Growth Needs Emission Controls
Another letter to the editor in the Register Guard implies that we should "stabilize our population" in order to meet our climate recovery goals. Even if preventing growth was a goal we as a community wanted to pursue, there doesn't seem to be a logical way to accomplish that. This isn't a case of "Don't build it and they won't come." Eugene can't legally ban new people from moving here. The things that make us a great city for current residents also make us appealing to potential new residents-- and it doesn't seem like becoming an unattractive or unaffordable city is a wise strategy.
Instead of focusing on how to stop growth, a task that is probably impossible, we should work together on figuring out how to accommodate our new residents in a way that ensures affordable housing options are available for everyone, we are creating and enhancing walkable communities where people have transportation choices that allow them to reduce their carbon emissions, and new development is done in way that enriches our existing neighborhoods.