05/24/1982 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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e e - II. PUBLIC HEARINGS A. Ordinance Creating Downtown Commission (memo, ordinances distributed) Mr. Gleason said that when the council adopted the economic development program, it placed a high priority on revitalization of the downtown core. He said it was evident ~ that time that there was a problem with the structure and number of commissions and advisory groups dealing with the downtown area. The council had therefore asked these commissions and advisory groups to make recommendations on restructuring to provide a more workable system. Mr. Gleason introduced Steve Shephard, a member of the Eugene Renewal Agency (ERA) and of the subcommittee which had studied the issue and provided the recommendation being considered by the council. Mr. Shephard said that three members each from the ERA, the Downtown Development Board (DDB), and the Eugene Downtown Association (EDA) had discussed the powers and responsibilities of the existing boards and commissions dealing with the downtown area and had agreed on the proposal before the council for creation of a Downtown Commission. Mr. Shephard said that all the groups involved with the downtown area had given up something to reach the consensus before the council, in an effort to provide an advocacy group for the downtown area. Public hearing was opened. Hugh Prichard, 2671 Emerald Street, said that as chairperson of the DDB, he had served on the nine-member subcommittee that had developed the recommendation. He said that the DDB supported the recommendation and welcomed the opportunity to dissolve its own body upon creation of the Downtown Commission. He said that the DDB was confident that the council would install members on the new commission who would provide good representation for downtown businesses. John Matott, 2495 Hilyard Street, said that he was a member of the ERA and had represented that group on the nine-member subcommittee. He said that the ERA supported creation of the Downtown Commission as a means of reducing divisiveness as well as staffing costs and of increasing cooperation. He felt that creation of the new commission would draw the neighborhood groups into considerations for the future of the downtown area. He noted that the ordinance before the council placed final authority for certain decisions with political implications with the council and said that the ERA supported this restructuring. Elaine Denning, 975 Overpark Parcade, said that as president of the EDA she had served on the nine-member subcommittee. She said that the EDA supported creation of the Downtown Commission as a more efficient allocation of resources in the downtown area. She hoped the transition from the existing structure to the new commission would be smooth. Richard Guske, 1565 Polk Street, said he was the president of the Whiteaker Community Council. He read a resolution passed by the Whiteaker executive board, supporting creation of the Downtown Commission and agreeing to amend the Whiteaker charter in conformance with the boandaries agreed on for the commission. He said Whiteaker supported the integration of residents and businesses on the commission and felt such integration was in the interest of both groups. Mr. Guske said that Whiteaker supported the use of existing refinement plans for the downtown area, until the new commission has developed its own refinement plan. MINUTES--Eugene City Council May 24, 1982 Page 3