Comprehensive Planning coordinates Springfield’s local community planning and development activity within Oregon’s statewide planning framework to ensure the highest possible level of livability. Oregon law requires all cities to adopt Comprehensive Plans and to coordinate their public actions to be consistent with the adopted plan. Plans are based on 20-year population projections and must meet a set of Statewide Planning Goals intended to guide the use of land to:
- Provide a healthy environment.
- Sustain a prosperous economy.
- Ensure a desirable quality of life.
- Equitably allocate resources across neighborhoods.
Comprehensive plans contain maps and policies to guide land use, transportation, infrastructure, and other investments within an urban growth boundary (UGB). The UGB is the area into which the city is expected to grow as properties are provided access to urban services through annexation. In Oregon, cities’ comprehensive plans are coordinated with regional plans and Oregon law. In response to 2007 legislation, Springfield is transitioning from relying solely on the regional comprehensive plan–the Eugene-Springfield Metropolitan Area General Plan (Metro Plan)–to a city-specific Springfield Comprehensive Plan. While the Metro Plan continues to be the guiding document for some topics (or “elements”), Springfield created a Springfield Comprehensive Plan with its own goals and policies for certain elements. These goals and policies will guide Springfield’s growth and development through the 2010-2030 planning period. Keep in mind when reviewing the Comprehensive Plan that:
- The Springfield Comprehensive Plan Map (Click to view the interactive map or PDF map). Shows the locations of desired land uses such as residential, commercial, industrial, and park areas.
- Neighborhood Refinement Plans provide more specific plan designations and land development policies.
The preface of the Comprehensive Plan provides additional guidance on how to review these various documents, including the Metro Plan. The Springfield Comprehensive Plan also has a Technical Supplement. Below are ordinances related to some of the specific elements of the Comprehensive Plan:
- Residential Land Use and Housing Element (Adopted 2011, Ordinance 6268)
- Transportation Element (Transportation System Plan) (Adopted 2014, Ordinance 6314; Updated 2020, Ordinance 6413)
- UGB Expansion and Economic and Urbanization Element (Adopted 2016, Ordinance 6361*)
*Note: Staff made limited corrections to the staff report and findings (Exhibit F of the Ordinance) after adoption. - Land Use Element and Springfield Comprehensive Plan Map (Adopted 2023, Ordinance 6463)
- Recreation Element (Adopted 2024, Ordinance 6484)
Check out this presentation for a way to listen to an overview of these state, regional, and city planning frameworks and a description of how they relate.
Featured Active Projects
Springfield Development Code Updates
The Springfield Development Code is the principal document that implements local, state, and federal land use, transportation, and environmental laws applicable in the City of Springfield. The City regularly updates the Code to comply with new requirements and to better respond to community needs. A list of underway and adopted code amendments can be found here.
Natural Resource Inventories & Protections for Springfield’s UGB Expansion Areas
With the recent expansion of Springfield’s UGB comes an opportunity to make progress on a framework for how and where future development may occur in the UGB expansion areas. This inventory and assessment project furthers one way to address this need. Future development within the UGB expansion areas will rely on an understanding of the land’s existing characteristics to make informed decisions. This project will inventory and evaluate wetlands, riparian corridors, and wildlife habitat in the UGB expansion areas to determine which of these resources should be locally protected and where development is best-directed. To ultimately meet Statewide Planning Goal 5, the inventories and preferred options for protecting wetlands, riparian corridors, and wildlife habitat will result in the second update to the Springfield Natural Resources Study.
Climate-Friendly Areas
Oregon’s Climate-Friendly and Equitable Communities Rules requires some cities, including Springfield, to reduce air pollution by allowing places that enable people to get around by ways other than driving alone. This Climate-Friendly Areas project is one way Springfield is working to meet these needs.
Contact Us
If you have questions or an idea regarding Springfield’s Comprehensive Planning, please contact Sandy Belson, Comprehensive Planning Manager at 541-736-7135 or email her at sbelson@springfield-or.gov. Call 541-726-3753 to speak with the Planner on duty for questions about specific development projects. Offices are located within City Hall at 225 Fifth Street.