09/28/1987 Meeting (2) - Laserfiche WebLink

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Mr. Holmer said approval of the draft motion would indicate the council tentatively approved the project scope, adopted the project schedule, and e refered the project to the Downtown Commission and Budget Committee. He said construction of the plaza is in the Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) for a future year and passage of the motion would make a major change in the CIP. He suggested that the council ask the Budget Committee to consider the change before the counci 1 acts on it. He suggested the Budget Commi ttee also consider the relationship of the change to other projects in the CIP. Mr. Long responded that Mr. Holmer's suggestion would be appropriate. Mr. Miller said there are many constraints on the capital budget and the General Fund. He said problems may develop if the counci 1 keeps addi ng projects without deleting others. Answering a question from Ms. Bascom, Laurie Power, EWEB Governmental Affairs Coordinator, said Richard Carothers, Associates is a Portland landscape architecture firm which is a subcontractor of the WE/Group, a local firm which is providing architectual services for the EWEB Headquarters Building. Ms. Bascom said there are very competent local firms and she would like them to be used on public projects. Ms. Schue said the the Downtown Commission has approved the plaza. She said she would like comments from the Budget Committee but the plaza will cost more if it is not coordinated with the EWEB Headquarters Building. She said the council approved the plaza and requested its inclusion in the EWEB Master Plan. e Mr. Rutan said approval of the draft motion would indicate that the council wants to proceed with the project. If the council wants an opinion from the Budget Committee, another motion should be offered. Ms. Ehrman said she supports the motion and the proposed action is similar to the action the council took on Lincoln School. She said the plaza could be a demonstration project for entrance beautification. Mr. Bennett said he will support the motion although he is concerned about the capital budget. He said the council made a commi tment to comp 1 ete the project. Responding to a question from Mayor Obie about the council's commitment to the project, Mr. Gleason said EWEB agreed to City requests to include a Fourth Avenue access and plaza in its Master Site Plan as well as to maintain the commercial activity at Fourth Avenue and High Street as long as possible. He said the architects responded to City requests for sunlight on the plaza by designing the Headquarters Building around the plaza. Now EWEB officials have indicated they will pay for part of the construction of the plaza if it is done now. The council voted on the plaza previously when the council approved the Downtown Plan and the CIP. Mr. Holmer said the plaza would be desirable and he does not want to delay it. However, he objects to the process being used and the lack of a realistic - MINUTES--Eugene City Council September 28, 1987 Page 6