branch libraries. Offices may
occupy the upper floors of these buildings. Residences may occupy
the upper floors of these buildings, as well, and the ground floor
except along designated shopping streets. Places of public assembly
and other uses requiring large amounts of parking are not allowed
in the center.
This plan proposes two scales of neighborhood center, a major
center and a minor center. Every neighborhood center must include
a 1/2 acre public open space. The public space in a neighborhood
center may be a park or plaza or may include a modest public
building, such as a community meeting building or branch library
Every neighborhood center must also include at least one shopping
street, one to two blocks in length. The shopping street is intended
to be an active pedestrian area, aligned with a concentration of
retail services and eating and drinking establishments on the
ground floors of all buildings. The shopping street may intersect
with another pedestrian-oriented commercial street.
The major neighborhood center may occur only at the intersec-
tion of an arterial road with a collector road. It may range from 2 to
5 acres in size. Larger retail outlets, such as grocery or drug stores
may occur on sites adjacent to the arterial road. These facilities
must, however be placed at the edge of the shopping street and
have a major entry on this street. Mixed-use buildings may be as
high as four stories in a major neighborhood center.
The minor neighborhood center is smaller and intended to
serve the smaller neighborhood villages. It may occur only at the
intersection of two collector streets. The minor center is intended to
be approximately 2 acres in size. No large stores are permitted in
this center and building heights are limited to three stories.
Neighborhood centers are not intended to support community
scale shopping centers, nor will they offer the full range of goods
and services found in such centers. Nearby shopping centers that
will serve West Corvallis-North Philomath are located or planned at
Timberhill (Walnut at Kings), 53rd at Philomath Boulevard, along
Philomath Boulevard in downtown Philomath and other locations.
Residential Land Use and Housing. The WCNP Plan requires
a mix of housing types at a variety of densities within each neigh-
borhood village. This mix will help meet the needs of the different
kinds of households who now live - and are expected to live - in
the Corvallis-Philomath area. The intent of this plan is to encourage
developers to utilize the allowable higher densities of both multiple-
family and single-family housing to assist the community at large
with the provision of affordable housing units.
To achieve balance and integration of a range of housing types,
sizes, and densities, neighborhood villages rely on three criteria.
• First, each neighborhood is required to achieve an overall den-
sity of at least nine dwelling units per net acre of residential
land.
• To reflect the demand for rental and higher-density housing
within the region, at least one-third of the units must be either
in multi-family or attached single-family structures.
• Finally, to meet the continuing demand for single-family hous-
ing while reducing land costs, the majority of residential land
in each neighborhood should be for higher-density single-fam-
ily hOUSing, either detached (generally between six to nine
dwellings per net acre) or attached (generally between nine to
12 dwellings per net acre).
Densities of around nine units per acre have been found to
encourage greater transit usage. The City of Corvallis' Intensive
Development Sector designation, which had been applied to some
of the proposed neighborhood village areas, required densities of
greater than six units per acre.
In addition to the importance of land use and overall design to
the success of the neighborhood villages, other more site-specific
design plays an important role in creating a quality neighborhood.
The design of buildings, their placement on lots, the location and
extent of parking all contribute to the fine-grained, human-scaled
character of new neighborhoods.
Building Height. To use land within the neighborhood villages
more efficiently while maintaining a human-scaled neighborhood,
the West Corvallis-North Philomath Plan supports the construction
of two-story single-family housing. Where multi-family housing is
located adjacent to or interspersed with single-family housing, it too
should be built to no more than two stories. In the mixed use areas,
up to three-story multi-family structures are encouraged. In the
major neighborhood center, three and four-story mixed use build-
ings that include multi-family housing are an important part of the
neighborhood village concept.
Placement of Buildings on Lots. Streets that are more attrac-
tive and inviting for pedestrians and are seen as an extension of
adjoining uses can help make neighborhoods more pedestrian-
friendly To achieve this, houses, stores, offices and public facilities
should place their main entrance facing public streets rather than to
parking lots or garages. Setbacks from the street should be limited
to create more of a sense of enclosure on the street ("Enclosure" is
the sense that the street is a public room watched over by the
adjoining homes rather than an open area that belongs to no one.)
In neighborhood centers, buildings should be set on or very close
to the street edge property lines (See Figure IV-9). Front porches
on houses, restaurants and other compatible buildings provide a
semi-public space and an ideal sitting area from which people can
watch the street and see their neighbors (See Figure IV-7). Awnings
or overhangs on the buildings along shopping streets provided
weather protection and encourage more pedestrian use during
inclement weather. In commercial areas parking should be located
to the rear of buildings and away from main shopping or pedestrian
streets. In residential areas, garages should be placed behind the
front building line of any structure and preferably behind the struc-
ture by taking access from an alley
Alleys. The inclusion of alleys provides the opportunity to
make streets more pedestrian-friendly and to allow more compact
development. Placement of vehicular parking along an alley limits
curb cuts and driveways along the street and orients more of build-
ing frontages to the sidewalks. Sidewalks become safer and more
pleasant (The Harding neighborhood in Corvallis is a good example
of the positive effect that alleys can have). Utilities and
garbage/recycling collection can take advantage of alleys. Alleys
may also provide a form of casual public space. Alley edges are
ideal spaces for fruit trees, berries, vegetable gardens, composting,
surface drainage swales, and block-scaled play areas such as basket-
ball hoops (See Figure IV-8).
Landscaping. Native plant materials are properly adapted to
local climactic and soil conditions, particularly to the wet winter-
dry summer regime of the Willamette Valley To take advantage of
their suitability to the site conditions and to help blend new devel-
opment with the surrounding natural landscapes, this plan encour-
ages the protection of existing vegetation and the use of native plant
materials wherever possible in the new developments.
Parks and Schools. The development of the neighborhood vil-
lages and other development within West Corvallis-North
Philomath will generate the need for active recreation and schools.
The Land Use Plan suggests three school locations (either for ele-
mentary or for combined elementary-middle schools) to serve new
residents. One site is within the neighborhood village southwest of
53rd and West Hills Road. The second is located on the west side of
Witham Hill Road and a third is shown in the proposed neighbor-
hood village north of Oak Creek Drive. All are intended to be locat-
ed near concentrations of housing to allow more students to walk
to school and thus reduce busing costs. To encourage compact
development, and reduce family travel needs, this plan proposes
that school sites (a maximum of 15 acres in size) be located adja-
cent to neighborhood parks.
The Land Use Plan also designates three new neighborhood
parks of approximately five acres in size. One is adjacent to the
school site southwest of 53rd and West Hills Road and a second is
between the two neighborhood villages on the north side of West
Hills Road. The third is located near the proposed school north of
Oak Creek Drive.
Schools and neighborhood parks provide an essential service to
residents of the neighborhood villages. They are also large, together
taking as much as 20 acres of the neighborhood. To ensure that
pedestrian access within the neighborhoods is maintained, joint
school-park sites are encouraged. These sites should be located
adjacent to at least one collector street to reduce traffic impacts on
residential streets. These sites should be located along bicycle and
Figure IV- 9 Building to Street Edge. Placement of commercial buildings near
the street edge helps to define the street as a public space.
29
Figures IV-lO and 11 Conceptual Plan and
Sketch of A Major Neighborhood Center.
The major neighborhood center may occur
only at the intersection of an arterial street
with a collector street. It may range from 2
to 5 acres in size and must include a 1/2 acre
public open space. Larger retail outlets, such
as grocery or drug stores may occur on sites
adjacent to the arterial road. These facilities
must, however be placed at the edge of the
shopping street and have a major entry on
this street. Mixed-use buildings may be as
high a four stories in a major neighborhood
center.
30
All building
entries should be
along the street
The primary use
of the ground
floor of buildings
in the center
should be retail.
Apublic building
such as a commu-
nity center or
branch library is
good occupant
adjacent to the
public space
Major
Neighborhood cen-
ters may occur
only at the inter-
section of an arte-
rial road and a col-
lector road.
Predominantly resi-
dential mixed use
buildings should
surround the neigh-
borhood center.
Parking should
occur on the street
and in parking lots
behind the buildings
~~g~g.4~~~:""':~~~~ Apublic space at
the heart of the
neighborhood will
provide a place for
people to gather.
This spot might work
well as a central
transit stop.
Wide sidewalks with canopies over them for weather protection
should line the main shopping streets.
bus routes, with the school buildings as close to the neighborhood
center as is feasible, while remaining outside of the mixed-use area.
The WCNP Plan encourages development of smaller pocket
parks within the neighborhood villages to serve residents who live
nearby These parks, which should be maintained by neighborhood
associations, should be deSigned to serve the recreation needs of
smaller children. They also can be gathering places for adults, acces-
sible by foot from every home. In accordance with National
Recreation and Park Association standards, this plan recommends
that pocket parks be up to one acre in size, occurring at a rate of
one acre of park per 1000 people and located not more than 1/4
mile from any residence.
Open Space buffers. As the planning area develops, designing
the edge between open space and developed areas to allow physical
or visual access will be essential. In numerous locations, new devel-
opment will abut natural open space or agricultural areas. Design
guidelines should be developed to encourage a consistent approach
to the design of the urban-natural or urban-agricultural edge. While
blurring the distinction between open space and development has
advantages, clear edges can ensure privacy for adjoining uses and
prevent conflicts, particularly between residential and agricultural
uses.
At the edge between public or protected open space, and hous-
ing, a road or public trail is the most practical means to define this
border. Homes and businesses across the road or trail from the open
space benefit from their proximity to a community resource without
intruding on the natural area. A roadway or trail can also give others
in the neighborhood access to the open space where that is appro-
priate. This plan discourages placing back yard property lines along
public open spaces, however there may be instances where that is
unavoidable. Tall, solid fences should be prohibited in favor of plant
materials or see-through fencing along these edges.
Where residential areas abut agricultural lands, buffers of unde-
veloped land such as public or semi-private open space should be
created to limit conflicts. Such buffers should be planted with native
vegetation.
Circulation And Trails. The neighborhood Village requires a
circulation system that emphasizes pedestrian and bicycle movement
and access to public transit as much or more than automobile circu-
lation. The neighborhood villages also use street rights-of-way both
as part of the circulation system and as "living space" for adjacent
residents.
See chapter 6 Circulation, for detailed policies on pedestrian,
bicycle, transit and automobile circulation within neighborhood vil-
lages and other parts of the planning area.
4.1 (d Permitted Uses and Policies: Neighborhood Villages
Permitted Uses:
Major Neighborhood Center. These two to five acre neighbor-
hood centers serve the larger neighborhood villages and occur at
arterial-collector intersections. Allowable uses are day-to-day shop-
ping, speciality food stores, eating and drinking establishments,
personal services, day care, small clinics, and professional offices.
These sites are large enough to include moderately sized grocery
and drug stores. A 1/2 acre public space such as a park or plaza or
a civic building that incorporates a public outdoor space is
required. Primary ground floor occupants should be retail, personal
and food service, and restaurants. Offices and residences may occur
on second, third and fourth floors, and residences may occupy the
ground floor on non-shopping streets.
Minor Neighborhood Center. This is a very small center of
approximately two acres intended to serve the smaller neighbor-
hoods villages. Allowable uses are the same as the major neighbor-
hood center, however it is anticipated that primary occupants will
be convenience stores, video stores and cafes. Larger stores are not
permitted. A 1/2 acre public open space or a civic building that
incorporates a public outdoor space is required. Primary ground
floor occupants should be retail and service. Offices and residences
may occur on second and third floors, and residences may occupy
the ground floor on non-shopping streets.
Mixed Use Areas The mixed use areas are intended to pro-
vide land primarily for multi-family housing. Compatible small-
scale retail (i.e. specialty shops, artists studios), professional office
and day care facilities will also be allowed within predominantly
residential buildings. Mixed use areas around major neighborhood
centers should be approximately 10 to 40 acres. Mixed use areas
around minor neighborhood centers should be approximately 10 to
20 acres.
Minor Neighborhood • @
Centers may occur only~
at the intersection of
two collector roads.
The primary use of
the ground floor of
buildings in the center
should be small-scale
retail.
Apublic building such
as a community cen-
ter or branch library
is a good occupant
adjacent to the public
space
Predominantly residential mixed use
buildings should surround the neighbor-
hood center
Wide sidewalks with canopies
over them for weather protec-
tion should line the main shop-
ping street.
Parking should
occur on the street
and in parking lots
behind the buildings
Apublic space at the
heart of the neigh-
borhood will provide
a place for people to
gather. This spot may
provide a good loca-
tion for a central
transit stop.
Figures IV-12 and 13 Conceptual Plan
and Sketch of A Minor Neighborhood
Center. The minor neighborhood center
is intended to serve the smaller pedes-
trian neighborhoods.
It may occur only at the intersection of
two collector streets. The minor center
is intended to be approximately 2 acres
in size and must include a 1/2 acre pub-
lic space. No large stores are permitted
in this center and bUilding heights are
limited to three stories.
31
Guiding Policies:
NV-G-1 Encourage the creation of new neighborhood villages
that make efficient use of urban land and facilities, encourage walk-
ing, bicycling and transit, and provide a high-quality, human-scaled
neighborhood.
NV-G-2 Establish a neighborhood center within each neighbor-
hood village to provide basic retail and other services, to increase
community identity and to encourage community interaction.
NV-G-3 Make streets and street rights-of-way important public
space and an extension of adjoining residential, commercial and
public uses.
NV-G-4 Provide the infrastructure needed to direct growth
within the Corvallis and Philomath urban growth boundaries to
designated neighborhood villages.
NV-G-5 Within urban areas, define a clear edge between open
space and developed areas that encourages visual or physical access
to the open space.
Implementing Policies
NV-I-1 Revise local land use regulations to create new tools that
encourage the development of neighborhood villages:
• a mixed-use zoning classification that implements and encour-
ages the development of neighborhood centers and which
includes uses such as small-scale retail, office and personal ser-
vices that are not predominately automobile oriented;
• modified zoning standards and requirements that establish
both minimum and maximum setback lines, minimum and
maximum heights, restrictions on the location of garages and
parking areas, and allow second units with limitations on size
and location;
• Standards and/or guidelines that encourage orienting residen-
tial buildings to the street and encourage active public realms
along the street.
NV-I-2 Require a minimum residential density of nine dwellings
per net residential acre within neighborhood villages, excluding areas
set aside for commercial and employment uses, public facilities and
Housing within this designation should be developed at a max-
imum of 20 units per net acre (Calculations of housing potential
assume an average of 15 dwelling units per net acre). The inclusion
of other uses does not reduce the requirement to achieve this densi-
ty of housing. No minimum square footage per lot or dwelling is
required, however there shall be restrictions on building heights.
Multi-family housing developments will be required to supply ade-
quate on-site parking and common open space facilities, including
playgrounds, for the residents.
Medium-High Density Residential. (9-12 dwelling units per
net acre) The medium-high density residential designation is
intended to provide a mix of housing types, primarily in multi-fam-
ily structures but also in attached single-family units. This designa-
tion also allows supporting and compatible public uses that do not
require significant amounts of land (such as libraries and small
parks) and compatible, small-scale office uses.
Densities within this designation may range from 9 to 12 units
per net acre (Calculations of housing potential assume an average of
10.5 dwelling units per net acre). A minimum of 1,500 square feet
of site area per dwelling (inclusive of adjacent alleys) must be pro-
vided. Multi-family housing developments will be required to sup-
ply adequate on-site parking and common open space facilities,
including playgrounds, for the residents.
Medium Density Residential. (6-9 dwelling units per net acre)
The medium-density residential designation is intended primarily
for Single-family residential uses, both attached and detached.
Lower-density and smaller-scale multi-family structures, such as
duplexes and townhouses, are also encouraged. A range of support-
ing or compatible uses is also allowed, including parks, schools,
libraries and similar public facilities.
Densities within the medium-density residential designation
range from 6 to 9 dwelling units per net acre. (Calculations of
housing potential assume an average of 7.5 dwelling units per net
acre.) For detached dwellings, lots should contain at least 4,000
square feet and a maximum of 6000 square feet. Smaller lots for
detached dwellings may be allowed where the smaller size is offset
by the provision of public parks, private open space or environmen-
tally sensitive lands. For attached Single family dwellings, lot sizes
may be as small as 2,000 square feet.
AFFORDABLE HOUSING
The WNCP Plan addresses the need for affordable housing
both byrequiring the construction of a range of housing types
and densities and by reducing transportation expenses forthose
living in the area:
• Policy LU-G-2 directs the mix of residential designations
to reflect the range of housing needs of residents within
the Corvallis-Philomath area.
• Policy LU-I-5 encourages utilizing public I private partner
ships to assist in· the creation of lower· and moderate
income· housing.
• Policy LU-I-6 requires that standards be developed for
accessory dwelling units in low, medium and medium-
high density residential districts and in rural residential
areas in WCNP.
• Policy NV-I-3 requires that at least one third of the
homes in the neighborhood villages be multi-family. or
attached single family.
• Policy NV-I-4 requires that the majority ofresidentialland
in each neighborhood village be set aside formedium-den-
sity, single family housing. to. meet the demand for sin~
gle family housing while reducing land costs.
• Policy C-G-l requires the creation of a circulation Sys,teln
32
neighborhood parks greater than four acres in size. Pocket parks
developed to serve adjoining residences should be included as resi-
dential acreage.
NV-I-3 Require that at least one-third of the dwelling units with-
in each neighborhood village must be either in multi-family or
attached single-family structures to meet the continuing demand for
such housing within the region.
NV-I-4 Require that the majority ofresidentialland in each neigh-
borhood village is set aside for medium-density single-family hous-
ing, (6-9 dwellings per net acre) either detached or attached, to meet
the continuing demand for single-family housing while reducing land
costs.
NV-I-S Encourage the provision of pocket parks within neigh-
borhood villages at a rate of at least one acre per 1000 people. Pocket
parks should be up to one acre in size and no further than one-quar-
ter mile from any residence. Provide incentives for pocket parks,
including provisions to allow smaller lots adjacent to these parks.
NV-I-6 Use arterial streets, rail lines and hills and streams to
define the edges of neighborhood villages. Where these neighbor-
hoods adjoin other residential areas, require easy connections for
pedestrians, bikes and transit to support the neighborhood center
and encourage alternative modes of travel.
NV-I-7 Require developers of neighborhood villages to designate
a neighborhood center of two to five acres that includes, at a mini-
mum, a one block long shopping street, a one-half acre public space
or plaza and a transit stop and that allows other appropriate uses
including small-scale shopping, professional offices, personal ser-
vices, and eating and drinking establishments. Public or semi-public
uses could include day care facilities and branch libraries.
NV-I-8 The sizes and locations for the neighborhood centers
shown on the Land Use Plan are approximate, and variations can be
approved through the planned development process without requir-
ing a plan amendment.
NV-I-9 Locate neighborhood centers at the junction of an arterial
and a collector street (major centers), or two collector streets (minor
center).
NV-I-10 The neighborhood center is to be located along an
existing or future transit corridor and may incorporate an internal
transit loop within its deSign.
NV-I-ll Within neighborhood centers, only retail and service
uses that have a high volume of pedestrian activity should be
allowed to occupy ground floor storefront space along the shopping
street.
NV-I-12 Within the neighborhood center and mixed use areas,
store entries shall be immediately adjacent to the street right-of-way
Parking lots shall be located to the rear of buildings, and where
they do not disrupt the pedestrian streetscape, may be located to
the side of buildings.
NV-I-13 Large retailers (e.g. grocery stores) may be located on
sites within the major neighborhood center adjacent to the arterial
road. These facilities must have a major entry on the shopping
street. Such retailers are not appropriate within minor neighbor-
hood center.
NV-I-14 Use streets or public trails to define the edge between
public lands and private developments, thus maintaining access to
public sites. Discourage the use of solid fencing at the edge of pub-
lic parks or open space areas.
NV-I-1S Orient residential, civic, and semi-public buildings
(i.e. day care facilities and places of religious assembly) towards
parks and other public open spaces.
NV-I-16 Encourage the fronts of buildings to face parks.
NV-I-17 Where possible, incorporate existing native vegetation
or add new native plantings, particularly adjacent to open space
areas.
See Section 4.4 for other policies on school development,
Chapter 5 for other policies on open space development, and
Chapter 6 for other policies on circulation.
Figure IV-14 Streets as Public Space. The WCNP plan calls for the creation
of neighborhoods where streets are important as public space.
33
34
4.2 URBAN DEVELOPMENT OUTSIDE NEIGHBORHOOD VILLAGES
4.2 (a) Low Density Residential Development
While the neighborhood villages are the primary method of
accommodating new housing in the urban areas of West Corvallis-
North Philomath, the plan designates other residential areas. These
other housing areas, some of which are already developed, are des-
ignated primarily for low-density housing and are located beyond a
half-mile from any neighborhood village center.
Low density residential areas will not include neighborhood
center areas, mixed use areas nor will they be required to meet the
same density requirements as neighborhood villages. However,
these low density residential areas should be designed, like neigh-
borhood villages, to make walking and bicycling attractive and to
create attractive living environments for their residents.
4.2 (b) Permitted Uses and Policies: Low Density Residential
Development
Permitted Uses:
Low-Density Residential. (minimum 4 dwelling units per acre)
The low-density residential designation is intended primarily for
single-family detached dwellings. Attached single-family units may
be allowed where each unit is on a separate lot and has ground
floor living space and private open space. Supporting community
uses, such as schools and parks, that are compatible with lower-
density urban neighborhood areas are allowed. The design of these
neighborhoods must comply with the circulation, street layout and
design, parks and open space, building orientation and setback
requirements.
Lots should contain at least 5,000 square feet although smaller
lot sizes may be allowed in planned developments where the small-
er size is offset by the provision of public parks, private open space
or environmentally sensitive lands. (Calculations of housing poten-
tial assume an average of four dwelling units per net acre).
Guiding Policies:
LD-G-1 While not technically part of neighborhood villages,
low density residential areas should be designed in the same spirit
of encouraging walking, bicycling and transit use and providing a
high quality human-scaled neighborhood.
LD-G-2 Design streets and rights of way to be significant public
space.
Implementing policies:
LD-I-I Revise local ordinances to create low density residential
areas that:
• adhere to the following neighborhood village policies NV-I-5,
NV-I-6, NV-I-13, NV-I-14, NV-I-16; and
• adhere to related standards for street design, setbacks, mini-
mum and maximum lot sizes, and all other relevant provisions
in this plan.
4.3 COMMERCE, INDUSTRY AND EMPLOYMENT
4.3 (a) Commercial and Industrial Development
Commerce and industry play an essential role in the health of
the Corvallis-Philomath area and its daily life. Basic industries pro-
vide the jobs and income from which residents earn their liveli-
hood, and retail and service uses provide for the daily and long-
term needs of the community While the timber industry has tradi-
tionally supplied a large share of the basic employment in Benton
County, it is unlikely to regain its earlier position as the county's
pre-eminent employer.
Oregon State University has also been and continues to be a sig-
nificant employer in the community while employment there is
likely to remain near current levels. The agricultural research activi-
ties, many of which are located within West Corvallis-North
Philomath, add to this basic employment. The presence of the uni-
versity has supported and encouraged new growth in technology-
based industries, such as Hewlett-Packard and related technology
firms. Within the West Corvallis-North Philomath area, industrial
activity is located along the rail line that runs between Philomath
and Corvallis.
Retail and service uses playa secondary role, supporting and
serving the businesses and residents with goods and services.
Shopping areas also provide a place for community interaction,
where workers and residents can meet one another and foster a
sense of neighborliness.
While most of the developable area of West Corvallis-North
Philomath is designated for residential uses, a considerable portion
is set aside for these basic and supporting commercial and industri-
al uses. The Land Use Plan designates land for industrial uses north
of the current Reservoir Road (currently an industrial area) and one
smaller area south of West Hills Road in Corvallis. (The City of
Philomath has also designated significant industrial areas south of
West Hills Road just outside the planning area.) The Plan also des-
ignates commercial uses as part of each neighborhood village.
Within WCNP most of the daily shopping and service needs are to
be served by the retail and personal service businesses located with-
in the neighborhood centers and are discussed in Section 4.1. A
community-scale shopping center is intended for the intersection of
53rd and Philomath Boulevard. Finally, a site for research-technolo-
gy uses is designated in one of the neighborhood villages.
4.3 (b) Permitted Uses and Policies: Commerce, Industry,
Employment
Permitted Uses
Shopping Center. One shopping center site is designated in the
West Corvallis-North Philomath Plan along Philomath Boulevard at
53rd Street. This shopping center is intended to accommodate large
scale shopping facilities such as grocery stores, drug stores, and
retail stores that handle products such as housewares, hardware,
clothing, or recreational equipment. Although this shopping center
will be of a community scale and therefore will be automobile ori-
ented, it will be required to establish good pedestrian connections
to adjacent neighborhoods and the shopping center itself will be
designed in a pedestrian-friendly manner.
Industrial Development. The Industrial Development designa-
tion provides for the continuation of existing industrial uses within
West Corvallis-North Philomath. The plan allows for diversification
and development of these industrial sites to take advantage of rail
access, changes in markets, and site amenities. This designation pri-
marily allows fabrication and manufacture but also allows research,
office and related uses. Land intensive uses, such as large scale
warehousing, that generate significant truck traffic without signifi-
cant employment are prohibited.
Research and Technology Center. The Research and
Technology Center designation provides one site for basic employ-
ment (i.e., operations with little direct service to customers) with
the focus on office, research, technology development, labs and ser-
vices. All activity is to conducted within the structures. Some retail
uses that serve employees may be allowed on-site.
Guiding Policies
CIE-G-1 Encourage the development of a community scale
shopping area at 53rd and Philomath Boulevard.
CIE-G-2 Support the expansion of basic employment within
West Corvallis-North Philomath and the broader community that
responds to changes in the state and national economy by providing
locations for new firms and allowing firms on existing sites to
expand or diversify their operations into new fields.
Implementing Policies
CIE-I-1 Review and revise, as necessary, City and County devel-
opment codes and zoning ordinances to ensure that:
• Adequate buffers and performance standards are required for
commercial and industrial development to limit impacts on
adjoining uses.
• Flexibility in the use of industrial space is provided to allow
changes in operations that respond to changing economic
opportunities while continuing to provide significant basic
employment.
• Warehousing and distribution is only allowed as accessory
uses in neighborhood villages to minimize truck traffic.
CIE-I-2 Require the design of all commercial areas within West
Corvallis-North Philomath to incorporate the pedestrian and
Figure IV-IS Existing Industrial Site Located North of Reservoir Road.
Figure IV-I6 Existing Research and Technology Site Located at 35th and
Western.
3S
Figure IV-I 7 Fairgrounds. The Benton County Fairgrounds is located on the
west side of 53rd Street near Gal< Creel< Road. This facility provides a commu-
nity gathering place, especially for agriculture-related activities.
36
bicycle-friendly features called for as part of neighborhood villages.
CIE-I-3 Encourage the development of a research and technolo-
gy center as part of the neighborhood village east of 35th at West
Hills Road. Locate the center to be convenient to bus service and
within walking distance of the neighborhood center of the neigh-
borhood village.
4.4 PUBLIC USES
4.4 (a) Public Use Needs
Schools The development of new homes within West
Corvallis-North Philomath, under both existing plans and this plan,
will generate new students within the Corvallis and Philomath
school districts. These new students will require new schools. The
Land Use Plan shows three elementary school (or combined ele-
mentary-middle school) sites within the Corvallis school district.
Locating those sites within neighborhood villages can help mini-
mize busing costs by making the schools accessible by foot to many
students. Caution should be taken in siting these facilities to avoid
hazardous sites.
Fairgrounds Within West Corvallis-North Philomath, the
Benton County Fairgrounds is located on the west side of 53rd
Street south of Oak Creek Drive. This facility provides a community
gathering place, especially for agriculture-related activities. To con-
cur with the Benton County Fairgrounds Master Plan, the West
Corvallis-North Philomath Plan calls for the expansion of the fair-
grounds to maintain and expand its role in the community and to
increase linkages between its facilities and the OSU research mis-
sion. The Land Use Plan designates additional land for the fair-
grounds consistent with that shown on the Fairgrounds Master
Plan.
The Fairgrounds Master Plan indicates the following improve-
ments on the expanded site: a new exhibit hall with hard surface
flooring for trade shows and other events; an all-weather equestrian
center; a trail head for the Corvallis-to-the-Sea trail and other trail
linkages; new recreational sports fields; a multi-purpose stadium;
transit facilities and amenities to accommodate alternative trans-
portation modes.
Other Public or Institutional Uses Places of public assem-
bly, private schools and daycare facilities, and public service facili-
ties such as branch libraries and fire stations are important within
the community. At least one new water reservoir will be required to
serve residents of the area. Siting of these must take into considera-
tion convenient access to those served, while minimizing the
impacts of large site and/or parking needs on the neighborhood vil-
lages. Uses which require large sites (greater than one acre) or gen-
erate significant parking demands are best located outside neighbor-
hood centers and at the edges of the neighborhood villages.
4.4 (b) Policies: Public Uses
Guiding Policies
PU-G-l Designate space for the development and expansion of
facilities that serve the public within West Corvallis-North
Philomath.
PU-G-2 Identify potential sites for new elementary schools or
combined elementary-middle schools within the planning area to
serve its residents.
PU-G-3 Encourage expansion of the fairgrounds to improve its
agricultural support role in the county and to increase its linkages
to OSU research.
PU-G-4 Encourage environmentally sensitive siting and devel-
opment of public facilities.
Implementing Policies
PU-I-l Work with school districts and landowners to locate
new school sites within or adjacent to the neighborhood villages.
PU-I-2 Encourage school districts and parks providers to locate
school sites and neighborhood parks adjacent to each other wherev-
er possible to minimize area requirements. (This plan recommends
school sites of 12 acres to a maximum of 15 acres and neighbor-
hood park sites of 5 acres).
PU-I-3 Locate school sites and neighborhood parks within
walking distance of most residents and along bus routes. School
access should be from collector streets.
PU-I-4 Encourage branches of other public or semi-public ser-
vices such as branch libraries and day care facilities within the plan-
ning area, especially within the neighborhood centers.
PU-I-S Designate land for expansion of the Benton County
Fairgrounds.
PU-I-6 Allow the siting of new public water reservoir wherever
determined to be most feasible.
4.5 RURAL DEVELOPMENT
4.5 (a) Rural Residential Areas
The wooded hillsides of West Corvallis-North Philomath repre-
sent one of the more significant natural resources - as habitat, for-
est and viewshed - in the community. These hillsides also attract
new residents drawn by the quiet and rustic settings that the woods
and hills can provide.
Some of the planning area outside of the Corvallis and
Philomath UGBs is designated for rural residential development.
Most of these rural residential areas are located in the hills at the
northwestern edge of West Corvallis-North Philomath area; large
areas just north of the Philomath UGB are also designated for this
use. The overall policy of this plan is to maintain and enhance the
quality of life in these areas and not to expand them where produc-
tive agricultural or forest resources would be lost.
Fire Hazards in Wooded Areas Building houses in forested
and natural grassland areas, exposes residents to hazards from wild-
land fires. The forests and grasslands in the hills of Benton County,
as in other parts of western Oregon, can burn quite dramatically.
Access and adequate water, however, are usually limited, making fire
fighting difficult. These difficulties are worsened by the hills and val-
leys that make the area attractive in the first place. As more housing
has been built in forested areas in the United States, damage to rural
housing from fire has increased dramatically.
Cities and counties can reduce fire hazards through several
actions. The first is to ensure that fire fighters have good access to
the area. Clustering of development can help fire fighters by allow-
ing them to focus their efforts in a limited area. Clustering also
makes it easier for homeowners to maintain "fuel breaks" between
their homes and the nearby combustible woods. In these fuel breaks,
homeowners must keep cleared away the highly combustible brush
and maintain wide spacing for trees to limit fire hazards. Finally,
providing on-site water supplies for fire prevention, which clustering
in rural residential areas can support, can make housing safer in the
wooded hills.
4.5 (b) Permitted Uses and Polic:ies: Rural Residential Areas
Permitted Uses
Rural Residential, 2- or 5-Acre. The Rural Residential designa-
tion provides for single-family detached housing with accessory uses
consistent with the quasi-rural character of this type of housing and
compatible with nearby resources lands.
Densities within the Rural Residential designation would be no
more than either one dwelling per two acres or one dwelling per five
acres, as established on the Land Use Plan.
Guiding Polic:ies
RR-G-1 Maintain and protect the rural qualities of existing areas
of rural residential housing and those currently planned for rural
residential housing outside of designated UGBs.
RR-G-2 Require new housing development in designated rural
areas to incorporate design features that limit hazards to life and
property from wildland fires.
Implementing Polic:ies
RR-I-1 Continue to require that all new rural residential devel-
opments provide adequate water supply, septic systems and road
connections for their development.
RR-I-2 Modify development standards and regulations to require
new rural residential housing to maintain a fire break sufficient to
limit hazards from wildland fires. This fire break should be a mini-
mum of 130 feet from the main structures on the site unless the Fire
Marshall determines that reduced width will not increase fire haz-
ards.
Figure IV-I8 Agriculture. Agriculture remains one of the main economic
activities in Benton County, the Willamette Valley and Oregon and the agricul-
tural research facilities of osu playa major role in supporting innovation and
efficiency in the farming industry.
37
38
RR-I-3 Work with property owners in wooded areas of the plan-
ning area to establish adequate fire access, either through public and
private roads or easements for fire protection. Require adequate
access and connection to adjoining properties, whether now or in the
future, as part of development approval.
RR-I-4 Require new housing in rural residential areas to provide
adequate water storage or other supplies to protect the rural cluster
from wildland fires and to minimize the risk of fire spreading into
wildland areas.
4.6 AGRICULTURE AND AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH
4.6 (a) Agricultural Needs
Agriculture remains one of the main economic activities in
Benton County, the Willamette Valley and Oregon and the agricultur-
al research facilities of OSU playa major role in supporting innova-
tion and efficiency in the farming industry (See Figure IV-IS) West
Corvallis-North Philomath, which contains the western edge of the
OSU campus, includes many of these OSU research facilities. The
OSU research lands include its dairy operation, swine and equine
research, veterinary quarantine facility and turkey operation. OSU is
considering moving the poultry ranch into the planning area as well.
In addition to the OSU lands, the Land Use Plan designates some
areas for farm use in Benton County west of Bald Hill Park. The plan
also proposes expansion of the Benton County Fairgrounds to the
west of its current site. Fairgrounds in the United States, like the
Benton County Fairgrounds, have traditionally served as a gathering
place for farmers and others involved in agriculture within a commu-
nity. The proximity of these uses allows them to support one another.
The fairgrounds can provide sites for the display of livestock and
other agricultural produce and conferences where information and
research on farming are shared. This expansion would complement
the conference facilities at LaSells Stewart Center and make more effi-
cient use of fairgrounds.
4.6 (b) Permitted Uses and Policies: Agriculture and Agricultural
Research
Permitted Uses
Agricultural Conservation. The Agricultural Conservation desig-
nation is applied to lands within the Corvallis urban growth bound-
ary to maintain areas for agriculture, agricultural research and related
or supportive uses. These uses include those that support the efficient
use of the Benton County fairgrounds. This designation is applied
where land supports agriculture or the use supports the OSU research
mission; it includes OSU research lands and other agriculture conser-
vation areas within the UGBs.
Agriculture. The Agriculture designation is applied to lands out-
side of the Corvallis and Philomath urban growth boundaries set
aside for farming.
Guiding Policies
AG-G-I Recognize and maintain OSU research facilities and
lands.
AG-G-2 Preserve options for consolidation of OSU facilities
where consolidation would support its basic research mission and
improve links to the fairgrounds.
Implementing Policies
AG-I-1 Maintain existing OSU lands for agricultural research
through zoning and review of development proposals for adjoining
parcels to ensure compatibility with research activities.
AG-I-2 Require open space buffers in new developments that
adjoin agricultural lands.
AG-I-3 Support continued farming activities and the introduction
of agriculture-related uses in the WCNP area through designation of
OSU lands as agricultural research and through support of the
Fairgrounds operation.
Open Space
Chapter 5
S.l OPEN SPACE FRAMEWORK
The West Corvallis-North Philomath Plan strongly supports the
conservation of open space both within and around the planning
area. The plan strives to make open space "evident" and visible to
people within West Corvallis-North Philomath to help retain the
landscape character of the site. Additionally, this plan promotes a
system of linear open spaces and parks, interconnected by trails,
that will improve accessibility to public open space for the resi-
dents. The open space system proposed in this plan forms a frame-
work that maintains natural and open areas within view of existing
and new urban areas. This open space framework is composed of:
• Public open space, including parks and trail corridors
• Wetlands, riparian corridors, floodways and other natural haz-
ard sites
• Agricultural lands, including OSU lands
• Forested hillsides
A planned open space system, such as the framework proposed
in this plan provides a wholistic vision of how parks, trails systems
and significant natural resources, if conceived as an interconnecting
system, can preserve sensitive natural resources, while serving mul-
tiple human functions. This framework strives to create an intercon-
nected system of open spaces that protects riparian areas, wetlands
and floodways, preserves the forested character of the hills, contains
urban development, gives definition and identity to neighborhoods,
offers spaces for active and passive recreation and outdoor educa-
tion, provides alternative circulation routes via a multi-purpose trail
system, and links WCNP to other parks and open spaces in
Corvallis, Philomath and Benton County (See Figure V-2).
This plan is another step toward creating an integrated open
space framework and greenbelt within the Corvallis-Philomath area.
The open space framework is designed to connect to other open
space areas within the region. Trail connections are proposed, fol-
lowing from adopted trails plans, to Chip Ross Park and
MacDonald Forest. The Corvallis-to-the-Sea Trail would begin at
the Fairgrounds and extend west through Bald Hill Park, County
Open Space Park, Mary's Peak and eventually to the Pacific Ocean.
To the south, trails running through open space corridors would
connect to the existing system of bicycle and walking trails (See
Chapter 6 for more about the trail network).
S.2 PARKS AND PUBLIC OPEN SPACE
The WCNP Plan includes three kinds of park and public
open space areas: major public open spaces, neighborhood parks,
and pocket parks and neighborhood plazas. These areas would all
be in public or semi-public ownership with physical access allowed
to the public, except where limited to protect habitat areas.
S.2 (a) Major Public Open Space
Major public open space areas include lands that are held in
public ownership primarily for their natural and open space values
Figure V-I Mary's Peak and the coast range foothills are visible from a vari-
ety of sites within the West Corvallis-North Philomath area.
39
• Existing public parks and public facilities
~ Open Space-Special Management Area
D Riparian corridors, wetlands and fault zone
-- --
40
*
-..
....-
School vicinity
Proposed park vicinity
Trails: existing and proposed
Scale in reel
o 750 1,500 3.000 4,500
----
--
--
I
I
I
BLvt..l
*
with recreation a secondary activity. Within West Corvallis-North
Philomath, they include the County Open Space Park at the west-
ern edge of the planning area and Bald Hill Park. These open space
areas are to be managed for their natural character with public
access through hiking trails a key objective. Buffered riparian corri-
dors and wetlands provide corridors of connection to these open
spaces through which wildlife and pedestrians can travel.
5.2 (b) Parks
Neighborhood Parks Within the planning area, Walnut Park
currently provides some active recreation uses, although it is pri-
marily oriented towards its natural character. In addition, Arnold
Park, immediately adjacent to the area on the north side of Harrison
Boulevard, will serve some residents of the planning area.
The West Corvallis-North Philomath Plan recognizes the need
for three new neighborhood parks for active recreation such as field
games, playgrounds, community gardening, and picnicking. These
parks should be located where they are physically accessible to
nearby residents by foot, bicycle and transit as well as car. These
parks, which may serve one or two neighborhoods, should be
linked to bikeway, pedestrian and trails systems. The minimum size
of each neighborhood park shall be five acres. They should be
within one-half mile of most residential areas, however due to their
large size, they should not be located within higher density residen-
tial or commercial areas. Wherever possible, neighborhood parks
should be located adjacent to schools to consolidate land needs,
share parking areas, and reduce vehicular travel to and from these
facilities. Figure V-2 shows the general vicinity of these parks.
Neighborhood Plazas and Pocket Parks While larger parks
can preserve natural areas and provide room for active, organized
recreation, smaller areas of open space also have an important role
in a community. Small green spaces and plazas can provide room
within neighborhoods for unorganized play for children and gather-
ing places for teens, adults, and for senior citizens. Neighborhood
centers are required by this plan to provide a one-half acre public
space such as a plaza intended to provide a central gathering space.
This plan also encourages development of smaller pocket parks
within the residential developments. These parks should provide
seating, small lawn areas and play facilities for younger children. In
accordance with National Recreation and Park Association stan-
dards, this plan recommends that pocket parks be up to I acre in
size, occurring at a rate of one acre of park per 1000 people and
located not more than 1/4 mile from any residence to be served by
the park. Maintenance of neighborhood plazas and pocket parks
should be the responsibility of homeowners' associations.
5.3 CONSERVATION AREAS
West Corvallis-North Philomath contains a number of areas
where development, if it occurs, must be carefully planned. Some of
these areas should remain undeveloped to conserve or enhance the
natural resources found there and to protect residents from the haz-
ards that could occur with their development. Conservation areas
include wetlands and riparian corridors, important habitat areas,
floodplains and floodways, slide areas and the Corvallis fault zone,
agricultural lands and hillside areas that present fire hazards to
development. Of these, all but the fire hazard areas are shown as
elements of the open space framework. Protection of these sites is
required and dedication to public agencies is encouraged.
5.3 (a) Wetlands and Riparian Areas
Several streams, including Squaw, Oak, and Newton Creeks and
their numerous tributaries, run through West Corvallis-North
Philomath. The planning area contains significant areas of wetlands
as well. These wetlands and riparian areas are important as habitat,
for flood protection and drainage, for maintaining water quality
and, in some cases, as trail corridors (See Figure VA). The use of
riparian areas and floodplains in their natural condition for storm
runoff, rather than channelizing and culverting, has increased in
recent years, in large part because the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency is requiring larger communities to improve the
quality of urban runoff. (The adopted drainage plans of the City of
Corvallis rely on this natural solution to runoff. ) That approach,
however, will require preservation of natural riparian corridors and,
in some cases, the addition of flood storage areas, to accommodate
increased runoff from new urban uses.
The entire upland portion of the Newton Creek drainage basin
is located in North Philomath and drains into a network of log
ponds that effectively serve as a storm water retention system in
Figure V-3 Bald Hill Park
Figure V-4 Riparian area
41
reforestation area
150' riparian corridor
5.3 (b) Open Space-Spedal Management Areas
One of consensus points on which this plan is built is the
protection of hillside views within the planning area. The north-
western edges of the West Corvallis-North Philomath area are made
up of steep hills that rise from the lowlands within the UGBs of
Corvallis and Philomath. These wooded hills give a sense of setting
and limits to the urban area that is important to the community.
Some hillside views are especially sensitive because they are seen
from public locations like major roadways, trails and public parks.
Visually sensitive hillsides include the major hills in or visible from
West Corvallis-North Philomath, including Bald Hill, Dimple Hill,
Witham Hill, Oak Hill above the OSU equine research facility, the
ridgeline running northeast from the County Open Space Park, and
MacDonald Forest. This plan recommends preservation of existing
forest cover to the extent that this is safe relative to fire hazards, and
in order to limit the visibility of rural housing from most of the
planning area.
This plan proposes a new rural land use designation - Open
Space-Special Management - on some areas that are currently desig-
nated exclusive farm or forest conservation (EFU or FC). Lands pro-
posed for rezoning are those having steep slopes and soils with low
ratings for agricultural or forestry use. The planning area bound-
aries were purposely drawn to include these south-facing hillsides
due to their visibility from the two urban areas. It is the intent of
theWCNP plan to propose land uses consistent with Oregon's
Statewide Planning Goals, including Goals 3 and 4 which require
the protection of valuable farm and forest lands. At the same time,
community values expressed during this planning process empha-
sized the importance of some of the forest and farm lands under
GoalS, protection of significant viewsheds. This plan attempts to
balance these goals and values .
The hillside areas within the West Corvallis-North Philomath
planning area do not represent high-productivity forest resource
lands. Due to arid summers and poor soil conditions, south-facing
slopes, including those in the study area, tend to be less productive
for timber. In the study area, significant portions of the south and
south-east facing hills are Oregon white oak and oak-grassland
plant communities. Douglas fir may occur at higher elevations;
however, once cut, it is difficult to re-establish Douglas fir due to
times of heavy run-off from season rains. The log ponds are south
of the North Philomath planning area and remain in private owner-
ship. The city of Philomath is working informally with the owners
of the log ponds, located in areas zoned for industrial use, to devel-
op management goals for these areas. Philomath does not have a
policy for modifying the existing network of open street drainage
ditches in the North Philomath area but this is an issue that could
be addressed in any Philomath sponsored studies of surface water
drainage patterns and future facility needs.
The importance and usefulness of stream corridors as a defining
element in the design of communities is increasingly recognized.
Many communities have lost opportunities to use streams to define
and to bring a greater sense of the natural environment into urban
neighborhoods. By placing streams at the rear of lots and even plac-
ing streams in culverts, earlier subdivision practice often obscured
the form-giving capacity of these corridors.
Riparian corridors should be protected by preserving and possi-
bly enhancing vegetated buffers along the stream corridor. The
buffer area shall include the drainage way itself (top-of-bank to top-
of-bank) plus areas on both sides of the drainage way equaling 1.5
times the average width of the drainageway plus five feet. (The
buffer for one side = 1.5x plus 5 feet, where x equals the width of
the drainage way.) The approach that this plan proposes to preserve
stream corridors is through dedication during subdivision or devel-
opment review of either the stream plus buffer for public open
space, or the same area for a drainage easement.
Riparian corridors can make excellent locations for trails. They
provide a scenic route and their typically gentle grades make for
comfortable travel. Trails, however, can have deleterious effects on
riparian areas if not well-designed. Trails should be located beyond
the limits of the required vegetative buffer on any stream corridor.
(See Figure V-6) An adequately wide vegetated buffer zone can go a
long way toward limiting human impacts on the natural systems of
the corridor; the widest corridors may even incorporate equestrian
trails. Stream crossings should be limited and critical habitat avoid-
ed in the siting of the trail. Street lighting near stream corridors
should be limited.
Parent parcel: Partially forested
40 acre site
maximum of 4 dwelling on a maximum
. ....of 10% of the site
.~\:-·~·;-·'~'1J:}-- 90% of site managed for open space
'" \~ !t and/or timber productiono\ I \~'
Figure V-5 Open Space-Special Management Area
All year stream
\~'~'-~~:)~1A~ \) I!
\ ~\\\\;
G-~1f
42
severe competition from grasses and Oregon oak. (Source:"Soil
Survey of Benton County", US Dept. of Agriculture Soil
Conservation Service, July 1975.)
As the majority of these areas are currently zoned for forestry
use, they can be logged. Logging, while an appropriate use of
resource lands, would dramatically and negatively affect the quality
of this landscape. Logging could also negatively affect wildlife habi-
tat and public access to open space areas. The Open Space-Special
Management designation would require intensive forest manage-
ment and selective harvesting to maintain the timber resource while
limiting visual impacts and protecting wildlife habitat. Clustered
rural housing would be permitted on not more than 10% of the site
and, wherever possible located in the least productive area of the
site.
Designation of these areas for clustered rural housing, however,
should come only with strong regulations to balance modest land
development on the one hand, with protection of views, establish-
ment of wildlife and trails corridors, conservation of rare or unique
habitat, and buffering of adjoining forest lands. To ensure this bal-
ancing, the plan allows development of these highly visible and sig-
nificant areas only as planned developments in which the majority
of each parcel is set aside for conservation purposes and a maxi-
mum of 10% of the parcel area is developed as cluster housing. In
addition, the plan encourages simultaneous planning of adjoining
parcels to ensure that development is coordinated, public safety
protected and development costs limited (See Figure V-5).
Clustering can also help minimize fire hazards by making more
substantial water supply systems feasible and making fire protection
easier. Clear zones, in which highly flammable undergrowth is kept
clear of structures, are easier to control where housing areas are
clustered. While underbrush must be kept clear and trees more
widely spaced, tree cover can be maintained through judicious
spacing and siting of housing.
This clustering approach has been used in other parts of the
country to preserve open space and natural areas for continuing
agriculture or habitat protection and to preserve more of the rural
atmosphere for rural residents. King County, Washington requires
clustering in different parts of the county to preserve designated
open space resources and habitat areas and to limit drainage and
flooding hazards. (Source: Arendt: Rural by Design, American
Trail Buffer Tap of Bank
Planning Association, Chicago, 1994) Clustering has been used on
the East Coast, as well, to preserve and replicate the historic pattern
of villages and hamlets.
S.4 TRAILS
Trails play an important role in giving the public greater access
to open space and in tying the open space framework together. Trail
development is addressed in Chapter 6, Circulation.
S.S CORVALLIS-PHILOMATH BUFFER
Maintaining the distinct identity of the adjoining cities of
Corvallis and Philomath is another of the consensus points on
which this plan is built. The West Corvallis-North Philomath Plan
addresses this point through the establishment of an open space
buffer between the two cities. This buffer is made up primarily of
other parts of the open space framework - Bald Hill Park, wet-
lands and riparian corridors associated with Squaw Creek, the City
of Corvallis water reservoir property - with additional areas
Buffer
Figure V-6 Stream Corridor with Adjacent Trail. Riparian corridors can
make excellent locations for trails. They provide a scenic route and their typi-
cally gentle grades make for comfortable travel. Trails, however, can have dele-
terious effects on riparian areas if not well-designed. Trails should be located at
the top of stream banks, beyond the limits of the required vegetative buffer.
Stream crossings should be limited and critical habitat avoided in the siting of
the trail. Street lighting near stream corridors should be limited. An adequately
wide vegetated buffer zone can go a long ways towards limiting human impacts
on the natural systems of the corridor; the widest corridors may even incorpo-
rate equestrian trails.
43
Figure V-7 Corvallis-Philomath Buffer
Buffer
44
included to ensure that the separation between the two cities is per-
ceptible. This open space buffer extends south from Bald Hill to
Neabeck Hill (See Figure V-7).
To ensure that this separation is visible, this plan focuses on
maintaining viewpoints from main roadways and entrances to visu-
ally prominent hillsides.
5.6 Permitted Uses and Policies: Open Space
Permitted Uses
Public Open Space. Public open space includes open space and
parks that are maintained in public ownership. This designation
includes the County Open Space Park, Bald Hill Park, Walnut Park,
and potential new neighborhood parks within or near the proposed
neighborhood villages. These park and open space areas include sites
for active sports fields, tennis courts, community gardens, linear
parks with trails and natural areas. Pocket parks within neighborhood
villages, vvrhich may eventually be private or public, are not shovvn on
the Land Use Plan.
Open Space-Special Management. This designation is intend-
ed to manage forested lands for timber harvest and to preserve hill-
side views, protect wildlife corridors and habitat, minimize fire haz-
ards and allow trail corridors. Clustered single-family detached
housing with accessory uses consistent with the quasi-rural charac-
ter of this type of housing and compatible with nearby resource
lands will be allowed on no more than 10% of a parcel.
Development of these areas shall require a planned develop-
ment approach and the clustering of housing sites. The maximum
number of dwelling units allowed shall be calculated by dividing
the acreage of the parent parcel by 10. Existing residences shall be
included in this count. (Example: 40 acre parent parcel with one
existing dwelling; dwellings possible: 4; new dwellings: 3.) Lots
must be clustered and permanent open space areas established. The
dwellings must be clustered on maximum of 10% of the original
parcel. The balance of the parcel or parcels shall be set aside as per-
manent public or private open space. Small lots of approximately
one acre, are encouraged, although they shall be large enough to
provide adequate area for sewage treatment.
Guiding Policies
OS-G-1 Establish and maintain a framework of open space
lands within West Corvallis-North Philomath that conserves natural
resources, limits and defines urban areas, provides recreation and
physical and visual access to green spaces, and supports agriculture
within the county.
OS-G-2 Connect the open space framework with open space
areas in other parts of Corvallis, Philomath and Benton County
OS-G-3 Ensure that open space is easily accessible to residents
both physically and visually and is made an integral part of the
design of new neighborhoods.
OS-G-4 Create a distinct edge to urban areas and separation
between Philomath and Corvallis by establishing a Corvallis-
Philomath buffer.
OS-G-5 Maintain West Hills Road, Reservoir Road and
Philomath Boulevard (Highway 24/30) as scenic roadways as they
pass through the Corvallis-Philomath buffer.
OS-G-6 Provide a range of park and open space facilities and
services to meet the diverse needs of an urban population.
OS-G-7 Locate neighborhood parks, plazas and pocket parks
so that they are close to where people live.
OS-G-8 Retain the characteristic views of wooded and grassy
hillsides to help define the West Corvallis-North Philomath area
and retain the area's intrinsic landscape character.
OS-G-9 Allow for new rural residential development in areas
that are marginal for resource protection and where such develop-
ment can better achieve the goals of protecting hillside views, main-
taining habitat and acquiring trails and fire access.
OS-G-10 Require clustering of housing in Open Space-Special
Management Areas to preserve hillside views, encourage preserva-
tion of natural habitat and corridors, buffer resource lands, mini-
mize fire hazards and limit development costs.
Implementing Policies:
OS-I-1 Work with private landowners to obtain dedications of
open space lands for trails and preservation of natural systems.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ~-~~---
OS-I-2 Acquire land for and develop neighborhood parks at
least five acres in size to serve residents within the UGBs of
Philomath and Corvallis.
OS-I-3 Locate neighborhood parks adjacent to school sites,
where feasible, to minimize site requirements and development
costs and to support both uses.
OS-I-4 Encourage the provision of pocket parks in residential
areas. (See policy NV-I-5).
OS-I-5 A reduction in lot size (up to 10% of the total lot area)
may be allowed on lots immediately adjacent to or directly across a
local street from neighborhood or pocket parks.
OS-I-6 Utilize existing public open space, environmentally sen-
sitive areas and land-extensive public facilities as the core of the
Corvallis-Philomath buffer.
OS-I-7 Where feasible, incorporate trails as part of stream cor-
ridors as identified on the Circulation Plan, Figure Vl-l.
OS-I-8 Encourage the adoption of development codes that
address both flood control and water quality through the use of best
management practices for all storm water facilities in the planning
area.
OS-I-9 Locate trails at the edge of riparian buffer zones to mini-
mize impacts on the natural functioning of the stream corridor and
to preserve flood capacity (See Circulation Plan, Figure Vl-1).
OS-I-lO Create a new Open Space-Special Management zoning
district as indicated on the Land Use Plan (Figure IV-1). This new
zoning district should:
• Establish a base density of one home per 40 acres except in
planned cluster developments where up to one home per ten
acres may be permitted;
• Encourage lot sizes not larger than one acre, although they
shall be large enough to provide adequate area for septic drain
fields and a well, unless the well and drainfield are located on
the remainder parcel.
• Require clustering of new housing on no more than 10 per-
cent of the site; the balance of the site must remain intact
through a conservation easement.
• Require that sensitive natural features, including visually
prominent hillsides and other environmentally sensitive or
hazardous areas, be set aside as a conservation easement or
open space parcel;
• Require that the siting of the residential cluster take into con-
sideration the location of any existing residences and roadways
in order to minimize impacts to the forest/open space
resource;
• Require a land management plan be established as a compo-
nent of such conservation easements;
• Prohibit clear-cutting of timber on conservation easements or
public open space parcels; and
• Ensure the dedication of public trails as shown in the circula-
tion section.
OS-I-11 As an interim measure to protect scenic view areas
while Comprehensive and Development Code amendment are
underway, the county should work with property owners to obtain
an interim conservation easement on important forested hillsides.
OS-I-12 Encourage acquisition or other protection of areas
within the Corvallis-Philomath buffer.
OS-I-13 Require plans for neighborhood villages to identify
scenic veiwpoints and ensure that as development progresses views
of significant hillsides will be retained.
OS-I-14 Work with property owners to establish easements
along West Hills Road, Reservoir Road and Philomath Boulevard as
they pass through the Covallis-Philomath buffer to preserve views
of hillsides and to ensure they remain as scenic roadways.
45
-f~~~ Proposed realignment of Reservoir Road
Locations of trails are conceptual and may vary as more
detailed plans are drafted,
A Railroad
State Highway
I.
'.'.
r,J
1
/,-_1
f
I
I
4,5003,000
Scale in feet
o 750 1.500
Arterial roadway
Colledor street
Proposed colledor street with bike lane on shoulder
Proposed neighborhood street with bike lane on shoulder
Proposed Road
Existing bike lane on road shoulder
Proposed bike lane on road shoulder
_1_1_1-
'"""111""" Existing trails
....... ........ Proposed trails
••• • I ••• , Multi-purpose paths
46
Chapter 6
Figure VI-3 Sidewalk in a Neighborhood Village. The relationship of
pedestrian facilities to buildings, landscaping and other facilities is also
significant in encouraging walking. Convenient and safe connection to
transit stops is critical. Drawing by Bruce Osen.
............
,
,
,
IC:,.
0100' 400' 1000' 1/4 mile ~
.
Figure VI-2 Typical Circulation in a Neighborhood Village: ~
,:
design of the network. The overall system offers choice of mode
and choice of route through a modified grid providing frequent
intersections and connections. Cul-de-sacs and dead ends are
avoided.
The proposed circulation system for WCNp, illustrated on the
circulation plan, Figure VI-I, and in Figure VI-2, links trails and
bikeways, arterial, collector and local streets, sidewalks, alleys, and
transit routes into a coherent, efficient network. A rail line also tra-
verses the area, providing freight service between Corvallis, through
Philomath and to Toledo. The WCNP area is bordered on the south
Circulation
6.1 INTERCONNECTED CIRCULATION NETWORK
This section describes how people and goods move within and
through the West Corvallis-North Philomath area. Communities
within the US have become increasingly reliant on the automobile
to shop, commute, and run errands. As the size of workplaces and
shopping areas has grown and the distances between them and our
homes has increased, automobile use has grown substantially
Between 1985 and 1994, vehicle miles traveled in Oregon and our
region increased by an average of 4% a year. (Source:Governor's
Regional Transportation Report, June 1996) Population growth is a
relatively minor reason for the growth in automobile use. The major
sources of increases are lengthening trips and the shift from car-
pooling and transit to single occupancy vehicles. (Source: Bureau of
Transportation Statistics, US Department of Transportation,
"Transportation Statistics: Annual Report 1994.") In response to the
growth in the use of the automobile, businesses, governments, plan-
ners and engineers have focused on ways to accommodate the auto-
mobile often at the expense of pedestrians, bicycles and transit.
While accommodating the auto, the WCNP Plan encourages
the design of streets that make walking and bicycling attractive,
neighborhoods that support efficient transit service, and trails that
provide alternative routes for walkers and bicyclists. The network
layout, street geometrics, intersection design and streetscape are all
critical elements of a successful interconnected network. One of
the central objectives of such a system is to minimize distance and
time, even though vehicle operating speeds may be slower within
neighborhoods. Safety is achieved through these slower speeds and
47
Figure VI-5 Bicycle Lanes on Collector Street
Figure VI-4 Multipurpose paths play an
important role in providing safe off-street
trails for recreation. Where they link up
with sidcyvallzs and on-street trails they
provide alternate routes for day-to-day
walking and bicycle trips, as well.
48
by Philomath Boulevard, (Highway 20/34), a major State highway
linking Corvallis and Philomath with the rest of the Willamette
Valley and with the Oregon Coast.
6.2 PEDESTRIAN CIRCULATION AND TRAILS
The WCNP Plan calls for the creation of a safe and pleasant
"pedestrian realm", not only to encourage walking as an alternative
to the automobile, but also to create more appealing public spaces.
Streets represent one of the main public areas within any city or
town and their design can encourage their use both for movement
and social interaction.
Pedestrians need safe, interesting and comfortable pathways
and a variety of paths to make their routes as direct as possible.
Street design must consider the pedestrian. Safety can be achieved
through separation from vehicles or through slower vehicle speeds.
Minimizing curb cuts through the use of alleys reduces backing
movements and makes sidewalks both safer and more pleasant.
Sidewalks separated from the traveled way by parking lanes, street
trees and planting strips all help make walking pleasant. Lighting
designed for pedestrian scale is
also important for both safety
and a pleasant evening walk.
Grade and paving materials are
chosen to accommodate pedes-
trian needs which include baby
strollers and wheel chairs.
Separated paths and trails can
provide alternate routes in asso-
ciation with open space.
Direct routes are pos-
sible through shorter blocks,
frequent intersections, and good
connections to trails and other
streets. Pedestrian facilities must
be an integral part of street
deSign and the circulation sys-
tem. These facilities include
adequately wide sidewalks, nar-
rowed intersections, and pedes-
trian islands along arterials to make crossing safer. Within neighbor-
hood villages and other urban areas, the width of sidewalks should
reflect potential density of use. Within a neighborhood center,
rights-of-way should be sufficient to provide 10 to 14 feet of side-
walk width. Within residential neighborhoods, five to six feet will
be sufficient.
The relationship of pedestrian facilities to buildings, landscap-
ing and other facilities is also Significant in encouraging walking.
Convenient and safe connection to transit stops is critical. As dis-
cussed in Chapter 4, shops and other commercial and public
buildings should take direct access from sidewalks. Providing shade
and weather protection are also elements which enhance the pedes-
trian experience. Street trees and awnings in the neighborhood cen-
ter are important. Occasional benches along sidewalks and trails are
of particular benefit to elderly walkers and parents with young chil-
dren.
Trails are important both to connect neighborhoods and to pro-
vide recreational opportunities and connections to open space
areas. Several trailheads and a number of trails which serve to pro-
vide access for the Corvallis and Philomath communities to the
Coastal foothills are located in and traverse the WCNP area. The
area serves as a gateway to the larger trails network in the region,
and provides a link to the Corvallis-to-the-Sea Trail. The trails
shown in this plan are consistent with and refine the Trails Master
Plans of Benton County and Corvallis.
There are clear distinctions between sidewalks and trails and
these distinctions can be used to create clear connecting points.
(See Figure VI-6) These nodes can provide meeting places, interpre-
tive stations, and transit stops as well as informal transitions from
undeveloped lands.
Detail on the design of trails within conservation areas is found
in Section 5.3 and Figure V-6.
6.3 BICYCLE CIRCULATION
Bicycling is an important means of getting around in the
Corvallis-Philomath area, more than in many other parts of the state
or elsewhere around the country A larger share of commuters bike
to work in Corvallis (eight percent), for example, than in any other
city in Oregon. This interest in part reflects the presence of OSU,
and in part it reflects the relatively level topography of the areas of
urban development which makes bicycling easier and more attrac-
tive. The relatively extensive system of existing bicycle facilities also
plays a role in encouraging bicycle use. Finally, the interest of the
area's residents in alternative modes of travel and outdoor recreation
has made bicycling an important mode of travel.
Bicyclist, like pedestrians, want safe and direct routes. Direct
routes are especially important for bike commulers. The design of
the circulation network within WCNP contributes to safety and effi-
ciency for bicyclist. Slower traffic speeds on local streets, fewer curb
cuts due to the use of alleys, shorter blocks and fewer major inter-
sections all benefit bicycle commuters. These same features also
favor recreational bicyclist who would further emphaSize a comfort-
able and pleasurable experience.
Existing bicycle facilities in the WCNP area include the paths
along 53rd Street and through the OSU dairy facility which are
shared with pedestrians. The separated multi-purpose path that fol-
lows Philomath Boulevard on the southern edge of the planning
area is also an important recreational and commuting route. A short
multi-purpose path also links 53rd Street near Walnut Park with
Ponderosa Avenue. There are shoulder bicycle lanes along Reservoir
Road and along Oak Creek Drive.
New facilities will include on-street lanes along both new and
existing arterials and collectors where they do not currently exist
(See Figures VI-6 and VI-7). Bicycles will safely share travel lanes
with other vehicles along local streets.
Trail and bikeway deSign should reflect their purpose. Where
the trail is intended for both bicycle commuting or heavy pedestri-
an use, it should be designed as a wide, paved multi-purpose path
with easy curves and long "sight lines" (the distance one is able to
see down the trail). Where the trail is intended for strolling or hik-
ing in open areas, narrower, gravel or bark-covered trails with
tighter curves are appropriate.
Bicycle parking in secure, convenient and, wherever possible,
covered locations should be an integral part of the design of both
circulation elements and site development.
6.4 TRANSIT
Transit service provides another alternative to the automobile.
This alternative is particularly important for the young and elderly
who often have no access to a car. Transit can also serve lower
income households with only limited access to a car. Transit, by
reducing the number of automobile trips, can improve air quality
within the Corvallis-Philomath area and reduce congestion on the
roadway system.
The attractiveness and efficiency of the bus system can be
increased in several ways. Bus lines that run through higher-density
neighborhoods put transit closer to more potential riders and
reduce walking distances. Transit ridership increases when housing
densities reach nine to twelve units per acre near transit stops and
nine units per acre overall.
Creating more pedestrian-friendly neighborhoods can make
walking to a bus stop more pleasant, and making transit stops safe
and attractive can make the wait more pleasant as well. A major
transit stop within each neighborhood center should be deSigned as
a multi-modal hub, providing appropriate access and shelter for
pedestrians and bicyclists. Weather protection, lighting, signage and
seating are important. Bus routes that link major destinations,
including job centers, downtown Corvallis and Philomath, and the
OSU campus, make the bus more attractive as an alternative to the
car.
Parts of the West Corvallis-North Philomath area are now
served by the Corvallis Transit System. The Plan encourages the
rerouting of bus lines to serve new neighborhood villages and sup-
ports the extension of service into Philomath. Bus service within
West Corvallis-North Philomath could be rerouted to serve pro-
posed new development by incorporating the new collector streets
that link neighborhood centers as a part of the bus routes. Actual
rerouting will reflect the timing of development and the construc-
tion of the connecting streets that would serve the bus routes.
6.S ROADWAYS AND AUTOMOBILE CIRCULATION
The system of streets within a city or rural area must accommo-
date the automobile, responding to demands that they place on
streets and roads. Streets, however, must also respond to and
accommodate other users including pedestrians, bicycles and buses.
Figure VI-6 A connecting node between trail and sidewalk.
Figure VI-7 Existing arterials and collector streets will be improved to
include bicycle lanes.
49
Collectors provide the next level of service in the roadway hier-
archy, accommodating less traffic than arterials and linking the local
street network to the arterials. Collectors currently serving the
WCNP area include Oak Creek Drive, Witham Hill Drive136th
Street, West Hills Road between Western Boulevard and 53rd Street,
and a yet to be constructed street between 35th and 53rd Streets
south of the railroad right-of-way
Neighborhood collectors are intended to carry more traffic than
local streets, but designed for compatibility with surrounding resi-
dential activity West Hills Road between 53rd Street and Reservoir
Road will function as such a roadway, as will new neighborhood
collectors linking West Hills Road with Philomath Boulevard and
with the to-be-built collector along the rail right-of-way, and the
extension of Circle Boulevard from Witham Hill Drive to Harrison
Boulevard.
The shopping street is a narrow street located in the heart of the
neighborhood center, intended for pedestrian traffic and slow
vehicular movement. The shopping street has wide sidewalks and
And, because streets are public places, their design must also make
a place for meaningful social interaction. The challenge is to devise
a street system that balances these competing needs.
The WCNP Plan tries to find balance in a deSign that empha-
sizes pedestrian and bicycle needs as much or more than automo-
bile needs within neighborhoods and residential areas while provid-
ing for arterial streets and highways that efficiently move vehicular
traffic through the area.
The design of the circulation system must reflect the needs of
adjoining land uses and the demands they place on the system. The
street network incorporates a hierarchy of street types - arterials,
collectors, neighborhood collectors and local streets that reflect
these differing demands. Figure VI-8 shows cross sections for these
streets. This plan emphasizes the different roles each of these street
types plays in meeting the two main objectives of roadways: pro-
viding for movement through an area or providing access to adjoin-
ing land uses. Arterials emphasize the first role, serving through
traffic with limited access to adjoining properties. East/west arterials
serving the area include Harrison Boulevard and Reservoir
RoadlWest Hills Road. Arterials providing north/south connections
include 53rd StreetJWalnut Boulevard and 35th Street.
....
•••
5' 6' 8' 6'10' 10' 6' 8' 6' 5'
5' 6'j~_10_'_1_0'_[6' 5'
28'·34'
5' 12' 6' 11' 11'
10·14' 8' 10' 10' 8' 10·14'
.....
11I11
6'·14' 12' 6' 12' 12' 12' 12' 12' 6' 12' 6'·14'
Local Street
Shopping Street
Neighborhood Collector Street
Arterial Street
Collector Street
20'
Alley
Figure VI-S Typical Street Sections. On-street
parking in neighborhood villages is encouraged as
it reduces on-site parking, buffers pedestrians from
traffic and slows traffic.
so
parallel parking along the street edge. Each neighborhood center will
have at least one shopping street.
Local streets are designed for access to adjoining homes and busi-
nesses rather than longer-distance travel. Local streets, however, can
be key in promoting pedestrian movement among the houses and
stores within neighborhoods.
The fundamental element of the WCNP street system is a modi-
fied grid network, with shorter blocks and thus more frequent inter-
sections in the neighborhood villages. Dead ends and cul-de-sacs are
allowed only where necessary due to topography or natural features.
The smaller and more numerous intersections disperse traffic,
increasing the overall efficiency of the network. Alleys are encouraged
as they reduce the need for curb cuts which interrupt pedestrians and
bicyclist They also provide a space for utilities and services such as
garbage collection, removing those less pleasant elements from the
street space.
To make local streets more hospitable for pedestrians, to slow
vehicle speeds and limit the cost of building streets, the WCNP plan
encourages narrow roadways.(See Figure VI-8) Local streets generally
should not exceed 28 feet in pavement width. Narrower widths are
encouraged. Where a local street would serve development on only
one side (for example where the street defines the edge of a stream
corridor), rights-of-way should be reduced further by eliminating
sidewalks on one side and perhaps one parking lane. The retrofitting
of existing streets and the specific alignment of new streets will
depend on and be modified in particular locations to respond to sig-
nificant trees, natural features or existing homes.
On street parking in neighborhood villages is encouraged, as it
reduces on-site parking, buffers pedestrians from traffic and slows
traffic.
6.6 POLICIES: CIRCULATION
Guiding Policies
C-G-1 Create a balanced and integrated circulation system that
emphasizes and encourages walking, bicycling and transit use, while
accommodating continued use of the private automobile. Emphasize
pedestrian and bicycle movement as much or more than auto move-
ment in deSign and development of the street and circulation system.
C-G-2 Distinguish among streets and roads based on their roles
in providing for through traffic or providing access to adjoining
properties.
C-G-3 Encourage walking, both for pleasure and as an alter-
native to the automobile, by ensuring that streets and other
pedestrian facilities create a pleasant pedestrian environment and
provide direct routes within and between neighborhoods.
C-G-4 Ensure that the circulation system in West Corvallis -
North Philomath provides safe and direct bicycle routes that link
the area to the rest of Corvallis and Philomath to encourage
greater bicycle use for commuting and recreation.
C-G-5 Provide an efficient and attractive bus service within
West Corvallis-North Philomath that links the area to the rest of
the Corvallis-Philomath area.
C-G-6 Promote safe and efficient vehicle circulation.
C-G-7 Design streets to reflect adjoining land uses and antic-
ipated users.
Implementing Policies
C-I-1 Designate arterial and collector streets, trails and bike-
ways prior to development to ensure that frequent connections
and adequate circulation routes are established.
C-I-2 Require landowners and developers to incorporate des-
ignated streets, trails, bikeways and transit facilities into their
plans and to provide adequate connections to adjoining proper-
ties.
C-I-3 Require frequent intersections within subdivisions and
other developments (at least one full intersection per 350 feet of
street length within residential developments and neighborhood
villages, excluding any Research and Technology areas) to pro-
vide more direct routes for pedestrians and bicyclists.
C-I-4 Prohibit the use of cul-de-sacs within residential areas
inside the UGBs of Corvallis and Philomath unless terrain or
existing road patterns require them. Short-term cul-de-sacs and
street stub ends may be allowed to provide later connections to
adjoining properties.
Figure VI-9 Corvallis Street. The street in this Corvallis neighborhood has
many of the features of the proposed neighborhood village streets.
Sl
52
C-I-5 Work with existing property owners to establish a new
fire road and access to the County Open Space Park.
C-I-6 Require sidewalks on both sides of a street as part of
new development wherever feasible. Allow sidewalks on only the
developed side of a street when the street forms the edge of des-
ignated open space.
C-I-7 Require sidewalks to be sufficiently wide to allow pedes-
trians to pass each other comfortably and to reflect the anticipated
density of use of the sidewalk, (minimum of 5 feet in residential
areas and 10 to 14 feet in neighborhood centers).
C-I-8 Within residential areas, require a planted strip which
incorporates trees and separates sidewalks from parking and travel
lanes.
C-I-9 Connect trails to sidewalks and streets to improve connec-
tions within and through West Corvallis-North Philomath and to cre-
ate additional community space within urban areas.
C-I-lO Minimize the street width that pedestrians must cross and
provide pedestrian refuges within streets by:
• Limiting intersection turning radii on local streets;
• Allowing intersection bulbing on collector streets in pedestrian
neighborhoods where parking lanes are included in the street
right-of-way and bulbs do not encroach into bicycle lanes; and
• Incorporating pedestrian islands in the center of arterials of four
or more lanes where sufficient right-of-way exists.
C-I-11 Explore the feasibility of utilizing alternative street designs
such as woonerfs in pedestrian areas.
C-I-12 Within neighborhood centers require street trees and
awnings to provide shelter for pedestrians.
C-I-13 Provide bicycle lanes along all new arterial and collector
streets. Add bicycle lanes whenever possible on existing arterial and
collector streets as part of road reconstruction or restriping projects
and related off-site improvements.
C-I-14 Seek funding to develop bikeways and other bike facilities
either as part of new roads or roadway reconstruction or as separate
projects.
C-I-15 Develop standards for number, design, and locational
placement of bicycle parking spaces that are consistent with anticipat-
ed levels of bicycle usage in the WCNP area. Bicycle parking in
secure, convenient, and whenever possible, covered locations should
be an integral part of site design and the public circulation network.
C-I-16 Reconfigure bus routes along collector and arterial
streets as neighborhood villages develop to link neighborhood cen-
ters and provide more accessible transit service to residents.
C-I-17 Design streets, trails and developments to provide direct,
safe and convenient access for pedestrians to transit facilities.
C-I-18 Locate transit facilities within neighborhood centers and
near higher-density housing and commercial or industrial areas;
require provisions for benches, shelters and pull-outs to serve new
developments and projected peak period transit ridership.
C-I-19 Encourage extension of transit service to Philomath and
the designated neighborhood village within the Philomath UGB.
C-I-20 Establish street standards that allow flexibility in design,
especially in residential neighborhoods, and that respond to the
demand generated by adjoining land uses.
C-I-21 Local streets that serve lower intensity land uses, espe-
cially Single-family residential areas at all densities, should have nar-
rower roadway widths than roadways that serve more intensive land
uses.
C-I-22 Manage vehicular through-traffic on local streets through
street design, recognizing that a modified grid street system dispers-
es traffic by providing a variety of routes and that collector and arte-
rial streets are designed as primary through-routes for residents and
bus service.
C-I-23 Encourage alleys to reduce curb-cuts and the presence of
garages on local streets.
C-I-24 Encourage the use of median plantings within arterial
and collector rights-of-way to reduce the perceived scale of road-
ways.
C-I-25 Require the planting of street trees along all collector
streets and on other streets within neighborhood villages as part of
development approval.
C-I-26 Align new roadways to maintain vistas of hillsides.
o Chapter 7 The WCNP Plan
Plan Implementation
7.1 INTRODUCTION
Chapter 4,5, and 6 identified policies which will need to be
incorporated into comprehensive plans and development codes to
achieve the goals of the WCNP Plan and create the land use pattern
depicted in Figure IV-I. Chapter 7 describes additional steps and
broad strategies critical to the success of the WCNP Plan.
As discussed in Chapter 1, the WCNP Plan is a long-range plan
for a 10 square mile area. It is anticipated that full development of
those areas within the UGBs of Philomath and Corvallis will take
more than twenty years. The timing and phasing of urban levels of
development will be influenced by a number of factors, the most
critical of which are market forces, voter approvals of annexations
and extensions of water and sewer services.
Because of the long range nature of the plan, the management
of interim land use and development activity within the UGBs is
one element critical to the ultimate success of the plan. This chap-
ter describes development review and approval procedures that will
allow limited, interim development prior to annexation and exten-
sion of services. The procedures ensure that interim development
creates an environment consistent with the concepts of the WCNP
Plan and that development will not impede the creation of neigh-
borhood villages, the open space framework or the circulation net-
work called for in the plan.
In addition to the management of interim land use and devel-
opment within the UGBs, success in creating the neighborhood vil-
lages will require a proactive agenda on the part of the cities of
Corvallis and Philomath. This chapter outlines several initiatives
which can ensure that the long term vision for WCNP stays alive
and inspiring to property owners, developers, and the larger com-
munity
Finally, Chapter 7 discusses the steps necessary to protect the
wooded hillside viewsheds so important to the character of the
WCNP area. Outside the UGBs, the plan focus is on the preserva-
tion of significant scenic view areas, establishment of open space
areas and development of a trail network. This strategy involves
redesignating marginally productive forest and farm lands as open
space, requiring conservation easements and open space manage-
ment plans, and allowing small clusters of rural residences. An
amendment to the County Comprehensive Plan Map is required,
including an "exceptions" process to the state planning goals.
7.2 PLAN ADOPTION
To be successful, the WCNP Plan will need to be adopted by
Benton County, Corvallis and Philomath and incorporated into local
Comprehensive Plans, land use regulations, maps and special agree-
ments. Some of these changes entail the adoption of new proce-
dures, development standards and zone designations. Select
changes require addressing Statewide Planning Goals and
Guidelines to demonstrate compliance with those regulations.
Modifications to existing intergovernmental management agree-
ments are also necessary to achieve the coordinated review and
S3
S4
approval of urban transition development proposals. Citizen
involvement and public participation are the basis for development
of the WCNP Plan; interested individuals and groups as well as
affected property owners have been, and will continue to be,
involved in the Plan adoption and implementation process.
Specific Comprehensive Plan policies, map designations, and
land use regulations proposed for modification or adoption are dis-
cussed in the earlier chapters of the Plan and are detailed in a sepa-
rate document, WCNP Plan Implementation Requirements.
7.3 URBAN TRANSITION
7.3 (a) Objectives of the Urban Transition Process
Urban Transition is an interim development procedure that can
be applied to any City Comprehensive Plan Map designation to per-
mit the limited development of uses allowed in the future city zone
or district. Urban Transition policies, guidelines and standards per-
mit limited urban density development for unannexed properties
that are not contiguous to city limits and cannot currently access
city services. The City Comprehensive Plan Map designation iden-
tifies the ultimate urban density development opportunities for all
land area within the UGB. All interim development is required to
demonstrate that it will promote and not interfere with future, ulti-
mate urban density development and provision of urban services.
This urban transition development process is intended to:
• Promote and work in conjunction with the City
Comprehensive Plan Map designation and with the eventual
city district zone assigned upon annexation (at which time
standard city development processes apply).
• Allow limited interim urban development in advance of
annexation and provision of urban services.
• Provide some financial return to property owners who desire
to develop today in exchange for an understanding that
annexation will occur and that only limited interim develop-
ment will occur.
• Promote efficient, limited interim urban development of land
that creates an urban environment and facilitates future urban
density development and provision of urban services.
• Ensure that current, interim development proposals consider
and plan for the urban design and development of the balance
(undeveloped portion) of the subject parcel and connectivity
to (and development of) adjacent properties.
• Provide some limited development opportunities in advance of
annexation and provision of urban services thereby establish-
ing incentives and procedures that promote urban density
development that conforms with City Comprehensive Plan
policies and map designations as well as city design and devel-
opment standards.
• Allow limited clusters of urban development. Only the first
phase cluster development is permitted in advance of annexa-
tion and provision of urban services.
• Establish adequate assurances that interim urban development
complies with applicable city and county regulations and stan-
dards as well as those of other affected federal, state and local
regulatory agencies.
• Ensure that upon annexation and provision of urban services,
the undeveloped portion of the original parcel can be efficient-
ly and expeditiously developed to urban densities.
• Ensure that permitted urban transition development con-
tributes its proportional, fair share of the costs of eventual
infrastructure improvements (and provision of urban services)
that benefit those properties. This will be achieved through a
future Local Improvement District (UD).
7.3 (b) Requirements and Procedures
Permits and applications for uses permitted outright or through
site plan review are to be submitted to the County with the
County being the lead agency Site plan applications require a joint
City - County review. Applications for Planned (Unit)
Developments and land divisions require a joint City - County
pre-application conference. The city will be the lead agency to
receive these applications and set the conference. The fee schedule,
distribution of fees, composition of the joint review board, notice
procedures and review / hearing process are as identified in new
proposed procedures specified in WCNP Plan Implementation
Requirements and in the modified Urban Fringe Management
Agreement (UFMA) with the UFMA being the superseding authority
in circumstances of conflict.
Planned Development approval would permit construction of a
first phase cluster development area. The Planned Development
(Corvallis) or Planned Unit Development (Philomath) submittal
requirements and review procedures provide the framework [or
review and approval of Planned Development applications in addi-
tion to the following conditions and submittal requirements:
• Because roads in the first phase urban cluster development
areas must be improved to full city standards, plans for City
Standard road improvements must be included as part of the
plat or development approval;
• Plans for on-site services of water, sewer / septic, fire flow and
storm water detention (if required) must be provided. Plans
for these on-site facilities, their construction and maintenance,
must be included in the Planned Development submittal.
Appropriate city, county and state regulations regarding such
systems must be satisfied;
• A de-commissioning plan must be prepared detailing how the
temporary, interim on-site services and facilities will be de-
commissioned upon provision of urban service utility connec-
tions and how these areas will be re-developed to conforming
urban density uses;
• A conceptual development plan according to city standards
will be submitted including all future lot boundaries, road
rights-of-way, utility easements, storm drainage easements, etc.
Road, utility lines, drainageway, trail and open space network
connectivity and extension to adjacent parcels must be
addressed and included in the plan. In addition to the road-
way dedications required for the city standard street improve-
ments above, reservations and/or easements shall be provided
for all future roadways, utility line alignments, storm water
drainageways, connecting trail systems and continuous open
space networks;
• The property owner must submit a binding petition to annex
when the property becomes contiguous to city limits;
• The property owner must provide a binding agreement that
obligates all properties included in the Planned Development
to participate in future urban infrastructure improvement pro-
jects. Establishing a Local Improvement District (LID) will
help fulfill this requirement.
• The property owner must agree to enter into a contract pro-
hibiting further division of the original parcel until annexation
and full plat approval and restricting the buildable areas to
that shown as the first phase on the plat / development plan;
• The property owner must agree to enter into a contract pro-
hibiting any property line adjustments or parcel consolidations
in the Planned Development first phase cluster development
area.
Development of a first phase cluster must comply with full city
standards excluding permanent utility infrastructure improvements.
Ten percent (10%) of the total parcel area may be included in the
first phase, with the demonstration of adequate on-site services. If
the property abuts a designated collector or arterial, the first phase
cluster shall be located along a new city standard local street that
connects to the collector or arterial. The first phase cluster shall
begin at the intersection of the new local street and the collector or
arterial. If the property abuts only a local street, then the same sit-
ing requirements apply but at the intersection with the local street.
All first phase cluster developments shall abut the new, city stan-
dard local street(s). All First Phase Cluster on-site service systems
including water, wastewater, fire flow and storm water detention (if
required) must be designed, approved, constructed and maintained
according to the appropriate city, county and state regulations
regarding such systems.
7.3 (c) Urban Residential Transition Zone
Lands within the city UGB's that are designated for future
urban density development but are not yet annexed are adminis-
tered by the county and have an Urban Residential (UR) county
zoning assignment. Upon annexation, the City Comprehensive
Plan Map designation determines the city zoning district. Because
55
S6
the UR zone will apply until annexation, a new Urban Residential-
Transition (UR-T) county zone will be adopted to implement the
goals of the WCNP Plan. The new UR-T zone will be similar to the
current UR zone but modified to reflect the implementation strate-
gies of the WCNP Plan. The UR-T zone will only apply to the
WCNP Plan area.
7.4 PROACTIVE AGENDA
Successful implementation of the WCNP Plan will require
ongoing, active participation and involvement by the plan's stake-
holders - the cities of Corvallis or Philomath, Benton County, land
owners, developers, and the larger community. Several initiatives
are recommended to help maintain the vision of the neighborhood
villages as a vital and necessary future for the area. The initiatives
are also intended to help each neighborhood village reflect, to the
extent possible, the needs of the stakeholders through their contin-
ued participation in an ongoing planning process. The initiatives
will help develop a diverse "ownership" of the plan's vision
throughout the larger community, and can help avoid resistance to
the neighborhood village concept based on lack of understanding of
the community-wide benefits of the villages.
• Create a development framework for each neighborhood vil-
lage through a collaborative process among the stakeholders.
Prior to development within the neighborhood center or mixed
use area of a neighborhood village, involve stakeholders in a design
process to refine the general development standards for neighbor-
hood villages contained in local ordinances. The refinement would
include the development of specific requirements to meet general
performance standards. For example, it may include the specifica-
tion of a list of permitted uses which meet performance standards
regarding generation of pedestrian activity. The development
framework also may include the establishment of themes for such
elements of the public space as street furnishings, paving, outdoor
seating, signage and landscaping.
In addition to ensuring that development will occur consistent
with the general neighborhood village structure established by the
WCNP Plan, the process of crafting the development framework
for a neighborhood village should involve processes such as design
charrettes in which all concerned and interested parties can con-
tribute ideas and which ensure a wide sense of ownership of the
final product.
• Provide "image boards" to assist developers in interpreting the
site development standards and to assist the community in visualiz-
ing the outcomes desired.
Image boards, or a collection of drawings, schematics, and pho-
tos representative of the site development standards, can provide
simple, easily understood examples of the development concepts
envisioned for the neighborhood villages. By using the image boards
to interpret fundamental development standards, future developers
can gain a sense of the community's expectations for the villages and
avoid subsequent problems in later public review of development
proposals. Allowing for interpretation of the image boards by devel-
opers in the creation of individual development proposals may also
help foster creative and unique buildings and facilities.
• Provide expedited processes for the review and approval of
development proposals meeting site development standards estab-
lished as described above.
Expedited processes can function as incentives to developers to
invest in creative and quality designs. More time and effort can be
expanded in the plan development and building design process
because less is required in the review and approval process.
• Establish a semi-permanent structure within the WCNP area
for an interactive, long-term display of the neighborhood village
concept. Pursue a land dedication andJor grant funds to acquire
the land for public open space/recreation or other another low
impact community area and to construct the facility.
Because the ultimate success and implementation of the neigh-
borhood village concept can only occur as market factors allow over
a relatively long period of time, a concurrent long-term public
involvement process must be maintained to foster ongoing, commu-
nity-wide support. Additionally, it is important that the commumty
begin to view the WCNP area as a region with some urban vitality.
One method of bringing this together is the creation of an inviting,
interactive, publicly accessible site in the plan area containing vari-
ous representations of the neighborhood village concept. To further
encourage long-term interest, the site could serve as community cen-
ter and the meeting place for future collaborative planning efforts for
the area.
7.S OPEN SPACE - SPECIAL MANAGEMENT AREA
7.S (a) Long-Term Regional Values
The preservation of open spaces and scenic hillsides has been a
local priority since the February 1983 adoption of the Corvallis
Open Space - Hillside Goal 5 Comprehensive Plan amendments,
and the process leading up to adoption. Since then, Corvallis has
adopted various Comprehensive Plan policies pertaining to City
scenic views, open space, ridge line areas, open space connectivity,
and trails that reflect the community's aesthetics and values.
Benton County has correspondingly adopted Comprehensive Plan
Policies that support the Corvallis Open Space - Hillside report and
other priority scenic view areas. Both jurisdictions have adopted
policies regarding continuous local and regional trail networks.
The Corvallis to the Sea Trail is along a ridgeline in this area.
Additionally, both jurisdictions have policies supporting the transfer
of development potential in order to protect significant scenic and
natural resource sites.
7.S (b) Acknowledging Existing Conflicts
Citizen involvement and public participation in the WCNP
planning process has reinforced the area-wide value and priority
for open space - scenic view area preservation. This same value has
been expressed in all three jurisdictions through adopted
Comprehensive Plans and in the preparation and adoption of the
OSU / Mac Donald (State) Forest Management Plan. Within the
past 10 years there have been a number of local efforts to procure
public open space including a recent open space ballot initiative
and the formation of an open space committee. A local land trust
was established to pursue the acquisition and preservation of signif-
icant open space - scenic view areas. During the WCNP Planning
effort, local government, the public, advocacy groups and many
property owners have identified and agree that there is a direct con-
flict between the forest conservation resource zone deSignation of
these significant scenic sites and the community - wide goal and
value for scenic preservation of the sites. The conflict lies in the
fact that in a designated forest conservation zone, local government
can not limit clear cutting of trees. In fact, the harvesting of trees is
one of the few uses permitted in a forest conservation zone that
provides income or financial returns to the property owner. These
trees are also one of the resources that give the identified scenic
view areas their special value. Additionally, logging of these margin-
al quality areas requires a long, extended recovery or reproduction
period thus furthering the conflict.
The following are examples of locally adopted comprehensive
plan policies supporting open space and viewshed protection:
Benton County Comprehensive Plan -
Section I. Open Space, Scenic and Historic Areas
Scenic Views and Sites Policies:
24. Benton County will, with the City of Corvallis, jointly
review the Corvallis Open Space Plan. The plan addresses areas of
scenic importance and recommends methods for implementation
within the Corvallis Urban Growth Boundary
27. Benton County recognizes Dimple Hill and the hillside from
Dimple Hill to Lewisburg Saddle as outstanding scenic resources.
The County shall promote and support acquisition of privately
owned portions of Dimple Hill by public or quasi-public agencies
or groups in order to secure preservation of Dimple Hill as a scenic
resource.
28. The County shall encourage the use of land management
practices that will protect the scenic value of the hillside from
Dimple Hill to Lewisburg Saddle in a manner which is consistent
with the mission of Oregon State Universitys McDonald / Dunn
Research Forest.
29. The Development Department shall apply sensitive land
development standards to any proposed residential development
above the 1,000 foot contour level on Dimple Hill.
30. In reviewing conditional use applications for construction of
utility facilities, aggregate site development or expansion, or other
conditional uses on Dimple Hill, the County shall protect the scenic
and natural area characteristics of the site through conditions or
restrictions of the proposed use.
31. The County will consider appropriate residential develop-
ment density transfers for parcels containing portions of the Dimple
57
58
Hill scenic resource which are currently designated with a transi-
tional zoning overly, in the event that these properties are redesig-
nated for residential development.
Policies Addressing Other Lands Needed or Desirable lor Open
Space:
34. Benton County should create an Open Space Zone to be
used in conjunction with the Open Space Use Assessment.
36. Benton County will cooperate with the cities of Adair,
Corvallis, Philomath, Albany and Monroe to develop open space
plans for their Urban Growth Boundary areas.
Corvallis Comprehensive Plan .
Article 3. Natural features and Land Resources
3.3.1. The City shall utilize the 1982 Open Space - Hillsides
Report during the review of annexations and developments for
areas shown on the open space inventory
3.3.13. Standards in the Land Development Code for Open
Space / Hillside areas with steep slopes will achieve the following in
areas where development is permitted:
• Plan development to fit the topography, soil, geology, and
hydrology of hillsides and to insure hillside stability both
during and after development.
• Preserve the most visually significant slope banks and ridge-
lines in their natural state by utilizing techniques such as clus-
ter development.
• Demonstrate a concern for the view of the hills as well as the
view from the hills.
3.3.14. The City shall secure land, through dedication, exaction,
or purchase of fee simple rights or easements to provide for both
passive and active recreational activities on selected hills as specified
in the Open Space Plan, Corvallis planning area.
7.5 (d Resolving Planning Conflicts
The WCNP Plan identifies the specific areas proposed to be re-
designated and re-zoned as Open Space - Special Management
Area (OS-SMA). This new zone would be very similar to the exist-
ing county Open Space (OS) zone but would allow limited, small
clusters of residential development and require scenic conservation
easements, trail dedications and the preparation of open space man-
agement plans including a fire protection plan and visual impact
assessment of development proposals. The OS-SMA zone would
also function as an effective buffer area between developed rural
residential lands and active, productive forest lands. The OS-SMA
zone will allow clustered home sites which will provide an incentive
for the property owner to grant the conservation easement and trail
dedications. In addition, these future home owners will act as the
"viewshed / open space stewards", thus further implementing the
objectives and goals of the WCNP Plan. The owners of these prop-
erties will help to assure proper implementation of the open space
land management plan thereby protecting the scenic view areas
from conflicting uses including clear cut harvesting. The County is
the lead agency for OS-SMA development review and approval
using the County Planned Unit Development review procedures.
Features of the Open Space - Special Management Area Zone
include:
• preparation of an open space land management plan (part of
the Planned Unit Development proposal) including elements
addressing: scenic viewshed management, visual/scenic
impact assessment of proposed development activities, forest
management, fire protection and trail and road access;
• protection of the scenic and open space features of the site by
requiring a conservation easement of the forest vegetation con-
veyed by the property owner to a local government and/or pri-
vate land trust;
• prohibition of clear cutting in conservation easement areas,
but potentially allowing selective thinning or harvesting based
upon an approved forest management plan, visuaVscenic
impact assessment and concurrence of the conservation ease-
ment grantees or interests;
• dedication of public trails;
• maximum development of only 10% of the total parcel area at
a density not more than one dwelling unit per 10 acres
(including existing dwellings) with Planned Unit Development
approval. This will allow a density of one dwelling unit per 10
acres of the original parcel size. It is anticipated that each clus-
ter home site parcel will be about one acre in size (See Figure
V-S).
7.S (d) Redesignation Requirements
In order to re-designate lands from Forest Conservation to
Open Space - Special Management Area, the County will be
required to undertake a Comprehensive Plan Map amendment that
includes an "exceptions process" to exclude the lands from the
requirements of statewide planning Goals 3 and 4: Agricultural and
Forest Lands, respectively based upon the unique scenic and open
space GoalS resources of the area. The exceptions process
requires:
• justifying why the agriculture and forest land goals should no
longer apply
• demonstrating how the area represents a collection of unique
open space and scenic viewshed values under GoalS that jus-
tifies an exception to Goals 3 and 4.
• evaluating the environmental, social, economic and energy
(ESEE) consequences of permitting the conflicting use (forest
clear cut harvesting of scenic view vegetation)
• demonstrating that the proposed map re-designation and per-
mitted uses are compatible with other adjacent uses or can be
made compatible.
Given the unique qualities of these significant scenic view areas,
the recreation trails, wildlife habitat, the public ownership of much
of the adjacent forestland and considering the long standing region-
al value of these scenic areas as well as the compatibility elements
of the proposed OS-SMA zone, it is assumed that the County will
be successful in satisfying the exception requirements and accom-
plishing the Comprehensive Plan Map amendment.
7.S (e) Interim Scenic Viewshed Protection
The WCNP Plan recognizes that hillside view areas have scenic
view value in large part due to the existing vegetation condition.
The preservation of these current viewshed values is a pre-requisite
for inclusion in the OS-SMA zone. Acknowledging that the
Comprehensive Plan Map amendment (and exceptions) process
could take some time to complete, it is recommended that immedi-
ate, interim measures be undertaken to protect these significant
scenic view areas by precluding conflicting forest harvesting (clear
cutting) activity It is recommended that the owners of OS-SMA
deSignated properties provide an interim conservation easement as
an acknowledgment of the WCNP Plan goals and strategies.
Requiring that property owners grant the county an interim conser-
vation easement establishes an agreement and understanding that
these property owners are supportive and in favor of the OS-SMA
proposal and are committed to its implementation. The granting of
the interim conservation easement should be a requirement for fur-
ther inclusion in the proposed OS-SMA. This interim conservation
easement would protect the scenic hillside view areas from conflict-
ing forest harvesting activities until the Comprehensive Plan Map
amendment is complete and the implementation of protective mea-
sures and strategies that achieve the long-term WCNP Plan goals.
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Accommodate. The ability of the community to adapt to the
changes which occur, particularly, the ability of the community to
meet the needs of the future population.
Acre, Gross. Area of a site calculated to the centerline of bounding
streets and other public rights-of-way
Acre, Net. The portion of a site that can actually be built upon. Not
included in the net acreage of a site are public or private road
rights-of-way, public open space, and flood ways.
Auto-oriented Uses. Land uses designed to accommodate cus-
tomers who use autos to travel to the site, including, but not limit-
ed to, automobile sales and service, building supplies and materials
and drive-up or drive-through uses.
Average Daily Traffic (ADT). The number of vehicles passing a
given point on a road going in a direction during a 24-hour period.
Bike Lane. A corridor expressly reserved by markings for bicycles,
existing on a street or roadway in addition to any lanes for use by
motorized vehicles.
Buffer. An area which provides a transition between potentially
conflicting land uses, particularly urban and rural uses. Such a
buffer may be used for low density or public open space purposes.
Buildout. That level of urban development characterized by full
occupancy of all developable sites in accordance with the West
Corvallis - North Philomath Plan; the maximum probable level of
development envisioned by the Plan under specified assumptions
about densities and intensities. Buildout does not assume that each
parcel is developed to include all floor area or housing units possi-
ble under zoning regulations.
Cluster. A grouping of development. Specifically, the locations of
structures on a given site in one area leaving the remainder of the
land in open space.
Compatible. The ability of different uses to exist in harmony with
each other. "Making uses compatible with each other" implies site
development standards which regulate the impact of one use on
another.
Conservation. The preservation of the natural characteristics of the
Glossary of Planning Terms
land in a manner which does not adversely affect the public health,
safety, or welfare.
Density, Gross. The number of dwelling units per gross acre of
developable residential land.
Density, Net. The number of dwelling units per net acre of devel-
opable residential land.
Development. The division of land into two or more parcels; the
construction, reconstruction, structural alteration, relocation or
enlargement of a structure; or the grading of land and installation of
utilities as a pre-condition of construction.
Housing Unit, Multi-family. Dwellings with two or more housing
units in one structure.
Housing Unit, Single-Family Attached. Single family dwellings
that are attached to other units with adjoining walls extending from
ground to roof that separate it from other adjoining structures and
form a property line. Each unit has its own heating system.
Housing Unit, Single-Family Detached. Single family dwellings
that are detached from any other house with open space on all four
sides.
Infrastructure. Permanent utility installations, including roads,
water supply lines, sewage collection pipes, and power and com-
munications lines.
Intensive Development Sector. Areas in which more intensive
development will be permitted. Uses include residential develop-
ment in excess of six units per acre and neighborhood or communi-
ty commercial development.
Intersection Capacity. The maximum number of vehicles that has
a reasonable expectation of passing through an intersection in one
direction during a given time period under prevailing roadway and
traffic conditions.
Land, Adequate to Meet Need. Land that is suitable for the desig-
nated use and is sufficient to meet projected needs to the end of the
planning period. "Need" is based on the amount of growth project-
ed in each category ofland use to the year 2010, thereby defining
the a city's Urban Growth Boundary
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Land, Available. Land that is suitable, designated on the Land Use
Plan for the designated use, and has services and utilities readily
available to serve the area.
Livability. Those aspects of the community perceived by residents
that make West Corvallis-North Philomath a "nice place to live."
Mitigation Measure. Action taken to reduce or eliminate environ-
mental impacts. Mitigation includes: avoiding the impact altogether
by not taking a certain action or parts of an action; minimizing
impacts by limiting the degree or magnitude of the action and its
implementation; rectifying the impact by repairing, rehabilitating, or
restoring the affected environment; reducing or eliminating the
impact over time by preservation and maintenance during the life of
the action; and compensating for the impact by replacing or provid-
ing substitute resources or environments.
Multi-purpose Path. A paved route not on a street or roadway,
reserved for bicycles and pedestrians. These paths may parallel roads
but typically are separated from them by landscaping.
Natural Hazard. A natural characteristic of the land or combination
of characteristics which, when developed without proper safeguards,
could endanger the public health, safety, or general welfare.
Neighborhood Center. A mixed-use service center in a neighbor-
hood village. Retail uses, intended to provide for the day-to-day
shopping and service needs of residents, occupy ground level spaces.
Professional offices and residences may occupy upper levels of build-
ings.
Neighborhood Village. A residential area designed to have a mixed
use neighborhood center, a range of housing densities and types
with the highest densities near the center, and a circulation system
which equally emphasizes pedestrian, bicycle, public transit and
motor vehicle traffic.
Open Space. Land used for parks and public and private recreation
uses as well as natural and rural areas such as streams, lakes, hills,
wetlands, wildlife preserves, farms, forests, and other open, undevel-
oped areas.
Peak Hour Traffic. The number of vehicles passing over a designat-
ed section of a street during the busiest one-hour period during a
24-hour period.
Pedestrian Way. A walk or path designed to provide safe, direct,
convenient access for pedestrians.
Percent slope. A common way of expressing the steepness of the
slope of terrain, which is derived by dividing the change in eleva-
tion by the horizontal distance traversed. An increase of 20 feet
elevation over a 100 foot distance is a 20 percent slope.
Performance Standard. A land development regulation technique
in which development standards are based upon established crite-
ria related to the effect of the development on the land or on abut-
ting properties.
Planning Area. The area in West Corvallis - North Philomath that
is the subject of the West Corvallis - North Philomath Plan.
Pocket Park. Small open space within residential areas intended as
gathering places and including small playgrounds. Typically, about
one acre in size.
Policy. A deciSion-making guideline for actions to be taken in
achieving goals. The Plan's policies are intended to be the official
positions of the cities of Philomath or Corvallis or Benton County,
as the case may be, related to a given land use issue. Policies guide
actions in recurring situations.
Preserve. To save from change or loss and reserve for a special
purpose. The most strict nondegradation standard.
Professional Offices. Offices used for business, executive, man-
agement, professional, administrative, and related uses.
Protect. To save or shield from loss, destruction, or injury or to
save for future intended use. After "preserve", the next most strict
nondegradation standard.
Public Open Space. Open space which is in public ownership.
Recreation Space. Public or private open space utilized for inten-
sive play activity. The definition includes all parks and other recre-
ational facilities (indoor or outdoor) such as swimming pools, trails
and paths, basketball and other types of courts.
Residential Area. A given area of the community in which the
vastly predominate character is residential. Uses which support
residential activity such as parks, churches, schools, fire stations,
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and utility substations may also be permitted.
Riparian. Pertaining to the bank of a natural course of water,
whether seasonal or annual. Riparian habitat is defined by the sur-
rounding vegetation or presence of known wildlife movement path-
ways; it borders or surrounds a waterway.
Setback. The minimum distance between a property line and a
building.
Shopping Area, Community. Contains a junior department store
or a variety store as the major tenant in addition to the supermar-
ket, convenience stores, and personal services found in a neighbor-
hood shopping area. It does not have a full-line department store.
Community shopping areas generally range in size from 10 to 30
acres.
Street, Arterial. A street which functions primarily to move large
volumes of traffic and secondarily to provide access to abutting
property. It is usually a continuous thoroughfare which connects
major traffic generators. Access to adjacent properties is controlled
by curb cut, driveway, and other regulations.
Street, Collector. A street which functions primarily to move traffic
from local streets to the arterial street system. It secondarily sup-
plies abutting properties with the same degree of service as a local
street.
Street, Local. A street whose function is to provide access to adja-
cent property within local areas.
Sustainable. Able to be maintained or continued indefinitely.
Transition Area. The area between significantly different intensities
of land use which is intended to protect both land uses from the
negative impact of the other.
Unacceptable. That which does not meet applicable standards or
requirements. As used in the WCNP Plan, this term describes such
things as high levels of risk because of natural hazards or levels of
pollution which exceed federal, state, or local standards.
Unbuildable. Land which because of its natural character or loca-
tion is unsuitable for urban development.
Urban Development. Development of a density or intensity which
requires full urban services. Generally, includes all commercial and
industrial development and all residential development of more
than two units per acre or such other lower limit as may be
imposed in the Plan as a matter of policy.
Urban Growth Boundary. A line established by a city comprensive
plan that circumscribes the urban fringe and the City limits. Urban
levels of development may not occur outside of this boundary.
Urban Services. Those facilities and utilities necessary to permit
urban development.
Urban Transition Area. The area intended to allow for an orderly
transition from rural uses to urban uses and not foreclose oppportu-
nities for ultimate urban development.
Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT). A measure of both the volume and
extent of motor vehicle operation; the total number of vehicle miles
traveled within a speCified geographical area (whether the entire
country or a smaller area) over a given period of time.
Viable. Capable of growing and developing or maintaining exis-
tence. In the urban context, areas or uses which will continue to
function adequately throughout the planning period.
Viewshed. The geographic area from which a site is visible, a col-
lection of viewpoints.
Wetlands. An area at least periodically wet or flooded; where the
water table stands at or above the land surface (bogs and marshes).
Also those areas that are inundated or saturated by surface or
groundwater at a frequency and duration sufficient to support, and
that under normal circumstances do support, a prevalence of vege-
tation typically adapted for life in saturated soil conditions.
Wetlands generally include swamps, marshes, bogs, and similar
areas.
Zoning District. A specifically delineated area on a zoning map
within which regulations and requirements uniformly govern the
use, placement, spacing, and size of buildings, open spaces, and
other facilities.
6S
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· Appendix A
Appendix A
Detailed Account of Planning Process
CHRONOLOGY OF THE WEST CORVALLIS-NORTH PHILOMATH
PLANNING PROCESS
Phase One:
December 1991
Greenbelt Land Trust convenes meeting of community leaders,
neighborhood groups, and property owners to discuss the concept
of developing a plan for the area. (100 participate)
October 1992
Benton County and the cities of Philomath and Corvallis
appoint the West Corvallis Task Force: 12 citizens representing
community and stakeholders, OSU, Greenbelt Land Trust. The
Task Force has held more than 40 meetings and work sessions open
to the public.
Spring - Fall 1993
City and County staff begin gathering and mapping data for the
planning area; Task Force education process begins
December 1993
Townhall style workshop held at the Benton County
Fairgrounds to solicit public input on key issues and objectives.
(1000 property owners and community leaders invited; 500
attend.)
April- May 1994
Community Visioning Exercise produces Six Points of
Consensus for development of the area (80 participants).
Phase Two:
Summer 1994
Transportation Growth Management Grant secured from the
State of Oregon to fund completion of the plan.
Fall 1994 - Winter 1995
Consultant team led by Blayney Dyett Urban and Regional
Planners work with Task Force and staff to complete mapping and
analysis of planning area. Three alternative plans developed.
February 1995
Newsletter describing the planning process and plan alternatives
distributed to 25,000 households; Public Open House held obtain
input on alternative plans. (200 participants)
April 1995
Public Open House to discuss trade-offs of alternatives and
choices for the planning area (225 participants)
May 1995
Newsletter distributed to 22,500 households; Public Open
House held to consider draft preferred alternative land use plan.
(200 participants)
67
August 1995
Draft Land Use Plan completed and circulated for comment.
Phose Three:
August - September 1995
Task Force seeks public and expert input on the draft plan.
October 1995 - May 1996
Task Force adopts criteria for review of draft plan; reviews and
refines plan policies.
January - June 1996
Final plan drafted by staff team from the cities of Corvallis and
Philomath, Benton County, Cascades West Council of Governments,
University of Oregon.
July 1996
Task Force review and recommendation of final plan to jurisdic-
tions.
68
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Appendix B:
Plan Alternatives and their Impacts
Appendix B
Working with the West Corvallis Task Force, local staff and the
consultant team led by Blayney Dyett Urban and Regional Planners
developed three alternative land use concepts, refined them in
response to public comments at an open house into three more spe-
cific alternatives, analyzed those alternatives, reviewed them again
with the public, and finally defined and selected a preferred alterna-
tive. This preferred alternative became the basis of the draft West
Corvallis Growth Management Plan which was subsequently refined
to become the West Corvallis-North Phiolmath Plan. This appendix
describes these concepts and the alternatives analysis that was
undertaken. Appendix C addresses the traffic and infrastructure
impacts of the proposed WCNP Plan in more detail.
Concepts
City, County, OSU and other agency staff met with the consul-
tant team in early January 1995 to define two or three concepts for
the development and conservation of the West Corvallis-North
Philomath area. To help in this process, they heard from representa-
tives of developers and landowners within the planning area on their
visions and ideas about development within the area and the sur-
rounding community The concepts were designed to be different to
test the advantages and disadvantages of key aspects of each con-
cept.
• Current Plans and Proposals. This concept is consistent with
current plans and landowner proposals, providing primarily for
residential development - mostly low density housing
throughout the area with higher densities in the southern part
of the study area.
• Pedestrian Neighborhoods. Building on the vision point for
clustered and pedestrian friendly neighborhoods, this concept
would create a number of walkable neighborhoods with a mix
of housing types within a quarter-mile of a neighborhood cen-
ter.
• Transit Corridor. To reduce reliance on the automobile, this
concept looked at a new transit corridor along West Hills Road.
Development would have been concentrated in a series of
interconnected, mixed-use neighborhoods which will support
more efficient transit service.
Common Elements
The Task Force agreed that certain elements should be part of all
three concepts, especially preserving resource lands and incorporat-
ing environmentally sensitive lands (primarily riparian areas and
wetlands) into urban areas. All three included trail corridors linking
development areas.
Alternatives
Following the first open house, the Task Force and staff refined
the land use concepts identified in the Visioning Workshop into
three more detailed land use alternatives and analyzed their impacts.
Figures A-I through A-3 illustrate those alternatives, which are
described below.
69
Figure A-I Current Plans and Proposals
Alternative
PHILOMATH
_ H+Don."'20Ju/...,,~m.' _ """",~~l,,u......
liMIt' M.d......diigh o.-ity 111 du/W_ aqe! ~ Pooit or Open Spoo-
k,·J ""-Siogl.·......,'.M.... _.. ~ 0,-_1 ~
c==J"""""""~+....ily'35M"o.. _., C::::::J '..., UM
~v.'1I.owD.<'llitypll$idenI1ol(200Jdum;.,1 c==J F(>flHICon votionlonch
~RUf .. ~12orStXldlJ...w.1 _COf\'\<f\«ciol
~J""-'~"Oodd"m"" ~ """...""
~.~",~e.-
70
Current Plans and Proposals
This alternative combined the Corvallis, Philomath and Benton
County Comprehensive Plans with currently known development
proposals for properties in the area. These proposals include:
•A private-OSU land trade and development of rural residential
housing on the hill above the Equine Research Facility
•A self-contained retirement community on Double Hill on West
Hills Road with adjoining suburban density housing
•Conversion of Forest Conservation lands to rural residential use
if hilltops are preserved as open space with trail connections
•Development of a "transit-friendly" development at 53rclJWest
Hills
•Expansion of the fairgrounds.
This alternative represented the "base case" of development
under existing plans and market trends, especially the demand for
"rural" housing. Development of resource lands could make trails
more feasible.
Pedestrian-Oriented Neighborhoods
This alternative focused development in seven neighborhoods
designed to encourage walking and bicycling. Each was designed
around a mixed-use core of neighborhood-serving commercial and
services and higher-density housing. Most of the neighborhood was
within one-quarter mile of this core. Densities would decrease as
distance increases with a mix of medium-density (12-20 units per
acre) multi-family and higher density single family (6-12 units per
acre) closer to this neighborhood center.
This alternative also included a Research and Technology
employment center in the proposed Circle BoulevardlHarrison Street
neighborhood. This alternative also allowed the proposed land trade
with OSU. To preserve hillside views, it focused development on
lower slopes or away from Walnut Boulevard on less visible areas,
however, and at higher-densities to protect hillside views. The
realignment of Reservoir Road to intersect Oak Creek Road would
provide a more direct route to the east.
Transit Corridor
This alternative would direct new development to a series of
pedestrian neighborhoods north and south of West Hills Road. New
parallel collector streets would provide alternatives to West Hills
Road. This connected system of streets would allow bus service
either on West Hills Road or as an expansion of the loop system cur-
rently used by Corvallis Transit. The loop system would run west
from 35th along a new street north of West Hills Road to Double
Hill where it would turn south, cross West Hills Road and run east
to 53rd and south to the Sunset Research Park.
This alternative would also replace the planned shopping area at
53rd &: Philomath Boulevard with employment uses and adds shop-
ping at 53rd &: West Hills Road. To direct development to this tran-
sit corridor, this alternative would maintain very low-density urban
reserve areas in other parts of the Corvallis UGB 00 acres per home)
and preserve existing resource lands. The Transit Corridor maintains
existing OSU lands.
Common Elements
The three alternative shared some features including the designa-
tion of resource lands (including the OSU agricultural research facili-
ties) for conservation and the incorporation of environmentally sen-
sitive lands (primarily riparian areas and wetlands) into urban areas.
The strong support for these points convinced the Task Force and
planners to incorporate these features into all the alternatives.
Impacts of the Alternatives
The text and tables on the following pages describe and compare
the three alternatives.
Overall Land Use. About half of the planning area in all three
alternatives would be set aside for open space, parks and resource
lands (including OSU) and about half set aside for housing. The
Current Plans and Proposals Alternative would have the least
resource lands but the most parks and open space while the Transit
Corridor Alternative would have the most resource lands but least
open space and parks. The Current Plans Alternative has the most
residential land, primarily from the conversion of Forest
Conservation areas outside the UGB.
Current Plans Pedestrian Transit
Land Use 6,150 100% 6,150 100% 6,150 100%
Open Space 497 8% 481 8% 284 5%
Parks &Public 738 12% 653 11% 571 9%
Resource lands 1,649 27% 2,075 34% 2,361 38%
Residential 3,207 52% 2,839 46% 2,862 47%
Retail 2 0% 20 0% 15 0%
Employment 57 1% 82 1% 56 1%
Residential Land Use. The majority of residential land in all
three alternatives is designated for large-lot, "rural" housing. Even
the Transit Corridor Alternative, which has the most higher-density
housing, sets aside 40 percent of its residential land for this kind of
housing. Suburban residential areas (at 2-6 homes per acre) is the
second-largest category. While 312 acres ofresidentialland in the
Current Plans Alternative is set aside for higher-density housing,
403 acres in the Pedestrian and 549 acres in the Transit Corridor
Alternatives are. A third of each alternative, however, is for urban
residential housing, which includes both single- and multi-family
housing at between 6 and 12 homes per acre.
Acres (homes/acre) Current Plans Pedestrian Transit
Rural/Very low (0.2-0.5) 1,812 57% 1,302 46% 1,139 40%
Urban Reserve (0.1) 9 0% 118 4% 574 20%
Suburban Residential (2-6) 1,073 33% 1,016 36% 601 21%
Urban Residential (6-12) 210 7% 293 10% 370 13%
Med-High Density (12-15) 76 2% 93 3% 134 5%
High Density (20+) 26 1% 17 1% 45 2%
Population and Employment. All three alternatives would
accommodate a population 19,000 to 20,000 persons at "build-out"
with the majority of them in Corvallis. The Current Plan
Alternative has the lowest population and fewest jobs. The
Pedestrian Alternative, with a new employment center at Circle and
Harrison, would have the most jobs. The Transit Corridor
Alternative would add jobs by including a shopping center at 53rd
and West Hills and replace the designated commercial site at 53rd
and Philomath Boulevard with additional employment.
Current Plans Pedestrian Transit Corridor
Pop Emp Pop Emp Pop Emp
Total 19,015 1,410 20,660 2,760 20,650 1,760
Corvallis UGH 15,175 1,410 17,035 2,725 16,990 1,725
Philomath UGH 740 0 2,700 35 2,740 35
Non-UGH 3,100 0 925 0 925 0
Housing and Population Growth. Of the three, the Current
Plans alternative would allow the lowest overall densities and levels
of growth. It would, however, allow more development at rural res-
idential densities through the conversion of Forest Conservation
areas. It may also not provide enough multi-family housing to meet
West Corvallis' share of forecast demand. (Only 29 percent of units
would be multi-family, less than the 35 to 40 percent needed.)
Lower densities (four homes per acre in urban areas) make less effi-
cient use of planned facilities.
The Pedestrian Neighborhood alternative allows 8,265 homes
and 20,660 residents, about the same as the Transit Corridor but
more than the Current Plan alternative. It too may not provide
enough multi-family housing to meet demand (again only 29 per-
cent of potential units). Densities in urban areas would average 4.5
units per acre and 2.9 overall.
The Transit Corridor alternative would allows 8,260 homes and
20,650 residents, about the same as the Pedestrian Neighborhood
Alternative but nine percent more than Current Plans. Densities
Figure A-2 Pedestrian-Oriented
Neighborhoods Alternative
PHILOMATH
_ H+D-ityI20dufgrou_fIltft.1 .. PubLcOlInlru~
_ Modiom_DonoilyIl2"'/..-_1 .. .... «0,-. .....
k:,:":,,,,:,q """"'~l."'/"-_ ~ o,-.~ .. Coo........
EZJ .................laooilyI3.• ....,...... _1~ ......... ""mu..
~V.ylbwo.ttify~(2Di./dulllin.1 c=J F.,..."COtI...-..otiolILonds
LBR.....oI~I'2.,5QCj'*'IfIinJ _~iaI
EZJ""""' .......1l0""'... M"'.1 ~ .........
~.~h~e.-
71
Figure A-3 Transit Corridor
PHILOMATH
_ ..... _"'(20 ...I."...~.~.1 _ ~ .
~ .ffigh_"'(12d../ "") _ ~""'" ......
k<"""',,'J """"'_1omily(6M _ ~""'"s,-t~.c..........
c:::::J .......... s;......lamilyIJ.sM ..,.)~ e............ ""
G:::J v.r"""""'·""miJomiolI2"" ' ,.,I-~......
C~ '~d"""""(2~5"""',"",1 _ ""'--'"
c:::::J """"' ...... I'O""... m~.1 t:LLZa ..........
~ .._"""""""e.-
72
would average 5 units per acre in urban areas and 2.9 overall. This
represents the highest urban density of the three alternatives. It is
comparable to the Pedestrian alternative overall.
Pedestrian Orientation. The Current Plans alternative, like the
other alternatives and consistent with existing policies, would add
planned trails and sidewalks and connections to cul-de-sacs as part
of existing subdivision standards, especially in Corvallis.
Landowner proposals would help make important trails connec-
tions within and outside of the planning area. There are no clear
neighborhood boundaries, however.
The other two alternatives would have similar impacts. The
Pedestrian alternative would add a well-connected street and trail
system and more clearly-defined neighborhood edges. Mixed-use
centers would make walking and bicycling more attractive. The
Transit Corridor alternative would also add a well-connected street
and trail system and mixed-use centers to make walking and bicy-
cling more attractive. The Transit Corridor, however, would make
transit service more efficient by concentrating development along
West Hills Road.
Resource, Open Space and Rural Residential Land Use. All
three alternatives would conserve important open space areas, most
notably wetland areas and riparian areas, and would establish a
Corvallis-Philomath buffer. The Current Plans and Proposals
would, however, eliminate Forest Conservation designations on hill-
sides. While this change could remove land from more active
forestland management, it would help preserve hilltops in open
space as part of rural residential through clustered development.
The other two alternatives would maintain Forest Conservation
areas for timber use.
Traffic and Circulation. All three alternatives (as well as exist-
ing plans) would allow additional growth and this development
would lead to increases in traffic on local roadways. Because the
three alternatives would allow similar levels of development, the
overall increase in traffic would also be similar. The alternatives dif-
fer, however, in where those impacts would occur. Each alternative
would have greater impacts than the others at one or more intersec-
tions.
Table A-I shows estimated p.m. peak hour traffic volumes at
selected intersections. These numbers were estimated using infor-
mation from the City of Corvallis' existing MINUTP travel demand
model. A range is shown because the numbers were estimated "by
hand" and could not achieve the accuracy of model output. The
model would be expected to forecast traffic levels somewhere with-
in that range.
The Transit Corridor generally would have impacts on more
intersections than the others, especially along West Hills Road
where that alternative would focus more growth. That alternative
would generate the highest volumes at Reservoir Road and 53rd as
well. The most noticeable impact, however, would be at the inter-
section of West Hills and 53rd. At that intersection, volumes on
West Hills would be substantially higher than the other alternatives
although it would have roughly the same volumes along 53rd.
Again, this reflects the concentration of development into the West
Hills transit corridor. Like the Pedestrian alternative, this alterna-
tive would create a more connected street system which would
relieve some impacts on the existing arterial system. The land use
pattern would also make transit service more efficient and attractive
in the corridor which also would reduce impacts.
The Current Plans alternative would direct more growth to the
edges of the planning area but also maintain designated high-densi-
ty residential areas along West Hills. This land use pattern would
have impacts on intersections to the north (with significantly higher
volumes than the other alternatives at Walnut and Witham Hill)
and impacts similar to the Transit Corridor alternative on 53rd at
West Hills and West Hills at Western. In addition, the Current
Plans alternative, which does not incorporate more specific collector
street connections, would likely direct more traffic to existing arteri-
als than either of the other two alternatives. This alternative would,
however, add some connections from West Hills to Philomath
Boulevard as called for in the draft Corvallis Transportation Plan.
The Pedestrian alternative would, except in one case, have less
of an impact on local roads. Where this alternative would generate
the highest volumes of the three - such as on Harrison at 35th or
on 53rd at West Hills - the difference is not usually significant.
The greater impact on Harrison is the mirror of the lower impact on
West Hills. Of the three alternatives, the Pedestrian alternative
would generate the lowest volume on West Hills at 53rd but the
highest on Harrison at 35th. Part of the reason for this is that this
alternative proposed a pedestrian neighborhood on Harrison west of
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nfa This intersection would be replaced through arealignment of Reservoir Road north to Oak Creek
Source: Parson Brinckerhoff Quade and Douglas, Inc.
TABLE A-1
ESTIMATED P.M. PEAK HOUR TRAFFIC VOLUMES AT SELECTED
INTERSECTIONS
For 1990 Base Conditions and land Use Alternatives
Alternatives
Current Plans Pedestrian Transit
Intersection 1990 and Proposals Neighborhood Corridor
West Hills/Western WB 440 900-1200 700-940 950-1,250
EB 290 550-750 540-720 620-820
West Hills at 53rd WB 330 550-750 480-640 730-990
EB 220 500-660 510-690 650-870
53rd at West Hills NB 470 710-950 730-990 720-960
SB 480 720-960 730-990 780-1,040
Reservoir at 53rd WB 206 490-650 nfa 550-730
EB 160 370-400 510-690
Oak Creek at 53rd WB 400 640-860 950-1,250 670-890
EB 190 640-860 1,050-1,400 610-830
Harrison at 35th WB 680 620-820 680-920 600-800
EB 540 650-870 680-920 650-870
Walnut at Witham Hill NB 480 820-1,100 550-750 550-750
SB 550 850-1,150 700-940 700-940
35th and less development than either other alternative along West
Hills. Like the Transit Corridor alternative, this alternative would
relieve impacts on arterials by adding new collector connections
within neighborhoods.
The Pedestrian alternative would have significantly greater
impacts at one intersection: Oak Creek at 53rd. This impact is the
result mostly of the realignment of Reservoir Road that was incor-
porated into this alternative rather than its land use pattern. The
proposed realignment would shift traffic on Reservoir north to Oak
Creek west of 53rd. By removing one intersection, this realignment
would make Reservoir Road more attractive thus decreasing traffic
on West Hills and increasing it on Harrison. (Actions to limit
capacity or otherwise decrease travel on West Hills would have a
similar impact, even without the realignment of Reservoir.)
Infrastructure. Each of the alternatives would make demands
on existing and planned public facilities as would any development
under existing plans. The residents of new housing and employees
in new commercial or industrial uses would require the expansion
of public water and sewer, schools and parks as well as having
impacts on roads. For some facilities, impacts would be similar for
all alternatives because the potential number of residents and
employees would be similar.
For schools and parks, the demand for new facilities would be
basically the same for all alternatives. All the alternatives, for exam-
ple, would require at least two new elementary schools. The
Pedestrian and Transit Corridor alternatives designate a new ele-
mentary school southwest of 53rd and West Hills Road. At least
one additional site is needed. The Current Plans alternative would
need two additional sites. Similarly, the Pedestrian and Transit
Corridor alternatives designate an active recreational park in the
West Hills corridor as well as the expansion of Walnut Park. The
Current Plans alternative only designates the expansion of Walnut
Park. That alternative, however, outlines a more expansive open
space system in the hills at the edge of the planning area.
For most areas, the alternatives designate land uses at densities
and locations that can ultimately be served by planned public water
service. The one exception, however, is in the Current Plans alter-
native. That alternative proposed the development of lower-density
suburban development with public water on the hill above the
Equine Research Facility Much of that hill, however,
is above the third water service level designated by the
City of Corvallis. It is the City'S policy to prohibit
water extensions above that level except where there is
a public health hazard to be remedied. Service to
much of the development on that hill would require a
significant change in the Citys water service policies.
As with water service, most of the alternatives can
be served adequately with existing or planned sewer
service. Those facilities, however, will need to be
extended first to much of the planning area. While
service is planned for most of the UGBs, most areas
within the UGBs are not yet served. In the Transit
Corridor alternative, more development is planned in
the Squaw Creek and Country Club sewer drainage
basins than was assumed in the Corvallis sewer plan.
This greater amount of development could meet or
exceed the capacity of the trunk lines planned to serve
those basins. In the other alternatives, proposed levels
of development would be lower than assumed in the
sewer plan and thus would likely not exceed planned
facility capacity
Effect on Existing Neighborhoods. Like existing
plans and zoning in the planning area, the alternatives
would allow new development. That new develop-
ment could affect existing neighborhoods and lower-
density housing areas. The Current Plans alternative,
for example, would allow multi-family development
along West Hills Road at its intersection with 53rd
Street and on the east side of Skyline Hill at 35th.
These new developments would be developed near
existing low-density suburban housing especially areas
on the south side of West Hills between 35th and
53rd and on Skyline and Double Hills. In addition,
the alternative includes a gated retirement community
on Double Hill. Finally, this alternative and the others
would allow new development adjacent to the Skyline
West subdivision west of Walnut Park.
By directing growth to larger undeveloped sites, the Pedestrian
alternative would have the least impact on existing neighborhoods
73
Open Space (Parks &Sensitive lands) 1,590 24%
Resource lands 1,142 18%
Residential Uses 3,489 54%
Retail Commercial 12 >1%
Industrial/Employment 97 1%
Public 162 2%
Rural Residential (one unit/2 or 5acres) 480 6%
Suburban Residential (2-6 units/acre) 3,226 43%
Urban Residential (6-12 units/acre) 2,368 31%
Medium-Density Residential (12-20 units/acre) 1,179 16%
Medium-High Density Residential (20+ units/acre) 300 4%
TOTAL 7,553 100%
Single-Family 4,890 65%
Multi-Family 2,663 35%
TABLE A-2
LAND USE AND HOUSING BREAKDOWN FOR PREFERRED
ALTERNATIVE
Land Use
Housing Types
74
Acres
Units
Percent
Percent
along West Hills. It would have a greater
impact than Current Plans in Philomath and
parts of Corvallis. The Transit Corridor alter-
native, however, would have the greatest
impact on the West Hills neighborhood
although lower densities are proposed near
existing houses. It would the lowest impact
in other parts of Corvallis UGB but the high-
est in Philomath.
Preferred Alternative
The draft Preferred Alternative selected
elements from each of the three conceptual
alternatives most endorsed by public com-
ment. Basic ideas include:
• Disperse urban development throughout the
UGBs of Corvallis and Philomath,
• Focus that urban development in well-
defined neighborhoods that encourage walk-
ing and bicycling,
• Separate and connect urban areas with open
space and trails and preserve hillside views,
• Preserve the OSU agricultural research
areas, Benton County fairgrounds, Bald Hill
Park and designated farm areas outside the
UGBs as major open space areas, and
• Expand rural residential housing areas to
establish open space areas that maintain views
and access to adjoining public lands.
Features and Impacts of the Preferred
Alternative
Land Use and Housing. The Preferred
Alternative would reduce the potential
amount of development allowed overall in
two ways. First, it would designate expanded
open space areas and second, it would reduce
densities in some existing residential areas. This reduction would
be offset somewhat by increases in development potential in pedes-
trian-oriented neighborhoods. Table A-2 shows the breakdown of
land use and housing proposed in the Preferred Alternative.
This table indicates that the Preferred Alternative sets aside over
half of the land in West Corvallis for residential use and that the
majority of housing would be for single-family homes in urban
areas. While the ratio of single-family to multi-family housing has
historically been 60:40 in Corvallis, the Preferred Alternative would
provide more single-family housing. This reflects the continuing
demand for such housing as well as the greater share that single-
family housing has in Philomath and the County
Densities in residential areas would range from 2.2 homes per
acre overall to 5.1 homes per acre within the Corvallis and
Philomath UGBs. Densities within Pedestrian Neighborhoods
would be higher still - a minimum of nine homes per acre -
although densities would concentrated around neighborhood cores
and decrease toward neighborhood edges.
When fully developed, the Preferred Alternative could become
the home of about 16,350 persons, an increase of about 14,000
over the existing population of the planning area. While a signifi-
cant increase, it would be less than that permitted under existing
plans and policies. In addition to the increased population, the
Preferred Alternative would allow approximately 1.6 million square
feet of office, commercial and industrial square footage.
Environmental and Infrastructure Impacts. The development
of West Corvallis that could be allowed under the Preferred
Alternative would have significant impacts on local environment
resources. The Preferred Alternative would allow the conversion of
currently undeveloped sites for commercial, residential, office and
other active urban uses. These urban uses will reduce habitat areas,
increase runoff rates through an increase in impervious surface,
increase noise levels and light and glare and increase demands on
public facilities, including roads and sewer and water.
Generally, the Preferred Alternative would have fewer impacts
than development allowed under existing plans and policies. The
Preferred Alternative would allow less development overall; in addi-
tion, the design of the alternative includes measures that would
mitigate many remaining impacts. For example, to limit visual
(
impacts, the alternative requires clustering on highly visible hill-
sides near Dimple Hill and the County Open Space Park. This
clustering is also intended to maintain greater wildlife habitat areas
and corridors and limit clear cutting within the planning area. The
proposed conversion of Forest Conservation areas could remove
land from active forestry management. The lands proposed for
removal, however, are generally of marginal quality for forestry;
they are south-facing slopes with lower productivity and are adja-
cent to existing rural residential areas. The development of housing
in that area could lead to increased fire hazards.
The alternative also designates wetlands and riparian corridors
for preservation to conserve those resources and limit flood hazards.
It also relies on the policies of local drainage plans (which assumed
even higher levels of development in West Corvallis) and the main-
tenance of significant open space areas. These areas include the
OSU agricultural research facilities and other farm and public open
space areas.
Increased noise, traffic and light and glare are unavoidable con-
sequences of urban development. The Preferred Alternative
addresses these impacts by directing a significant amount of urban
growth into pedestrian neighborhoods. These neighborhoods are
designed to encourage walking and bicycling and to discourage
higher-speed (and thus noisier) automobile travel through residen-
tial areas. Many of these features are also encouraged in other parts
of the planning area. The proposed trails and bicycle facilities in
the alternative also support these alternative modes of travel. Even
with these features, the alternative would allow increased traffic on
existing arterials which could create safety hazards where homes
have direct access onto the roadway The could especially be true
along West Hills Road between 35th and 53rd Streets.
7S
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,
(
(
(
Appendix C:
Transportation and Infrastructure Impacts
of the WCNP Plan
· Appendix C
INTRODUCTION
The development of designated urban areas of West Corvallis -
North Philomath under the proposed WCNP Plan will place addi-
tional burdens on public facilities, two of the most important being
the road system and the public sewer systems of Philomath and
Corvallis. This appendix is the evaluation of the adequacy of the
local roadway, sewer and water systems to accommodate the expect-
ed effects of the proposed WCNP Plan. The assessment of trans-
portation impacts focuses on key intersections within the planning
area and the improvements that may be needed to accommodate
expected traffic increases. The infrastructure analysis assesses the
ability of planned sewer and water systems to accommodate
planned development.
PLANNING HORIZON
Jurisdictions frequently make plans for different target dates
with different population and employment forecasts: short-term
plans are often for five to ten years, and long-term for 20 to 40
years. Other planning horizons are also used. In addition to these
target dates, jurisdictions also consider the ultimate, or full, devel-
opment allowed potentially under a land use plan. Corvallis, for
example, has used population forecasts of 62,500 (roughly 20
years) and 80,000 (30 to 50 years) in its recent transportation plan-
ning efforts. The ultimate population of Corvallis, that is, the
amount of development that would occur if all parts of the
Corvallis planning area were developed consistent with the City's
Comprehensive Plan, could reach 125,000.
This analysis of transportation, sewer and water system impacts
uses the City of Corvallis' 30- to 50-year planning horizon, as used
most recently in its draft Transportation Plan. This planning hori-
zon was extended to apply to Philomath and Benton County as
well. In addition, the sewer and water analysis examine the impacts
of the ultimate development of the planning area under the WCNP
Plan.
TRANSPORTATION IMPACTS
This analysis of the adequacy of transportation facilities com-
pares p.m. peak hour traffic volumes under the WCNP Plan to
1990 traffic counts and to the Future Year 80,000 population sce-
nario modeled for the City of Corvallis' draft Transportation Plan
(called the Future Base Model).
Comparison of WCNP Plan and Future Base Model
Population and employment are expected to grow in or near
West Corvallis under both the Future Base Model analyzed for the
draft Transportation Plan and the WCNP Plan. This growth would
have substantial impacts on transportation facilities in the West
Corvallis-North Philomath planning area. The following analysis
outlines where potential intersection improvements may be required
under the WCNP Plan. The reader should note, however, that these
improvements may be needed under the current plan designations
77
TABLE 1
ESTIMATED PM PEAK HOUR TRAFFIC VOLUMES ON SELECTED
ROADWAYS FOR WEST CORVALLIS - NORTH PHILOMATH PLAN
1990 Future Bose WCNP
Model Pion
Reservoir Road/53rd Street
Reservoir Rd. to West Hil~ 160 410 820
Reservoir Rd.(E8) 205 545 685
53rd St.(N8) 620 est. 725 1020
53rd St.(S8) 650 est. 1170 1490
Harrison-OakCreek/53rd-Walnut
Oak Creek Dr.(E8) 450 710 756
Harrison 8Ivd.(W8) 223 655 724
53rd St.lN8) 780 935 1314
Walnut 8Ivd.(S8) 380 555 460
Circle 8Ivd./Witham Hill Dr.
Circle 8lvd. (E8) N/A N/A 210
Circle 8lvd. (W8) 234 260 350
Witham Hill Dr. (N8) 427 490 500
Witham Hill Dr. (S8) 485 510 300
Harrison 8lvd./35th Street
Harrison 8lvd. (E8) 650 770 787
Harrison 8lvd. (W8) 950 985 985
Walnut 8Ivd./Witham Hill Dr.
Walnut 8lvd. (N8) 570 610 599
Walnut 8lvd. (S8) 700 630 580
West Hills Road/ 53rd Street
West Hills Rd. (E8) 220 520 800
West Hills Rd. (W8) 330 520 710
53rd St. (N8) 470 805 700
53rd St. (S8) 480 800 570
West Hills Road/Western Blvd.
West Hills Rd. (EB) 290 565 630
Western Blvd. (WB) 440 600 750
Western Blvd. (NEB) 210 est. 290 240
West Hills/19th Street (Philomath)
West Hills Rd.(EB) 70 est. 95 est. 11 0est.
West Hills Rd. (W8) 520 est. 680 est. 750 est.
19th Street (NB) 360 est. 470 est. 560 est.
Note 1: "est." indicates a value that was estimated in absence of current counts or 80,000
scenario modeling information
Note 2: This analysis was completed prior to the addition of the "proposed re-alignment of
Reservoir Road". It does not reflect any reductions in congestion that such are-alignment
might provide.
78
analyzed in the Future Base Model as well. Under both scenarios,
potential transportation improvements for the proposed plan are
limited to intersection improvements (turning bays) and do not con-
sist of additional automobile travel lanes for the complete length of
any roadway facility, with the one exception of 53rd Street.
One new collector road and several new neighborhood collector
roads are also proposed. The analysis of the adequacy of transporta-
tion facilities in the West Corvallis -North Philomath planning area
considered relative differences in PM. peak hour traffic volumes for
the WCNP Plan as compared to 1990 traffic counts and to the mod-
eled Future Year 80,000 population scenario. The Future Base
Model analyzed a population scenario roughly half way between cur-
rent population and full build out of the planning area under pre-
sent land use designations, while the WCNP Plan was analyzed for
its population at build out.
Changes in land use activity in the West Corvallis - North
Philomath study area would necessarily result in a change in the use
of the transportation facilities in the study area. Table 1 lists PM.
peak hour traffic volumes for the key intersections in the study area
for 1990, for the Future Base 80,000 population model run (called
Base) and for the WCNP Plan. For the WCNP Plan, the change in
volumes at these key intersections would be an increase over 1990
counts. Although some intersection movements decrease in the
WCNP Plan relative to the Future Base Model, there would be an
overall increase in volume in the study area relative to the Base
Model as should be expected when comparing 'buildout' to less than
buildout scenarios.
The discussion that follows summarizes the ability of transporta-
tion facilities in the study area to accommodate the traffic volumes
that would accompany the land use activity defined for the WCNP
Plan. The natural growth in population and employment in the
study area from the present to the Future Base Model would have
substantial impacts on transportation facilities in the study area.
Although this analysis considered the key intersections in the WCNP
Plan study area, the reader should note that many of these intersec-
tion improvements may be required under the Future Base Model as
well.
The report covers those locations that may require capacity
improvements in order to accommodate traffic volumes resulting
from the WCNP Plan. These improvements include capacity
enhancements for intersection and roadway segments (such as
widening and lane additions) as well as the potential need for traffic
signals. With the exception of 53rd Street, addition of automobile
travel lanes for an extended length of any particular facility does not
appear necessary Rather, required widenings are likely limited to
intersection approaches to allow separation of turning movements.
Traffic signal warrants from the Federal Highway Administration's
"Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices" (MUTCD) were used
to evaluate the need for traffic signal installation at respective loca-
tions. The MUTCD generally requires that signal warrants be met
for 8 hours in a 24 hour period. Therefore, some of the intersection
volumes in Table 1 may appear to warrant a signal but may not do
so because these volumes are expected for only one or a few peak
hours per day These types of intersections may, however, require
geometric improvement.
Reservoir Road/S3rd Street
In the WCNP Plan, the Reservoir Road/53rd Street intersec-
tion would have a 146% increase in volume over current counts.
This increase occurs heavily on all three intersection approaches.
The volumes would be 4 I % higher than the volumes in the Future
Base Model. These increases would also occur on all three
approaches to the intersection and result from a dramatic increase in
residential units near the southwest quadrant of the 53rd
StreetlHarrison Blvd. intersection, slight increases in land use activity
west of 53rd Street and south of West Hills Road and to the estab-
lishment of a new collector facility between 53rd and 35th Streets,
just south of this intersection. The northbound and southbound
volumes would likely warrant the widening of 53rd Street to four
lanes, as has been planned for the Future Base Model as well. This
intersection would require a signal warrant analysis.
Widening of the eastbound approach would be required to sep-
arate left and right tum movements. Further, the intersection of
53rd Street with the new collector facility just south of Reservoir
Road would likely be signalized, requiring Signal timing coordina-
tion with the Signal at the Reservoir Road/53rd Street intersection.
Harrison Blvd.- Oak Creek Dr./53rd St.-Walnut Blvd.
In the WCNP Plan this intersection would have a 78% increase
in volume over current counts. This increase would occur on all
four approaches. The volumes would be 14% higher than the vol-
umes in the Future Base Model. These increases relative to the
Future Base Model would occur primarily on the east and south
approaches of the intersection and result primarily from an increase
in residential units in the area west of the Harrison Boulevard/53rd
Street intersection, counterbalanced slightly by a decrease in the
modeled commercial activity in the same location. The southbound
approach loses volume relative to the 80,000 scenario due to a
reduction in land use activity to the north and east. There would be
about 1500 vehicles approaching the intersection on Harrison/Oak
Creek and nearly 1800 on Walnut/53rd. Traffic signalization would
most likely be required as well as left turn lanes on all four
approaches.
Harrison Boulevard/35th Street
The traffic volume on Harrison at 35th Street for the WCNP
Plan would increase by 11 % over current volumes and 1% over the
Future Base Model. The primary reason for this similarity to the
80,000 model is that the large increase in the WCNP Plan in resi-
dential units west of the Harrison Blvd./Walnut intersection would
be countered by a relative decrease in commercial activity in the
areas just north of Harrison Boulevard and between 53rd Street and
Witham Hill Drive.
Congestion along Harrison near the 35th Street will be heavy
and access from side streets onto Harrison will be difficult. The
proposed addition of left turn lanes along Harrison will help allevi-
ate congestion. However, it is likely that a signal will be warranted
at the intersection of Harrison Boulevard and 35th Street. Again, a
signal warrant study would be required at the appropriate time. A
signal installation at 35th Street along Harrison may require the
consideration of signalizing 36th Street as well in order to coordi-
nate travel along Harrison Boulevard and travel onto and across
Harrison Boulevard from 35th and 36th Streets.
West Hills Road/53rd Street
Under the WCNP Plan, the West Hills Road/53rd Street inter-
section would have an 85% increase over current traffic volumes
and a 5% increase relative to the 80,000 base model. All four
approaches of the intersection would have volume increases.
Increases in residential units and commercial activity north of West
Hills Road and in residential units west of this intersection and
between 35th and 53rd Streets are largely responsible for this
increase in volume. Relative to the 80,000 Base Model, there
would be an increase in PM. peak hour volumes on the east and
west approaches, but a large decrease on the north and south
approaches with the WCNP Plan. This decrease in volume relative
to the Future Base Model would be the result of the significant
reduction in retail and office uses west of 53rd Street and south of
West Hills Road. At a minimum, this intersection will require the
separation of turning movements and will likely warrant a traffic
signal.
West Hills Road west of Reservoir Road would become congest-
ed with the addition of 1000 residences and commercial activity
The traffic volumes in this analysis suggest that the facility will need
to be widened between the development location and Reservoir
Road, or at least provide left turn pockets.
West Hills Road/Western Blvd
The intersection of West Hills Road and Western Boulevard will
show an increase in PM. peak traffic volumes over both current
counts (72%) and the Future Base Model 01 %) under the WCNP
Plan. This increase would primarily be due to increases in residen-
tial units north of West Hills Road and between 35th and 53rd
Streets. Through volumes at this intersection would require a signal
warrant analysis. Congestion at this intersection could be reduced if
vehicles to and from Philomath were encouraged to utilize the 35th
StreetlPhilomath Boulevard intersection.
Circle Blvd./Witham Hill Drive
The intersection of Circle Boulevard and Witham Hill Drive
would have PM. peak hour traffic volumes similar to current counts
and 9% less than the Future Base Model. The extension of Circle
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80
Boulevard through this intersection would increase traffic using this
intersection from the east and west approaches, but decrease vol-
umes on the north and south approaches from reductions in resi-
dential and commercial activity to the north and west. Analysis of
off-peak travel volumes suggest that a signal may not be warranted.
At minimum, however, separation of turn movements will likely be
required on the Circle Boulevard approaches.
West Hills Road/19th Street (Philomath)
The intersection of West Hills Road and 19th Street in
Philomath will not likely require a signal or lane additions.
However, a 42% increase over current counts and a 9% increase
over the Future Base Model will increase congestion in that general
area.
New East-West Collector Facility Between 53rd Street and 35th
Street
Traffic volumes on the new collector facility would range from
300 from 1100 vehicles, being heaviest on the west end. These
traffic volumes appear to consist primarily of vehicles accessing the
increased land uses on the south side of this facility However, the
facility also serves some through trips between 53rd Street and 35th
Street. If desired, these through trips can be discouraged by a vari-
ety of methods, such as managed slower speeds. Regardless, this
new faCility would relieve congestion along West Hills Road
between 53rd Street and 35th Street, perhaps preventing the need
for widening. In general, additional east-west capacity would be
required in this area relative to the existing network. This increased
capacity could be on West Hills Road or in the form of this new
facility
SEWER IMPACTS
The infrastructure impacts analysis compares the expected
sewage flows resulting from the development of WCNP Plan to the
planned capacity of local sewerage facilities. These planned capaci-
ties are identified, by sewer drainage basin, in the Corvallis and
Philomath sewer plans. However it is important to understand that
the City of Corvallis will be revising its Sewer Master Plan in the
1996-1997 year. If the WCNP Plan is approved at that time, the
revised Sewer Plan will use the WCNP Plan densities and land uses
as the basis from which to design needed facilities.
Sewerage flows that could result from the two scenarios
described below would reflect the base flow generated by potential
new residences and businesses within West Corvallis, infiltration
from leaky joints, illegal storm connections, excessive amounts of
roof and pavement run-off connections, and existing flow from
areas outside of the planning area.
Impacts of the 80,000 Scenario
The sewage flows generated by the 80,000 scenario would fall
between thirty-five and ninty percent of planned capacities for all
drainage service basins. With the exception of the Fillmore Basin,
the service areas that are closest to capacity are the ones that are
assumed to have the greatest amount of development within the
next 30 to 50 years.
The trunk sewer for the Fillmore Basin has existing capacity
restrictions. These are primarily related to infiltration and inflow.
The update of the Corvallis Sewer Master Plan in FY 1996-97 will
need to identify the necessary rehabilitation/replacement actions for
this basin to provide for development planned under existing
Comprehensive Plan designations. Should the WCNP Plan be rec-
ommended forward, its land use assumptions will be factored into
these evaluations.
Impacts of Ultimate Development
With the full development of West Corvallis - North Philomath
allowed under the WCNP Plan, sewerage flows in several additional
service areas (Squaw Creek, Lower Oak Creek, and Country Club
basins) match or exceed planned capacity, though not significantly
The Fy 1996-97 update of the Sewer Master Plan should be used to
identify necessary rehabilitation/replacement actions for these basins
as well as the Fillmore basin.
It should be noted, however, that the ultimate development
allowed under the WCNP Plan in these basins would be similar in
impact to ultimate development allowed under existing plans. That
is, the potential problems in these basins would likely occur even if
(
the WCNP Plan is not adopted, and the master plan update would
also need to address these problems.
The WCNP Plan uses the Urban Transition concept to address
these impacts. That concept will allow development of only a small
part of existing parcels until findings can be made that adequate
sewer and water facilities are or will be made available to the pro-
posed development site. In addition, and with the exception of the
Fillmore Basin, these impacts will likely occur only in the long
term. Sewer improvement plans should reflect the ultimate devel-
opment potential within the planning area when planning for the
replacement of existing trunk lines. Trunk line replacement is fre-
quently done on a 40- to 50-year cycle. Water conservation efforts
and truck line maintenance may help
WATER SUPPLY
Water service to the portion of the WCNP planning area that
falls within the Corvallis UGB has been planned for in the 1981
Corvallis Water Plan. This areas is served within all three of the
service levels of the City (lst level, 210'-287'; 2nd level, 287'-407';
3rd level, 407'-560').
As noted above, this plan is to be updated in FY 1996-97.
Second and 3rd level service to areas south of Harrison Boulevard
will require construction of reservoir and transmission facilities.
Some of these facilities have been programmed in the 1996-2001
Capital Improvement Program, and the priority of their construc-
tion could be accelerated with developer contributions related to a
development proposal in the area.
Water facilities are generally sized to accommodate fire flows,
which are factored on top of daily water usage. As the expected
number of dwelling uses is not significantly greater than anticipated
under the current Comprehensive Plan, planned water facilities
should be adequate to serve the area with minor modifications.
The update of the Water Plan in FY 1996-97 will be used to ensure
that any deficiencies are addressed.
Analysis of water and sewer services in the North Philomath
area indicates that levels of development anticipated under either
current zoning or at higher densities on portions of the North
Philomath UGB area could be accommodated by the City of
Philomath system. Plans have been prepared that show the future
extension of water mains, sewer trunks and connections to existing
service lines. (Source: North Philomath Water and Sewer Update,
Westech Engineering, August, 1993.)
81
82
Appendix D
Criteria For Review of the WCNP Plan
Appendix D
From October 1995 to May 1996 the Task Force reviewed in
detail the draft West Corvallis Growth Management Plan prepared
by Blaney Dyett Urban and Regional Planners. As a result of this
process the Task Force refined the policies, the land use plan and
the implementation mechanisms. Below are the criteria used by the
Task Force in conducting this review.
1. Have property owner interests, as communicated to the Task
Force, been reasonably considered?
2. Have interests of the residents of the planning area, as com-
municated to the Task Force, been reasonably considered?
3. Can consistency with the vision of the communit~at-large be
achieved?
a) Desires of the community
b) "Public good"
(e.g. visions contained in each of the Comprehensive Plans and
associated documents)
4. Can consistency with State Land Use Goals and Guidelines
be achieved?
a) A component may be consistent with one goal, but inconsis-
tent with another, requiring a balancing effort (e.g. forest,
farm, and open space).
b) Transportation Planning Rule 12 - part of the reason for the
grant was to address transportation issues.
s. Can it happen (financial feasibility)?
a) Will the development community (banks, developers) want to
finance and build the various elements?
b) Will the design concepts and construction of the elements
result in the desired quality of development?
6. Will a range of housing types and densities be allowed in a
range of prices suitable to the needs of the community?
7. Is the proposed element consistent with the six points of
consensus?
a) A moderate rate of planned growth (The urban growth
boundaries should be moved only when areas within them
have been developed compactly and efficiently)
b) Retain the individual identities of Philomath and Corvallis
(The two unique communities should retain independent gov-
ernment and individual identities. Separate them with open
space buffers.)
c) Continue to develop good interconnected paths and bicycle
routes (Trails and bike paths should provide efficient routes to
schools, shopping, and places of work. They should also pro-
vide access to open space resources both within and outside
the developed areas.)
d) Preserve the hillside viewsheds (Retain the wooded natural
appearance of hills within the area's viewshed.)
e) Preserve riparian corridors (Reserve corridors along streams,
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creeks, and drainage ways to protect water quality and provide
opportunities for recreation.)
DNew developments should be clustered and pedestrian friend-
ly (New developments should be designed to be walkable and
have good bicycle routes. They should also have a mix of
housing types and densities.)
8. Are the public costs associated with the element- initial and
ongoing- reasonable? (Efficient use of public infrastruc
ture?)
9. Are changes to Comprehensive Plans intentional and
beneficial?
a) Appropriate level of residential, commercial and industrial
development
b) Promotes public safety
c) Potential impacts to development or redevelopment elsewhere
in the communities
d) Appropriate distribution of land uses/densities within the
planning area
10. Has the concept considered the relationship with adjacent
"natural" features and existing development?
11. Has protection of the environment consistent with the com-
munity vision been accomplished?
12. Goals:
1. Establish a framework of open space that conserves natural
resources, supports the agricultural research mission of
Oregon State University, defines and buffers development and
provides opportunities for recreation.
2. Accommodate a fair share of the region's growth within the
West Corvallis and North Philomath area and provide afford-
able housing for the different economic and demographic
groups within the county.
3. Reduce reliance on the private automobile by creating neigh-
borhoods and development patterns that encourage walking
and bicycling and efficient transit service.
4. Create new neighborhoods that encourage community build-
ing, offer diverse housing types, sizes, prices and rents, are
pedestrian-friendly and offer alternatives to auto use, and
maintain or enhance the quality of life of their residents.
5. Support the economic health of the region by designating
adequate area for OSU research facilities, encouraging eco-
nomic links to adjoining public and private agricultural facili-
ties, and designating appropriate sites for additional basic
employment.
6. Balance open space conservation and growth in a way that
protects important natural resources, accommodates forecasted
growth, and maintains or enhances the quality of life of exist-
ing and future residents of the Corvallis-Philomath area.
DATE:
TO:
FROM:
RE:
MEMORANDUM
January 28, 1999
Readers ofthe West Corvallis - North Philomath PI,
Ken Gibb, Community DevelopmentDirecto~$~
City Council Recommended Changes
On December 21, 1998, the Corvallis City Council adopted the West Corvallis - North Philomath
Plan with the proposed revisions noted below. This memo will serve as an interim errata sheet until
such time that the revisions noted below are incorporated into the reprinted document.
• The land use designation for the Frager property north of Harrison should be converted to
Residential.
• The western half of the Alberti property south of West Hills Road should be converted to
industrial and the adjacent industrial designation to the west should be converted to
Residential.
• The OSU land fronting Witham Hill Drive near Elmwood and designated Mixed Use Area
should be converted to Agricultural Research and Agriculture.
• The Public Lands west of the Fairgrounds should be converted to Residential and Medium
High Density Residential.
• The Neighborhood Village & Shopping Center designation along Philomath Boulevard
should be converted to Residential, with the exception of the two easternmost parcels.
• The Neighborhood Village designation on 35th Street, just north ofWestern Boulevard has
been changed to Public Institutional andMedium Density Residential. This area should now
be noted as a Neighborhood Village Study Area.
• Population projections for the Plan provides a time period in which development is intended
to occur. Revised population forecasts in the adopted Comprehensive Plan should be
inserted as appropriate into the Plan.
• Add to glossary: "Urban Fringe - Land within a city's Urban Growth Boundary but outside
its city limits."
(Continued on back)
• Page 22, under "An Urban Transition Process" replace the first two bulleted items with the
following two:
• urban fringe development would be required to occur in clusters, on urban-sized lots;
• such development would be located consistent with the patterns of future urban
development called for in the West Corvallis-North Philomath Plan. This will
prevent land parcelization and development patterns that would make future
urbanization difficult.
• Page 53, in the third paragraph of the Introduction, replace the second sentence with the
following: "This chapter describes development review and approval procedures needed to
address urban fringe development prior to annexation and extension of services." In the
fourth paragraph of the Introduction, delete the word "interim" from the first sentence.
• Page 54, 7.3 (a), rewrite third bulleted item to read. "Allow property owners who desire to
develop today to do so, in exchange for an understanding that only limited development will
occur prior to annexation." In the fifth bulleted item, second line, insert the work "future"
between ''the'' and ''urban design" to read ''the future urban design". Rewrite sixth bulleted
item to read, "Establish incentives andprocedures, throughprovisionof1imiteddevelopment
opportunities, that promote urban density development in conformance with City
Comprehensive Plan policies and map designations as well as city design and development
standards." In the seventh bulleted item, rewrite the second sentence to read, "Only the first
phase cluster development, which provides its own on-site services, is permitted in advance
of annexation and provision of urban services. (See 7.3.[b])" In the eighth bulleted item,
delete ''urban.'' .