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In 1979 a California corporation, Spectra-Physics, gave Eugene the good news that it would build a plant in west Eugene. It would build on a site that was the company's third choice but the city's first choice, right in the area the city had targeted for industrial growth. Several layers of permits were required to fill a portion of its 32-acre site that was in a flood zone, including a permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The greatest advantage of the site, from the company's viewpoint, was that it afforded the possibility for future expansion, and the company hired an architect to design a three-phase master plan. Phase I was completed in 1980; Phase II in 1984.
In 1987, success with its bar-code scanner manufacturing business caused Spectra-Physics, which employs 500 people, to think of building a two-phase $8 million expansion. That same year state agencies issued a specific directive to metropolitan areas, ordering them to show an increased commitment to wetland areas: "Local governments shall develop policies and local controls for protection and management of wetland areas by completion of the next metro Plan Update." A biologist completing an inventory of the city's natural resources required for compliance with this directive reported that the city had substantial wetlands in the industrial area. The news was especially unwelcome because the city was just emerging from a lengthy recession.
A map shows the west Eugene area in which wetlands (from Register-Guard article) were found (or see this map of the west Eugene wetlands if the other takes too long to load). One aerial photo shows the the Spectra-Physics site; various drawings show the masterplan and various possibilities the architect prepared for expanding the company's facilities.
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