What’s unique about the site? What opportunities and constraints</a> are present?

The Everyone Village property has some unique opportunities and constraints. Below is a breakdown of some of the key characteristics and considerations for the ongoing development of the village.

*Note:* Pictured above is a 2019 satellite image of the 3.5-acre Everyone Village property. The site is located in West Eugene at the edge of an industrial and residential district. (Google Maps, n.d.)

Private Land Lease

There are various opportunities on-site to consider. The property is on lease by a private donor who believes in the mission.

Opportunity – Partnership with Rexius

The property is currently privately owned by the Rexius family. Everyone Church signed a five-year contract to lease the property. Most of the shelter sites in Eugene are owned and managed by the City of Eugene, and thus, have more rules and regulations to follow. In addition to leasing this private land, the Rexius family continues to provide financial and material support through their landscaping company, Rexius.

“In August 2021, Rexius President Arlen Rexius donated a 3.55-acre property [for use] on Dani Street to EveryOne Church in hopes of addressing homelessness in West Eugene. In September, the Eugene City Council approved the location as a Safe Sleep site.”

— (Parafiniuk-Talesnick, 2022)

The Wet Prairie Habitat

Opportunity – Natural Outdoor Space

A large portion of the site is wet prairie habitat. There abounds a large amount of vegetation and animal life. Many of the villagers and staff comment on the beauty and tranquility that this area provides. It is both a space for them to visit and a viewpoint from their homes.

“We need more cottages and I want people to come first, but I would miss the wetland. The animals––the frogs, geese, killdeer...””

— Everyone Village Resident

Constraint – Wetland Delineation

The City of Eugene has instigated a wetland delineation process to determine the extent of the wetland within the property boundaries. This process is often long, labor-intensive, and full of bureaucratic logistics. Due to this process, the phase two development of the site will be suspended until its completion.

“Wetland delineation establishes the existence (location) and physical limits (size) of a wetland for purposes of federal, state, and local regulations.”
––WA Department of Ecology

This limits the current design interventions to the asphalt and warehouse areas of the site. The focus of future design interventions will be subject to the results of the wetland delineation process.

“Wetlands are areas where water covers the soil, or is present either at or near the surface of the soil all year or for varying periods of time during the year, including during the growing season. Water saturation (hydrology) largely determines how the soil develops and the types of plant and animal communities living in and on the soil. Wetlands may support both aquatic and terrestrial species. The prolonged presence of water creates conditions that favor the growth of specially adapted plants (hydrophytes) and promote the development of characteristic wetland (hydric) soils.”
––EPA (US Environmental Protection Agency)
“Wetlands vary widely because of regional and local differences in soils, topography, climate, hydrology, water chemistry, vegetation and other factors, including human disturbance. Indeed, wetlands are found from the tundra to the tropics and on every continent except Antarctica. Two general categories of wetlands are recognized: coastal or tidal wetlands and inland or non-tidal wetlands.”
––EPA (US Environmental Protection Agency
Inland/Non-tidal Wetlands
“Inland/non-tidal wetlands are most common on floodplains along rivers and streams (riparian wetlands), in isolated depressions surrounded by dry land (for example, playas, basins and "potholes"), along the margins of lakes and ponds, and in other low-lying areas where the groundwater intercepts the soil surface or where precipitation sufficiently saturates the soil (vernal pools and bogs). Inland wetlands include marshes and wet meadows dominated by herbaceous plants, swamps dominated by shrubs, and wooded swamps dominated by trees.”
––EPA (US Environmental Protection Agency)
The property of Everyone Village is within the Willamette Valley floodplain.
“Many of these wetlands are seasonal (they are dry one or more seasons every year), and, particularly in the arid and semiarid West, may be wet only periodically. The quantity of water present and the timing of its presence in part determine the functions of a wetland and its role in the environment. Even wetlands that appear dry at times for significant parts of the year -- such as vernal pools-- often provide critical habitat for wildlife adapted to breeding exclusively in these areas.
Diverse species of mammals, plants, insects, amphibians, reptiles, birds and fish rely on wetlands for food, habitat or shelter. Wetlands are some of the most biologically productive natural ecosystems in the world, comparable to tropical rain forests or coral reefs in the number and variety of species they support. Although wetlands make up only about 5 percent of the land area of the lower 48 states, more than one-third of threatened and endangered species live only in wetlands. An additional 20% of the country’s threatened and endangered species use or inhabit wetlands at some time in their life.”
—EPA (US Environmental Protection Agency)

Opportunity – Habitat Restoration

Although the wetland delineation process will slow down the construction process and potentially limit the development opportunities of the site, there is an opportunity to connect with local organizations and grant opportunities to restore the quality and function of the site’s unique ecosystems. The wetland field is inundated with invasive grasses and plant species. Removal and mitigation of these species will be important in the long-term restoration of the site. Additionally, in an effort to educate and employ villagers, the site restoration efforts could be a catalyst for improved environmental, economic, and social conditions for all.

“Over the past two decades, stewards developed adaptive management techniques to systematically understand and define best practices in wetland restoration. Such work requires many helping hands and broad botanical knowledge to identify what is or should/should not be growing in restoration sites, remove harmful invasives, and measure project success by maintaining high community diversity over-time.”

— Emily-Bell, Better Learning Through Botany

“Almost all remaining wetlands in this ecoregion have been degraded to some degree by altered water regimes, pollution, and invasive plants and animals. Wetlands in the Willamette Valley serve important ecological functions for communities, provide habitat for amphibians, turtles, birds, and fish, and offer key bird and fish migratory pathways.”

— (Oregon Conservation Strategy, n.d)

*Note:* (Aerial Image: Meadowhawk Drone Photo)

Additionally, the Everyone Village site is near an important conservation area, The Nature Conservancy’s Willow Creek Preserve. In addition to a number of others, there are two main system conservation targets for this area, upland prairie and wetland prairie—both types of which can be found on the Everyone Village site. One of the nested conservation targets, Kincaid’s Lupine, has also been identified on-site. In an effort to support the local conservation efforts, phase two of the site development should consider all opportunities to improve the quality and health of the environmental conditions.

“Today a number of conserved remnant and carefully reconstructed wetland prairies pepper the Willamette Valley. These sites are incredibly important to preserving species, creating diverse plant communities, and maintaining habitat for native wildlife.”

— Emily-Bell, Better Learning Through Botany

These plants were selected as conservation targets for the nearby Willow Creek Preserve. To assist in the conservation efforts, the following plants will be considered the conservation targets of the Everyone Village site.
Wet Prairie Conservation Targets
- Willamette daisy (Erigeron decumbens)
- Bradshaw’s lomatium (Lomatium bradshawii)
- Recemed goldenrod (Pyrrocoma racemosa)
- White-topped aster (Sericocarpus rigidus)
- Shaggy horkelia (Horkelia congesta)
- Western meadowlark (Sturnella neglecta)
- Hitchcock’s blue-eyed grass (Sisyrinchium hitchcockii)
Upland Prairie Conservation Targets
- Kincaid’s lupine (Lupinus oreganus var. kincaidii)
- Fender’s blue butterfly (Icaricia icarioides fenderi)
- Western meadowlark (Sturnella neglecta)
- Vesper Sparrow (Pooecetes gramineus)
Wet Prairie
“Grass and forb-dominated communities are typically dominated by Tufted hairgrass (Deschampsia cespitosa) that is seasonally flooded or saturated. Perched water tables and relatively impermeable clay soils are often present in this wetland type. Wet prairies are usually wet in the late spring and gradually dry out during the summer, being completely dry by late summer. Hummocky micro-topography is characteristic of this wetland type.”
Upland Prairie
“Grass and forb dominated communities dominated by bunchgrasses, including Festuca roemeri, Danthonia californica, Elmymus glaucus, and Achnatherum lemmonii, the spaces between the bunchgrasses are typically covered by mosses, frutiscose lichens or native forbs. These prairies occur on well drained lowlands and valley soils, especially along valley margins.”
—(Willow Creek Site Maintenance Plan, 2014)
“[Noun] Organism that has a major influence on the way its ecosystem works.
In any arrangement or community, the “keystone” is considered one of the most vital parts. In a marine ecosystem, or any type of ecosystem, a keystone species is an organism that helps hold the system together. Without its keystone species, ecosystems would look very different. Some ecosystems might not be able to adapt to environmental changes if their keystone species disappeared. That could spell the end of the ecosystem, or it could allow an invasive species to take over and dramatically shift the ecosystem in a new direction.”
––National Geographic

A few patches of Kincaid’s Lupine have been discovered on-site. This plant is a keystone species in the area for the endangered upland prairie habitats in the Willamette Valley. The Kindcaid’s lupine is a major focus of local conservation efforts. In a community focused on health and community support, there is both a practical and metaphorical opportunity to provide space for these plant to thrive.

“So much of the prairie—and the Kincaid’s lupine—has disappeared in the valley due to a variety of causes from urbanization, agriculture and non-native plant invasions to the suppression of wildfire—that the Fender’s blue butterfly teeters on the edge of extinction. With only one percent of the prairie remaining, conservation is crucial to the survival of both plant and pollinator. ”

— The Nature Conservancy

*Note:* A patch of Kincaid’s Lupine during early spring, a keystone species for wetland prairie habitat.

Extreme Heat + Lack of Shade

Constraint – Extreme Heat

The Everyone Village site is located in one of the hottest areas of the city. To add to this, nearly all of the current housing on-site is located on top of asphalt, which retains heat throughout the day. Interventions to mitigate the extreme summer heat will be of utmost importance for the health and comfort of villagers and staff.

*Note:* Phase One of development has been exclusively limited to the asphalt and gravel lots while the field undergoes wetland delineation. Satellite Image: (Apple Maps, n.d.)

*Note:* A photo just after the fire lane and RV lots were painted. This is the location of the majority of homes on-site during phase one of Everyone Village’s development.

“Federal statistics over a 30-year period show extreme heat is the leading cause of weather-related deaths in the United States. Extreme heat exacerbated by urban heat islands can lead to increased respiratory difficulties, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke. These heat impacts significantly affect the most vulnerable—children, the elderly, and those with preexisting conditions.”

— The Trust for Public Land

*Note:* This map depicts the urban heat island severity for the city of Eugene, OR. The white arrow points to the location of Everyone Village. The purpose of the urban heat island severity layer is to show where certain areas of cities are hotter than the average temperature for that same city as a whole. Severity is measured on a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being a relatively mild heat area (slightly above the mean for the city), and 5 being a severe heat area (significantly above the mean for the city). *Source:* Urban Heat Island Severity for U.S. cities (2019). Imagery Layer by The Trust for Public Land. Updated on May 18, 2023. (ESRI, n.d.)

Heat islands are urbanized areas that experience higher temperatures than outlying areas. Structures such as buildings, roads, and other infrastructure absorb and re-emit the sun’s heat more than natural landscapes such as forests and water bodies. Urban areas, where these structures are highly concentrated and greenery is limited, become “islands” of higher temperatures relative to outlying areas. Daytime temperatures in urban areas are about 1–7°F higher than temperatures in outlying areas and nighttime temperatures are about 2-5°F higher.”
––EPA (US Environmental Protection Agency)

Constraint – Lack of Trees + Shade

Currently, there is only one tree on-site at the perimeter, a single cottonwood. Due to the lack of canopy cover, there are few natural places on-site to escape the heat and rest. Design interventions that aim to increase canopy cover and/or shade opportunities would increase the potential resiliency of the site.

Site Conditions

Constraint – Soil + Contaminants

For decades, the Rexius landscaping company used this site for material storage and certain operational needs. Due to this industrial history, the property is considered a brownfield. There is a potential for soil contamination. In an effort to address the food insecurity concerns of villagers on-site, there is a desire to use part of the field for food production. would make it difficult to grow food on-site. This, in turn, would limit the options for cultivating food on-site and the village’s ability to address food insecurity for residents.

“A brownfield is a property, the expansion, redevelopment, or reuse of which may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant.”
––EPA (US Environmental Protection Agency)

A soil test conducted by the OSU Soil Lab indicated that there are minimal contaminants in the area designated for edible plant cultivation.

*Note:* The soil test results for the community garden area, conducted by the Oregon State University Soil Health Laboratory

Constraint – Standing Water

Given its location on the Willamette River floodplain and the clay soils, standing water can be found on-site for most parts of the year. Design interventions should address the opportunities and constraints of the vernal pools and water retention of the clay soil on-site.

*Note:* The site is relatively flat with slight depressions throughout the site that form vernal pools at certain periods of the year.

*Note:* The low point of the site is in the northwestern corner of the site. The highpoint of the site is located on the center of the asphalt lot on the eastern side of the site.

Constraint/Opportunity: Prominent Winds

Strong southwest winds in the winter are an important site consideration. The surrounding buildings also create a wind tunnel effect through the site. Design interventions should address this as it will affect the comfort of spaces across the site.

In the winter, aim to protect villagers from the strong winds. In the summer, use the prominent winds to maximize passive cooling.