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? <br /> Eugene Water & Electric (EWEB) site – 27 acres owned by EWEB. EWEB working <br />on relocation plans; with relocation the site would become one of the most important <br />sites in downtown with a mix of development and open space values, zoned <br />Industrial and Public Land, master plan required for rezoning, <br /> <br />Ms. Laurence said that staff was trying to capitalize on development opportunities based on <br />direction in the Downtown Plan, which was adopted two years ago as a policy document with a <br />specific vision of downtown but flexibility about how that vision would be achieved. She said <br />the plan was organized around nine themes and included 116 implementation strategies and <br />project examples. She highlighted some of the themes and associated activities: <br /> <br />? <br /> Strong regional center and building a downtown – less progress on a strong regional <br />center that would involve a downtown hospital or large regional facility, but much <br />progress toward building a downtown as illustrated by the projects described earlier <br />in the presentation <br />? <br /> Great Streets and special places – two most strongly supported themes during <br />development of the downtown vision, most current development opportunities on <br />the Great Streets, theme addressed by the City Hall complex master planning <br />process, Park Blocks investments, actions to support The Shedd, more work needed <br />? <br /> Living downtown – supported by the residential projects discussed earlier, The Tate <br />th <br />Condominiums, WestTown on 8, West Broadway proposal as well as a full-service <br />grocery store in downtown <br />? <br /> Downtown riverfront and cultural center – preliminary discussions with EWEB on <br />th <br />master planning the riverfront site, improving the connection along 8 Avenue from <br />the Park Blocks to the river, support for Downtown Eugene Inc. (DEI), more work <br />needed <br />? <br /> Safe civic center and getting around downtown – discussion of new police station as <br />part of the City Hall complex, implementation of two-way streets downtown, road <br />improvements surrounding courthouse district to connect commercial core to the <br />east end of downtown and the river <br /> <br />Ms. Laurence said that while plan implementation progress was being made, there were many <br />elements yet to be addressed, such as developing a design complex for the Great Streets as urban <br />open spaces, completing an open space plan for downtown, focusing on connections to nearby <br />nature areas, coordinating arts and culture with the theme of Arts and the Outdoors, and specific <br />projects such as redeveloping the Butterfly Lot as potentially part of the Park Blocks. She said <br />that staff recommended continued implementation of the Downtown Plan with four areas of <br />priority: <br /> <br />? <br /> Continue work on development opportunities, <br />? <br /> Work to refine an open space plan for downtown, specifically focusing on <br />connections to nearby nature areas, <br />? <br /> Develop concepts for the Great Streets, creating inviting paths to special places <br />downtown, and <br />? <br /> Work closely with EWEB on the master plan for the riverfront. <br /> <br />Ms. Laurence concluded her presentation with a request for direction from the council regarding <br />whether to prioritize certain projects, maintain staff’s focus on development opportunity work, or <br />identify projects that needed additional staff work or needed to be initiated. <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />MINUTES—Eugene City Council April 19 Page <br />2 <br /> <br />