Refreshing AIA-SWO CoLA!

 

I wrote a blog post back in August about the AIA-Southwestern Oregon decision to form a new Eugene/Springfield Committee on Local Affairs. At that time, I was undecided about being a candidate for one of the three appointed committee positions. After reading my post and learning of my ambivalence toward serving, AIA-SWO past-president Scott Clarke, AIA twisted my arm. So here I am now, a member of CoLA who, along with Austin Bailey, AIA, Travis Sheridan, Assoc. AIA, and Scott, is ready to consider and comment upon topics of importance and urgency for our community and profession. Wish us well! 

 

Refreshing AIA-SWO CoLA!

The newly formed AIA-SWO Eugene/Springfield Committee on Local Affairs (CoLA) is ready to publicly represent the professionally informed opinion of the chapter on topics of community-wide importance. By doing so, the committee hopes to elevate the stature and visibility of architects in general by representing design professionals as active, organized, and concerned public citizens. CoLA is prepared to adopt an activist posture, engaging design-related issues in the glare of the public eye. 

 

The following individuals have volunteered to serve as CoLA’s initial members: 

 

Scott Clarke, AIA – PIVOT Architecture; AIA-SWO immediate past-president and non-voting representative from the AIA-SWO board of directors

 

Austin Bailey, AIA – Rowell Brokaw Architects 

 

Randy Nishimura, AIA – Robertson/Sherwood/Architects pc 

 

Travis Sheridan, Assoc. AIA – Willard C. Dixon Architect, LLC 

 

Both Austin and Travis will serve two-year terms on CoLA. Scott and Randy will be members for one year. Staggering the terms of the committee members will ensure continuity by eliminating wholesale turnover at any one point. 

 

CoLA wishes to both inform the AIA-SWO chapter membership about architectural issues of importance to Eugene and Springfield residents and also invite participation and input from members at-large. Toward this end, CoLA will convene open meetings of the committee. The first of these will occur at noon on Thursday, October 22 at the Octagon. 

 

The topic for this first meeting will be City of Eugene’s development of its proposed new South Willamette Special Area Zone (SW-SAZ). With City Council action imminent, controversy about SW-SAZ has reached a flashpoint. The gamut of issues the controversy encompasses includes the challenge of compact urban development in the face of future development pressures, individual property rights, and exactly when and how the city has engaged impacted neighbors and property owners. 

 

The consensus of the CoLA members is the SW-SAZ is too important a subject for architects to be silent about. If you agree, don’t miss the opportunity to share your thoughts by meeting with the CoLA members, suggest other issues for future consideration by the committee, and otherwise help shape our profession’s public profile. Mark your calendars now! 

 

What: AIA-SWO CoLA Meeting: South Willamette Special Area Zone 

 

When: Thursday, October 22, 2015 – noon to 1:00 PM 

 

Where: The Octagon, 92 East Broadway, downtown Eugene